I got ever so close to finishing this re-do today. It will be done tomorrow or I'll be woodworking using an alternative clamping system. I probably would have been done today but instead of using 2x material I picked something else to use.
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| vise base secured - no more bench flipping |
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| my 2x substitute |
I'm wandering around Home Depot looking for some Doug Fir framing lumber of which they have none larger than 4x4. I stop fixating on that and I'm looking at the white wood offerings that all look like crescent moons. I'm not getting anywhere there but I am getting something because I want my bench back.
On my way out I happened upon this LVL stock. There were several short pieces laying on top the long pieces. I saw the sign and it said it was sold by the LF for $3.45 per. What could go wrong here? This is straight, flat, stable, up to 30' long, and 9 1/4" wide. I'm game to try it out for less than $15 for a 4' long piece.
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| holes drilled, dry fit ok, trimming the top next |
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| top trimmed |
I don't mind using this stuff to make a set of jaws but I do mind the "ply" look of the edges. The faces are one continuous face veneer so they have a solid wood look. I was going to use pine to cover the top ply but I'm thinking maybe oak will take abuse better and hold up longer. This strip of oak is a tad proud of the bench top and I'll plane it flush after it's cooked.
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| cooking |
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| jaw #2 cooking |
I had enough oak to cover the sides too so I did them also. I didn't bother with the bottom because I can't see it. I set the both of these by the furnace to cook until tomorrow.
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| project #1? |
I've been painting this bench as I've been doing the bench re-do. This was a nice natural wooden bench that was by the back door that is now maroonish red and will be by the back door. The wife picked out this color and decreed it would be painted. I still don't like painted wooden objects.
accidental woodworker
"People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of who do."
Issac Asimov
You're getting there Ralph!
ReplyDeleteOn your previous post, you said something about using the edge of the bench as one jaw surface being a "no-no."
Take a second look at some of Paul Seller's videos and you'll see the handiness of a separate jaw. It gets the material you're working with a bit farther away from the bench, giving more freedom of what can be done. His setup is even more apparent at about 6 minutes into the stock preparation video posted yesterday.
Ralph,
ReplyDeleteHow thick/wide are the "aprons" and maple dog section around the top? When all is done, what is the distance from the metal vise rods/screw to the top of the bench?
I see you decided to line both jaws with wood (LVL), do you feel you would not need to keep the inside jaw flush with the top? On long boards a sapcer would be needed to clamp/hold the board to the lenght of the bench. Is that your thoughts?
I went back and forth on this issue. I used the LN bench and that didn't have back jaw. And I also reviewed my Paul Sellers workbench dvd. I went with a back jaw in the end. I'll have to get some time using it before I form an opinion about it.
ReplyDeleteThe maple dog ass'y is 5 1/2" by 3 1/2. Two pieces sandwiching the middle dog strip. I ditched the LVL for the back jaw and I ended up with 4 1/2" from the top of the bench to the top of the vise rods.
ReplyDelete