In this video I complete the first project in my new workshop, a shaker-inspired woodworking bench, by adding a leg vise and a sliding deadman.

I’m using the Classic Leg Vise and Crisscross Retro from Benchcrafted, along with a beautiful piece of reclaimed pine for the vise chop, and some spruce for the leg. The Crisscross needs a large mortise in both the chop and leg, and I decided to build it up from thinner stock rather than cut into a thick piece. The instructions indirectly recommend against that, so use my method at your own risk ;) Other than that, it was largely a procedure of following the PDF from Benchcrafted.

I mounted the leg to the base and top with screws and washers, as I need the bench to disassemble when it eventually becomes time to move shop again. Placing a piece of paper under the saw allows flush cutting the leg and chop without damaging the benchtop.

The sliding deadman is used to support long pieces to work on their edges. It needs a lower rail which I made by planing a double bevel on one side of a 2x2. The deadman itself is a chunk of reclaimed construction lumber. A short wide tenon on one end fits into a groove I made in the benchtop in the previous video, and a V notch slides on the lower rail. I had to glue a couple of blocks to cut the V notch into because of a silly measuring mistake when cutting the deadman to length. With some finessing of the rail and a coat of beeswax/linseed oil mix, it slides tight and smooth.

I’m extremely pleased with my new bench, everything works just as I hoped, and I can’t wait to learn more fine woodworking on it. I hope you’ll join me for future projects.

For progress pictures of upcoming projects, follow me on instagram! @gillisbjork