My Engineers vice has sat neglected on the garage floor awaiting me to mount it on my workbench. It is only used occasionally, so I decided to attach it to a jig that can easily be attached and removed from bench. I made use of the dog holes I have in the bench, using dowl pegs to locate the vice. I then secure it with a screw through the jig and into the front apron of the bench.
I have mounted a tool board onto the garage wall to display and keep safe my collection of traditional woodworking tools. I made the frame then backed it with MDF and finally I used similar pieces of timber as the outer frame to create the small shelves for the tools to rest on or hang from.
Under-bench paint caddy.
I have found it frustrating to just push tins of paint and varnish into the recess under my bench then years later find them dried up and rusty. So I thought I would make a paint caddy that I could roll in and out so I can easily see what I have. The wheels were from Screwfix (Uk) and apart from the fact that the pre-drilled corner holes were too large and I needed to drill some correct size for the screws, they are great and a good price too. I am very pleased with my design.
My engineering apprenticeship...
This is a steel scribing block I made at the Central Electricity Generating Board (C.E.G.B.) training school in Harrogate, UK in 1971 as part of my 1st year engineering apprenticeship. The scribing block is used for marking out metal prior to cutting and machining. I remember we had about 70 apprentices in the year I was in. We were trained in hand metalwork, tin plate working, welding (both gas and electric), electrical fitting, and in the case of the scribing block, machine working. I believe we used lathes, milling machines, surface grinders and pedestal drills. It was a brilliant first year for a 16 year old to experience the trainers were all fantastic.
I followed this year, with 4 years of additional training at Power Stations across the north east of the UK. Keadby, Drax, Eggborough etc. My scribing block may not be up to Karl Holteys standard!, but it makes me appreciate how wonderful his infill planes are.
