Mini Traditional Bench Build with Mark V Assist

[CreekWood]

Work in progress...

I'm only a beginner, but I enjoy experimenting with traditional hand tools. My goal is to have a half-size trad bench heavy enough to stay put when planing, sawing, woodcarving with mallet and chisels. For now, the B&D Workmate will serve as the base. I'll work out the eventual height either as a compromise between those three activities, or figure out how to change the bench height according to the task. All this was inspired by hanging out at a Frontier Prairie Days festival with real reenactors...if I ever do it again, I want a semi-portable bench to work from.

I started this bench project several weeks before finally acquiring my Mark V 500. My Delta contractor saw could only get me so far with the twisted 8/4 hard maple. My skills with a hand plane didn't get me much further, but then I found new purpose in some thick scrapers; I got the edges mostly good enough for the bench top glue up. I postponed drilling holes through the vise until I did bring home the SS. Glad I did; there's a stack of concentric holes that house the vise threads, brass bushings and space for springs to compress. The bench top needs to be leveled and attached and get dog holes. The vise needs a chamfer across the top edge, and then I'd like to add drawers at each end to store chisels, etc.

[larryhrockisland]

That’s looking nice!

[tfrayne]

Yes. Looking good.

[Matanuska]

For a "beginner" you've got quite a few tools! I like the multi-wood benchtop and I'm impressed you were able to get it prepped for glue-up using only scrapers. Where did you find your 500? Does it include a jointer?

[CreekWood]

I'm one of those who have a year of actual experience spread over a few decades. I carved a few projects as a teen, made a few archery bows with my boys in their teens, built our house, and finally built "Grandpa's COVID-19 Shop" with free money I found in my bank account. My most wonderful wife tolerated the table saw and router stand in her living room while I built her kitchen.

The ShopSmith had been used by a friend's father until he passed. I had grumbled to my friend about my little drill press, and he said, "you need a ShopSmith...and I know where you can get one!" I'm in the process of upgrading the tables to a 520.

Yes, I got a jointer in the deal, but I started the bench before I retrieved the SS from my buddy's childhood home. I haven't cleaned or tested the planer yet. I did get the Bailey #6 sharp enough for tame grain, but I haven't mastered wild grain in the maple yet.