Building a Second Workbench - Step 2

After gluing up the frame for the bench, I decided to work on the drawer runners next while I could still lift it and put it on the assembly bench.  I beats crawling around on the floor.

I started by making a story stick with the layout of all the drawers that I want to put into the workbench.  I decided on 3 on the right side and four on the left.  I transfer the marking from the story stick to the inside of the case.

I made some hard wood runners from poplar or maple that I had around the shop.  You can see that the runner that would be on the drawer fits between the two runners nailed to the inside of the bench.
They slide well with a little wax.

There are all the runners for the drawers.  I'll make the drawers later out of plywood.

Now to concentrate on the top.  It is made from 3/4 plywood, 3/4 mdf and 1 inch of maple tongue and groove for a total of 2 1/2 inches thick.  This is the same way I made my other bench.

Below is the two pieces of sheet goods to make the core of the top.  It is 30 inches wide by 76 inches long.

Now I need to attach the skirts or apron to the sides.  I have some 8/4 ash that I milled to 1 3/4 inches.
These need a 3/4 dado to create a mortise for the core of the bench to fit into.  This  helps keep the top flat.


Below I am putting the 1 1/2 inch dado into one of the pieces of the apron.  I am using a 3/4 dado set and make 2 passes.

The apron is fitted to 3 sides, the front will be a vise.  I have some 1 3/4 hard maple that I am going to use for the vise faces.

Gluing up the side and back aprons. The front is the vise face which is not glued at this time since it needs holes for the twin screw vise.

I started to work on the Lee Valley twin screw vice in the front. The two screws will be connected with a chain.  I am standing at the rear of the bench sizing up a single screw face vise that I will mount in the back.

I have to put a hold on installing the twin screw because the drive sprocket is defective.  Lee Valley is sending a new sprocket.

So while I was waiting for the new sprocket, I started to install the Lee Valley Large face vise.  I am pretty far along here having drilled the face and apron with the holes.  I used the holes in the vise face to position the holes in the apron.  I need to drill dog holes in the face of the vise before I put it together.  It is difficult to find a spot where they won't bump into some metal that is part of the vise.

Here is the face vise carriage mounted to the underside of the bench with 1/4 inch lag bolts.  You can see a spacer I used to lower the vise on the apron by 1/2 inch.  I have to avoid all that metal when I drill my dog holes.

The face vise is finished, now I can concentrate on the twin screw vise.

The new drive sprocket came today, so I put the vise together and bolted it to the face of the vise.
Cut the chain to length and attached it.

I adjusted the vise faces so they were flush.  That is easy since there are set screws on the right that you loosen and then turn the left until they are even.

Cut the aluminum cover and mounted it and it is complete.  Now I can work on the 1 inch maple tongue and groove wood for the top. That I'll have in the next post.

Here is today's video: