Finished bench topper

16.5 by 17 by 1.5 inches

  I got my bench top finished today.  Rather mostly finished. 

 Since my shop is filled with tools I like to use them. I am amazed at how many tools I used for this simple little job. There is no doubt that more effort and a bit more time and this whole thing could have been done with a small number of hand tools. But just for grins here is the list of what I used to stick five boards together and mount two clamp tracks along it edge.

 Last time I said I used my table saw (1) to trim the edges square on the boards. Then I used my pocket Zip Slot (2) to put in the loose tenons. And of course, glue and clamps.(3 & 4)

  Today I used my circular saw (5) to trim the edges square, after I marked the edges with my carpenter's square (6). After the ends were cut square I used my disk sander (7) and my belt sander (8)to flatten the faces or the bench top. I used sanders instead of hand planes because this is reclaimed wood. 

  After the face was flat I used my router table (9) to cut dados on two edges of the top. Then I used my shoulder plane (10) to clean up the dados. 

  I put off buying a shoulder plane for years from cheapness and ignorance. 

Don't make that mistake.

  Then the Kreg track had to be cut to length, enter the hack saw (11). Next I used my belt sander to clean off the burrs on the track. Screwing ( cordless drill 12) the track down meant I needed my 4 1/2 inch angle grinder (13) since the screws were just a bit to long and needed a 1/4" ground off. 

 Then I laid out and drilled six 3/4 inch dog holes. (drill press & Frostner bit 14 & 15)

 At this point I am not adding dog holes in the middle. My current plan is to make some dogs and use the top and then develop what I need for what I am using. Looks like a lathe project to me.(16)

 Was this an over produced event? No... Well-maybe. I just have all those tools and I like to use them.

cheers, ianw

Making a Portable Bench Top

 A while ago photographs of a portable workbench call the "milkman's bench" were floating around the world wide web. This bench looked as though it was a larger version of a carvers bench top. It is designed to hold wood while you work on it. The "milkman's bench" uses vises rather than 'dogs' to hold the work.

Milkman's Bench

Recently a major tool company has begun selling small portable  bench tops using dogs and rail mounted clamping in place instead of screw vises.

 I have begun working on my own version of the 'dog hole' bench top. Interestingly the body of this bench top is recycled skid wood. The rugged quality of the 2 x 4's should be solid enough for this project.

 First all the rough pieces of skid were sawn on the table saw to get square edges and then glued it together.  

Pocket ZIP SLOT

Mortise Mill 

 When gluing I don't usually use biscuits or dowels but in this case I decided I wanted extra strength and alignment so I used my Mortise Mill to cut slots for floating tenons. 

 Once I trim all the edges square I am going to put a 3/4 inch hardwood frame around the edges and drill the 3/4 inch dog holes in the body. Once this portable bench top is done I can use it for holding wood for carving or the ash wood rounds with which I have been working.

 It has been a couple of very nice days here, we've been out bike riding, walking and motorcycling.  Now the walk that needs to be done is following the lawn mower.

cheers, ianw