My first bench assembled - Woodworking Talk

ben arnott · 02-06-2010, 08:58 AM

Hello Everyone - Last week I finally assembled my work bench. The material is nothing special. I'm pretty happy with how it came out. I learned a whole lot! This has been a great project so far. I'm now building the chop for a leg vise from a chunk of 8/4 hard maple I picked up last night. Here are some pictures of the bench so far.

Regard,

Ben

woodman42 · 02-06-2010, 09:06 AM

Nice bench Ben.
Looks like you have a lot of work to do to break in those tools. Lol.

ben arnott · 02-06-2010, 09:17 AM

Yes, the miter saw is brand new. I'm a carpenter in my day job. This shop is becoming my "second job" LOL

woodnthings · 02-06-2010, 09:28 AM

You said the material is nothing special...what is it? Dour fir? or a Pine?
Nice joinery also.

bill

ben arnott · 02-06-2010, 09:34 AM

Thanks! There are 12 giant mortise and tenon joints. I draw bored all of them with walnut pegs I widdled out of some scrap. The material is pine. When I started putting together a material list, I quickly realized that this bench would not be built out of hard maple. LOL I may have to surface the top a little more often since the wood is so soft, but the bench is heavy, it doesn't move and it will hold my work in place.

phinds · 02-06-2010, 09:36 AM

Really nice. Just one problem ... it's too pretty. You need to get busy USING it so it takes on that patina of scratches and spilled stuff.

Seriously though, that's a really cool job.

Paul

joesdad · 02-06-2010, 09:37 AM

Very nice bench. I need a few of those for my basement shop the wife doesn't know I'm going to build soon.

jdixon · 02-06-2010, 11:36 AM

Ben, that is a great looking bench. Looks solid and should work for you for a very long time. Nice job!

John

jlhaslip · 02-06-2010, 11:40 AM

shiny... I like it.

Cover the top with hardboard and replace as required. Saves having to redo the top.

woodnthings · 02-06-2010, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ben arnott

Thanks! There are 12 giant mortise and tenon joints. I draw bored all of them with walnut pegs I widdled out of some scrap. The material is pine. When I started putting together a material list, I quickly realized that this bench would not be built out of hard maple. LOL I may have to surface the top a little more often since the wood is so soft, but the bench is heavy, it doesn't move and it will hold my work in place.

Can I assume that's when you bore the holes a little out of alignment and driving the pegs in tightens or "draws" the pieces together...just a wild guess!

bill

jlhaslip · 02-06-2010, 01:22 PM

correct

ACP · 02-06-2010, 11:59 PM

Very nice bench. I really like the little chamfer detail. I looks like a stout mofo. Nice shop too!

Kenbo · 02-07-2010, 10:22 AM

2 words
SA WEET

sankofa · 02-07-2010, 05:28 PM

Did you use construction grade material for the bench ?

The legs and stretchers are so massive....Im wondering if you took dimensional lumber and laminated the pieces together to form legs and stretchers.

Great looking bench....sturdy looking...crisp and clean...

cemcgill · 02-08-2010, 11:30 AM

I dont know if I would want to work on top of it! Way to nice to destroy!!! Great job!

ben arnott · 02-08-2010, 07:23 PM

Thanks for the nice comments. This bench was based off of the French bench in Christopher Schwartz book on work benches. The chamfered edges were more utilitarian than for aesthetics but they give it a nice look. The reason I chamfered the edges is so that the grain didn't blow out (tear out) while hand planing it.

The legs are four 1 3/4 thick by 4 laminated together. The middle two boards are cut longer by 2 inches to make the tenons. The stretchers are two 1 3/4 by 4 laminated together. Th inside board is cut 2 1/2 inches longer to make up the stretcher tenons.

The material was originally 16 ft 2x10 KD lumber. I bought 2x10's because they were clearer and straighter than 2x6's. I ripped them down to 4 1/4 for the and sent them through the thickness planer to get them ready for lamination. The bench top (as Sankofa points out) is just laminated dimensional lumber.

I finished the leg vise Sunday. I haven't taken a picture of it yet. I made the vise chop out of hard maple. I drilled a 1 1/4 in hole through the leg 9 in down from the top of the bench to accommodate the leg vise screw. The leg vise screw is nothing more than a tail vise screw with the hardware flipped backwards. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

Christopher Schwartz' book was a huge help in building my bench.

Marcus · 02-09-2010, 07:37 AM

I have a question here.....

I'm planning on making some type of work bench soon and it has been mentioned on here to place a piece of hardwood on the top of the bench to protect the surface.

Would it be possible to coat with one of those epoxy finishes? That way it would be protected and at the same time keep the look of the original wood.

Marcus · 02-09-2010, 07:38 AM

AND BTW - Love the bench. Looks great for pine!! You're giving me some ideas here

wletson · 02-09-2010, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus

Would it be possible to coat with one of those epoxy finishes? That way it would be protected and at the same time keep the look of the original wood.

Once you start using the bench, you are bound to gouge, drill, scrape, cut, route, hack, etc. the top. The idea of using a sacraficial work surface will keep the top of the workbench solid and looking good. Much easier to swap out the sacraficial piece than to replace the bench top.

sankofa · 02-09-2010, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wletson

Once you start using the bench, you are bound to gouge, drill, scrape, cut, route, hack, etc. the top. The idea of using a sacraficial work surface will keep the top of the workbench solid and looking good. Much easier to swap out the sacraficial piece than to replace the bench top.

gouges, scrapes, cuts..... = character.......lol