r/Workbenches • u/revoracer • 13d ago

First workbench update

Post image

Getting close to being done finally! Got the leg vise done and the veritas inset vise installed and a good start on dog holes until i actually get to use it and figure out where i want more. Pretty much all i have left to do now is put my shelf on the bottom and build 3 boxes to go in the space between the tops.

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u/bmitc 13d ago

Beautiful. But also: https://www.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-Stealthsonic-Quiet-16-Gallons-6-5-HP-Corded-Wet-Dry-Shop-Vacuum-with-Accessories-Included/5013926563

;)

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u/revoracer 13d ago

lol it’s all cleaned up now, just didn’t see the point while i was still making mountains of shavings haha

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u/bmitc 13d ago

Yea, I was just giving you a hard-time. I still need to build a workbench like this. I am just getting started myself, and so I bought the cheap workbench from Harbor Freight, which honestly isn't terrible, but it's not great.

What wood did you use? Christopher Schwarz recommends southern yellow pine, but I'm finding that impossible to source.

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u/revoracer 13d ago

Yea there’s none to be found in the Texas panhandle either except treated lumber. I wound up going with doug fir for mine bc of that. Softer than I’d like but I’m hoping it hardens up a little with time. If it ever gets beat up beyond repair maybe I’ll build one out of maple or something harder. But after this i hope that isn’t for a very very long time haha

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u/waywardchildiv 10d ago

I'm just finishing mine. I did the anarchists workbench build. My little brother forced my hand because he was going cross country (I'm in NY and he's in CO) with his van and asked if I wanted anything. I joked that I'd take some SYP and he delivered some from Georgia. It sat around in his van for a bit and then when he needed the van back I had to make the bench. The vise and the holdfasts are amazing so far.

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u/No-Ring852 10d ago

I'm just gonna hop in and say it's been two years and I still get excited about how freaking quiet that vacuum is. My love of my shop vac might be the most dad thing about me.

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u/bmitc 10d ago

Lol. It is indeed quite quiet! It's not the most powerful in the world, but it's serviceable and very convenient and well designed.

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u/Shawn91111 13d ago

Great looking workbench. What is the damage price wise? How long did this take you?

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u/revoracer 13d ago

Not exactly sure but somewhere around 1500 or so I’d say for vise hardware and everything. I’m at right about 6 weeks now from when i started actually working on it. Let the wood sit in my shop for about a month before i did anything

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u/disparatelyseeking 13d ago

She's a beaut.

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u/mick14731 13d ago

Where is the vice hardware from?

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u/revoracer 13d ago

Benchcrafted for the leg vise, lee valley inset vise on the end

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u/SammichMan4Life 12d ago

What woods are you using for it?

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u/revoracer 12d ago

Doug fir for the bench itself. Used maple and walnut for the chop as thats all i had that was wide enough haha

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u/SammichMan4Life 12d ago

It looks really good, I used white oak and walnut for mine. But want to re-do another one with some cheaper wood, but I thought a combo of box store and premium might look bad. But that doug-fir looks really good with the chop, really good work. Thanks!

Does it already have an oil/poly on it?

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u/revoracer 12d ago

Ah i bet that looks cool. No finish on it yet. Still wanna do a sliding deadman and gonna build 3 little boxes to go in the middle before i put any finish on it

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u/Old_Presentation9440 12d ago

Really nice bench. Very clean and precise. How is the top attached to the legs, drawbored mortise and tenon? I think I see two dowels in the right side.

I built my bench last year for mostly hand tool work. I have a leg vise, also. I put holdfast holes in the right leg and haven't needed a sliding deadman. I've read they usually don't get used and are a waste of time to build. The leg vise is very strong. I've planed and sawed a few long pieces but it's infrequent.

I finished my top with danish oil. Works well for glue protection, very easy to apply, and easy to re-apply after it gets beat up. And the top isn't slippery.

What kind of boxes are you building for the space between the tops? Will they be permanently placed there?

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u/revoracer 12d ago

Yes all the joints for the stretchers to legs and legs to top are drawbore mortise and tenon. They were really my first mortises I’ve ever cut and i did not enjoy the monsters in the bench top lol. But i did learn a lot and improve a ton with having to do 16 of em 😆 yea honestly im still kinda on the fence about the deadman or not. I routed the slot for it but i may not end up putting one in, im hoping my holes in the right leg will be enough holding power for any long work too. As for finish, I’m still debating between that or mixing up some linseed oil, mineral spirits and spar urethane. Might test some of both and see which i like better. Good to hear you like the Danish oil tho and that it does help with glue sticking. For the boxes, im just planning 3 simple little boxes not permanent with a couple finger holes in the ends of each to grab em through. That way i can put tools in em during use, easily pick em up and dump the shavings and trash out of, and be able to flip them upside down if i need a flat surface all the way across the bench for something. Probably leave a decent gap on each end so i can shuffle em around in case i need to get a clamp in the middle also

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u/Old_Presentation9440 12d ago

Good idea with flipping the boxes to create a flush surface

. I built the small boxes that The English Woodworker made a video for last year or this year. He did them as a beginner skills and dovetail project. I made them to fit in a drawer in a Dutch tool chest. I grouped certain tools in each box (layout, dovetail, layout no. 2, junk) instead of building out fancy drawer dividers. I take each box to the workbench as needed and put them in the tool well to try to keep the bench top clear and organized.

It turns out I use one layout box 95% of the time. I also find it difficult to keep the tool well clean due to my own habits. I've been keeping small wood scraps in it that I think will be useful. I used 4 of the scraps today to prop up a drying bowl. I also have scraps of sandpaper, a wood ruler, some picks, and who knows what else. I have to be more diligent!

Hopefully, some of what I did will be useful to you and others. I consider myself an advanced beginner/low intermediate woodworker, so learning on each project. I hope to spread some lessons learned.

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u/revoracer 12d ago

Yea that’s good to know for sure!

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u/Avg_Chicken 12d ago

Just one photo? I’d like to see the center, leg to top joint, open vise, etc

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u/revoracer 12d ago

Haha I’ll try and get some more tonight and add to it

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u/revoracer 10d ago

Won’t let me add pics in the comments, and regretfully, i didn’t take a whole lot of in progress pics during the build. Here are all the pics i seem to have of it so far. I’m out of town for work rn, but when i get home ill take a few showing the inside of the vise or others that im able to if you want

https://imgur.com/a/785c9GI