The Workbench – Finishing Touches

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The Workbench – Finishing Touches

After the last post I was left with a mostly complete workbench and certainly use-able.  All that was left was to install the vises and a few other odds and ends.  I started with installing the shoulder vise, which was simple because I had already bored all the holes and installed the nut.  This is a Veritas Shoulder Vise screw and is a little long for my small vise opening, but bearable for the time being.  I may try to cut the screw length down eventually.

WW_Workbench_22

The total opening capacity is about 4″, which is fine for probably 90% of what I typically clamp in there.  I can always use the large leg vise on the other bench if I have something bigger than that.  The chop is 1 1/2″ thick red oak and is maybe a little overkill.  I could probably thin that down to 1″ and get a little more opening capacity, but we’ll see how this works out for now.

WW_Workbench_23

Up next was the tail vise.  I’ve never had a tail vise before and typically just use battens and planing stops, so I didn’t want to go all out with this.  The main thing that I wanted a tail vise for was fenced plane work (plow planes, rabbet planes, etc.), so I wanted something that could put the front row of dog holes as close as possible to the front of the bench.  The Veritas Inset Vise fit the bill nicely and was really simple to install.  I just had to bore out the cavity for the vise and drop it in.

WW_Workbench_24

The front row of dog holes is about an inch and a half from the front of the bench and I made a simple little jig to help me bore them out and to make sure they were all in line.

WW_Workbench_25

For the back row of dog holes I added 4 holes, spaced roughly 2x the reach of my Lie-Nielsen hold fasts apart.  The furthest left front and back dog holes are inline with each other.

Other little finishing touches were a tongue and groove pine bottom shelf:

workbench_bottom_shelf

An oak tool rack across the back, which is really handy.  I prefer a tool rack like this to a tool well, but that’s just personal preference:

workbench_tool_rack

And finally a cheap $9 Ikea work lamp.  The Tertial Ikea lamp comes with a screw type mounting base, but I just screwed it to a scrap piece and stuck a 3/4″ dowel on the underside so I can move it around in different dog holes.

workbench_work_lamp

It’s a great little lamp actually and reaches right across my smaller sized bench.

The only things left were to cut the top to length and do some final shaping of the shoulder vise.  I may add a light finish to the top, but as of right now I’m enjoying the raw look.  Have a look here for all the final pictures and the very first The Wireless Woodworker video!

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Tim
2 COMMENTS
  • Haitham Jaber
    Reply

    Hi, thank you for sharing. One question torments me. Wouldn’t it be to dangerous for planes and tools to have the naked iron of the inset vise on the surface of the bench? I mean, didn’t you find it a downside of the concept of this tool? Thanks, I’m thinking about buying it but I want to be sure.

    1. Tim
      Reply

      Hi Haitham,

      I had thought the same thing initially, but it hasn’t been an issue at all. It’s relatively small, so it’s not normally in the way. It’s slightly recessed from the surface of the bench, but I still wouldn’t be chiseling on top of it. For planing really thin stock it may be an issue, but I suspect you’d have problems using it to hold a piece than thin anyways.

      The biggest concern I typically have when planing is the little handle. Sometimes when you tighten a piece down the handle can flip upwards (instead of downwards), which would certainly hit a plane. I just double check that it’s flipped down, but it’s something to consider.

      You’ve probably built a bench already, would love to see some pics!

      Cheers,
      Tim

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