Thanks: 0
Likes: 0
Needs Pictures: 0
Picture(s) thanks: 0
Results 1 to 11 of 11
Thread: Planning for a bench build
-
12th March 2013, 11:53 PM #1
Planning for a bench build
Evening all, sorry about the slight rush in the following, but it can't be helped (only just thought of this yesterday).
In the next few months I'll be building a life-changing bench at last, and I'm going to take advantage of the Bushmiller trip from Qld where he's bringing down a load of timber from MapleMan for various people. This means that I have to decide upon the timber and quantity in the next few days.
I've decided on using Tallowood for the top, and MM is going to quarter saw mill that from dry stock. It'll be 4x2s laminated together to yield:
- top 80-100mm thick
- width 600mm
- length 2000mm (may vary downwards a little)
and so I'll allow an extra 10mm (5mm each face of each stick) for dressing.
I haven't decided on a design or features, but I'll be doing a very great deal of reading (threads and books) between now and the build. It will more than likely end up being a hybrid of Roubo, standard, Festool MFT/3 (in terms of some dogholes, added extrusions to allow me to add on FT extensions, CMS extensions etc). Whatever the design is, it will be open underneath, as that will allow me some options for tool trays, Systainer storage etc.
My question right now is how much timber should I allow? I haven't quite had the time to research this since I thought of getting the timber down (yesterday). From the top of my (very inexperienced) head, I can think of the following:
Will require 12 sticks of 4x2, so I'll add a couple on for safety (maybe I'll make it a little wider). I'm thinking that a 25mm thick (80-100mm deep to match the Tallowood) trim of figured Qld Maple around the edge could look very nice indeed, so I can work out what I would require for that (and it would be one less Tw board).
VICE FACE(s): what dimensions should these be? 30-40-50 thick? 150 high? 400 or 500 long? I'm thinking some of the highly figured Tallowood that MM could mill for this. An example here. At this point I'm thinking of using 2x of Micheal Connors vises, and a Terry Gordon Tail Vise (I'm using one now and I like it - seems to do the job, quick to operate, only one very small knob hanging off the end of the bench)
UNDERCARRIAGE: This is the area that I'm greyest about (and will rectify!). This timber may well come from some recycled hardwood that NCArcher has. It's tempting to make the floor out of Tw from MM as well, but then it's just about always going to have something covering it (certainly if I put a couple of cabinets of Tool Trays underneath, or Systainers). What I can think of needing will be:
- 4x legs of 100x100 which will probably be two 4x2s laminated
- 4x stretchers but what profile dimensions? 100x25? or is that a bit thin?
- timber for the floor
- how important is a leg vise?
Cheers, and TIA
Brett
-
12th March 2013 11:53 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
- Join Date
- Always
- Location
- Advertising world
- Posts
- Many
-
13th March 2013, 10:47 AM #2Awaiting Email Confirmation
- Join Date
- Feb 2008
- Location
- Peakhurst
- Age
- 67
- Posts
- 1,173
Brett,
When I built my work bench the stretcher dimensions from the plans where 75 x 35 but I increased this to 100 x 50 (probably overkill but it was the only size I had on hand).
My bench was made from recycled pallets, so this dictated a lot of the sizes. I was hoping for about 80mm thickness in the top but during the glueup it warped and twisted. So it ended up being about 65mm. Still the bench is solid.
I'll be waiting on the build of this one. Good luck.
-
13th March 2013, 12:52 PM #3
Thanks very much for that Bleeder.
-
13th March 2013, 02:46 PM #4
And so it begins
I really enjoyed building my bench and looking back I would have liked to have seen some benches in the flesh to clarify some ideas before I settled on a design.
There are a few things I would do differently but the bench is the centre of my workshop, gets used every time I am working on something and I am very happy with it. I can't imagine trying to make something now without a solid bench to work on.
I would increase the stretcher size to 4x2 or 3x2 at least. Your legs will be closer to 90x90 rather than 100x100 but 90 x 90 is huge and will support any top you put on them.
I probably use the tail vice more than the face vice but not by that much. Well worth putting both in.
