Thread: WIP - Groggy's Workbench

I wonder have all you gaps closed up again Greg? Mine have.

Yes, they are closing. Bit of a nuisance as I'm trying to get some close measurements - oh well, that's woodworking for you.

I must be learning something, this was easier than I remembered the last one being. Yesterday I chopped the mortices and today they were 'finessed' so I have about 1mm play.

Pic #1 - The first photo shows the underside of the bench and you can see the 1mm of excess all the way around. The top has 2-3mm excess as I did not want any error on that side to be visible.

Pic #2 - A very good fit on the first attempt (if I must say so myself ). Later today I'll get rid of the minor 'rock' by using the carbon paper technique again. This should be much easier as it is almost 'there' already.

Pic #3 - This photo has been rotated 180deg. This is how the top will look. I'm pleased it has a nice fit.

Pic #4 - View of the tenons. Note the slight hollowing in the center. You will note the sanding stops about 5mm from the edges. This makes it easier to get a tight fit on the edges and stops rocking by eliminating surfaces touching in the middle.

Pic #5 - My favourite tool, Chris Vesper's little square is used throughout the process. Note that the slight hollowing of the inner face is done last, otherwise the mortices would be slightly undercut.

There is about 1 - 1.5mm movement laterally and 1mm vertically to allow for any movement later.

Next: make fully flush using the carbon paper, put in the bolt holes then cut the dovetails.

After fitting the cap using the carbon paper it's time to do the second set of dovetails. There are a few pics showing the benchtop mounted in the leg holdfasts so I can work on the front skirt. The caps are oversize at this point and will be planed down flush once the front skirt is attached. There is a notch out of the dovetails to make registration easier for the final marking.

Oh! They ARE big dove tails.

This weekend I am tackling the last set of dovetails. In the pics you will see a a chisel being held and in the background is a builders square clamped to the benchtop. The square was aligned with the workpiece so I knew when the chisel was square to the work. If you look at the photos it is easy to see when the chisel is not square.

Chris Vesper's square with the fine end is handy to get into areas that are angular. I can't set my other squares as low as this or they hit the dovetail. I'll finish this tomorrow then hopefully I can start on the sockets for them.

Edit: The two recesses at the base of the dovetail are for dominos when it is finally assembled.

Wow; that's nice work

Originally Posted by munruben

Wow; that's nice work

Thanks John, I am trying to be careful with these dovetails, they are rather unforgiving for errors and it is not all smooth sailing at times.

Earlier this morning I had a minor heart attack when I measured the length of the dovetails then started cutting, only to realise I had not re-measured the overall length of the beam and the distance between the end caps.

A quick check and after some fussing I only had to deepen them by 0.75mm. Thankfully the error was on the right side as I find it difficult to chisel timber back on.

I've finished the tails and need to get the sockets done next. Marking them was fairly easy, I sat the skirt between the two end caps and the dovetails provided a template to mark out the sockets. Used a chisel to make sure the line followed the face of the dovetail.

I'm loving this bit Greg. I really don't have a clue how I'm gonna' tackle these when I get to this stage, so I'm taking careful notes. Lovely work so far!

Originally Posted by kman-oz

I'm loving this bit Greg. I really don't have a clue how I'm gonna' tackle these when I get to this stage, so I'm taking careful notes. Lovely work so far!

Dave, you are welcome to drop over and have a closer look. There is more to the end-caps and dovetails than meets the eye and I should have put some more thought into them than I did. Once assembled it won't be a problem. drop over for a chat one day!

I think the big difference with mine is that I've designed the dovetails to allow the end caps to slide onto the completed top, rather than have the last piece of the top slide into the completed end caps. I have a feeling this will be far simpler, if less visually interesting.

But, I will definitely be taking you up on that offer all the same. Any wisdom anyone cares to bestow is more than welcome, yours doubly so.

Howdy

After my post re cleaning radiators I thought I'd better revisit this thread as I hadn't really had a good look or read for quite some time.

So now after reading 48 pages of thread (some 2 1/3 years worth!) I'm awestruck at the workmanship and time you have put into this bench. Awesome! I have to admit that as the reading got into the wee dark hours I'd turn a page only to realise that the pages into the future had also increased by 1 , will this never end, I thought to myself

My only comment is that in 150 or 200 years time, someone is going to look underneath the bench and say "I wonder why this one is L shaped and all the others are straight?"

Groggy, I think you have inspired me to extractis digitus and build a workbench that I would like to work at. Trouble is mine will have to be on wheels. So won't weigh in at the heavy weight division. I have learnt a lot from the discourse between forum members in this thread. Thanks all.

So this is post number 719 a little closer to Wongo's next Fibonacci number

I will now take a regular seat at the back of the gallery, next to the hecklers and watch the final scene unfold.

Hehe, thanks Nick. I was out tonight cutting the angle cuts for the sockets on one end of the skirt and thoroughly enjoyed it. First day back at work today so getting back in the shed was like heading for sanctuary

Like a lot of other guys on the forum, I find building the bench is a great way to learn technique and hone skills. I've learned a LOT about hand tools on this beast. Jarrah is a good test of a tool's mettle (and metal!) so the average performers are weeded out early in the game. Sharp chisels are an absolute must and I pity anyone trying to tackle Australian hardwoods with poorly prepared chisels.

It is all fun, even the mistakes. I will be sorry when I can't, as the boss puts it, "go out to the shed to play with the bench".

I don't have a fancy car nor expensive stereo, don't eat out much, hardly drink and gave up smoking ten years ago so I do not mind spending a few quid on the timber and vises. In fact, for the last two years my hobby has cost me only 25% of what it would have to continue smoking. Even then, the bench has a resale value so the true cost is much less. I am not really including my labour as it is more free education than labour.

Get into it, build a bench!