workbench base

Brent Grooms

Member
Messages
46
Well, on most forums ... no picts, didnt happen so heres proof that I do more than buy wood.

Some time ago I had gotten all the pieces sized and glued up..
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Somewhere along the way I forgot to get picts of the initial mortise and tenon creation. Well, this point was a learning proccess as I didnt know how bad red oak can split and fray on the tenons that I was going to do wedge locks on. I had a certain finished look in mind for the joint and I was nervous that I wouldn't get it or wouldnt be happy with it. I have stepped out of my comfort zone with the joinery on this as it is so I changed plans slightly and went with bench bolts. I finished the slots for the top attachment, got the mortises done for the stretchers and drilled all the holes for the draw-bores.

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Next up is cutting the thumbnail detail on the trestle bottoms and removing the center of them to create feet. Gluing the leg assemblies and doing the drilling of the stretchers for the bench bolts. Oh and I milled about 2/3 of the maple for the benchtop. Anyone need some sawdust??

Also in the lessons learned... a marking knive would be a DANDY idea... finally seeing the light on this one... sometimes pencil lead isnt the most accurate way to mark. I am getting better at sharpening chisels too.
 
Doug, the maple was for the top. Earlier this year I picked up nearly 500bf of red oak for not much more than a few coins and the lint from my pocket! So being the cheapskate that I can be from time to time, saw no reason not to use the oak for the base. If I made a mistake, I just have to run to the shed for another piece. As it is, I am probably going to have to get some more 8/4 or 10/4 maple for the end boards and vise faces
 
You have got me thinking. I want a new bench, and have a substantial amount of white oak............

Dang Brent, you are making me want to take the plunge.

I will say, very nice work so far. I look forward to the progress pics. You have a particular plan you are following?
 
Travis, for the most part I am following plans I found on the NCwoodworker site by a fellow that goes by NCMonty(I think). I have been making running changes as I need to.
 
Brent If I might make just one suggestion. I made one a few years ago and it turned out nice. I decided to NOT put in dog holes. If I were doing it again I would make that a priority. I wish I had do it a 1000 times ove. I will be adding them some time this comming year though.....DOG HOLES....:rofl:
Reg
 
Travis, I'm not a member on NCWW. There was a discussion on WN aobut benches and someone posted a link to a thread on Monte's bench. Found the plans on the site but couldnt download without being a member. NCWW front page says something about being a resident or something like that. Anyhow I pm'd the one who posted the link on WN and asked him to email it to me and low and behold he did. All it contains were sets of dimensioned drawings for the pieces and some illustrations of assembly.

I was really overthinking the design of the bench. Its strikingly similar to ChrisBillmans twin-twin bench but mine will be slightly more unorthodox due to my shop(garage) layout and the way I am more comfortable working. I will have a cabinet for wood tool storage in the base/trestle area, a twin screw vice on one end and on an adjacent "front" I will have an emmert turtleback. I will be putting either 3 or 4 rows of holes for bench dogs along the length and if I lay them out correctly, I will be able to use them with the emmert as well.
 
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