Building my first workbench - 100% pine free...

[missionaryman]

So I haven't really picked up a tool since I left my apprenticeship in 1996 to work in an office but recently I acquired a used Triton MK3 which made some things possible like docking and ripping square.

I thought the best place to start is with a workbench. I had access to some pretty cheap 190x45 F17 Ash from work and some returned Blackbutt 125x25 posts F17 sawn unseasoned which sat in the warehouse for 2 years air drying and some 180x19 Spotted Gum flooring we're trying out at work - all up it cost me $36 to produce the following out of the above:

Ash 190x45 2/1.8, 2/0.54 = top rails
Ash 171x45 3/0.54 = top centre joists
Ash 90x45 2/1.8, 4/0.54 = bottom rails & joists
All ex 190x45 4/2.4

BBT 110x45 4/0.9 = legs (damn this stuff was hard after air drying!)

S. Gum 180x19 3/1.71 = top

Nuts, bolts & coach screws about $30

So far it's cost me about $70 to build this bench which is a bit of a bargain, I just used simple nut & bolt construction for the legs to the frame and coach screws and glue to assemble the top and bottom frames. Nails & Glue for the top. Spotted Gum is used in hammer handles, gun stocks & shovel/axe handles because even though it's dense & hard it absorbs shock very well so I thought it would be a good choice for the top, I could have used Blackbutt which is harder (Janka 11 VS 9) but I went for SG instead, Looks better too.

Here's some progress pics:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/05.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/09.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/07.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/08.jpg

In the next few days I'll be attaching the bottom frame and then laying the top & leveling it up.

[Farm boy]

well done its great to see a project being built

[Flowboy]

That really is going to be a great and strong bench to work on. Most excellent!

I'd say more but the Eurythmics told me "Don't mess with the Missonary man.":)

Rob

[Harry72]

Putting any stretchers between the legs... or a cabinet perhaps?

[Doughboy]

Yeah I reckon you are on the right track there. Personally I would go for draws over a cabinet, better use of space. Looking good though.

Well done so far.

Pete

[Cliff Rogers]

Looks good. :2tsup:

[missionaryman]

I forgot to subscribe to my own thread and couldn't find it - very silly.
Thanks for all the kind words, it's now finished except for the cabinet which I'm still thinking about.

Here's some more pics:

Just after level sanding
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/17.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/16.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/15.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/14.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/13.jpg

[missionaryman]

And some more pics:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/12.jpg

I only used two rails to one side across the bottom because I thought I'll only put a cupboard half way across then a Spotted Gum board base the other half.

Oh - and I ran out of coach screws so I borrowed some from the bottom to use on the top, I have since replaced those...

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/11.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/10.jpg

[martrix]

Its looking good and will be nice and strong.

:C ....but I think you might have some issues with the top when that timber decides to expand/contract......somethings gotta give.

A solid timber top should not really be locked in like that. It needs to be free to move with seasonal changes if you want it to stay in good nick for a long time.

Still, you might get lucky and have no problems...

my 2c worth:shrug:

[missionaryman]

Its looking good and will be nice and strong.

:C ....but I think you might have some issues with the top when that timber decides to expand/contract......somethings gotta give.

A solid timber top should not really be locked in like that. It needs to be free to move with seasonal changes if you want it to stay in good nick for a long time.

Still, you might get lucky and have no problems...

my 2c worth:shrug:

You know I'm the guy on the other end of the 1300 number at Boral Timber that tells people that yet for some reason I don't take my own advice, I have been to site inspections where boards have peaked and tented from taking up moisture.

As a preventative measure I chamfer the edge of the last board that's hard against the wall (in a house floor) or in this case the frame so that if it does take up moisture and expand it will lift at that edge and a few shaves with the plane level it back up again.

Very good point though.
PS, if you've had bad experiences with Boral - please don't take it out me, I truly am one of the good guys in there and also please keep it off this thread, I scarcely can mention that name without getting abused.

[missionaryman]

And the last pics after 4 coats of Tung oil seal - I only finished the top, not even for protection but just because I wanted to see the finish after sanding it.
I level sanded with 40 grit on the 45, then took the scratches off with 60 grit with the grain, then 120, 240 & finally 800.
If you use fine paper on Spotted Gum with a sander I'm told that you'll cause all the silica to rise to the surface and repel the finish so I hand sanded.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/IMG_0955.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/IMG_0954.jpg


http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/IMG_0952.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/IMG_0951.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j243/missionaryman/IMG_0948.jpg

Now that it's finished I'm selling it on eBay to cover it's cost and the cost of building another - materials only.
That way I can tell myself it cost me nothing.

[martrix]

Fair enough, at least you know about it.
It will still be 10x better than my workbench, which consists of an old chipboard cupboard as the base with an old chipboard bench top with another 200mm of chipboard biscuited on to make it wider:- :( ....no Vice:oo: .

Are you going to put a vice on it?

[missionaryman]

Fair enough, at least you know about it.
It will still be 10x better than my workbench, which consists of an old chipboard cuboard as the base with an old chipboard bench top with another 200mm of chipboard biscuited on to make it wider:- :( ....no Vice:oo: .

Are you going to put a vice on it?
Previous to this I was working on the floor with cardboard boxes, that's really no way to live...

[missionaryman]

Previous to this I was working on the floor with cardboard boxes, that's really no way to live...
Yes I will put a vice on it, I work right near carbatec so I'll be paying them a visit soon for a vice and some hold downs