I'm rebuilding my woodworking workbench, and in the process replacing the old face vise with a Record 52 1/2 model (9" wide cast iron face.) The old vise failed. In the photo below, I've mortised the faceplate into the wooden face block about 3/16" deep. These Record vises have a canted angle to the face, built in. It equates to about a 1/8" gap at the bottom of the wooden faceplate with the vise just resting on the wooden faceplate (maybe 1 1/2 to 2 degrees.)

When bolted to the wooden faceplate, the faceplate assembly will not fit flat against the edge of the workbench top due to the angle. I've read discussions online about this issue and it seems the theory is that the top of the clamp will be tighter and prevent the work piece from moving. I've always liked vise faces to be perfectly (as much as possible) parallel with each other. 

I can probably taper the mortise and get it close to parallel. What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

Doug

   

[b]Part 1 - design and construction[/b]

The brief is to build an 8-seater dining table to replace our existing 6-seater. We will retain the 6 vintage bentwood chairs, and I recently completed 2 (DC 09) chairs for use as carvers. Our taste in furniture runs towards the minimalistic, the clean lines of mid century designs from the 1930s, gentle curves. What is needed in a design is a way to link and blend the chairs with the table. In part this will be aided by the wood used for the table top: both the carvers and the top are Rock Maple. Another element will be the presence of the curves in the chairs, which will extend to the table. 



The old table was 200 years old and came with us from from South Africa when we moved to Sydney 40 years ago. The top was Yellow Wood (which resembles an aged Maple), and the legs were Stinkwood (a dark wood). The latter will be represented by Jarrah.

Another need for the new table is that is must be knock-down. We plan to move home in about 18 months, downsizing when I retire. The new home is similar in size, but with less garden to manage. Being knock-down cannot impose on the design, and cannot impact on the rigidity of the construction. Today I will show you what I came up with.

The old table was 1350mm (53") long, 850mm (33 1/5") wide and 775mm (30 1/2") high.



The new table will be 1780mm (70") long, 1020mm wide (40"), and 760mm (30") high.



I found a photo of a table with similar proportions. This table has rectangular legs, but its silhouette creates the illusion that the legs are round, which will be the case in this build. 



When I began test-building the leg-rail build, the legs were to have a 75mm (3") diameter with a rail of similar width. The legs ended up too chunky, and were subsequently reduced to 60mm (2 3/8") diameter. I am considering reducing the rails to 60mm as well (they are 75mm in the photos), but am concerned about a drop in rigidity. Having stated this, the rails are 30mm wide, Jarrah, and this is quite substantial. 

So to the construction ...



The rails (or stretcher) are connected to the legs with loose tenons. The tenons are glued to the end of the rails, but left unglued when connected to the legs.

To facilitate the knock-down, a steel mechanical connector is being used ... 



This requires the leg being tapped for a bolt, with the connector also screwed to the rails.

What follows is testing this out (some of the photos here have 75mm wide legs).

The 10mm x 55mm mortises in the legs were made with a router, and those in the rails made with a Domino. 





The loose tenons were shaped on the router table using the new Woodpecker router bits  ...





The legs were also mortised for the rails, themselves, to mate the two flush. Here I have gone down to a depth of 5mm. 





This looks fine here ...



... but in future I shall mortise to a depth of 7mm. Once the leg is turned, there is minimal beauty depth ...





With the connector (ignore the chewed look - this was the result of trial-and-error) ...



And here is the completed piece to judge the aesthetics of the sizing ...



Thoughts?

Regards from Perth

Derek

Took out large sweetgum tree two years ago and had the stump ground down to about a foot below the surface.  Still getting sprouts (volunteers) along the old root system which covers about half the front yard.  Have been spraying them with RoundUp but they still keep coming.  Any suggestions for getting rid of them on a permanent basis (short of digging up the entire root system) will be appreciated.  Thanks in Advance for your help.

Ok..I'll start this thread, but..it is up to ALL of you LURKERS to keep this going...

Rule No. 1:   This is NOT the place to attack ANYBODY...period...
Rule No. 2:  This is all about how YOU learned woodworking, and from whom....and..when.

Rule No. 3:  You can not change Rule No. 1.....and we will act like Gentlemen and Women here...even though it took an Act of Congress to make me one.

Mine started in Freshman High School..and included all 4 years of IND ARTS...although.I did not do very well as a welder...wood and metal lathe work seemed to do very well..still can't do very well with Drafting...started up the first year being allow to only use hand tools...Sophomore Year, We started to used SOME of the Power Tools, supplied to the School from the local Rockwell Factory...

And THAT is how I got a start...

Next?

Last year I sold almost everything and now I'm having sellers remorse. We moved to an adult apartment complex. I only have an oversized garage that I have to share with my car. I'm open for suggestions as to what I can make with limited space and downsized tools. I my love was making furniture but that's not very realistic now.

I now live in Overland Park, Ks. Any groupies in the KC area?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim

After about 18 months away from the forum, I return to find that no one is posting, other than Steven and myself. What is going on? There must be activity to keep a forum alive. This one is nearly a dodo. Convince us to stay.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Can't seem to locate WoodCentral forum...does anyone know the story? I recall they have been victims of hackers several times in recent years.

I have an older Hitachi Miters Saw. Model…C10FCD

I’m trying to remove the blade. I was able to loosen the bolt, but now it just spins and
will not come out. I tried using vice-grips to hold the end of bolt and pull as I was turning.
But no luck. Is there a better method?
Thanks

Making a 12 ring, 360 segment diamond/ star pattern bowl from Black walnut, Maple and Granadillo

For Sale - Kreg K2000 kit complete with extra bit. Like new. $75 shipped conus.

         





Extras



Right angle clamp $20 plus postage. 2" clamp $10 plus postage.  Take both clamps $30 shipped.

   



Assorted screws $20 plus postage.

   



Cherry plugs $10 plus postage.

   



Take all the Extras $60 shipped.

Take the K2000 and all the Extras $135 shipped conus.


Prefer check or money order.



Thanks for shopping,



TAB