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2nd July 2021, 08:53 PM #1
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Tom's Morovian Workbench in Tasmanian Oak
Hello,
I was hoping to share my progress on my Morovian Workbench. My intention was to build, using only hand-tools, an approachable workbench that I could cut my teeth on.
The plans provided by Will Byers have been helpful, and as a complete beginner I have followed his methodology mostly. I first had to do a bit of work to convert the design into metric so I could use reasonably economical and standard sized timber from Australia.
I was quite pleased with the resulting model, which I have then used to generate dimensional drawings for my work.
MorovianMetric_2021-Jul-02_09-38-05AM-000_CustomizedView7461906589_png.jpg
My dimension conversion resulted in a slightly heavier overall construction since the closest standard metric cuts are a little larger than their imperial equivalents I found.
Had a fair bit of fun hand chopping the mortise and tenon joints for the main bearer across the middle of the leg set.
half_finished_legs.jpg mortise_completed.jpg
The dovetail stretcher was interesting and I feel like the result was quite pleasing.
ready_to_assemble.jpg
After cutting some angles onto the legs, I knocked the legs together and so it sits in the shed waiting for its other before we cut the angled mortises to join them.
completed_leg_set.jpg
Look forward to a bit of feedback and your thoughts, I will keep updating with progress as I go along.
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2nd July 2021 08:53 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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3rd July 2021, 01:00 PM #2
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Did a few practice holes in the waste end with a brace and bit to improve the squareness of my holes: got it down to about 2-5mm deviation over 90mm.
Squared it up and it looks ok, still having trouble getting my chisel cuts square so they meet evenly in the center.
Not sure if something is off with my technique but my chisels are pretty unsatisfactory after one mortise hole. Fair few dings in the edge just from chopping. Maybe a result of chopping at hard wood.
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3rd July 2021, 03:01 PM #3
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Looking HS. You might find firmer chisels cope a bit better with the work of mortising (of course mortise chisels are the best). I tend to keep my bevelled edge ones for squaring up the walls, using a paring sort of motion. Eucalypts are tough timbers!
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3rd July 2021, 03:51 PM #4
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If you plan on chopping mortices as a matter of course, a set of mortice chisels are a great benefit. Other than that, taking more cuts and removing less waste with each will drastically improve your chisel’s edge retention. Also be gentle when levering out the waste when using normal bench chisels. The edge profile for bench chisels doesn’t provide much support for the edge at all, so will easily be deformed or chipped.
With respect to your holes not meeting up in the middle:
1. Is your stock correctly dimensioned before hand? I.e. opposite faces parallel, with 90 deg. between edges.
2. Are you comfortable that the method you’re using to mark out is transferring perfectly aligned marks to the opposite face?
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3rd July 2021, 05:03 PM #5
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Hehe I am not sure what HS but thanks for the advice I will keep it in mind. Maybe it will be a good investment to get a set
Originally Posted by Mountain Ash
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3rd July 2021, 05:06 PM #6
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I am confident that I am marking up correctly, and I have checked the stock, it’s DAR and square so confident on that also. Gauging off a common face, I reckon it’s the monkey behind the hammer that’s the issue. Originally Posted by LanceC
Will probably just need to get some time up practicing on some pine until it’s a bit more ingrained.
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3rd July 2021, 06:34 PM #7
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For what is worth, what you're doing now is the best type of practice. Just keep making things that need mortices focusing on doing the best you can, and they'll get better each time. Originally Posted by HolzSturm
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3rd July 2021, 09:13 PM #8
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Marked up and ready to go tomorrow, not sure the neighbours
would appreciated the elegance of hand cut mortise at 8pm
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3rd July 2021, 09:40 PM #9
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Tom's Morovian Workbench in Tasmanian Oak
Did a bit more auger practice since it’s pretty quiet. Can see the progression, I learned that my natural tendency is to push the top away from me, over successive cuts I adjusted it towards me.
First one I over compensated but the last one was within a mm of the center line.
I just nicked the line with the bit, but I think I will get away with it. I knew I would be a little in accurate so luckily I used the 16mm bit instead of 25mm
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4th July 2021, 12:56 AM #10
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Supposed to read "looking good HS".
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4th July 2021, 12:04 PM #11
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Roughed out the mortise hole, now will try some guided square edges after I touch up the chisel
Last edited by HolzSturm; 4th July 2021 at 12:08 PM. Reason: Image positioning
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4th July 2021, 02:30 PM #12
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Think it went pretty well, used a square block and pretty happy with the results. Will test and adjust once I have the tenon cut
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10th July 2021, 12:53 PM #13
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Back into it this morning, got some more brace and bit practice and am pleased that I am more reliably drilling squats to the piece.
Using a square to check every few turns when starting.
Confirmed pretty consistent and square exit points on the other side, and finished the holes by boring the other surface.
Then finished the roughing phase by squaring up the hole and knocking the lose material away in preparation for cutting the final mortise dimension
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10th July 2021, 01:36 PM #14
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Looking good
Cheers
Jeremy
If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well it were done quickly
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11th July 2021, 03:49 PM #15
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Finished the rough mortises on the legs, ready for the fitting of the tenon. First I knocked off the excess and cut the legs to size and got some practice cutting to a line
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