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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
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    Melbourne
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    Default Workbench that can be built with hand tools only

    Hi guys,

    After having had about ten months out of the shed, I've finally got myself a nice slab of free time.

    I have been planning to make a proper workbench for ages, and I feel now's the time. I actually bought a second hand one, which was such poor quality I sold it immediately (I'd prefer to keep working on the ground).

    Until now I'd been really keen to make a Roubo (ala Chris Schwarz). Zero points for originality, I know. To be honest, I just want Derek's bench. Thankyou, Derek, for giving me bench envy.

    However, it's slowly dawned on me that this is a pretty stupid idea in my circumstances, since I only have hand tools. Laminating enough timber for the top would be a heck of a job without a powered thicknesser and I would need $1000 worth of clamps (tried making my own out of timber - worked surprisingly well, but doing a full set by hand would take longer than building the bench).

    Alternatively, I could try and find an enormous slab somewhere, but I'd rather spend all that money on, say, a pony or a sports car, or a pony that can drive a sports car. It's construction Radiata for me thanks.

    So after trawling through the interwebs for a while it's dawned on me that a much, much better idea would be a big, beefy Nicholson like so: The Woodworking Closet: Nicholson Workbench

    I could do this by hand, using readily available and fairly cheap lumber. The only issue I'd have is that I would prefer a leg vice - anybody tried one of these with a Nicholson style bench? Alternatively, I could use one of those huge Dawn quick-release behemoths for a front vice - any thoughts?

    Cheers guys

    Eddie
    Cheers,

    Eddie

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Gold Coast
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    Default

    Another pine bench hand build to consider would be Building a Workbench with Paul Sellers Archives | Paul Sellers

    You would still need a few clamps though.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
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    Default

    $1000 worth of clamps is not required to clamp up a laminated bench top.

    For a 2 x 1m radiata bench top you could easily get away with 4 cheap sash clamps ($250 which will come in hand there after) , or by using strong rectangular frames (even made out of radiata) that wrap over and under the bench top and then use packers and wedges to apply pressure.

    The top of this bench was put together with just 3 sash clamps.

    What sort of hand planes have you got - maybe you can borrow a jack and then a long bed to surface the top especially if it is only going to be radiata.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Thornbury
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    Default

    Hiya snafuspyramid
    Depending where you are in Melbourne - i could lend you some sash clamps for the laminate.
    I built a laminated top bench with MGP 10 pine and it works pretty well. (around 2000 x 600wide)
    The Nicholson looks good and solid as well.


    Cheers

    norm
    Can you imagine what I would do if I could do all I can? -- Sun Tzu

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Alexandra Vic
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    Default

    There have been a few published in US mags and web sites over the past few years. This is a link to one from Start Woodworking (Fine Woodworking mag newby site) for bench that only needs hand tools, circ saw, drill etc, the site has imperial plans and construction video for open access. They also have one using sheet ply for the top on the same site. Shopnotes or Woodsmith ran one a few years ago that used 3 layers of 18mm MDF for the top. Probably depends on whether you want a functional workbench or work of art workbench. Come back with pm containing a direct email ad if you want me to track down the Woodsmith/Shopnotes MDF topped ones.
    I used to be an engineer, I'm not an engineer any more, but on the really good days I can remember when I was.

  7. #6
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    Jun 2011
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    Melbourne
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    Default

    But hangon - wouldn't I need to dress the gluing faces of all of the timbers before laminating? Most 90x45 construction stock is pretty twisted - can I just force it all back into shape using the clamps?
    Cheers,

    Eddie

  8. #7
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    May 2007
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    Gold Coast
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    Quote Originally Posted by snafuspyramid View Post
    But hangon - wouldn't I need to dress the gluing faces of all of the timbers before laminating? Most 90x45 construction stock is pretty twisted - can I just force it all back into shape using the clamps?
    Yes and yes. Pick over the stuff in bunnies but all the construction grade stuff up here at the moment looks green which may be a problem. The non structural stuff is only 70x35 but it is from another source and dry and looks pretty good.

    Watch the Paul Sellers videos. He does the whole bench with a stanley #4 including dressing the sticks and flattening the laminated top.

  9. #8
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    Jun 2011
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    Melbourne
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fuzzie View Post
    Yes and yes. Pick over the stuff in bunnies but all the construction grade stuff up here at the moment looks green which may be a problem. The non structural stuff is only 70x35 but it is from another source and dry and looks pretty good.

    Watch the Paul Sellers videos. He does the whole bench with a stanley #4 including dressing the sticks and flattening the laminated top.
    Alrighty, looks like I have some homework to do. As always, I am in awe of how generous you guys are with your time, knowledge, and stuff! Enelef, I might be in touch soon

    I have plenty of planes, all fettled - a smoother, jack, #6 and #8. I am slowly making progress on laminating the legs from some 70x35 stock, but it's a real chore since the 'bench' I use is far from flat. I do need to build another sawhorse...
    Cheers,

    Eddie

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    blue mountains
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    Eddie,
    That Nicholson design was the common joiners bench before power tools came along and the old ones I have seen did not have laminated tops. The top boards were screwed down to the frame. A deep countersink keeping the screw heads away from blades. However getting stable wide boards may prove hard so you may have some laminating to do after all.
    As for clamps you can never have enough so if you get some for the bench they will go on being used for other projects down the track. I have a motley collection of mostly low cost clamps but it gets the job done. I dream of a rack of really good clamps but the money gets spent on other things. You can go split top and only have 12'' wide panels to clamp up.
    For stable pine and in wider sections than bunnies check out some demolition yards. Wood is old and seasoned and usually oregon rather than radiata.
    There will be nail holes and you will need to really check each piece for nails that were missed. Some others hace pointed out the Paul Sellars bench build with hand tools and I agree it is well worth watching. It made up my mind to use pine as a bench top.
    Have fun with the build.
    Regards
    John

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
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    Default

    If you are willing to wait and watch various web sites you could pick up second hand laminated timber bench tops to use for the top as I did.... although they rather came to me, rather than me having to search for them. I was in the right place at the right time. Timber benchtops occasionally show up in the second-hand kitchen section of ebay for example. For the frame I used mostly hand tools. You have to be lucky but repurposing can be pretty quick way to get the top.

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Horsham Victoria
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    I personally love this bench

    https://www.woodworkforums.com/f163/c...s-shed-176186/

    About 150 years old and still going strong. No doubt all made by hand and I'm seriously considering making a similar one

  13. #12
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    Sep 2010
    Location
    Sydney
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    Default

    If you want to drink the Schwarz Kool- Aid:
    Nicholson Bench - Popular Woodworking Magazine

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