Carpenter's bench

[venkatbo]

Hi folks,

'am basically interested in building cabinets and thinking of buying the plan for this bench and building it:

<center></center>

Basically,

• where can one find that vise that goes along the shorter edge of the tabletop? and
• what's that type of a vise called?

Thanks,
/venkat

[gmack5]

If I'm not mistaken, it's called an "End Vise", but in this case it's just called BIG!

As far as where to obtain one, I'd look at Lee Valley Tools first.

[Holbren]

I myself am planning on building the Lon Schleining bench out of hard maple.

My only comment to you is before you engage in such a nice piece of work like that bench in the picture, know how much wood you will need and what it will cost. I myself have 110bf of hard maple and at $3.80bf (wholesale price) it's not a low cost project. Add the vises to it and you're talking at least $500 by the time I'm done.

I thought about just buying one but I need a good long term project.

As for the vises, most benches I've seen use the Lee Valley ones.

Good luck,
Brian

[LCHIEN]

Tail Vise?

[Holbren]

Here is the Lee Valley twin screw vise which is the one I see out there the most for mounting at the end of the table. Pretty expensive though, don't think I'll be using one.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...14&cat=1,41659

Brian

[Tom Miller]

quote:Originally posted by Holbren

Pretty expensive though, don't think I'll be using one.

Yeah, I think you'd have to really want it.

Me, I'd go for a tail vise.

Regards,
Tom

[venkatbo]

Thanks for the info.
I was more looking at the functionality - supposedly useful for cabinet making...

The cost is prohibitive no doubt, but may be I can have a 'stereo' version of this:
<center></center>
2 of these on that edge with a common piece of wood going across the two, so I can rotate the handles together.. HF has them for $20

Viable you think ;?)
/venkat

[scorrpio]

First, that is called 'end vise' (a vise along the 'end' of the bench).
A tail vise is something like this:
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...36&cat=1,41659

However, look at:
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...64&cat=1,41659
Two of these screws ($66 total) will let you build a vise that is very similar to that $180 vise, but without the chain drive. Actually, the vise on the bemnch shown above appears to have only one of those screwes, but is supported by a couple of extra metal rods.

You can also have a look at Grizzly vise hardware, number is H7788 it's onlt $30.

[venkatbo]

Found more vises/pix at:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=4875
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=305
in case someone is looking...

/venkat

[vaking]

Depending on how advanced are your woodworking skills, I suggest to remember one rule:
You need a bench to build a good bench! I suggest you start with something less ambitious, cheaper vise maybe, not an expensive hardwood top first. Top of MDF or ply is easier to make flat. In order to make a flat hardwood top you have to have a surface to work on. If this is your first bench it might not come out as flat as you want. There are numerous plans for cheap starter benches. And there is usually a use for your first bench later on when you are ready to upgrade.

[messmaker]

I may be speaking out of turn but I am not sure you need a bench of that type to get the job done. If you will be working with power tools, I think you might be just as well off with a good heavy duty assembly table and a million clamps.

[Tom Miller]

quote:Originally posted by venkatbo

2 of these on that edge with a common piece of wood going across the two, so I can rotate the handles together.. HF has them for $20

Viable you think ;?)

Gotta say, if I were going to the trouble and expense of making a bench like that, I wouldn't slap some cheapy $20 HF vises on it. If that bench turns out any good at all, it'll reject them, anyway.

Decent wood for that top alone is going to cost $300 - $500.

You might consider starting with something less ambitious until you know what you want in a bench (tail vise vs. end vise vs. shoulder vise, etc.).

Well, more advice than you asked for, but "messmaker" started it.

Regards,
Tom
p.s. One other design point to consider: will you want a cabinet under the bench at some point? No better way to add mass to a bench, but those stretchers will get in the way.

[venkatbo]

Thanks for your input folks.

Acutally, I was looking to replicate the _functionality_ of the vises on a _similarly designed_ workbench... No intention to use those exact (ie, expensive) components... Was trying to get more info to build one with similar functionality - on the inexpensive - like using KD 2x4s that cost $3~$4 (12 of them on the top - ~50$) and such...

Regards,
/venkat

[just4funsies]

Here's a suggestion... Find out what your brother-in-law, your neighbor, or your buddy from work wants in a bench. This is because you'll probably be giving it to them anyway, once you've built it, used it, and discovered what you REALLY wanted to build instead. The first go-round on a bench is almost always a practice run, unless you just suck it up and go all-out right off the bat.