Workbench

[geppetto]

I am thinking from much time, how to build my own workbench.
I saw some links on web which tell of the topic. Well, I have just purchased the timber (black locust) for the top because I searched a hard, very hard timber.
By reading on those links, I understood that there are some people who wish a softer timber.
Now, what do you think about the timber? Did I wrong?

[Robert WA]

You need a hard, stable and heavy top.

Black locust is something of a weed down here in Australia. It was introduced by an early settler and has thrived in some parts of the country. I don't know anything about it except that it has sharp spines. What is the cut timber like? Can you post a picture.

Rob

[Schtoo]

I don't think so. I have a douglas fir benchtop, and sometimes I wish it was hardwood of some kind, but at the same time, when there is a chance I am going to scar the top, I don't care even a little bit because the top was cheap, it's soft(ish) and it's easy to re-finish.

If it were hardwood, I'd know it would stand up to a lot more abuse than mine will, it would be heavier and much less likely to move around and would probably look nicer too.

Make the bench with what you have. If you feel that you would like to have a softer timber on there for some things, like through mortising so you don't hurt your chisels, you could always put a soft wood panel on there to take the abuse, then put it aside and still have your nice top.

I did read a book recently that was about the shakers, and how they lived. In that book there was one of their workbenches that had 3 different top materials, all in the one bench. One of them was pine, just so it could be beaten up without too much concern.

When you get it done, some pictures would be nice, please. :D

[geppetto]

Yes Schtoo, I just thought.
I thought to put a cork panel on it when I'll work with soft wood like pine,fir and so on.

Did you read "The Workbench Book (Craftsman's Guide to)"
by Scott Landis?;)

One picture? A lot gladly. But I think it'll be at long time.:)

[geppetto]

You need a hard, stable and heavy top.

Black locust is something of a weed down here in Australia. It was introduced by an early settler and has thrived in some parts of the country. I don't know anything about it except that it has sharp spines. What is the cut timber like? Can you post a picture.

Rob
Hi Robert,

Even here in Italy, black locust is cosidered like weed. It's an infesting species.
If you have one in the garden, after little time you will have a forest of those. On the other side, wood from these trees is very, very hard and honey from its flowers is among more wanted.

http://www.altavaltrebbia.net/images/Robinia2.jpg

http://www.af.nl/voorraad/massief/robinia/robinia.JPG

Robinia pseudoacacia L. (Robinie, black locust)

Nomenclature etc. PAPILIONACEAE. Trade and local names: Robinie, Falsche Akazie, Akazie, Gemeiner Schotendorn (D), robinier (F), false acacia (GB), black locust, yellow locust (USA), robinia (NL, I), ak t (CS), bagrem, robinija (YU), salcam (RO), akacja biala (PL), fehér akác (H).

Tree. Geographic distribution: Europe, excl. Mediterranean and North America.

General. Growth ring boundaries distinct. Heartwood basically brown to yellow to green. Sapwood colour distinct from heartwood colour. Basic specific gravity 0.54–0.74–0.87 g/cm³.

Vessels. Vessels present. Wood ring-porous. Vessels arranged in no specific pattern, in multiples, commonly short (2–3 vessels) radial rows and in clusters (both early and latewood). Vessel outline rounded. Average tangential vessel diameter 130–180–220 µm. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 7–11 µm, vestured and not vestured. Vessel-ray pits with reduced borders or apparently simple, rounded or angular. Helical thickenings present, only in narrow vessel elements, throughout the body of vessel elements. Tyloses in vessels present (extremely so), thinwalled.

Tracheids and fibres. Vascular or vasicentric tracheids commonly present. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Average fibre length 760–1000–1250 µm. Fibre pits common in both radial and tangential walls, simple to minutely bordered.

Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma banded. Axial parenchyma paratracheal. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty, vasicentric, and aliform. Aliform parenchyma lozenge. Axial parenchyma fusiform and as strands. Average number of cells per axial parenchyma strand 2–4.

Rays. Rays 6–8 per tangential mm, multiseriate, also if only few, (1–)2–6 cells wide. Rays of two distinct sizes. Height of large rays commonly 500 to 1000 µm, or commonly over 1000 µm. Rays composed of a single cell type. Homocellular ray cells procumbent.

Storied structures. Storied structure present (macroscopically hardly visible), axial parenchyma storied, vessel elements storied.

Mineral inclusions. Crystals present, prismatic, located in ray cells and axial parenchyma cells. Crystal-containing ray cells procumbent. Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Silica not observed.

Miscellaneous. • Trees. Aufforstung mit Robinie in Nordostdeutschland - Black Locust afforestation in northeastern Germany - Aforestación con Robinia en el nordeste de Alemania. Robinia pseudoacacia. • Wood surface. Robinia pseudoacacia.

[Trent The Thief]

Hmm. How would mahogony do? I have enough 5/4 x 4 inch stock do a glue-up to make a decent sized top surface. Do you think it would work out?

[cdm]

Hey Trent.

Definitely Not! It just wouldn't work;) . This is useless timber. Mind you, I'm into collecting useless things - perhaps you'd be interested to send it to me just to get rid of it...;) .

Chris

[Ashore]

Yes Schtoo, I just thought.
I thought to put a cork panel on it when I'll work with soft wood like pine,fir and so on.Geppetto
I use a white nylon kitchen cutting board recessed into the bench top as a sacrificial area for cutting drilling into etc...
these are cheep and easily available plus you can turn them over to use both sides



The trouble with life is there's no background music.

[RufflyRustic]

Great idea - recycle the boards I don't want to use in the kitchen anymore but are still too good to simply throw away.

Thanks Ashmore
Cheers
RufflyRustic

[Trent The Thief]

Hey Trent.

Definitely Not! It just wouldn't work;) . This is useless timber. Mind you, I'm into collecting useless things - perhaps you'd be interested to send it to me just to get rid of it...;) .

Chris
Chris, it's in the post ;-)

[Caliban]

I did read a book recently that was about the shakers, and how they lived. In that book there was one of their workbenches that had 3 different top materials, all in the one bench. One of them was pine, just so it could be beaten up without too much concern.

:D
Schtoo
What was the name of the book? Sounds like I ought to read it.