Thread: New Jarrah & Blackwood bench for the shed

Well, I've made up the trestle (Jarrah and some Tas Oak for the stiles, foot rails and centre stretchers).

All Domino joinery (as was virtually all of the bench top).

All that remains is to get my neighbour to help move the pieces into place, then a final coat of Danish Oil followed by our sponsor's wax.

I'm still waiting on the vice handles from Lie Nielsen Aus, but if all else fails I can make some up from 25mm & 30mm Tas Oak dowelling.

The pics below show the locator buttons on the top's trestle attachment rails. You may also notice that I've chopped a mortice in one of the trestle's attachment rails; this is to accommodate a dog hole which lies directly beneath it As well, I've made up and attached a clamping post to help with wide boards or panels for edge planing. The face of this is flush with the front rail of the top, and the stile to post gap is big enough to allow a clamp to hook through.

All in all I'm pretty pleased with the bench. There are a couple of things that I might have done differently, but that's with 20-20 hindsight .

G'day steve,

Just came across your bench. As much as I like abench you can whallop, your bench is a sight to salivate over, dribble over, lean against and lust after.

Steve, it is a beautiful workbench. I love the colour of Jarrah. Have fun using it.

Ok, the bench is in place and I've made up some retractable / removeable stops for the ends to help with planing larger boards or panels.

As my neighbour was busy with his removalist business, I had to move the bench trestle then top myself

As well, I've made up some temporary handles (Tas Oak and Jarrah) as the LN ones haven't arrived yet

That's it folks - last pics, and thanks for all the nice comments

Brilliant job AB, love it ....can you make me one?

I know it would be a pain in the a$$, but I reckon you should paint those vice body's. That colour is the only thing I could pick on. Maybe a black or a nice charcoal Grey I think it would set the whole thing off.....just a thought.

A superb bench: looks great,and should be very versatile. The chest of drawers underneath adds a touch of class to and already majorly classy piece of work.

What's the L-shaped prism that sits in the end-vice?

Thanks Zenwood,

Just a removeable planing/work-piece stop.

As I've made a Derek Cohen facsimile of a retractable stop at the other end; Given that I can walk around this bench, with some woods it's easier to be able to plane in opposite directions, depending on the grain.

Originally Posted by Auld Bassoon

Thanks Zenwood,

Just a removeable planing/work-piece stop.

As I've made a Derek Cohen facsimile of a retractable stop at the other end; Given that I can walk around this bench, with some woods it's easier to be able to plane in opposite directions, depending on the grain.

Very nice bench the Jarrah looks really nice I am planning to build a similar bench myself .
Did you have plans or just nut it out as you went?
I see Veritas sells plans for a similar bench , It may be better for me to get a set of their plans to work by.

I hope you have many enjoyable hours using your new bench

Hi Steve,
Long time no speak.
As usual your work is outstanding to look at and beautifully crafted. To make beautiful things you must work in an atmosphere of beauty. Greenie on its way.

Hope you're well,

Rob

Originally Posted by Woodlee

Very nice bench the Jarrah looks really nice I am planning to build a similar bench myself .
Did you have plans or just nut it out as you went?
I see Veritas sells plans for a similar bench , It may be better for me to get a set of their plans to work by.

I hope you have many enjoyable hours using your new bench

G'day Woodlee,

I didn't have any specific plans to work from, just a variety of pics. I did sketch out the dimensions, but the hardest part was figuring out the design for the tail vice.

One of the key criteria was that it was fractionally lower than my T/S table; also that I could walk around the bench without it taking up excessive shed floor space.

Originally Posted by Flowboy

Hi Steve,
Long time no speak.
As usual your work is outstanding to look at and beautifully crafted. To make beautiful things you must work in an atmosphere of beauty. Greenie on its way.

Hope you're well,

Rob

Thanks Rob!

Superb looking bench there! The drawers really set it off
Be a shame to get it all scratched up..hope you've got another bench for that

Sweet job on that Steve, can see why many of your hours will be spent using it!