When we were doing remodel/fix up on the house before we moved back, I needed a bench, fast. So, I got a cheapy bench at Harbor Freight. It was pretty flimsy on it's own. It served the purpose at the time. Once I had a bit more time, I decided to tweak it a bit and see what I could make of it. .....you know, making due. It was too short for me, so I built new legs for it. .....aaahhh, just right. It was way too unstable on it's own, so....I lag screwed it to the wall. Solid as a rock, now. Had a really crappy vise. I had my Record vise from the old house, but thought it would be too much trouble to mount it to this bench. .....well, we are having bad smoke here. The past week it has just been a heavy haze, but yesterday and today, it is bad. Green Mt. is 3 miles from my house. Yesterday it was just an outline. Today, can't see it at all. Hurts my throat and makes my nose run to be out.....and it's 94F. Really ugly day to be out. For sure no bike ride. Sun rise this morning. Good day to play in the cool of the basement and mount that vise. Had to cut out the edge of the bench and top brace to fit the vise. Installed a new brace. Installed a mounting block under the bench top and laged in the vise. Works great. Had to lower the right hand drawers by 2 1/2". Just pulled the right mounting plate off and moved it down. Pulled the left drawer guides off and moved them down. Had to add a little spacer to the bottom of the middle support, but no biggie. It all works very nicely. Well worth the effort. Really didn't take that long. It is a very functional bench. This is my cave in the back of the basement where the "fine" work get done.
That doesn't look too bad for a harbor freight piece. Even if it's a little short and wobbly it looks pretty nice. Is that a soft or a hard wood?
With the tweaks, it is a pretty nice bench. HF website says "hardwood bench". ....which it is....but I don't know what.
