Mike Allen1010
01-23-2012, 9:03 PM
I always enjoy pictures of hand tool project builds posted here on the Creek, for me they are a great source of ideas and inspiration to try projects and the techniques I wouldn't otherwise attempt.
Inspired by the workbench posts here in the Creek and Chris Schwarz “Workbench Design Book”, I recently built a pacific maple and Douglas Fir Roubo style workbench using primarily hand tools.
I thought I would post pictures of my build for those who might be considering a similar project. If there is interest, I can make several separate posts showing the various phases of the build process so I can include more pictures, which for me are some of the best parts of the many posts I enjoy on the Creek.
As a brief explanation, I use primarily hand tools primarily because of personal preference and the lack of space for stationary power tools. I have a drill press and bandsaw which I use whenever practical. My "shop" is a two-car garage that my wife insists still must accommodate two cars -- clearly her sense of priorities is way off!
Below are pictures of the workbench I've used for the last 25 years. It is 5 feet long, 26 “ wide, and 2 1/2 inches thick veneered particleboard in the center with a 4 inch thick beech skirt all around. I liked the tail vice with two rows of bench dog holes, but wanted something bigger to accommodate larger projects and with a better face vice set up for edge planing.
220983220990
The two holes in the front skirt are what pushed me over the edge to build the new bench -- I installed the LV twin screw vice, which worked well but given the existing vice and the short length of my bench was always in the way.
My design objectives were: a compromise between cost and functionality, materials that could be worked with hand tools (I don't have a thickness planer or joiner) and would accommodate Roubo style construction.
I found some 6” x 6” Douglas Fir beams at the local home center and my plan was to make the entire bench out of this wood. However, after rough dimensioning the legs and stretchers I realized the lumber was really wet and I didn't have the time or patience to let the benchtop material dry thoroughly.
Based on recommendations from those on the Creek and after exploring the wood options available to me locally I settle on pacific maple for the benchtop; I found some 8/4, 8’ long planks that the lumberyard ripped 3 1/4 “ wide. My plan was to laminate these into a top that was 8’ long, 22" wide with a finished thickness of just over 3". Because I had little waste total cost to me for the lumber was around $400.
Here are some pictures of crosscutting the legs and stretchers to rough dimensions.
PIC
220984220988220989220987
The Stanley #8 got a real workout during this entire project, but the Doug Fir planed nicely even though it was pretty wet. After rough crosscutting I let it dry for a couple weeks and there was minimal checking on the end grain.
220986220987220985
I'll add another post with more pics.
Thanks for looking, Mike
Inspired by the workbench posts here in the Creek and Chris Schwarz “Workbench Design Book”, I recently built a pacific maple and Douglas Fir Roubo style workbench using primarily hand tools.
I thought I would post pictures of my build for those who might be considering a similar project. If there is interest, I can make several separate posts showing the various phases of the build process so I can include more pictures, which for me are some of the best parts of the many posts I enjoy on the Creek.
As a brief explanation, I use primarily hand tools primarily because of personal preference and the lack of space for stationary power tools. I have a drill press and bandsaw which I use whenever practical. My "shop" is a two-car garage that my wife insists still must accommodate two cars -- clearly her sense of priorities is way off!
Below are pictures of the workbench I've used for the last 25 years. It is 5 feet long, 26 “ wide, and 2 1/2 inches thick veneered particleboard in the center with a 4 inch thick beech skirt all around. I liked the tail vice with two rows of bench dog holes, but wanted something bigger to accommodate larger projects and with a better face vice set up for edge planing.
220983220990
The two holes in the front skirt are what pushed me over the edge to build the new bench -- I installed the LV twin screw vice, which worked well but given the existing vice and the short length of my bench was always in the way.
My design objectives were: a compromise between cost and functionality, materials that could be worked with hand tools (I don't have a thickness planer or joiner) and would accommodate Roubo style construction.
I found some 6” x 6” Douglas Fir beams at the local home center and my plan was to make the entire bench out of this wood. However, after rough dimensioning the legs and stretchers I realized the lumber was really wet and I didn't have the time or patience to let the benchtop material dry thoroughly.
Based on recommendations from those on the Creek and after exploring the wood options available to me locally I settle on pacific maple for the benchtop; I found some 8/4, 8’ long planks that the lumberyard ripped 3 1/4 “ wide. My plan was to laminate these into a top that was 8’ long, 22" wide with a finished thickness of just over 3". Because I had little waste total cost to me for the lumber was around $400.
Here are some pictures of crosscutting the legs and stretchers to rough dimensions.
PIC
220984220988220989220987
The Stanley #8 got a real workout during this entire project, but the Doug Fir planed nicely even though it was pretty wet. After rough crosscutting I let it dry for a couple weeks and there was minimal checking on the end grain.
220986220987220985
I'll add another post with more pics.
Thanks for looking, Mike