Workbench tease

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Oliver Springs, TN
Here fellow woodworkers is the beginning of my workbench. I got the timbers from a timber framing business that went under last summer. The wood is Douglas Fir (I think) and Oak. They range in size from 4x4 to 12x12. I plan in the next few days to pick through and get them in the dry so they can start drying out. As you can see in the picture a few have some rot, but only a small amount.

bench.jpgbench 2.jpg
 
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That is going to be a great bench! specially because it is reclaimed Wood, I love it when we can give a second use to some wood that otherwise would end on the fire pile or junkyard. I look forward to see its transformation!!
 
Sorry you have to use such old wood, rather than that really fresh whitewood they sell at the big box stores. You know, the stuff that is so fresh it is dripping water?

On a serious note, I will still be anxious to see the final product, and hopefully some pictures of the progress.
 
Slow, but a little progress. I got what will become the base brought in to dry. Planning on 5x5 for the legs. I have some oak that I cut 8/4 that's been air drying for around 5 years that I'm thinking of using for the top. Once this dries I'll use my mill to cut it down into what I need. The top piece is a 12x12x4 ft.

bench step 2.jpg
 
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Step by step it will become a reality. Monster chunks of wood there. They look as if they were originally dry and rough milled; have they just been outside as far as what you are calling wet?
 
Got most of the bench done. Had some errors along the way. One was I meant to make to long stretchers flush with outside of the legs. I had the mortises cut in two legs before I realized what the heck I had done. Also I plan on a leg vise and I drilled the whole on the wrong face. I turned a plug of walnut and patched the whole. The legs are all mortise and tenon. I added the metal angle brackets because I had them. I also used them to attach the top to the legs. I'm using BLO for the finish. I used all I had on the little section of the top. It's 23" wide by 6' long. Here's a couple of pics showing the progress.

bench.jpgbench side.jpg
 
Did you use your left or right hand to put that 12 x 12 up on top of the pile?

You brought back memories of my first bench (used my father's bench prior to that). I didn't know squat about woodworking. I knew enough to shove a piece of wood through my dad's Sears TS or Delta 14" BS if I wanted to cut it---but that is about it.

Dad had some old 2 x 12s and 2 x 4s that I nailed together to make a bench and thought I had done good---It was really pathetic. I didn't even consider mortise and tennon or glue or screws or a level top. I just didn't know any better. Oh well...

Enjoy,
JimB
 
Should be good to go, my Roubo style of bench is made from Doug Fir.

bench_re-oiled_2.jpg


I found that just BLO did not work very well as a finish, everything stuck to it and it got dirty very easily. Eventually I went to a good quality varnish, the stuff the use on floors, it works great, takes a LOT longer to get beat up, and white glue just pops off it. Just saying :) Are you drilling bench dog holes? I have found that the bench dog holes and bench dogs, as well as hold fasts really make this an essential tool in my workshop.

Cheers!
 
Should be good to go, my Roubo style of bench is made from Doug Fir.

bench_re-oiled_2.jpg


I found that just BLO did not work very well as a finish, everything stuck to it and it got dirty very easily. Eventually I went to a good quality varnish, the stuff the use on floors, it works great, takes a LOT longer to get beat up, and white glue just pops off it. Just saying :) Are you drilling bench dog holes? I have found that the bench dog holes and bench dogs, as well as hold fasts really make this an essential tool in my workshop.

Cheers!

I do plan on adding some dog holes. I'm also going to be adding a shelf like yours. Thanks for the heads up on the BLO, I'll give it a few weeks to cure and I'll add a top coat. I like your vice, I'll be adding one similar on the end of mine.
 
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