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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
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    Castle hill NSW Australia
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    Default My massive french workbench

    I'm building a french workbench based on the 18th century designs of Andre J. Roubo a french cabinet maker and writer

    I'm also using 2 books as a guide by Christopher Schwarz


    • Workbench's from design and theory to construction and use


    • The work bench design book

    Ive uploaded some pictures on my progress

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
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    Harmers Haven Victoria
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    Default

    Looking good. I have a friend who is a cabinet maker in paris. With your permission I will forward this link to him. He is a scot who translocated to paris about 30 years ago, a great furniture builder and "eboniste".
    Michael

    Wood Butcher

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    Melbourne
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    47
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    Dimensions? Timbers? Vices? Details fella, details!

    Very clever making two legs at a time *with* tenons. How valuable have you found the second Schwartz title? I used the pricipals from the first to design my own bench and didn't see much point in the second to be honest, but I haven't read it either.
    "Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."
    - Douglas Adams

  5. #4
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    North of the coathanger, Sydney
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kman-oz View Post
    Dimensions? Timbers? Vices? Details fella, details!

    ...
    Another bench build, beaudy
    I think I'll take a seat and watch

    What he said
    but there are piccies so you have done good

    How many of the top lengths of timber did you laminate at once? 10 as in the 1st piccy or 2 at a time?
    regards
    Nick
    veni, vidi,
    tornavi
    Without wood it's just ...

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
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    Minbun, FNQ, Australia
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    Default

    Yup, also interested, what is the timber?
    Cliff.
    If you find a post of mine that is missing a pic that you'd like to see, let me know & I'll see if I can find a copy.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Dundowran Beach
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    76
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    19,922

    Exclamation

    Just have to back the praise and questions above!

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Castle hill NSW Australia
    Age
    31
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    42

    Default

    G'day
    Were to start.. haha My choice of timber blackbutt which is an ideal hardwood for workbench , very dens and heavy however it did cost me an arm and leg

    Dimensions -


    Top - 102mm x 633mm x 2400mm

    When laminating the boards i decided to work in stages i divided the 15 boards into 3 sections each section containing 5 boards

    I the laminated sections 1 & 2 then 3

    Legs- X2 125mm x 125mm x 767mm
    X1 125MM x 125MM x 827 with a 60mm end tennon


    I will put up dimension for the long and end strecther soon !!

    Hardware-


    Lake erie toolworks Wooden leg vise
    Gramercy holdfast
    veritas holddown,wonder dog,bench dogs, blade (carbatech)

    Im still decidng to put a benchcrafted tail vise but my budget is getting tighter haha

    Books

    The second book shows you more techquies and how to build by hand and a few more hardwares to incoperate into your workbench these small additions are helpfull however i find the first book to be better

    I included some more pics and to show how my top bowed because i put and unequal amount of sash clamps when laminating section 1&2 to 3 i put about 3 sash clamps on the bottom and roughly 12 on top which i think caused this bow! any ideas how to fix haha

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    back in Alberta for a while
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    68
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    12,006

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by teakman View Post
    I included some more pics and to show how my top bowed because i put and unequal amount of sash clamps when laminating section 1&2 to 3 i put about 3 sash clamps on the bottom and roughly 12 on top which i think caused this bow! any ideas how to fix haha
    yeah, uneven clamping will do that

    to fix ??
    I'd be looking at a Veritas BU Jointer or a #7 or #8 hand plane
    unless you can put it through a wide belt sander
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  10. #9
    Join Date
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    Castle hill NSW Australia
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    Post

    I will start hand planning my bench top like in groggy s you-tube video:

    [ame="http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPdNun7zmeI&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL"]http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPdNun7zmeI&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL[/ame]

    I unfortantly dont have a wide enough belt sander but i might be able to run the top through a thicknesser the blade on it is 330mm wide but my top is 333mm will this make it flat?

    How essential is it to have a perfectly flat workbench?

    Cheers Lance

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Melbourne
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    Default

    Ahhh, details, very satisfying! The dimensions and timber choice sound perfect; if only I had that sort of budget.

    Regarding the top, it looks like about 5mm of cup across the top, yes? If you're in no rush tom complete the bench I'd be simply sitting the top on the completed frame convex side up for a couple of month. After this time you may find that is flattens out a little anyway. Typically a large heavy bench top that has no support other than the legs will cup across the top over time anyway. You may find that it flattens by a couple of millimeters over the course of a few months, making for less effort with the #7/8 jointer.

    Worst case scenario is it doesn't move (which is actually a good thing) and you have to joint it flat. A few millimeters over a top this size is irrelevant. If it bugs you that much you can always rip down the glue line and re-glue it straight.

    P.S. Thanks for your review of the book, I'm satisfied I haven't missed out on any revelations now.
    "Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."
    - Douglas Adams

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Mount Colah, Sydney
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    72
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    923

    Default

    Another option is to router plane it flat.

    Two straight edges clamped along the long sides, adjusted to make sure there isn't any wind.
    Attachment 163877
    Router sled to ride on the rails.
    Attachment 163876
    Router with straight bit to ride in the sled.

    Hearing protection (DAMHIKT)

    Lots of time, (but not as much as hand planing)

    Then finish off by planing
    Alastair

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    ACT
    Posts
    455

    Default

    for me, hand planing a bench flat like that would be much quicker than routing it - and much quieter.

    each to their own.

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    back in Alberta for a while
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by teakman View Post
    How essential is it to have a perfectly flat workbench?
    Lance
    it depends on what you will do on it.

    if you're assembling things that you want to be square -- a flat bench will be invaluable

    If you're just bashing away with a hammer chopping mortices along the front edge -- being flat across the top probably doesn't matter that much
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Castle hill NSW Australia
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    Post

    Thanks for all the info its very helpful ill get the top as flat as possible,

    Yes, there is about 3-5 mm cup in the top , I'm in no rush ill put the convex side up and let it sit ,then ill focus on my structure assembly : massive mortise joints,leg detail and stretchers

    I have laminated the long stretcher 1

    Dimension- long stretchers

    Length
    Short board x2 389mm
    Long board x1 511mm with a 61mm tenon on each end

    Width- 95mm

    Thickness-95mm

    When im finished with the long stretchers ill get to work with the short stretchers I will be done with the short stretchers sometime next week with photos , I have made a schedule to keep me on track..

    If anyone sees any problems so i can prevent a mistake from occurring please let me know... or if you want more detailed information because you making same bench just let me know..

    Cheers lance

  16. #15
    cookie48 is offline Old Fart (my step daughters named me)
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    Default

    Excuse my ingnorance folks, but would it not be better to alternate your clamps on a piece this size? What I mean is one on top next on bottom next on top etc along its length.

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