Getting closer

Re: Getting closer

Blaine Hollis

>I built the base for my bench from Doug fir as well. Not quite as stout as yours, but it's served me well.

Procrastination: Such an ugle word

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native in FL. Exile :~(

>No Darrin, I don;t beleive that you was procasternating, I think you was merely Researching and Developing the plan for your workbench.;~) However it is that you do you're R&D is of no matter, the point being that you was doing R&D.

I do my Development by coming up with an idea, than usually design and re-re-re-re-re-re- re-design it in my head until I've got it to my liking. Rarely does anything go on paper. I may consult a book from time to time, or I may even have gotten the orginating idea from a book, but 99 times out of 100 I still have to add my own little twist to it, and therefore Develop that add'l idea in my head until I've got it straightend out. Rarely do I build anything 100% according to a pre-existing "plan."

Nice looking bench frame so far, what are you going to use for the top?

I've been R&Ding a new workbench in my head, but haven't gotten it right yet. Basically I've come up with the same thing as you except for the bottom front strecher and I will have two strechers in the rear, one at the bottom, and one in the middle, and perhaps one across at the top, and maybe one at the top in the front, but definately not at the front's bottom.

The top intself will be edge glued 2x4's just like my present one and the legs I'm thinking will be 6x6's. We'll see how it all shakes out once I get to the point where I'm actually ready to build it.

Todd O.

Re: Procrastination: Such an ugle word

Mike L (Orange County, CA)

>Darrin, nice start on what looks like it's going to be a killer bench.

Blaine, nice finish on a killer bench.

Todd, I need you in my corner when SWMBO starts nagging about unfinished projects. She mis-interprets no physical progress on a project as being no progress at all. What she fails to realize is that taking a project from conception phase to an implementable plan requires considerable mental R&D time (and quite a few bottles of stout for fuel).

Regards,

Mike

Re: Procrastination: Such an ugle word

Darrin

>Todd,

Yeah, sometimes it seems like R & D is all I get accomplished. I have been trying to figure out what kind of bench to build for five years. In the meantime it really makes it hard to get anything done.

I had orinally decided to make everything out of D/Fir because I got it Fairly inexpensive at the BORG in San Diego while on a trip visiting friends. I know it is to soft for the top, but right now it is what I have. I have 2 slabs of 4 x 12's that are being planed down t 3 inches thick. They are 7 ft. long. Will probably go with 2 x material for the real top and turn the doug fir slabs into hall/sofa tables or maybe use one for a planing bench. Who knows?

I went with a front stretcher because I have already hybridized the plans. There will be a crochet and board jack, at least that is what is planned so far. I do like the idea of two slabs ( don't know what else to term it) with a tool tray/ ability to clamp in the middle of the top.

Since I went with the bench bolt - M/T joints I am not sure of the best way to attach the top(s) I have been thinking of doweling (I really hate it when my mind and some of the terms I know seem to check out of the hotel) the top. At least the front edge, I could lag screw the inside area, with the obligatory elongated hole for movement.

I really like the Roubo style bench that Chris Schwarz did in Woodworking. Maybe the next bench. Thanks.

Darrin

Re: Getting closer

Darrin

>Blaine,

Fantastic looking bench! For now I am going without vises. I do need to get a pair of holdfasts. I have hybridized part of the Roubobench into my design. Will go with a crochet and board jack. One good thing I really like about your base is you do have a bit smaller footprint than I do. Do you have any trouble with your bench skating along the floor at all?

Re: Getting closer

Blaine Hollis

>Darrin,

Sounds like you've given your bench a lot of thought and I'm sure you'll be happy with the result. I'll look forward to seeing pics of the final product.

In answer to your question, I haven't had any problem with the base skating accross the floor. It's always stayed put. The legs of my base are made up of two Doug fir 2x4's laminated together, and I do sometimes do get a very slight amount of flex when I'm taking a heavy cut and pushing the plane hard. But nothing I consider unacceptable. Doubt you'll have any such issues with your base, though.

Todd's idea of R&D

Ernie Miller

>is Todd don't have a clue what he is going to do untill an idea slaps him in the head and then he calls it palnning. don't get me worng Todd is allways doing somthing just nothing ever gets done.

Top considerations

Jim Reed @ Tallahassee

>I am lucky enough to have an original Ulmia workbench with a beech top. It lived for years in my carpeted basement and enjoyed the climate of living room furniture. My latest workshop is in a non climate controlled garage in humid Florida. The workbench top has adapted by swelling about 3/8" across the top. It has breadboard ends which are dovetailed in place with a sliding dovetail. The benchtop was engineered well and has taken all of this movement in stride--still flat as a pancake. Make sure your top has room to breathe. Good luck.

Douglas fir

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>The top of my grandfather's bench, on which he made about 100 times the furniture I have so far, is two Doug fir 2x12s cleated together. Don't get caught up in the mythology that you have to have an expensive bench made of expensive wood. If it's solid enough to work on and sufficiently splinter-free to put your hand down on it without injury (slight exaggeration there), it's OK.

Re: Getting closer

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native in FL. Exile :~(

>Darrin,

The top on my current bench is 3 foot wide, and 5 foot long. It is as I said before nothing more than a lamination of short bits of fir 2x4's that where cut at 45 degree on each end and butted together. At three points thru the width of the top I ran 3/4" (IIRC) threaded rod To draw it tight while the glue was drying. I than leveled it with handtools. This top sit in place by it's own weigh. My original idea was to register it with dowels, but this proved to be completely unnecessary.

I never did put a finish on my top, but do sometimes wish I had because now it is all stained up with blood, sweat and tears and looks a' fright. :~(

I like this "soft" top as it dosen't dent any other wood, or my tool handles and would and will definately go with another soft top on my next bench.

