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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Australia
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    660

    Default I think I am ready. Anyone on the northside of Brisbane willing to mentor me?

    I have been playing with timber for a long time, but mainly house renovations. I have done a few little simple things lately, like making the chopping boards. I have also spent some time just cutting up scrap timber to understand how grain works. Ie, carving, using an axe, chiselling stuff (not like a builder does!) Putting random bits of stuff through the thickenesser and table saw just to observe grain pattern etc then hitting it with a chisel or axe to see what happens.

    I think the time has come to start work on my first real woodworking bench, and this is the beast I have chosen: http://www.finewoodworking.com/woodw...workbench.aspx

    The first thing I intend on doing is making a spreadsheet with the timber I need to buy, but after that I really would like to get some guidence from an expert. Does not have to be a regular thing, maybe once a fortnight etc. I can travel, or I can pick someone up. Happy to reward with beer/wine/spirits etc. I am based at Shorncliffe. At this stage, probably wont start building till the new year, but I could start getting stuff ready and maybe doing some practice work.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Albury Well Just Outside
    Posts
    13,315

    Default

    If you don't end up getting someone to advise on hand there is the option that many are doing and that is a work in progress. And if they get stuck, post a question.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    660

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Christos View Post
    If you don't end up getting someone to advise on hand there is the option that many are doing and that is a work in progress. And if they get stuck, post a question.

    The more I think about it and look at the design, the more I think I will be ok! About the only issue I will have is the dovetails, but I have plan. I bought a dovetail saw and some marking guides on the weekend, and I plan to do some practice before hand.

    The other issue I have is sizeing. Obviously everything in that design is imperial, but I work in metric. I have done an excel spreadsheet with all the timber, and converted it to metric. Most stuff goes pretty close, but I may have some questions re mortice and tennon sizing from the trestle legs in to the feet. I think I will be using 90*90 for the feet and 70*70 for the legs, but I am not sure how to resize the tennon size to suit.

    The other option is to get larger stock (more money) and put it through the thicknesser to resize it. Bit wasteful though. Depending on the quality of timber this may have to be the way to go.

    Oh, and one question I have, is the typical pine you buy from places like bunnings and mitre 10 ok? I will be buying the timber from either the local sawmill or VSH timbers in Brisbane, so I do have a few options.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Brisbane - Southside
    Posts
    273

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pearo View Post
    The more I think about it and look at the design, the more I think I will be ok! About the only issue I will have is the dovetails, but I have plan. I bought a dovetail saw and some marking guides on the weekend, and I plan to do some practice before hand.

    The other issue I have is sizeing. Obviously everything in that design is imperial, but I work in metric. I have done an excel spreadsheet with all the timber, and converted it to metric. Most stuff goes pretty close, but I may have some questions re mortice and tennon sizing from the trestle legs in to the feet. I think I will be using 90*90 for the feet and 70*70 for the legs, but I am not sure how to resize the tennon size to suit.

    The other option is to get larger stock (more money) and put it through the thicknesser to resize it. Bit wasteful though. Depending on the quality of timber this may have to be the way to go.

    Oh, and one question I have, is the typical pine you buy from places like bunnings and mitre 10 ok? I will be buying the timber from either the local sawmill or VSH timbers in Brisbane, so I do have a few options.
    Hey Pearo,

    If you look back through the Work Bench threads you will see at least 3 recent bench builds constructed from Bunnings pine. Myself, Greg Stewy & Michael M (with respect to Greg, Michael M's thread is an excellent step by step build, well written & well photographed). Have a look, you'll learn much (probably how NOT to build a bench from my thread ). You'll surprise yourself how easy it all comes together. My only advice would be don't rush it, enjoy the journey. Good luck.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Vevey, Switzerland
    Posts
    407

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pearo View Post
    The more I think about it and look at the design, the more I think I will be ok! About the only issue I will have is the dovetails, but I have plan. I bought a dovetail saw and some marking guides on the weekend, and I plan to do some practice before hand.

    The other issue I have is sizeing. Obviously everything in that design is imperial, but I work in metric. I have done an excel spreadsheet with all the timber, and converted it to metric. Most stuff goes pretty close, but I may have some questions re mortice and tennon sizing from the trestle legs in to the feet. I think I will be using 90*90 for the feet and 70*70 for the legs, but I am not sure how to resize the tennon size to suit.

    The other option is to get larger stock (more money) and put it through the thicknesser to resize it. Bit wasteful though. Depending on the quality of timber this may have to be the way to go.

    Oh, and one question I have, is the typical pine you buy from places like bunnings and mitre 10 ok? I will be buying the timber from either the local sawmill or VSH timbers in Brisbane, so I do have a few options.
    I started off the same way a few years ago. Don't get hung up on exact sizes, the important thing is that parts fit together. Make things that have to be the same size at the same time using the same settings. It doesn't really matter if the legs are exactly 70, as long as they are all the same size and all exactly square. Otherwise you'll be faced with multiple set ups when you come to make the joints, and you'll have to keep track of which part is which and which way round it goes - which is a recipe for inaccuracy and error.

    The wood from Bunnings etc. is not well seasoned and tends to bend and twist when it's machined. Buying rough sawn timber from a reputable timber yard will be better quality and cheaper. I'd also consider other species. I used jarrah for the top and oak for the frame, bought from Mathews Timber, costs more, but it's served me well. Back to the sizing, if you start with roughly 25mm rough sawn and want 19mm , depending on the twist etc. it might clean up to 20mm. So why not have a slightly sturdier bench? If the legs clean up a bit thinner than 70, go with that.

    With the joints, The rule of thumb is that the tenon should be 1/3 the thickness of the piece being morticed (note morticed), but you can adjust that to suit the width of your chisel, or whatever tooling.
    Cheers, Glen

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