Japanese Trestle Bench

Re: Japanese Trestle Bench

Steve Kubien

>If you are referring to the style one uses while sitting and pulling the plane towards you (picture a 4x6-4ft elevated on short trestles or feet), yes I have. I did not like it. My shop floor is concrete and I do not have the flexibility to really enjoy the process. I also found it difficult to control the plane since it is your torso which moves with your arms (at the finish).

Hope this helps,

Steve Kubien

Re: Japanese Trestle Bench

Matti Kuikka

>I used one that was a 4"x8" beam elevated at other end to about breast high and other waist high from Toshio Odates book. You sure learn fast to pull straight and it is natural to make very long pulls, you even take a step or two. The finish is very fine as the unewennes that you easily get with push planing is eliminated. I don't suppose one could be used easily with western planes. After I used one to make a western bench I have been planing shorter boards on my new bench, but still pulling. If I need to plane longer boards (not edges) I think I'll put one in use again as it is a nearly no cost, no time waisted project.

I have tried also the one used sitting but it is too difficult to me and bad to my back.

Just my 2 �/100 ;-).

Matti Kuikka

Re: Japanese Trestle Bench

Ludger Hentschel

>I suspect everyone has used minor variations on a trestle bench. Some thoughts:

A traditional Japanese trestle bench consists of one or two large beams resting on two substantial trestles---often without attachment. The bench apparently is not used for vigorous planing, since it will not withstand forceful pushing. (I think some of the previous posts describe what Odate calls a 'planing beam', which is used for planing.)

If you attach the beam(s) to the trestles and insert some braces between the trestles you basically have a western bench without vises. If you attach vises, you have a western bench.

If you do all of the above, insert some retractable boards between the front and back beam, and make the trestles taller than for a Japanese bench, you have a bench that looks a lot like the one David Charlesworth describes in his first book.

After the usual agonizing, I built a Charlesworth-style bench. This works very well for me. If I wanted to move my bench around frequently, I would see a bigger appeal to the loose assembly of beams and trestles.

Ludger

Thank you for your help!

Lloyd Robins

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