Workbench Wednesday – Romastonian Low Bench 7

With the detachable post vise finished I moved over to the opposite edge of the bench slab and installed a twin screw vise.

Unlike previous versions of the bench outfitting I’ve seen, I decided to cheat a little and use Roubo’s method of making it rather than the Roman version, as demonstrated in his veneer sawing bench from Plate 278 from L’art du Menuisier.

The projecting screws on the Roman version looked like a cracked kneecap waiting to happen.  The true Roman version would have looked a bit like this mock-up, featuring a gift vise from my pal Derek Olson.  Thanks a ton Derek. I use the vise/press a fair bit in the shop for veneer work, but as a feature of a low bench?  No thanks.  I’ve limped enough as it is (actually I am now walking without any limp for the first time since forever).

Instead, I drilled a horizontal 1-3/8″ hole into the edge of the slab, then tapped it with my Beale threading tap.  I  used a Forstner bit with an extension to get the depth of hole I wanted, about seven inches.

The tap was likewise too short for the hole so I augmented my tap handle with an extender from my 1/2″ ratchet set, which fit the end of the tap perfectly.

As the need arises I will drill and tap holes all the way down the edge of the bench so that I can put the twin-screw vise wherever I need it.  The beauty of a low bench is that it is omnidirectional in use.  If the vise is on the wrong side I just stand up, rotate my kiester, re-straddle the bench and sit back down to work.