frank's workbnch

**mattocks** · 27th February 2011, 08:39 PM

Hi there,
I have spent some time, about a year, making this workbench. I am fortunate enough to be able to go to a class each week where I have a great teacher who instructs us in anything we want to make. I have made numerous things but really wanted a decent workbench as my skills and tool collection improve to allow me to do more stuff at home. It has taken a while to make as basically I don't get as much time I would like to do it, like everyone I guess, and classes are only 3 hours per week. So most of it is done in those 3 hours. Also I have access to more tools in my teachers workshop.
Anyway the bench is made of recycled messmate and redgum, the tool chests are 20mm ply boxes with drawers made of 12mm ply faced with some oregon I found in a dumpster. The front of each box is framed with some tassie myrtle I had left over from a previous job, I also used some tassie myrtle to make the jaws of the vices. The little diamond shaped buttons around the edge are huon pine and were made to cover the screws that I put through the edge just to be sure.
I have also oiled it with boiled linseed oil and polished with some white shellac that needed to be used and gave me some practice in that art.
It's 695 wide 1830 long and 950 high.
I really enjoyed making it and am enjoying using it.
cheers
frank

I finally figured out how to attach photos but they are not in any particular order, I'm sure you'll all figure out where they go in the scheme of things.
I still have work to do such as sorting out the drawers and making inserts to store my chisels and other tools in a practical way, etc etc.

**opelblues** · 27th February 2011, 11:04 PM

once you start woodworking you wont be able to stop. great bench and cabinet

**Christos** · 1st March 2011, 08:25 PM

Very nice.

**Sawdust Maker** · 2nd March 2011, 11:19 AM

I agree

**ravna** · 2nd March 2011, 02:15 PM

A great looking bench Frank, a credit to you....you realise its only the thin edge of the wedge.

**jasons673** · 3rd March 2011, 01:45 PM

Hi Frank, this bench looks great!, I made a table a few years ago, with recued Oregon stair case rails, it has similar characteristics as your bench. Some of the bits I used were very damaged
But with a bit of TLC, they came back to life.

I would have left the draws out from that side of the bench with the vice. You always want another tool out of the draw when you have something clamped!

**BobR** · 3rd March 2011, 01:55 PM

Nice looking bench

**munruben** · 3rd March 2011, 02:21 PM

Nice bench, congratulations, well done. Too good to use though.

**Grommett** · 3rd March 2011, 03:05 PM

Just beautiful. Remember the first scratch is a tragedy and after that it is patina.

**John Saxton** · 3rd March 2011, 03:23 PM

Well done Frank a sweet job really looks great and did'nt take as long as Groggy's bench

Cheers

**mattocks** · 3rd March 2011, 06:54 PM

I appreciate the positive feedback from everyone. I have been bitten by the bug well and truly, my wife already thinks I spend to much time searching for old tools. But she is pretty happy with the stuff I have made for her. I might post some pics on big stuff of the dining table with parquetry top I made just before the bench.
I like grommett's comment that the first scratch is a tragedy and after that it is patina. Some people who have seen it say it looks to good to use and think I'm crazy to make such a bench to work on, but I like patina and it will definetly be used as a bench should be.
Jason makes a good point regarding the drawers and the vices but with my workshop being only 7ft wide it wasn't an option to make them accesible from the other side. I have already used the drawers to rest pieces on while clamped as at the moment there is not much in them. So I am thinking of making some sort of attachment that I can rest on top of a drawer when it is out to put pieces on that I have clamped. That way I can have four different levels of support when I need it. I guess a bench is always a work in progress. I also have plans to suspend two more drawers from under the top as well as make a small cupboard or shelf arrangement between the legs at each end. It may well end up taking as long as groggy's to finish completely.
I also forgot to mention in original post that it can be flat packed for transport if, god forbid, we ever move home. the top is morticed and tenoned in but not glued, I have a large angle brace on each leg screwed in and the same system for the bottom rails. It's still solid as a rock.
Once again,
thanks all for the kind words
Frank

**BobL** · 3rd March 2011, 06:56 PM

Let me add my 2 peneth of congrats as well! It looks great!

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