Jeff Miller Benchtop Bench

[wjt]

I made a benchtop bench from this article in FWW.

https://www.finewoodworking.com/FWNPDFfr...176038.pdf

I added this modification to the underside of the moveable jaw of the vise. This sliding 1/4" plate supports the workpiece letting me adjust the screws simultaneously.

Thanks, Bill

[Souperchicken]

Very nice! Did you purchase the vise screws recently and if so where from?

[wjt]

Very nice! Did you purchase the vise screws recently and if so where from?

The workbench was built in 2013. The vise screws were purchased from Lee Valley.
Unfortunately they are no longer available.

Only ones I can find now are these from Grizzly.

Shop Fox H2597 - Veneer Press Clamp

From what I have read they are iffy at best. I had a friend use them when he made the benchtop bench and he went through three pair before he got a set that was milled correctly.

Bill

[AgGEM]

Good idea.

[Souperchicken]

Thanks much for the info, I'm making a small bench for my dad and was thinking of using those screws to make a Moxon vise instead of making threaded wood screws. Looks like I'll stick with wood!

[mdhills]

Wasn't Jeff Miller's bench-on-bench design originally built with the Grammercy moxon vise hardware?  (or maybe it was the other way around)

I think that their hardware is still available (although they discontinued the prebuilt vises):
Grammercy Moxon Vise

[Greg Jones]

I'm pretty sure that Miller's bench was made before the more recent popularity of the Moxon vice, and Miller's bench used the veneer-press hardware from Lee Valley. Here is the one that I made in cherry, about 9 years ago now.

[Derek Cohen]

Serious questions: why do you want a table behind the Moxon vise? Is this intended for dovetails, or something else?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Greg Jones]

Serious questions: why do you want a table behind the Moxon vise? Is this intended for dovetails, or something else?

In my case, both. More than for cutting dovetails, I wanted a small bench to elevate smaller, detail-type work closer to comfortable eye level. I've never been comfortable sitting on a stool at the bench to work, and this bench top bench has served me well. I use it a lot for non-woodworking tasks as well and the vise lets me do many things hands-free.

[Derek Cohen]

In my case, both. More than for cutting dovetails, 

Hi Greg

I think that you will find that the chop will get chewed up when you transfer tails to pins (because the table is at the same height). I would like to hear your experience on this down the track. 

It's the reason I do not have a table and raise the work above the chop ...



My apology if I am negative about the design you have chosen. As I said, I am interested in your experience once you have used it enough. I have cut several hundred or more dovetails on mine, and it is still like new.

Regards from Perth

Derek