Bench progress

I got the rubber pads re-glued with contact cement then I added nails to keep them secured.

I'm using a low VOC, green and blah blah water based contact cement. I don't think that it is as good as the old smelly stuff, but it sure don't stink like the old stuff.

The vise has been taken apart, I planed the high spots to make it flat again.

I'm not trying to plane the leg vise perfectly flat, just enough for it to operate correctly and still look like its an antique. I am trying to preserve the surfaces as much as I can, but in the end, it has to be able to earn its keep in the shop, it is not an object of decoration on the wall, it is a tool!

After checking that the two parts meet correctly, I put some stain on them.
Not to hide the repairs but to even out the colour, so it doesn't stick out so much.
Oh, well there goes the old finish :-)

Checking out the bench frame, there was a gap on a leg joinery that bothered me, saw it as a weak point, so I planed off a thin spacer board to glued in.

Shaved and insert a spacer 

Cut flush, will plane later

Tomorrow I will put back together the leg vise and make whatever corrections to the leg post to accommodate better. Last thing I'll do to it would be to add a piece of leather to the jaws.

I also ripped some more French cleats, in preparation for hanging the cabinet I removed, back on the wall.

Before I flip the bench back on its feet, I'll make whatever corrections to the underside to ensure it is sitting flush with the bench framing members. After a short wait, I'll then plane the surface flat once more. Maybe I should then put on some oil coat just to even out somewhat the moisture transfer?

That's about all I did in the shop today, its too nice not to work outside, would you believe our temps went up to +19 C today! I was driving around with the AC in the car, wow, that was nice for a change. Go away snow, shoo!

Bob, who should be able to see his grass in a month at this rate.