Was: Garret Hack's Bench, Now: Bench Q's for Adam

And at Highland Hardware... *LINK*

Christopher Fitch @ Memphis

>I bought the Jorgy holdfast. It works well enough but I need to glue some cork on the pad so I don't mar the wood.


Jorgensen Bench Hold Down

Hey, now wait just one minute!

mike recchione

>My boy can cut himself just as good as his old man, anyday!

I sometimes wish my kids would show some interest in woodworking. It looked like it was going to happen for a short time, but it fizzled. Oh well - at least there's no contention for shop time. (I wish I remembered what that was...)

Actually, I'm in the middle of building a very different kind of bench. My basement shop is pleasant to work in 3 seasons a year, but is not much fun at all during the summer. I've started setting up a summer shop in the garage, but the problem is that I only have room for a very small bench (2' X 4'), a stump for hewing, a two-level workmutt for sawing and a shaving horse. In the basement I have a carving bench, a joiners bench, a metalworking/sharpening bench, sawing bench, etc. In the garage, there'll be only one little bench, and I want to be able to do carving, chairmaking, some cabinetmaking for small projects, and any general handyman stuff that I need to do.

I've sort of decided on a single iron quick release vise sort of towards the left of the bench, no tail vise, no apron, and a bunch of clamp-on fixtures that will transform the bench into whatever it needs to be for that rare hour or two I get to use it. Kind of like a smaller version of the Kirby bench, maybe more like Drew Langsner's chairmaker's bench. One thing I've decided I won't devote a microsecond to is making it into a piece of furniture. It will work, it won't cost much (I garbage-picked the vise), and will last until it breaks. At which point I'll build another, if I still have the strength and la voglia.

Not 17th century production quality, no way. They achieved efficiency by specialization and by having space to burn. I don't have the luxury of space (in the garage) to do that, and don't want to specialize, so I'll settle for having to spend a minute to reconfigure the bench for the next major activity. For most things, the combination of the front vise, some clamps and holdfasts, some benchhooks and some stops will do the trick.

I don't think it'll make it into the next edition of The Workbench Book, but I'm still looking forward to woodworking with actual ventillation and windows to look out of in the summertime :-)

But I know what you mean - that Garrett Hack bench has been my "dream bench" for a long time. Maybe one day, if my basement bench breaks...

Re: And at Highland Hardware... *LINK*

Ben Franklin

>I see that Habor Freight sells one for about $4 (compared to Highland's Jorgensen at $24). Can it be any good? Anyone try it?


HF Holdfast

Available from Publisher for $25  *LINK*

Don Thompson - Cutler Ridge, Florida

>




Link to Mechanick Exercises at Astragal Press

Calling Darrell to the forge....

Steve Kubien

>Hi folks,

I was fortunate enough to attend Darrell and Kathy's Fall Galoot BBQ in Oakville about a month ago. There was a forge set up and the attendees walked me through making my own holdfast outta some 3/4" steel which migrated from some construction site.

This thing is far superior to my Jorgensen's (which I bought through Highland Hardware. Their service was really good). I barely have to tap it in and it shows great holding power. With the Jorgy's I have to pound them into place.

If you have the opportunity, have someone walk you through making some yourself. I can't accurately describe how to do it. Perhaps Darrell would care to chime in.

Darrell? Are you out there?

Steve Kubien

Ajax, Ontario

just found myself trying to blow the shavings away

Victor Parisian - Houston

>to see the rest of the picture...

I'm going for my second cup of coffee and then off to the salt mine.

Victor wishing I could take a week off and spend it all in the shop.