I had two slabs of Jarrah lined up for the bench top but couldn't bring
myself to waste it on a basher-bench. So instead, I laminated a bunch of old
Aussie Jummywood, gave it a lick with BLO (wash coat only so far) and threw
it on the frame. The Record 53 Vice will go on the left and an old screw
vice on the right. I'll probably put a face on it with square dogs and drill
some holes for Veritas bench dogs (just to annoy the purists).

This is my first attempt at a large lamination job and I have to tell you,
you can never have too many clamps. I used 8 x 24" and 4 x 6" Quick Grips, 2
F style, 2 large G clamps and 4 sash cramps. I found out at the end of the
clamping that my bar clamps weren't long enough to clamp endwise (6' 6") so
I had to slam in some nails and use wedges (panic being the mother of
innovation).

Overall, the top is very flat. Some other pics can be found at:

http://woodworking.homeip.net/Wood/Temp/1.jpg
http://woodworking.homeip.net/Wood/Temp/2.jpg
http://woodworking.homeip.net/Wood/Temp/3.jpg
http://woodworking.homeip.net/Wood/Temp/4.jpg

Some other bench pics can be found at:

http://woodworking.homeip.net/Wood/ click on Miscellaneous then click on
pictures. I am very pleased at the space the bench gives me by moving all
the timber out of the way.

(if it looks familiar - American Woodworker #92 Feb 2002)

Greg

(also posted on abpw & abpf)