Workbench - All Done

Well, I finally have a finished Workbench.  Building this thing only using hand tools was a lot of hard work, but definitely satisfying.  I'm looking forward to putting it to work and I've got plenty of things in mind that I want to build.  They will probably have to wait until fall though, because right now I've got plenty of other projects that I need to get caught up on.

As promised in my last blog, here are a couple of shots of the leg vise.  It works by sticking a screwdriver in one of the many holes in the parallel guide at the bottom.  The hole used depends on the thickness of the piece being clamped and it makes sure that the vise applies pressure evenly on the whole piece.  I've tried it out and it's amazing how much holding pressure this vise has.










The last couple steps to finishing this bench, which I did this week, was to replane the surface, because it had bowed quite a bit and to apply a finish.  For the finish, I rubbed the whole thing down with boiled linseed oil to give a little protection and it also makes it look really nice.