WIP Workbench

**chrisp** · 12th August 2007, 07:55 PM

After being inspired by NewLou and his workbench (and others recently on this forum), I've finally got around to making a start on my workbench.

The design isn't completely finalised yet but it was originally going to be a cross between the Triton "Intermediate Projects #10" as published in "The Triton Project Book" (1993) and the "Kirby bench" in "The Workbench Book" by Scott Landis, The Taunton Press, 1998. I later discovered a design which combines the elements of these two designs that I like call "The Essential Workbench" as published in FWW Tools & Shops Winter 2003/2004. I've decided to go with this design but with dimensions to fit the material I have on hand and to use "Record" style vises instead.

The timber I'm using is either odds-and-ends, left-overs or second hand building material. Most of the timber has come from my FIL's property where he has a timber heap of old building material. It is a mixture of 4"x2", 3"x1.5", 4"x3" and some 6"x1.5". I've been fortunate in the regard that I haven't had to buy any timber espically for this project. I suspect the timber the timber will yield a moderately rustic finish.

I've spent a few weekends sorting the timber and trying to determine how to best utilise each piece timber. While I intend to construct the base of the bench first, I had to ensure I had enough timber for the top before using the rest for the base. The moisture content has been checked and seems to be okay for this application at about 10%. I've initially straightened and jointed a face and an edge of each piece and ran each piece through my thicknesser. The results are more pleasing than I expected. I can make a top about 1800 x 700 x 65 of solid timber. Having allocated the timber of the top, I could freely use the remaining timber to make the base.

I decide to make the feet for the trestle base first. Four short 4"x2"s were dressed and mortises cut using a dado blade. The piece were then glued to make two feet. The feet have been roughed out to the required shape.

Photos:

Photo 1 and 2 show the timber. Some has been dressed and some hasn't. The dressed timber is for the top.
Photo 3 show the trestle feet roughed out
Photo 4 shows the "bad side" of the timber used in the feet - note nails holes.

Thanks for looking. More installments later...

**boban** · 19th September 2007, 03:48 PM

Any progress mate?

**chrisp** · 19th September 2007, 04:45 PM

Boban,

I've made a bit of progress and now have the legs dry fitted together. I'll post some more pictures soon.

I've had a run of "bad" weekends where I haven't been able to get out into the workshop - you know, family business and that other sort of stuff.

Chris

**chrisp** · 22nd October 2007, 05:48 PM

After several weekends without "shed time", I've managed to find the odd day or two here and there to continue on with the workbench construction.

The timber I'm using is all secondhand or left-overs from other jobs. I had a surprisingly good run selecting, and cleaning up, timber for the bench top. However, the "good run" quickly came to an end when selecting timber for the base. A lot of the timber had extensive borer damage or a fair bit of rot. After going through a whole pile I managed to find enough timber to make the base, abet with some laminating required.

Anyway, enough with the words and on with the pictures:

Picture 5 shows the underside of the foot to the trestle leg having just been cleaned up with a router. You can see evidence of the timbers former life probably as a floor joist.

Picture 6 is a close up of picture 5 showing the mortice. This has cut using a dado blade before laminating the two piece together. Dado blades are a great way of cutting mortices

Picture 7 is a "warts and all" picture of the undersides of the foot and some of the stretchers. I've been attempting to keep the worst edges and faces out of view in the final assembly.

Picture 8 shows the base dry assembled to check the fit of the mortices and tenons. It this stage a bit of adjusting was still required.

**sCORCH** · 22nd October 2007, 09:24 PM

Looks like it's starting to shape up. I love the fact that it's all second hand timber - should make for a really interesting look as you get to the end of the project.

Keep those pictures comin!

**sundancewfs** · 23rd October 2007, 08:43 AM

Thats a mighty fine looking bench chrisp!

**munruben** · 23rd October 2007, 08:58 AM

Coming along nicely, keep us updated please.

**Wongo** · 23rd October 2007, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by chrisp

"The Essential Workbench" as published in FWW Tools & Shops Winter 2003/2004.

I made mine from it too.

Chris,

I really like what you’ve done so far. Good use of recycled timber too. It is going to be a beautiful workbench.

One question, why do you route the bottom side of the bottom rails?

I will keep the greenie for now. So hurry up if you want one.

**chrisp** · 23rd October 2007, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Wongo

One question, why do you route the bottom side of the bottom rails?

Wongo,

It was a last minute design change. From memory the original plans suggested 4" wide timber for both the top and bottom rails, however I didn't have enough timber to make all the rails 4" but I did have enough to make ~3" and ~5" rails. I decided to put the wider rail on the bottom (where I figure it will provide more bracing).

When I first put the base together, the bottom rail looked a little too "heavy", so though I'd reduce it to the suggested 4" wide. It also provides a little more toe-room under the rails - not that it probably matters.

**silentC** · 23rd October 2007, 11:03 AM

Looks like a good solid base. Nice one

**chrisp** · 23rd October 2007, 11:24 AM

I've started gluing up the base.

Machining the secondhand timber is a good way of blunting jointer knives

, so part of the delay in this project has been replacing the knives in my jointer. As the jointer is now cutting beautifully, I decided to take a light cut from the leg pieces to give them a clean-up before gluing. I also gave them a sand as well for good measure - I hate sanding but it is much easier to do it now.

The mortises/tenons were trimmed to get a "not too tight" fit and the glue-up started.

A few more pictures of the progress to date:

Picture 9 Dry assembly from the other side.

Picture 10 Glue-up for the first leg. This one was about half a mm out of square when I initially clamped it up. I let the clamps off and used some other clamps to pull it back to square before re-tightening the main clamps.

Picture 11 Glue up of the other leg. This one pulled up dead square - lucky this time!

Picture 12 The first leg glued up. It still needs a bit of cleaning up of the glue squeeze-out.

I'm still to finalise some of the details of the design. I'm uncertain as to whether to use round or square dog holes on the bench top. At this stage I'm favouring the round dog holes. The only dog holes I experienced firsthand are in our back yard produced by our dog (Picture 13)

.

**Wongo** · 23rd October 2007, 04:25 PM

Chris, I think it would look better if you removed the sharp corner.

**chrisp** · 23rd October 2007, 04:30 PM

Wongo,

Which sharp corner are you referring to?

**Wongo** · 23rd October 2007, 04:35 PM

Sorry

**chrisp** · 23rd October 2007, 04:38 PM

Wongo,

Thanks for that - I was wondering if I should extend to round-over to an ogee like shape as you have suggested. I think I will

BTW, have you got dog holes in your bench top? If so, did you go with round or square?

Thread: WIP Workbench

Thread Tools

Search Thread

WIP Workbench

Similar Threads

The Perfect Workbench?

workbench height relative to tablesaw height

WIP workbench.

Was a workbench now a desk WIP

Workbench WIP ...Finished !!

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions