Workbench Dimensions
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Tagged: modern 2x4 or rough cut
- This topic has 83 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 3 months ago by Mark68.
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I’m not too sure now, but it was for the M8 x 70mm lag screws as listed in the workbench pdf (third page). When I tried fitting the lag screws in the holes of the vise, I managed to get them sitting upright, but they wouldn’t screw in more than a few millimetres at the most.
21 November 2019 at 9:07 pm #629490Or you could get some dowel stock, fill the pilot holes you have drilled, then re-drill the pilot hole smaller.
That’s a neat idea but I’ve never made a dowel before, nor do I have the required gear (I saw Paul use some type of metal sheet with holes in it).
I’m thinking it would be easier to use a slightly larger drill size to open the vise holes a little. It really is nothing more than, say, half a mil.
21 November 2019 at 10:16 pm #629503You wouldn’t need to make a dowel, just buy something either the right size, or larger (I used a rake handle from my local hardware shop for my 3 legged stool, rather than making the legs from square stock), use a HSS bit to ream the pilot hole out, glue the dowel (or whatever you end up using) and re-drill the pilot holes.
Remember, you can always use an M6 bolt for the mounting, and get something to act as a bushing in the vice.21 November 2019 at 10:25 pm #629508Mark,
Axminster offers long dowels in various diameters.
https://www.axminster.co.uk/beechwood-dowelling-498mm-lengths-ax890709
Thanks for the link Sven, I had no idea they made dowels precut.
I wonder though, what I did wrong. The lag screws/bolts are the exact types as suggested, but they wouldn’t fit. Only thing different is Paul seems to be using those gold coloured lag screws whereas mine are stainless steel. They are the correct dimensions though.
22 November 2019 at 4:00 am #629574De nada Matt,
While Mr. P Sellers uses 5/16″ (7.94 mm, i.e. 8 mm) “French wood screws” to secure the vice to the underside of the bench, and 1/4″ (6.35 mm, i.e. 6 mm) for the ones going through the rear jaw (thanks Larry G.), he appears to use the same bit for the pre-drilling. My guess is that the diameter of that bit is either 3/16″ (4.7625 mm) or 5 mm [the latter I think is more likely when it comes to brad point drill bits].
If the drill-bit you used for the holes in the apron was 6 mm, the screws going into the underside of the benchtop would bite, but not the ones going into the apron.
True, I never saw a drill bit change so he still uses the same one.
The screws went through the underside of the vise, however, my puzzlement comes from the fact that I am using the screws suggested for attaching the vise to the apron – but they won’t go through. In other words, the screws don’t even get to the wood because they won’t pass through the vise itself.
Went to B&Q today and bought a dowel rod (8mm diameter). I had to sand it down a little (wasn’t sure if 6mm would have been big enough) but I’ve plugged both pilot holes and I’ll be looking to fit the vise (second attempt) tomorrow.
Paul said you can use Elm or plywood for the vice face timbers (the parts that clamp the wood), but I’m having trouble sourcing any elm and I don’t want to use plywood. Has anyone used other timbers? I have oak but seeing as Paul did not recommend oak, I’m not sure if I should use it.
23 November 2019 at 4:16 pm #629935I faced my vise jaws with some pine I had lying around. Hasn’t let me down so far. I also glued some old cork tile I had on to the two faces, about 5mm down from the top to make it easier to position thin flat pieces in the vise.
If you are interested in more useful ways to face a vise, I recommend the 12 or so USD for a pdf version of “the solution at hand” from lost art press. You can get a peek inside from their website I think.23 November 2019 at 11:36 pm #629989Had a chance of flipping through “The Solution at Hand” at the London Woodworking Forum just a few weeks ago. I did not find that it added anything of significance compared to the same author’s “Making Woodwork Devices”. Actually, I think the latter is more detailed, and comprehensive.
Haven’t read “The Solution at Hand”. Am therefore a bit guarded.
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