My entry into metalworking finally gives me the impetus to build a workbench

The bench will go against the wall, between the shelves and the light switch

Frame for the lower shelf assembled

Lower shelf frame attached to the legs

Middle supports added

Getting ready to attach the apron, I find that apparently I got the math wrong somewhere. The upper board is correct - the bench itself ended up 3" too long. Fortunately, I always buy extra materials, so OK -- I guess my workbench will be a little bigger

New, longer pieces cut for the upper apron. Carefully levelling it before drilling

Outside of the apron completed, now just have to attach the three cross-supports

Picking up the milling machine at the freight terminal (man it's handy having a trailer)

At 150 lbs it's a stout little bugger, so I strap it well down for the ride home

The milling machine freshly uncrated

It arrives covered in red packing grease to prevent rust -- time for an hour or two with a rag and a gallon of kerosene

All cleaned up! (Mostly -- that grease is tenacious)

Cutting the plywood for the benchtop

Supports laid out to keep the two halves flat after cutting

The long cut made. It went better than I feared

Both layers of the benchtop attached to the bench

The bench is in place. The surface of the lower shelf and the platform for the milling machine are 3/4" MDF

It's handy having an engine hoist on hand. Almost as handy as a trailer.

One factor I didn't think to allow for

Bring the mountain to Mohammed!

Mill bolted down securely

The tooling for the mill arrives

The mill along with the tooling and clamping equipment

The Jacobs 33 taper at the slim end of the arbor needs to be semi-permanently fitted into the drill chuck, which means that the chuck needs to be heated to 400 F first

...This feels wrong

Now the arbor is ready to be seated in the chuck (you can sort of see the steam coming out the top of the arbor)

A few quick taps with a rubber mallet, and then it's left to cool and tighten up

Clamping kit

A simple starter set of 4-flute endmills

A set of aptly-named "1-2-3 blocks", a precise 1"x2"x3", used for measuring, marking, and clamping

3/8" and 1/2" collets

Center drills, for accurately starting holes

Edge and center finder

Milling vise

Milling vise swivel base

Dial indicator kit

Parallels, also used for measuring and clamping

My first milled piece! It's... an ashtray?

My order of aluminum stock arrives