Penultimate workbench

[colinc]

Hi,

I am calling my current project my penultimate workbench so that I don't agonise over the many choices that need to be made and just get on with it on the basis that my final bench will fix any shortcomings.

The basic design is the Benchcrafted Roubo bench but I decided to build it from pine rather than hardwood for speed and economy. I have invested in Benchcrafted's Classic leg vice hardware and criss-cross which I have to say is a quality product.

My dilemma is the other vice. I would like to try a wagon vice, but baulked at buying Benchcrafted's vice and would like to go home-brew.

Very interested to hear what other people think of wagon vices and how they have implemented them.

Regards,

Colin

 

[Bodgers]

I made mine from Beech using a wood tap and die set from Axminster. Primary motivation was cost. So far I am happy with it.

hayward-workbench-build-t112721-75.html


There are other ways to hold down work like this I suppose, so you don't 100% need it.

 

[colinc]

I thought that I would add an update to this post with the thought that it might help anyone searching for info on wagon vices in future.

After a few hours spent searching the internet I found a lot of information and a whole range of wagon vice designs some crude, some very clever. I decided that what I wanted was a setup where the dog travelled along the screw and the screw was fixed and didn't screw in and out of the bench as I would be bound to be always walking into it. I also wanted the screw offset from the dog so that when the dog was retracted it left a clear slot into which narrow boards might be clamped vertically.

I was prepared to machine my own parts as necessary, but didn't think I could manage a proper left-handed lead-screw thread which is the ideal solution. A post on this forum by MilesH drew my attention to Accu https://www.accu.co.uk/en/ but they only offer right-handed thread trapezoidal lead screws and nuts off the shelf at reasonable cost. In the end, and so that I had something tangible to play, with I bought a Veritas Screw from Axminster like this one: https://www.axminster.co.uk/veritas-tai ... rew-475227 which is a lot of metal for the money.

However, whilst the screw is fine (it seems to be T28 x 5mm pitch) and I was prepared to put up with turning it the 'wrong' way, the cast nut that runs along it is 70mm x 70mm and so needs a pretty big recess under the bench for it to sit in. I was planning a 90mm bench top ex 4" x 2" boards, so that set me searching again.

Yesterday I found York's web site and discovered that they make a LH threaded vice screw with a machined cuboid nut that seems designed for the job and is certainly adaptable. I suspect they make the 'Veritas' and 'Axminster' branded parts too. The part number is HV 582. http://www.york.cz/en/workbench-spindle ... double--hv

This seems to be the part that many people in my position have been looking for. Unfortunately I could only find a single supplier in Europe who are in Sweden: https://www.hyvlar.se/en Fortunately they have stock so one is coming my way via DHL. Actually, I checked their stock by increasing my order quantity and they currently have two more available if anyone else is after one?

regards,

Colin

 

[custard]

I bought a wagon vice from Richard Maguire at The English Woodworker and fitted it to my current bench about six or seven years ago.

It's an attractive thing, superbly made, and it works beautifully. A few months ago a member of the forum was selling one so I bought that in case I want one in the second workshop bench that I intend making.

However, i don't want to sound like I'm advocating a tail vice as to be honest I think they're more of an indulgence than a necessity.

The main shortcoming of most tail vices is that the workpiece is unsupported where it spans a gap, if it's too thin then it will flex under planing pressure, and you'll never get a straight surface. Consequently I hardly ever plane in a tail vice, instead I'll almost always plane against a stop so that the workpiece is fully supported on the bench.

However, take out planing and there isn't an awful lot left that you'll actually need a wagon vice for!

 

[colinc]

Hi,

Yes, I did wonder how useful it might be, hence my decision not to buy the Benchcrafted kit and try home brew. As I said originally, this bench is a bit of an experiment as I have only ever had a bench with a Record vice before. I did enquire about the Maguire vice but they are no longer available. If you ever decide to part with your spare, please keep me in mind.

 

[colinc]

Actually, the last bench I built didn't have a vice at all, but it was 2 feet deep, 24 feet long, dead flat and was used for building new wooden wing spars for the the DH-88 Comet that is pictured in my avatar!

 

[adidat]

Pretty handy for clamping stuff for routing or dominoing if thats a word... :lol: :lol:

Or small glue ups


Possibilities are endless....

Adidat

 

[colinc]

Hi,

I thought that I should add an update now that I have virtually finished my home-brew wagon vice. I tracked down a left-hand thread vice screw made by York in the Czech Republic via a retailer in Sweden. The general layout is similar to the Benchcrafted but rather than milling the guides from steel I made them from HDPE on the router table using a 6mm slot cutter. The steel block on the screw (40x40x80mm long) is locked into a cutout in the block and clamped by the steel sliding plate. I removed the vice screw's lever tee and fitted a 125mm hand-wheel from Accu instead. The wagon slides very freely but with very little play. If the HDPE rails don't work out I can replace them with steel, but it was easy to prototype with HDPE and they don't seem to flex at all under load. I still need to drill the dog hole in the sliding block, but I need to finish the bench first. The hand-wheel provides plenty of leverage and it clamps anything in the gap very well. Am pretty pleased with it and it was cheap. If I find I really like the wagon vice and want to upgrade I can always fit a pukka Benchcrafted one later but this allows me to try the concept.

 

[colinc]

From below.

 

[colinc]

from above:

 

[colinc]

Now need to assemble the bench. The wood looks a bit knotty there but I did manage to organise it so that the top face is clear.

 

[Bodgers]

Hi,

I thought that I should add an update now that I have virtually finished my home-brew wagon vice. I tracked down a left-hand thread vice screw made by York in the Czech Republic via a retailer in Sweden. The general layout is similar to the Benchcrafted but rather than milling the guides from steel I made them from HDPE on the router table using a 6mm slot cutter. The steel block on the screw (40x40x80mm long) is locked into a cutout in the block and clamped by the steel sliding plate. I removed the vice screw's lever tee and fitted a 125mm hand-wheel from Accu instead. The wagon slides very freely but with very little play. If the HDPE rails don't work out I can replace them with steel, but it was easy to prototype with HDPE and they don't seem to flex at all under load. I still need to drill the dog hole in the sliding block, but I need to finish the bench first. The hand-wheel provides plenty of leverage and it clamps anything in the gap very well. Am pretty pleased with it and it was cheap. If I find I really like the wagon vice and want to upgrade I can always fit a pukka Benchcrafted one later but this allows me to try the concept.

Looks very sturdy.

Love the walnut end cap as well.

Sent from my Redmi Note 5 using Tapatalk

 

[colinc]

A few more pictures now that the bench is closer to finished. I still need to decide on hold-fasts and drill appropriate size holes in the bench top, leg and sliding dead-man. I also need to make the central tool holder/planing stop. The top looks a bit shiny in the photo as I gave it an end of day coat of boiled linseed oil.

The bench is very sturdy and has sufficient weight even though it is built from pine and not hardwood. I suspect the main advantage of making the top from hardwood would be that it would be less easily dented in use, but perhaps it is better to use hard material on a softer bench and not damage the work?

The Benchcrafted leg vice works very well and I am glad I invested in that.

regards,

Colin

 

[Sideways]

That looks a fine piece of work. I'd be proud if that were my work, and thanks for sharing the details of the search for suitable parts !

 

[Bm101]

=D> =D> =D>
Cracking work and solid as a rock Colin.
Great stuff. Bet you're (secretly) glad you bought that book now. :wink:
Regards
Chris

 

[thetyreman]

nice bench! looks very heavy and sturdy, cheers. =D>

 

[colinc]

=D> =D> =D>
Cracking work and solid as a rock Colin.
Great stuff. Bet you're (secretly) glad you bought that book now. :wink:
Regards
Chris

A definite yes. The book is already on loan to its next victim!

 

[Bm101]

:-$

 

[SMALMALEKI]

That’s a fine piece of wood working. Now I can’t use my nearly finished workbench. I need the next project starting soon.
I wish you enjoy making many fine pieces on this.

=D> =D>

 

[rafezetter]

The main shortcoming of most tail vices is that the workpiece is unsupported where it spans a gap, if it's too thin then it will flex under planing pressure, and you'll never get a straight surface. Consequently I hardly ever plane in a tail vice, instead I'll almost always plane against a stop so that the workpiece is fully supported on the bench.

I've been wrestling on whether to put a tail vice on my current new bench build - if the tail vice is used with a stop such that the majority of the board is supported - is that good enough to stop flex?

I've tried planing against a stop on it's own with nothing to hold it in place but it's troublesome.

I don't really plane very thin boards anyway tbh, but boxes and such are something I do plan to make which will be reasonably thin walled.