Hayward Workbench Build - Finished!

[skeetstar]

Bodgers, apologies if someone has already mentioned this, but I recall early in the thread that you expressed an intention to paint this bench? To my mind it would be a shame to cover up that beautiful timber and more importantly evidence of your incredible handiwork with paint.

Anyway all looking good. I am very envious. My benches are sheet ply set on a timber framework against a wall, maybe one day I will try and emulate your build..

 

[Bodgers]

Bodgers, apologies if someone has already mentioned this, but I recall early in the thread that you expressed an intention to paint this bench? To my mind it would be a shame to cover up that beautiful timber and more importantly evidence of your incredible handiwork with paint.

Anyway all looking good. I am very envious. My benches are sheet ply set on a timber framework against a wall, maybe one day I will try and emulate your build..

I am going to paint the frame and leave the top and apron. When I say leave, I have some Fiddes Hardwax oil finish for that.

Reasons to paint it are:

Beech isn't that interesting to look at.

I like benches I've seen with the painted frame - the Hayward bench in Pop woodworking is an example of that.

The stock I've used in some of the legs isn't that nice. There are bark inclusions and some bits that have checks that I have filled with epoxy, so it isn't as if I have painting over finest quilted maple or anything.




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[DBT85]

Err thanks. Or something.

I have very limited time in the workshop. 3 kids and a full time job and all that.

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Just wanted to add that I feel your pain. I looked the other day and its been a full 5 months since I last updated my project thread as the bench is basically done, but still needs a tiny bit of flattening, finishing and my vice jaws properly done.

I've used it a couple of times for small jobs but with so much else going on I've just not been able to get in there! Very frustrating.

Yours looks to be going swimmingly!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

... its been a full 5 months since I last updated my project thread ...

I've one going that's twice as old, but life sometimes gets in the way.

 

[dzj]

... its been a full 5 months since I last updated my project thread ...

I've one going that's twice as old, but life sometimes gets in the way.

I started a 2 over 3 chest of drawers in June.
So far I've sorted the feet. Somewhat.

 

[DBT85]

... its been a full 5 months since I last updated my project thread ...

I've one going that's twice as old, but life sometimes gets in the way.

Nice to know its not just me!

 

[Bodgers]

Err thanks. Or something.

I have very limited time in the workshop. 3 kids and a full time job and all that.

Sent from my Redmi Note 5 using Tapatalk

Just wanted to add that I feel your pain. I looked the other day and its been a full 5 months since I last updated my project thread as the bench is basically done, but still needs a tiny bit of flattening, finishing and my vice jaws properly done.

I've used it a couple of times for small jobs but with so much else going on I've just not been able to get in there! Very frustrating.

Yours looks to be going swimmingly!

It still feels slow, especially as the end is in sight now. I'm still ahead of my (admittedly a bit pessimistic) schedule of 12 months though.

I will probably post an update soon-ish. The tail vise is almost done and I'm now doing the tool tray. So it will just be the front vice to put back together after the re-paint/resto and then apply paint and finish. I am going to leave the lower shelf bit until later as the other half is wanting my workshop time to build a built in wardrobe for one of the kid's bedrooms, and it has been effectively delayed due to this bench build.

 

[will1983]

I started a 7' sideboard build 3 months ago, levelled and sanded the solid ash top ready for finish and its been propping up a wall in the conservatory ever since.

I keep telling the Mrs that it is "acclimatising" and therefore its not worth doing anything else until it is sorted! :wink:

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've had stuff "aclimatising" for twenty five years .........

 

[Bodgers]

Nearly there now.

Here is the current state (whilst smoothing and scraping the top yesterday):

Jobs to do:

Attach and flush up front apron.
Fit Record vice.
Tool Tray needs clips underneath to bring it flush into the rebate.
Bench dogs
Glue tail vice handle
Paint base and waxoil on the top

Video:

https://youtu.be/kOX9Si_5_Gg

 

[Bm101]

Great to see the video. Don't be so hard on yourself! Great work fella.

 

[Turnr77]

Great looking bench there, but I was wondering ........

Jobs to do:

Attach and flush up front apron.
Fit Record vice.
Tool Tracy needs clips underneath to bring it flush into the rebate.
Bench dogs
Glue tail vice handle
Paint base and waxoil on the top

Is Tool Tracy related to Biscuit Tim?

 

[Bodgers]

Whoops, auto correct

 

[Bodgers]

I started fitting the vice last night.

These Record quick release vices are a pain to fit. Dealing with the various fitting points whilst wrestling with the weight of it is not pleasant. I dread to think how bad this would have been with the large 10" record I still have.

I have also messed up.

I want the vice back jaw to be inset flush with the apron (yes, I know Sir Paul doesn't do it this way and has it stuck out, but I wanted it like this).

I underestimated just how much material in the apron I needed to cut away and now I am completed commited. I have basically only left about 20% of the original width, which I think seriously reduces it's ability to act as a stiffener for the bench frame. So annoying. Anyway, I have a thick strip of beech I am going to add to the back to add some material back in.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

There is a thread on fitting them if you search for it (I lose the will to live searching for stuff) - it involves clamping a piece of 4" x 2" or something in the jaws to support the vice at very nearly the correct height, so that when you're faffing about trying to get the mounting bolts/screws in you're not trying to carry it as well. Or turn the bench upside down if you you have space.

 

[AndyT]

I think there are several, but this is a good one

vices-fitting-a-record-bench-vice-t25365.html

 

[nabs]

I don't think you have anything to worry about on the integrity of the apron bodgers - everyone who fits a vice ends up cutting a big hole in it anyway and I think the bracing effect on the legs would still be more than adequate even if the apron was made of a much thinner bit of wood than your current version. The bench looks excellent btw - don't get disheartened now!

 

[Bodgers]

It has been a while since I updated this, but it is now complete. So it took 6 months in the end. It was suggested that it would take a few weekends, I said it might take a year. Reality is that with a full time job and grabbing bits of time where you can, a project like this takes 6 months. And it isn't even a great standard or anything.

A summary:

https://youtu.be/X2nTC8eYyXY

[

 

[MusicMan]

And very nice it is too. I have been enjoying (and developing) my own bench for 25 years now and I am sure you will do so too.

Keith

 

[Trevanion]

Very nice work Bodgers!

In regard to that snapped bolt on the Vice, have you tried drilling a smalling hole so you could hammer an allen key in to try and loosen it off? You might not have enough space for that though so maybe one of those screw extractors like these: https://www.screwfix.com/p/screw-extractor-set-5-piece might do the job. I think snapping a bolt is one of the worst feelings known to man, perhaps snapping a tap is a little worse.