New bench build

Rob Keeble said:

Dave you sure are talented. What did you use to mill those holes in the bench top. I presume a router but did you do it from both sides or do you by chance have a milling machine handy in your shop.

Are you going to do anything with the steel bars the screw assembly has to run on or leave them as is? Just thinking out loud if it is to run like the videos in terms of smoothness and no friction then surely they will need treatment?

Thanks for sharing. I put you in the Stu category with the make your own tools. I love it. look at what $14 bucks of bits can do.

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It slides pretty nice, I was going to use T9 boeshield? I think the most critical thing is to make sure both of the tracks are parallel and level with each other so it doesn't bind.
I started the hole with a router and clamped down straight edge and a 2" long straight bit from the top of the bench and finished with a bit with a bearing on the end from the bottom side. Essentially I made a mortise and flipped the bench over and used the mortise as a template to finish it.

Heres an update of my progress, I should be able to finish up the below the top work this week and get it standing on its legs. The wagon vise is finished except for attaching the dog block to it, it slides really nice. The leg vise is basically done, I need to adjust the rollers and possibly put different wheels in them, these are off some really cheap walmart rollerblades and are pretty bad quality, when they spin they wobble back and forth, I tried to true them up on the sander and it helped but they are still not great. I was originally going to put my twin screw vise on the opposite end of the bench from the wagon vise but I am thinking I may forgo that and just use the leg and wagon vises, I haven't decided yet.

Looking good Dave. Heck i looked at the pictures before reading and thought to myself, "Now why didnt i think of taking a rollerblade wheel for mine instead of buying the mini castors i did and using their wheel."

The good thing i was looking at with the mini castors i bought (they were only a couple of dollars) is the wheel was flat.

But getting those wheels set right is still a mission i am finding. I have mine on adjusters to be able to get it to run. Something still aint perfect yet on mine.

Where did you buy your handle? for your leg vice.

Rob Keeble said:

Looking good Dave. Heck i looked at the pictures before reading and thought to myself, "Now why didnt i think of taking a rollerblade wheel for mine instead of buying the mini castors i did and using their wheel."

The good thing i was looking at with the mini castors i bought (they were only a couple of dollars) is the wheel was flat.

But getting those wheels set right is still a mission i am finding. I have mine on adjusters to be able to get it to run. Something still aint perfect yet on mine.

Where did you buy your handle? for your leg vice.

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Both the handles for the leg and wagon vises came from Grizzly.com. http://www.grizzly.com/products/Cast-Iron-Handwheel-8-/H3190
Just search for handwheel and they should show up, They have several styles, the "handle" that goes on the handwheel is sold separately so you would have to order that too, or make your own, Just so you know their web site says that the handwheel handle threads are M10-1.5 handle threads but they are not. You want this handle, it is 3/8" 16 threads
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Chromed-Handle-4-x-3-8-16/H3205

Heres some more pics. I got it on its feet today with the help of the wife and a 3 to 1 rope pulley, once on its feet its easy to move around. I can just "walk" it around. I'm still not sure if I'm going to put my twin screw vise on it. The old bench will still stay in the shop somewhere, Hopefully we will get the garage/ tractor side of the building cleaned up and move the metal working stuff over there and then I'll have room for the old bench and wood storage over on the woodshop side.

Here it is in its current finished state, I may make some kind of drawers for under it sometime. The metal rod stuck in the top is a future hold down. So far I really like it

WOW!

Wheres that emoticon for drooling jealousy and admiration? I can't seem to find it anywhere...

That turned out great! I love the shiny wheels on the vice's, and the use of the top just turned out spectacular

Wow is dead on. Nice bench there Dave. Thanks for the links to Grizz btw.

You overtook me and my bench. I am still on the fence as to where the bench dog holes are to go. Also having made my top out of SPF i aint sure the holes will last long but we will see.

I like that bench Dave! Looks great and like it's meant to be well used. No exotic woods. You got me thinking about redoing my out feed table to my saw.

Outstanding Dave, I bet you get years of use from that and loads of smiles too!

Impressive!

Thanks,
Its nice and solid, It will be nice to have the dog holes and wagon vise when I need to plane things, Its also shorter than the old bench so its easier to plane and I can use it to support sheets of ply when cross cutting on the table saw