The 'floor' on my bench is a couple of ply platforms that drop onto the stretchers. I store a couple of bench top machines (linisher and mitre saw) on them and just plonk them on the bench to use them, which is not all that often.
As for putting Maple around the top of the bench, you will need to allow for movement and you don't want any cracks in the bench top. Breadboard ends alone may be a better option if you must have the Maple bling
Just my thoughtsThose were the droids I was looking for.
https://autoblastgates.com.au
-
13th March 2013, 04:47 PM #5
-
13th March 2013, 05:22 PM #6
Also going to think about/research using Dominoes as dogs.
Go back through Lignum's posts in the Festool forum. About 2010 I think, and you'll find the definitive Dominoes as dogs there. Failing that, have a look at timbercabinets.com.au, you might find it there. Bear in mind that you can make larger dominoes in shop if you need them. Larger mortises should be easy to cut in the bench with a spiral upcut to suit. Consider using a disposable MDF top for the bench. And you might consider using Vises rather than Vices.
-
13th March 2013, 06:13 PM #7
As for putting Maple around the top of the bench, you will need to allow for movement and you don't want any cracks in the bench top. Breadboard ends alone may be a better option if you must have the Maple bling Well, I probably must! What I meant was just laminating it onto the top as part of the whole lamination process. Or is that what you mean by movement - two different timbers moving differently?
I just finished watching an episode of TNYW where Norm installed a mitred surround on a table top. I think I had that stuck in my subconcious.
Movement at different rates is unlikely to affect anything. My bench top has ten different timbers. I can't say I have noticed any movement at all over the last 12 months or so. From me or the benchThose were the droids I was looking for.
https://autoblastgates.com.au
-
13th March 2013, 06:58 PM #8
Thanks Rob. Your quite right about Vises, and I'm usually pretty diligent with that, but still have enough brain farts left to get me by.
You're also right about disposable MDF making a really good benchtop. My current 3.6m bench (and last couple) is melamine/MDF and it's great - has drop saw, drill press, fold-down sheet cutter in the main work area. Two sheets together to give about 36mm thick which is surprisingly movementless. I particularly favour a melamine over MDF surface for this particular bench (which will remain) because I can make notes, calculations etc and erase them, glue doesn't stick, oil/turps/shelac etc don't stick - just run a paint scraper over it when necessary.
I wouldn't be without a bench top like that actually. At the moment the HNT TV is in it, but because it was a two after thought it's not quite as rigid as it needs to be.
In the current mix is a 750x500mm granite slab (32mm) with a timber border that I can use for all sorts of things. I can secure it to the Mel/MDF top a couple screws, or just have it as a floater.
It's funny you should mention this right now because it's been on my mind that the top sheet is just about due for replacement.
Cheers.
-
13th March 2013, 07:06 PM #9
-
14th March 2013, 10:19 PM #10Skwair2rownd
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
- Location
- Dundowran Beach
- Age
- 76
- Posts
- 19,922
You do have a crane to lift the thing FF!?!?
Tallowood top - nice but is it really necessary?
Maybe I am just a tad jealous!
-
14th March 2013, 10:51 PM #11
No crane Art, haven't figured that bit out yet
Ah, scuzie, but what has "necessary" got to do do with it? You've lost me.
Similar Threads
-
Saw bench build
By weisyboy in forum SMALL TIMBER MILLINGReplies: 11Last Post: 20th December 2012, 08:37 PM -
novice planning to build lowline tv bench
By nathan b in forum FURNITURE, JOINERY, CABINETMAKING - formerly BIG STUFFReplies: 0Last Post: 3rd March 2011, 04:14 PM -
I'm planning to build a Thien seperator
By Green Beetle in forum DUST EXTRACTIONReplies: 19Last Post: 19th December 2010, 10:11 PM -
Planning Tool storage - under bench
By Clinton1 in forum HAND TOOLS - UNPOWEREDReplies: 39Last Post: 7th July 2010, 09:12 PM -
Bench - big, solid, cheap, no tools, no bench to build on
By Clinton1 in forum THE WORK BENCHReplies: 84Last Post: 17th June 2010, 11:16 PM