Workbench Update:

That is one very big bench!

Ian Smith (Sydney Australia)

>

How many bedrooms and baths?

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>That's a big bench...

Where's the pool?

Re: Workbench Update:

Adam Cherubini

>That's a good sized bench. May be a few feet shorter than the Dominy bench so not so big with respect to other pros benches.

Are the legs oak and the top pine? Making mortises in oak that size is really more timber framing than cabinetry. Still, your joinery looks great from here!

I can't wait to see it on its legs.

Adam

Re: Workbench Update:

Dean J from MN

>David --

Bench looks great! You'll be paid back for all of the time and effort you invested in your bench, mine is still teaching me!

-Dean

Re: Workbench Update:

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native now in Jax Fl.

>Looking real good David. I look forward to seeing the finished product.

Did you make it that long for a specific purpose, or just because you had the room for one that long?

How wide is the top?

I'm curious how it would work without the front streacher. Seems with it being that long, and obviously quite heavy that it might not be needed and than you'd be able to roll tool chests under it. At least that's my plan anyhow.

T.O.

Re: Workbench Update:

David Hammond, in Powder Springs GA

>Adam:

Everything's SYP - the legs are 2x8's and the stretchers and top are a lot of 2x6's. It sure felt like timber framing, and the jointery isn't perfect, but I was pleased with how some of my first mortise and tenon joints, especially that size, came out.

I can't wait to get it turned over either; maybe that'll happen next week...

Thanks for all the advice.

David

Re: Workbench Update:

David Hammond, in Powder Springs GA

>Thanks Dean! I look forward to the learning process I know is ahead. I've been talking, reading and studying all this stuff for so long, I'm ready to sink my teeth into actually using this bench!

Todd: I made the bench this long for a variety of reasons, but a big one being that yes, I do have enough room. But I also wanted a large twin screw vise to hold Windsor Chair seats, and carcass sides for dovetailing, and boards to cut tenons on. In addition to the twin screw, I also wanted room to chuck an 8' peice of lumber into a crochet and edge joint it, or into a planing stop and face plane it, without having to remove a vise, or some such action.

The top is about 28" wide, about the comfortable maximum I can reach to grab those tools that try to escape to the other side of the bench. I'm still unsure about the stability of this thing - I mean, I'm not worried at all about it, but I haven't got it all together in place to judge whether or not I've just gone ridiculously overkill, or what. I knew I wanted the long top, and I was afraid 2x4's for the top would sag eventually, since it has to span 8' from leg to leg - the 3 1/2" 2x4's would end up being less that 3" thick, so I was a little hesitant. And from there I just sort of made the legs and stretchers to match, so the bench didn't look like it was sitting on matchsticks... We'll see, I can't wait to see how she performs!

David

Turning it over

Bill Houghton, might be Spring in Sebastopol, CA

>I recall reading a book a couple of years back about the building of a wooden boat - largish, can't recall the size - up in Washington, and the fascinating description of turning the hull from upside down to rightside up, inside a shed no larger than the hull. I suspect turning over a 12 foot long bench will feel very similar.

Re: Workbench Update:

Ian Smith (Sydney Australia)

>Everything's SYP - the legs are 2x8's and the stretchers and top are a lot of 2x6's.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is SYP. Is it S???? Y???? Pine?

Regards,

Ian.

You got Ian...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>Southern yellow pine. A construction lumber used a long way away from me... Out here it's DG or douglas fir for the most part.

There should be an "it " in my reply...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>Doh!

Re: Workbench Update:

Tom in Tipp

>If you mentioned it earlier, I missed it, but what type of vise do you plan to put on that bench. It looks great, by the way.

Tom

Workbench Question

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native now in Jax Fl.

>David,

I forgot to ask in my earlier post, but how are you planning to attached the top to the base? Mortise and Tenon? Pegs?

Get anymore done it over the weekend?

T.O.

Re: Workbench Question

David Hammond, in Powder Springs GA

>Hey guys: No more progress on the bench as of yet, but there might be some time come the end of this week, but we'll see.

I'm installing 2 vises on the bench: a huge twin screw on the left front, and a Groz knockoff of the Record 53 on the left rear corner - as of right now I'm planning on putting the bench in the center of my shop.

The top, I hope, is just going to sit on four 1 1/2" deep mortises, that are 7" long and 1 1/2" wide. The extreme weight should keep me from having to peg the top, so just in case this thing has to come apart years down the road, it can be done. I am planning to drawbore the leg and stretcher joints though.

David

Re: Turning it over

David Hammond, in Powder Springs GA

>I'm still tossing that about in my mind Bill - I'd like to assemble the base and drawbore the tenons all together, attached to the top, while it's upside down. But I'm not sure how I'll get it right side up - to say that the bench is heavy is quite an understatement... We'll see; my brother's ready to help, and he's got plenty of muscle!

David

Re: There should be an "it " in my reply...

David Hammond, in Powder Springs GA

>You said it Scott - SYP is Southern Yellow Pine Ian - Really, it's an underated wood in my opinion. Yeah, the construction grade stuff is pretty rough: lots of knots, warp, twist, wane, it's got it all... But, I spent a lot of time picking through some Number 2 mixed w/some Number 1 SYP, and I got some nice lumber. Not perfect, not knot free, but exactly what I needed for a workbench.

David

HOw are your roof beams?

Bill Houghton, IT IS Spring in Sebastopol, CA

>You maybe could do a rope over a roof beam, if you've got strong enough exposed beams - cheap block and tackle units aren't hard to come by, at least not in moderately rural areas, but even a single block on a hook and swivel would help.

Just be sure they're sturdy, and not trusses - be a shame to pull your roof apart.

SYP seems a bit tougher...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA

>Than Doug Fir. I might be making mine out of it. DF that is...