I'd say build your top than worry about how to hold it down if it proves to be necessary to do so. A few dowels to register it should do the trick.

I'd also like to incorparate a crochet and board jack in my next bench, but have yet to have the idea slap me up side the head on how to do the board jack without using a bottom strecher.

Todd O.

Mumbling naughty's about Ernie under my breath. ;~)

Re: Todd's idea of R&D

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native in FL. Exile :~(

>Todd don't have a clue what he is going to do untill an idea slaps him in the head

Wisenhimer Miller

Actually Wisen-, er, er Ernie, it's not that I don't have a clue what I'm going to do, it's--I don't have a clue what I'm going to do next.

You see my gigantic brain is constantly in a whirl dreaming up all the grand Idea's at a much faster rate than my hands can complete them, and this ulimately leads to confusion as to just which grand Idea I'm going to do next in my limited shop time. Coarse, this also leads to forgetting many Grand Ideas and than coming up with them again. sometimes I am not sure when I come up with a Grand idea if I am remembering something I had forgotten, or forgetting something that I remembered. Makes for some interesting conversations with myself in my head. ;~)

Todd O.

Wanna hear me cypher Uncle Jed?

Re: Todd's idea of R&D

Rob in Kansas

>"Todd is allways doing somthing just nothing ever gets done."

Hey I resemble that comment!!!

Re: Getting closer

Darrin

>Todd,

As I sit here reading your post on how to fit a boardjack with no front rail, I think one of your ideas slapped me upside da head. Just a quick idea mind you, maybe someone else can pretty it up. Mount some t-track under front rail or bench-top and hang board-jack from it. To steady it, you could hinge a board, or attach it with a thru tenon and wedge, or sliding dovetail. You could have a rabbit on back stretcher or not, several holes along stretcher would allow you to pin it. Come on you guys, what would you do to pretty it up.

Darrin

Listen up rock heads! The Phases of Work

Bob Hackett(Mainely,Bob)

>Instructional formation,Move!At ease.

Now the proper way to undertake any task is to enploy the phases of work.These being-Phase 1,Thinking about the work.

Phase 2,Looking at the worksite

(remember,you look at it you own it)

Phase 3,Doing the work

This explains why when questioned by the captain as to why we were laying in the shade looking out over the clearing the ranking NCO replied"We`re engaged in phase 2 at the moment sir".

What are your questions pertaining to the block of instruction you have just received?

No questions.GROUP ATTENTION!Face in the direction of your choice and move out smartly at this time!

Don`t thank me thank your recruiter,he`s the one who got you here.

Drill Sgt Bob

Re: Top considerations

Darrin

>JIm,

Thanks for the advise, it always ends up being KISS.

Darrin

Re: Douglas fir

Darrin

>Bill,

Thanks for the words of wisdom. I don't plan on using any expensive lumber for a top on my bench. I had doubts about the doug fir versus laminated 2 x material. So for now I will see how the Fir hols up.

Thanks

Darrin

Re: Todd's idea of R&D

Kevin French, Antrim NH

>TC wrote: "You see my gigantic brain is constantly in a whirl dreaming up all the grand Idea's at a much faster rate than my hands can complete them, and this ulimately leads to confusion as to just which grand Idea I'm going to do next in my limited shop time."

Which account for the large number of Hurricanes that have hit FLA in resent years

TC with all this "Planning" do you have a stain picked out for your bench yet?

Back in the day when I was doing fire restoration, I was in a house and the husband was showing me his workshop. He built a special box with racks in it which he said he used to "Age Wallpaper". He had his wife convinced the wallpaper went on better if it was aged for a couple years. He had rolls paper in it and added that a couple times, after the aging, his wife no longer like the paper.

Re: Todd's idea of R&D

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native in FL. Exile :~(

>Yeah, yeah, very funny Kevin, very funny. ;~)

The finish for my next top will be a witches brew of beeswax and turpentine. At least that's what I'm planning at the moment. ;~)

Todd O.

Fair warning Floridians, expect a heavy Hurricane Season this year. :~0

Re: BeesWax and Turp...

Kevin French, Antrim NH

>is what I put on mine.

Good Choice!

Re: Getting closer

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>I think you'll have durability problems with the T-track. Remember that when you are jointing a board, you are pushing down with your weight, the weight of the jointer, and the weight of the board. That's a lot of tensile stress to put on the aluminum t-track and the screws that hold it to the bottom of the front skirt. Also, you have to be concerned about crushing it and marring your clamp jaws when you clamp stuff on top of the bench using hand screws on the front skirt. Whatever method you devise for jacking the board would better support the board from below.

An alternative I have used is to set the board on a pulled out drawer in the tool chest under the bench. Of course, this allows shavings to drop into the drawer and onto whatever tools are in it.

The Toolbox book shows a free standing board jack, that you might consider.

Re: Getting closer

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native now in Jax Fl.

>Instead of using light weight aluminum track I was thinkingthat using using that rail (can't remember the proper name)that is used in commercial electrical wiring to attach stuff to the wall. It is heavy and strong, and I can get it for FREE!

William is right, the board jack would have to be supported from the bottom, so I am thinking that a freestanding one is the way to go.

For me, in the interest of space, it is more important to be able to roll a chest or two beneath the bench than to have a sliding board jack.

Todd O.

Re: Douglas fir

John in NM

>My current bench is two doug fir or hemlock 2x12's, and it makes a pretty good bench, as the grain is close enough that it is not splintery. I used another bench for a couple years in a furniture shop I worked for that was made of doug fir that had wider rings, and got a nasty splinter on average once a month or a little less. So construction lumber can be good, but I'd look out for the pieces with the tightest grain. Or perhaps edge the top in something less prone to producing long sharp splinters.

Just my 0.02

John