Restoring an old carpenter's workbench

[Lobster]

After 30-odd years of putting up with just a B&D workmate, I've just procured for myself an old carpenter's bench - extremely old but weighs a ton and is totally rock solid, and am delighted with it.

It is fairly tatty and I'd like to give it just a bit of TLC before pressing it into service. Thought I'd sand down the top for as long as I can bear, or until my orbital sander expires, whichever's sooner! Not intending or hoping to lose all the many sawcuts and bashes, but would be good to get it a bit smoother and flatter at least.

Pretty sure it's beech. Is there anything I should treat it with when I'm bored or sanding, or do you just leave it as is? Any other fettling tips!?

Secondly, I want to attach an engineer's vice, but as this is for sporadic use I don't want it permanently mounted. Is there a tried-and-tested "quick-release" fixing method ie that grips strongly enough? or do I just have to bolt the thing on everytime I want to use it?

Thanks David

[normanwisdom]

I'd leave it in situ for some time before doing any major fettling as there may be some moisture movement in it's new home. Then I'd worry more about levels and flatness more than the actual surface condition. Check it over with a spirit level or similat straight edge and plane off high points. Doesn't have to be "engineering" quality flat, just reasonably flat for woodwork.

cheers Jacob

[Peter Ashby]

Assuming the bench has dog holes you could mount the bench on a thick piece of mdf or ply and clamp it between a dog on the bench and one in a vice. Or mount a piece of wood under the mdf/ply and grip that in the vice jaws. However think about how much whacking you will do and how solid the bit of bench under it will be.

Peter

[robgraham]

I appreciate that the DIY workshop and it's contents have to be multi- use but I would in general discourage metalwork on a wood working bench - it is not a good idea to set up a situation where metal filings,etc. can get anywhere woodwork and wood working tools. The two work areas really ought to be segregated onto seperate benches.

As far as the bench top is concerned, flatness is the key as you will be using that as the reference surface when planing. If, once it has settled down, it is not adequately flat then you've got some planing in front of you - probably worth while buying a cheap electric planer with carbide blades just to get the basic crud off.

Rob

[Lobster]

Thanks for the replies - yes I do have dogs (never used them before!) so I'll give that a go in due course.

Regarding the whole flatness / level issue - must admit I hadn't considered that. TBH I haven't had the opportunity to work on a proper carpenter's bench since my school days, and haven't really done any high-accuracy woodwork since, which I aim to put right. How crucial is it that the bench is level (as opposed to flat) and if so, why? It will be standing on a fairly new concrete floor and I don't have major concerns.

Anything else I need to be aware about, while I'm at it?! ;-)

Thanks David

[Andy Hall]

The main things are that

- it should be flat locally - i.e. no bumps etc. sticking up - scratches are less important

- it should be planar - i.e. flat without twists over the area - hence the comment about testing with a good straight edge like a spirit level. It's not so much that the bench needs to be perfectly level although it's irritating if it is out too far because of the floor.

A typical operation might be to glue up a frame. It's important that this should be square from corner to corner - achieved by measuring diagonals and adjusting the clamps; but also that it doesn't have a twist. One technique is to place clamps on the bench (e.g. Bessey K clamps).

can be laid flat on their backs on the bench and locate the frame in them. For this to work correctly, the panel or frame should be flat when pushed down into the clamps.

Here's another example.

at the photos and imagine what will happen if the bench isn't planar. The pieces will be skewed.

I take care of my bench top cosmetically, but it's not as important as the mechanics. Generally, depending on what I am doing, I use a sheet of thin MDF to protect the top and sling it when it gets too bad. For gluing, I either use paper or a wide clingfilm stuff to protect the surface. The issue there is not wanting to waste time rmoving spots of glue wich would otherwise put bumps on the surface.

Personally, I don't and wouldn't use it for anything related to heavy bashing beyond what is used in normal woodworking - e.g. I would not put an engineering vice on it at all, even on some kind of mount.

[Peter Ashby]

I wax my benchtop, spots of glue/varnish/paint come off with a quick swipe of a plastic scraper aka old credit card type things. takes two seconds. Periodically I wipe it down with white spirit on a synthetic pad and redo the wax.

Peter

[Andy Hall]

Good idea.

Which wax do you use? My only slight concern is if wax finds itelf onto wood that is going to finished with a non-compatible finish.

[Peter Ashby]

Black Bison paste. If you give it a damn good elbow wasting buffing there is stuff all chance of transfer. Never seen it and I use a lot of clear oil finishes and stains that would soon show it up.

Peter

[Lobster]

Thanks for the info, all. Yes, in fact it seems the bench top is a bit skewed or warped or something, as it has a high point along its length on each side. Will wait until it's settled down in its new environment before attempting definitive diagnosis and remedial action!

One other thing I was wondering about - and this may be a silly question

- but do/can you buy timber linings for a woodworker's vice, or are you expected to make them?! I can't seem to find them on sale anywhere (it's a Record vice, as my other post might already have suggested!) but the remnants of the existing linings look distinctly factory-made, plus I don't have the resources to prepare the recess in the inner lining to accept the inner face of the vice so it's flush with the bench!?

Thanks David

[Peter Ashby]

You make them. I'm not sure what your problem is with the inner face. Is it a matter of the thickness of the wood or does it need to lap over the rear of the vice? In my bench I set the inner face of the vice back so a piece of wood of the same thickness as my bench apron would fit. I use a separate piece so it can be replaced if necessary.

Peter

[Frank Erskine]

ISTR that it's a flat bit of timber, of a suitable thickness that it's very slightly proud of the front of the bench so that you can hold a longish length of workpiece horizontally without it being fouled by the bench - a bit like an engineer's vice where the back jaw is ever so slightly proud of the bench (to enable work to be held vertically in this case!).

[normanwisdom]

On mine the rear jaw is set below the level of the top but flush with the bench apron, and covered with a piece of 3/4" birch ply. Similar piece of ply attached to the front jaw. Don't need shaping in either case.

cheers Jacob

[Peter Ashby]

I have faced both mine in nice soft pine, the reasoning being that I don't want to use anything harder than what I might want to clamp in it, lest the piece bear the imprint. So far it has held up well, 5 years and counting.

Peter

[Lobster]

OK, daft question it was, then!

Well... the steel inner face of the vice (14mm thick) is screwed to the side of the bench, about 20mm below the benchtop level. The existing inner lining is about 30mm thick, with a 14mm deep rebate cut out of the back so it completely covers the vice face and the top edge is flush with and adjacent to the benchtop, with no gap between the lining and the bench. Is that the same as what you're saying above?! Not sure how you vary where the inner face is fitted?

Thanks David

[Tim Lamb]

In message , Lobster writes

I have recently acquired a woodwork bench where the vice rear jaw is flush with the side of the bench.

I my view this is a disaster as I invariably trap my fingers between the work and the bench when tightening the jaws. Also any work not dead straight is *straightened* by being forced against the bench.

regards

[NoSpam]

... snipped

All you need is a chisel! A router makes it easier to get a flat bottom (sigh, if only that worked with women :-) ).

Dave

[Peter Ashby]

You can make the rebate with a saw. Remember the face of the rebate will not be seen. Leave the line and sand back to it if you want. If a marking or cutting guage is not available a combination square and a pencil will suffice, then the saw from two faces. Good for the arm muscles ;-)

Peter