Woodworking bench

[clovishound]

I cheated on my WW bench. I bought a 12' piece of 4x12 SWP. I cut it in half and hand jointed the two pieces together. That was a real learning experience, but the joint was nearly invisible, and has held up well over many years. It's a little narrow, but has served me well. I mounted a vintage Wilton vise on one end.

[Hatchdog]

Couple of humorous comments made here…

Need to build a carport in order to build the bench and it would be easier to build the bench if I had the bench!

Great stuff indeed

[Ernie]

Gene, that is a cool bench and a great vise. I got a maple bench someone was using for a welding bench.

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I took the top off and refinished, welded a base

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and made it a reloading bench.

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Seemed like a good idea at the time.
I appreciate all the helpful advice I can get. Yes I am going to assemble the top as you recommend. The bonus is I get to buy more clamps, and probably a biscuit joiner. This bench could end up costing me a ton.

[Mr. Neutron]

Any updates on the workbench, Ernie??

It's funny. I store my little travel trailer in my pole barn. I'm scheming on one of those carport thingies to store it outside, so I can free up a bay for my kinda new woodworking addiction.

I'm building a smallish 6&1/2 ft. long Nicholson style bench out of some fir I inherited when I bought my place. Plan to try going "viseless" with the exception of a removable Moxon style vise. I'm a total newbie hack at this bizness, but do love a good curl coming off my Stanley #5 handplane.....

[Ernie]

Got the truck parked outside and have an elevated raised bed planter I am finishing now to sell. Then the bench and getting quotes on a slab to build on. I had considered a carport however by the time I get one that is rated for the local snow load it is more economical to build a shed roof enclosure. Would like to see what you are doing.
Enjoy

[Mr. Neutron]

Ernie, I totally get the the "Priorities" thing..... Get one thing accomplished to accomodate the the next step needed to get to something else. I'm right there with you, and it sounds like other folks on this message board. I've stated before that it would be easier to build another pole barn/shop than it would be to clean and organize the one I have.......

I might get some pics of my bench as it gets closer to being done. My woodworking skill isn't quite yet ready to be exposed for what it is (lousy). Trust me, there's been somewhat of a learning curve for me with this "what should be a somewhat simple project". I will say it's loosely patterned after a Nicholson bench, similar to what Rex Krueger builds in one of his videos, and has elements of a bench made by a guy with a video called "The Mighty Nicholson". Mine is made of fir I already had or bought at Home Depot, and my fir wood I had has been kinda problematic in a few ways. Ate up the planer kinives on my planer very quickly, probably from all the dirt on that lumber. That wood has a lot of cracks to work around or deal with in some fashion in it as well. I'm just glad it doesn't need to be perfect to be useful. It ain't. It will be used for my electric guitar building projects, as well as repair to some of the "treasures" my wife buys at estate sales and garage sales, which she re-sells at a local antique/vintage shop. This has actually taken priority over my guitar stuff lately, as she seems to go through her stock of stuff to sell kinda quickly. I recently made a door for a Hoosier cabinet she got for $50; given my skillset, it turned out well.......

I really love the engineering of the Shaker style bench you've got plans to build. The angled legs, the leg vise, the sliding deal for the side bench dogs are all really great features. Be cool to see it as you go, and when finished.