I did it, the bench is glued up. It’s down to just a few details (flattening, bench dog holes and finish) and the bench will be DONE.
I wanted to take care of as many details as I could before gluing up. I got the threaded block for the vise screw installed. I used blue tape to center the screw in the hole, then threaded the nut block on the back, marked and drilled holes for lag bolts to attach it. While I had it all assembled, I fit the brass garter and drilled the mounting holed for that.
Getting the vise screw centered in the hole
Four 3/8″ x 5″ lag bolts to hold the threaded block in place
Check!
I decided it would be easier to install the end vise now, while the bench top was upside down. I got new lag bolts, and added some shims behind the face so that the inner face was perfectly flush with the end of the bench. It was about 1/16″ shy on one side and maybe 3/32″ on the other. It’s just right now.
End vise installed, Check!
I glued up and pegged the short stretchers, and then I was ready to put the top on. The big question was how was I going to get the glue applied and the bench top in place by myself? It’s HEAVY. I decided to position it on top on top of the legs, slather glue on and then scoot it over so it would drop onto the tenons. It worked OK. The fit (read “sloppy fit”) on the through mortises worked to my advantage here.
Once the top was on I drove in wedges in all the gaps to close them up. I’ll let this dry for a few hours and then saw the wedges off and flatten the bench top.
Gluing up the short stretchers, everything is nice and square
Manhandling the bench top, first I set it on edge, then down half way onto the legs, then walked it into place
Bench top ready for glue
On your mark, get set, GO! Getting glue onto 8 mortises and 8 tenons (and not everywhere else) by yourself isn’t a relaxing process.
Glued & Wedged
Forest of wedges
Time for a lunch break now, I should probably leave this to dry over night before I do anything else to it.
Ha!! You did it! I love the wedge forest! It looks like your bench is having a bad hair day. (tee hee!). And you flattened it already??
I wanna see glamour shots. 😀
It was having a bad mortise day, that’s for sure. But it’s heavy, solid and stable. And flat now too, I just need to drill dog holes and put some finish on it.
But I have yet another work meeting tonight, so that has to wait until tomorrow. Stoopid Work.
Great job. I’m happy your having better days with that bench. I won’t get to mine for a few weeks. At least I have a working AC now. I love the chop and can’t wait to see the finished bench.
Thanks! I’m really pleased with the crisscross, it was simple to install and works like a charm. No load on the vise screw at all. So far the chop seems stable, I’m eager to get finish on it and see the grain pop on the walnut.
Dog holes and finish in the morning. Then cleaning up the shop. Then the stained glass for the sconces. Woot!
What’s going to become of the poor cousin in the background?
My first thought was “bonfire”, although someone suggested that I pass it on to a new woodworked. I thin the assumption there is that the recipient should a new woodworked that I don’t like, because giving them this bench isn’t going to be a help.
That said, if anyone want to come pick up the old bench it’s yours.
If you screw some more supports to the legs and bolt it to the wall it would probably be stable enough, and if you replace the vises they would probably work OK,
Congratulations. It looks really good!