Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Mar 07, 2008 02:46am | #1

   The bolts, despite conventional wisdom, work just fine in the end grain. If you are going to go through the trouble of adding dowels, you would be better off using a regular bolt and a nut in the cross drilled hole.

   Be careful with making changes in the thickness of the top, the faces of the clamps in the well need to be about 3/4" proud of the top, to serve as bench dogs, and the faces of the cross clamps in the front apron need to come to just below the top surface.

   Yours is a common complaint, I never realized that decent quality construction lumber wasn't available throughout the country.

   John White

1. 
   roundedover | Mar 07, 2008 03:52am | #3

   Thanks for the prompt reply. I am very glad that I asked your opinion about my modification ideas. You've saved me from a lot of unnecessary work re the dowels. There would have been 12 of them. And I'll definitely rethink changing the top after checking the dimensions of the pony clamps. I had thought that I could increase the depth of the oak vise jaws to compensate for the thicker top, but perhaps that would cause the screw end of the pipe clamps to rack and bind up.

2. 
   Fritters | Mar 13, 2008 07:18am | #6

   You said a previous message in this thread to be careful about making the top thicker because the top of the clamps in the well need to be 3/4 proud of the top.  I thought you always used a piece of wood against those clamps that was proud of the top, a piece of wood similar to, but higher than, the wood used on the removeable clamps.

   If not, is there any reason NOT to do so, therefore allowing a thicker and heavier top?

    

    

2. 
   saschafer | Mar 07, 2008 03:19am | #2

   "Actually I have another reason as well - the only thing close to DF I could get was some pretty knotty hem fir."

   1) Go to a real lumberyard (one that the local builders use), not a home center.

   2) Look for 2x10 and 2x12 lumber. It's always much better quality than 2x4s. As Chris Schwarz says in his new book, Workbenches: "I never, repeat never, buy 2x4s."

   -Steve

    

1. 
   roundedover | Mar 07, 2008 05:44pm | #4

   Actually, I did get the 2x10 hem fir from a local lumber yard that supplies contractors (after much calling and internet searching for DF). DF was just not available in my area (southeastern Ohio) unless you wanted truckload quantities.
   Too bad I had not seen JW's comment about substituting any knot free framing lumber material before I got it. Now I'm just trying to cope, either by adding another layer or using some other type of wood for the top.

1. 
   saschafer | Mar 07, 2008 06:24pm | #5

   Oh, you're in southeastern Ohio? Go to your nearest Carter Lumber and get southern yellow pine joists. They don't come in short lengths, so get ones that are a little over twice as long as you need, and cut them in half. Have them delivered if they're too long for you to carry home yourself. If you just need a few pieces on a weekend or evening, I think you can also get SYP at the Home Depot in Parkersburg WV (the Home Depot in Canal Winchester definitely carries it, but that's a little out of the way). Unfortunately, the Lowe's in Athens doesn't carry it.

   The stiffness and strength of SYP is almost identical to that of Douglas-fir, although it's a bit heavier.

   -Steve