Thread: New, Small Workbench

Originally Posted by NCArcher

I've been storing it for nearly 10 years so I'm on schedule.

Schedule enough to have the design?

A design....hmmmm. I tend to build holistically. The final design is the way the pieces naturally came together, with the least amount of hassle, as I was building it.
My design so far is, the biggest top I can get out of the pieces I have and put 4 legs on it. Add some rails to stop the legs from splaying.
I'm also having a play with some wooden threads but I'm not sure if I can build a vice to my satisfaction yet. I would like a face vice and a tail vice.

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

....Attachment 432359

It was stuck to the bottom of his shoe from a previous job.

Originally Posted by NCArcher

..... I would like a face vice and a tail vice.

I can see that working quite well on this bench.

Had a bit of a play today. After searching everywhere for my good blade for the mitre saw I gave up and bought a new one. The one that was on there was not flat and wouldn't give an accurate cut. I picked it up really cheap years ago and now I know why it was cheap.
Anyway, the new blade cuts beautifully and I cut the top and legs to size.
I then drilled the dog holes and assembled the top, trying to keep the better faces to the top. Nothing is glued yet, I need to pick up a few things from various sheds around Sydney before I can continue.
20180330_141027.jpg20180330_155916.jpg
I kept an offcut to use as the face vice liner. The vice will be inset and use the skirt as the other liner. (The vice is a particularly nice 100yr old Dawn QR, which is one of the things I have to pick up)
I clamped it together and weighed it. 46kg.

I then couldn't resist and clamped up the frame to see how it looked.
20180330_155908.jpg
The stretchers will be mortised and draw bored and the legs will be mortised into the top.
I want the legs flush with the skirt but the skirt is thicker than the top so there will be a couple of steps on the top of the leg to get it to sit properly. I'll work out their position once I have the vice.
I'll need to pick up a few extra pieces of timber to make end caps as well. But that can be done after it's assembled.
I wish I had bench to make this bench on. Would make it much easier.

Originally Posted by NCArcher

I need to pick up a few things from various sheds around Sydney before I can continue.

There's nuthin 'o yours here buddy.....errr....unless you count dust and woodchips....

Originally Posted by NCArcher

20180330_155916.jpg

Have you been liquid fertilising it? Seems to be much longer than when it left here.

A smidgen shy of a metre.

A little bit more done today.
Recessed the fixed jaw of the new vice into the back of the skirt so that the skirt will become the vice liner. Lets me hold stuff against the side of the bench rather than just the vice jaws.
20180407_145820.jpg20180407_145932.jpg

made a couple of cuts with the hand saw, hogged out a fair amount with a trim router then cleaned it up with the Stanley 71 router plane. I love using the 71, it is a great tool. Final fettling with a chisel

Once that was finished I was able to glue up the top. Titebond III cause that's what I had.
20180407_160003.jpg

The old credit/rewards card makes a great glue spreader.
I'll get started on the frame now that I have the final dimensions to work to.

So nobody nicked the vise for a boat anchor then? (I'm sure it would make an excellent anchor, but a much better vise)

The vise is a bloody ripper. Many thanks to my mysterious benefactor, whoever he may be.

Originally Posted by NCArcher

Titebond III cause that's what I had.

TB III is my usual go to glue, but I do have *rather a lot* of II here if you want some. It needs to be used up so ...... bring a bottle with yer!

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

TB III is my usual go to glue, but I do have *rather a lot* ........

I also would purchase by the larger bottles but found that I was not using this as quickly as I thought I would be. I ended up having to discard them as they became lumpy so I now purchase just what I think I would need and get more if needed when I am close to the last fifth of the bottle. It may slow me down on a large glue up but as a hobby I should not be in a rush.

I had the same problem with TBII Christos. Bought in bulk and threw out about 2/3 of it.
I might bring a bottle and pinch some TBII Brett. I'm ok for the moment though. Still got a bit of TBIII left.
Working on the legs today.

20180408_124830[1].jpg

I was pretty happy with how flat it turned out. Ran the No.4 smoother over the small ridges and won't have to do much else. Minimal non-flatedness with a straight edge.

20180408_125015[1].jpg

I'll finish marking out the legs, cut the tennons then smash out some big mortices.

Big tennons need a big saw
20180408_135518.jpg

that's one done
20180408_140058.jpg

This is about as close to the line as I dare to go with this big rip saw
20180408_142256.jpg

I was getting the hang of this by the time I finished the last one.
20180408_144703.jpg

I needed a cuppa and a rest after this lot. And the saw needs sharpening now. This timber is bloody hard. A bit splintery too.
20180408_145050.jpg

Cleaning up the tennons then I will start on the mortices. Just going to do straight sided mortises and wedge the tennons.
The reason for the size and shape of the tennons is this
20180408_150829.jpg
The skirt is thicker than the top.
The skirt will sit on the shoulder and I will dress the individual tennons so that each one sits flush with the sides.
20180408_150845.jpg

A tablesaw with a dado blade would look pretty good right now.

The first one is done.
I used the Matt Estlea method to get the tennon down to size. Chopping with the chisel and reducing the waste by half each time, keeping the chisel at right angle to myself so I can see if it is vertical, I established a shoulder on the line, all the way around, and then worked the middle down to the small shoulder.
Pretty happy with this for the first one.
20180408_163416.jpg

The tennon looks good. I just need to keep the mortise nice and snug.
20180408_170547.jpg

these are the tools I've been using
20180408_170708.jpg

I sharpened the Narex before I started and it is still pretty good. Will sharpen it again before I start the next one.