Popular Science Monthly
To Make a Work Bench and Vise
THERE is nothing more essential to good work than a good bench. When room was plentiful and lumber cheap it was the usual practice to con- struct large, heavy benches. With the spread of the manual training idea a rather new and different type of bench has been developed. They are smaller, and a type of construction is used which will require a minimum amount of lum- ber to give the required strength and rigidity. In the bench shown the two top rails are notched into the legs, while all of the lower rails are first cut square on each end and drawn and held in po- sition against the legs by means of the bolts. To do this the holes are first lo- cated and bored in the legs the size of the bolts or 1/16" larger. Next, the same sized hole is bored into the end of the rail to a depth of 4". From the side a 1" hole is bored in to meet the end of this one. The center of this hole should be located 3^2" from the end of the rails. In assembling, the nut is placed in the rail from the side and the bolt through the leg and into the end of the rail to meet it, when the bolt may be drawn tight by means of a wrench ap- plied to the head. The bench may be kept rigid indefinitely by going over all of the bolts occasionally.
The top of the bench may be one or several pieces glued together. The lat- ter method is the better as well as the most usual one, but is not essential to a good bench. The back pieces are easily worked out to the size suggested. Any good, sound lumber may be used for the
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bench, though hard lumber, such as oak or maple, is best. The last mentioned is most often used.
The bench described above may be fitted up with a machinist's, cabinet maker's, pattern maker's or any other type of vise the builder may desire. A very satisfactory form for general wood
���Details of the construction of the vise, showing dimensions
��The completed work bench, with- out the vise, showing dimensions and general construction
work is shown here. The greatest ad- vantage of the parallel jaw vise is the fact that at all times it will take firm hold on the work without injuring it or causing it to pop out as soon as work is begun.
The upper part of the vise, as shown in the sketch, or the front jaw, is first Avorked up, after which the guides shown under the bench top are worked out and assembled. Care should be used to secure a snug fit, but no binding should be allowed. The edge of the bench top, together with the piece marked X, forms the back jaw. Both back and front jaws should have wood faces supplied them to take the wear. These are easily replaced. They are not shown in the drawing. The part P is best an iron plate, although wood will serve; 34" ^ 1" x 12" is the size. The iron washer is cut from the same size stock. The ends support the back of the slide marked 5". They should project % from G. Carriage bolts arc used to bolt the guides together and to the bench top.
The screw is of the usual form and manner. The nut, however, is not fas- tened as usually, but instead is bolted to the underside of X by means of the clamp shown. The satisfaction this bench and vise will afford will quickly repay the builder for all time and expense required to make them.
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