Many years ago (over 30 in fact) I made my first 'temporary' bench top of laminated 3 x 2. I didn't have a clamp to my name back then so every length was screwed to the next.
Now this made for and incredibly robust top that has taken real welly over the years. However, any attempt to drill into the top for vice fixings, holdfasts etc. meets with almost instant failure as you hit a screw! I don't know how many screws were used but it was a lot.
So, I finally tire of this as work holding becomes more complex for the stuff I do. Off to the timber merchants and a few pounds worth of 3 x 2 are brought home and lo and behold:
Not a screw in sight, just a few biscuits for alignment.
Isn't that nice and shiny? A couple of coats of satin left over from another job. And my 'new' 52 1/2 which funnily enough is a significantly different (in a good way) vice to the old Axminster model I've used for many years.
Now just have to decide what work holding arrangements I'm going to use and drill a few holes without any fear of hitting screws!
Now this made for and incredibly robust top that has taken real welly over the years. However, any attempt to drill into the top for vice fixings, holdfasts etc. meets with almost instant failure as you hit a screw! I don't know how many screws were used but it was a lot.
So, I finally tire of this as work holding becomes more complex for the stuff I do. Off to the timber merchants and a few pounds worth of 3 x 2 are brought home and lo and behold:
Not a screw in sight, just a few biscuits for alignment.
Isn't that nice and shiny? A couple of coats of satin left over from another job. And my 'new' 52 1/2 which funnily enough is a significantly different (in a good way) vice to the old Axminster model I've used for many years.
Now just have to decide what work holding arrangements I'm going to use and drill a few holes without any fear of hitting screws!
Get a few dings in it, pronto.
