12 hours ago, StaticLV2 said:

Pretty happy with the progress so far today.

 

Rightly so!  And thanks for that tip with the file in the drill

On 8/7/2022 at 4:46 PM, StaticLV2 said:

there is no way that I am running a 180lb slab through the planer by myself.

Although I practically NEVER watch woodworking videos - except the British guy putting a burr on card scrapers - I did watch the table guy with his slab of epoxy-filled live-edge walnut. One of the steps in his $14,000 table is taking it to a big shop there they "run it through the planer".

 

Guess the shops which make 400 pound maple end-grain block workbench tops have giant belt sanders. More tools! Maybe that Motimac sander 

 

So I was able to glue up the back part of the workbench top yesterday and today it is looking good…ish.

Because of the sheer size of this thing and the awkward placement of cauls and clamps there wasn’t a lot I could do to clean up glue squeeze out and there was a lot of that.  Enter this morning…  and there is a lot more squeeze out in places than I thought, or could see…

 

All is not lost though… enter the field expedient glue scraper Mk.1.
Yes, that is an old plane blade.
Yes, It is attached to a newly turned Beech offcut handle with a fender washer and a 2” screw.

Yes, it scrapes heavy glue off of stuff like crazy.
Yes, it will still take me a couple hours to get it all off

The good part is that the glue up is solid and true and final flattening will be a relatively simple endeavor.

Scraping, flattening, and sanding done for the back section.

 

I think that is going to work just fine.

 

 

1 hour ago, StaticLV2 said:

I think that is going to work just fine.

Agreed!

 

Color me GREEN with envy! Not rushing you, just curious what finish(es) are you thinking about. Some beautiful grain in this.

I am thinking at this point that I will probably go with a clear danish oil and maybe a well rubbed coat of wax on top of that.   Looks good, easy to refinish, and I won’t cry the first time I shove a chisel into it.

17 hours ago, StaticLV2 said:

I think that is going to work just fine.

I had an uncle with the same gift for understatement.

 

I'm finishing up a new folding table in longleaf pine, for vending. Straight beeswax has been recommended - don't have it. SC Johnson Paste is here, still liquified from its 120˚ rest in a UPS truck.

 

Does anyone still finish work benches and tables and such with wax-only?

Work was CRAZY this week so I didn’t have a lot of time to get out to the shop but I fixed that this morning and I was able to mill up all the stock for the front part of the top.

Because of the way this is constructed, it is going to be 3 separate glue-ups:

-Main Slab

-Dog Hole Strip

-Front Laminate

 

This is due to the way that the end cap for the tail vise is installed.

Anyway pictures of the milled stock and the “field expedient” featherboard used for ripping to final dimensions.

Main slab glue up in progress…

Got the parts milled for the end cap as well but that is going to have to wait until tomorrow for glue up because I am out of clamps.

5 hours ago, StaticLV2 said:

Got the parts milled for the end cap as well but that is going to have to wait until tomorrow for glue up because I am out of clamps.

Just proves the adage, "you never can have enough clamps." Somebody had to say type it You're welcome.

17 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Just proves the adage, "you never can have enough clamps." Somebody had to say type it You're welcome.

Truer words have never been spoken, my wife, bless her heart said “I see why you need all those clamps now, do you need to get more?”  … Yes, yes I do

 

Made some decent progress today and the front slab is looking pretty good.
Just taking a break before cutting to final length.

Front slab phase 1 is cut to length and the end cap tenon is done.  

Cutting this by hand was interesting as there is no good angle to use to cut the cheeks.

Cut the shoulders first and made sure everything was marked out and square then removed the end grain waste with a chisel and planed to my lines with the shoulder plane.

Everything is square +/- 1mm for the whole assembly so it is obvious that my handsaw skills still need work but they are getting better.

 

End cap is glued up and if I get some time I will start with the fitment for that tomorrow.

The shop supervisors were in rare form today…

8 hours ago, StaticLV2 said:

Everything is square +/- 1mm for the whole assembly

Beautifully cut.  That bench would be the centerpiece of my kitchen-workshop 

 

Reassembling a violin, sub-millimeter tolerances are vital. Within thousandths of an inch. Personally, I'm more comfortable when a project can tolerate filler sifted sawdust and Titebond, without throwing the 1st Chair Violinist Prima Donna into a tizzy. 

 

 

Coming along great Michael

Endcap and tail vise layout done, tonight.  Just need to find some time do cut it all out.

 

 

Found a little time to play in the shop this week.  Got the tail vise channel cut which was absolutely a crazy little endeavor, and managed to get the end cap fitted which actually went really smoothly.  

 

Now I just need to get all the holes drilled, cut the dovetail, route the rail slots for the tail vise slide and it will be ready to install.  I think this may be the tricky part of the bench, but it is coming together pretty well I think.

Excellent progress Michael. Sweat equity in this one is going to be a big payback in use and pleasure.

Thanks, once this tricky part is done, the rest should be smooth sailing