First Bench

That hopefully will pass the test of time...
Ponderosa pine base, MDF top, wrapped in curly maple...

Mortise and tenon legs and stretcher...
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Doweled top support...
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Cross members...
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Coat of epoxy on the knots...
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Dummy forgot to joint the factory home depot lumber, and the results of the eased edges made the joints look sad...
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So, backsawed and chiseled out a cosmetic fix...
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Did the same sorta fix at the stretcher ends...
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Then decided to add a decorative touch with the hope it may add in strength at the joint, though it's only a quarter inch deep...
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More in a minute or five :D
 
Then it was onto surface flattening the base, probably over-kill, but my floor slopes fairly well...
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onto a couple of coats of BLO & MS...
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Followed by top time...3 layers MDF...
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and wrapped in maple...
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Vise tip was to make the handle before assembly...
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Then glue up of the vise faces...
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Then layour for screw and guide rods...
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And recessing the guide supports...
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just a few more, lol
 
Attaching the bench side vise face...
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Vise shim and anti-slide corner blocks...
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Dog hole jig and drilling came next...
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angling the face vise via planner jig...
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took a break to add a descriptive note...my woodworking at times can be a battle, LOL not sure if that's a horse, Lion or combo, similar to some of my creations in that aspect :rofl:...cut the pattern on the scroll saw and traced to the top, then pyro'd in with my wood burner...it is what it is...
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and these last shots are after the second coat of Blo, MS, Minwax Antique oil and a dash of Poly satin...more coats to come followed up by some paste wax...
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Thanks if you made it this far :wave: was a ton of fun!
 
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That looks great Ken! A proper bench is on my short list. I've finally gotten tired of trying to cobble something together to hold something that a bench will do in a few seconds.
 
Harkening back to the teaching days. Students would build a bench after several semesters of other wood working classes and then remark, "I wish I had done this in the beginning."

Would save so many mistakes. A good bench is a good tool. Not just a place to spatter glue, spill paint, and pile stuff on.
 
That looks great Ken! A proper bench is on my short list. I've finally gotten tired of trying to cobble something together to hold something that a bench will do in a few seconds.

One of my main reasons as well John, & Thanks!

Fantastic!

Now make sure you keep all the glue stains off of it!

Thanks Brent, gonna give er my best, but....:D

She's a beauty, Ken. What's her name?

Thanks Ted, 'Bertha' definitely one of the Butt sisters...she's as heavy and ugly as I am LOL

Yay! She looks great Ken :thumb:

Thanks Glenn, "Yay" is sooo right, no fire pit with this :D

Really super Ken!!! I'm with John, a serious bench is on my short list and fast working its way to the top.

Thanks Norm, looking forward to seeing what John & you create!

Harkening back to the teaching days. Students would build a bench after several semesters of other wood working classes and then remark, "I wish I had done this in the beginning."

Would save so many mistakes. A good bench is a good tool. Not just a place to spatter glue, spill paint, and pile stuff on.

Add me to the list of wishers Carol :thumb:

If I got the right picture, I went by it to quick and saw those foosball men, instead of spring clamps with the green.

New years eve can do that to you Randal, but don't ask me how I know that... lol

that came together beautifully! Love the details!

Thanks Rich, like that saying> 'if you can't bluff them with brillance, baffle 'em with bull poo' :rofl:

Great work, Ken! It's not only very serviceable, but looks good, too. :thumb:

Thanks Bill :thumb:

Great Job Ken! That vice looks real stout. Will serve you very well.

Thanks Rob, hope so, for $ 60.00 or so > it < seems well made, Amazon is out of stock at the moment, but I may just pick up another of them for the front vise...very happy with it so far.

Looks nice, sure hope it's sitting where it' supposed to be. It also looks like it weighs about 500#, moving it may be a real effort!

Thanks Fred, it's definitely staying put. only place I've had a bench since I built the shop. good natural lighting and a veiw of the door with the side I usually work from. Keeps any folks from sneaking up and startling me. Trying to teach some folks about the dangers is like :deadhorse:

Very nice looking bench, congratulations on a job well done.

Thank you Lenard and welcome to the family :wave:
 
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