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View Full Version : I declare this bench finished.


Derek Cohen
03-26-2012, 12:17 PM
This bench is done. Time to move on.


I am very happy with the way it has turned out. Somewhat relieved and always a little amazed when things work out. Here are the finishing touches, plus a road test to illustrate the work holding areas.


When we left off last the bench had reached this stage ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/dogs14.jpg


I returned to the fray on the weekend. The first task was to build the shelf. This is made of 5/8" thick (after levelling) Jarrah. I glued the panel up last week. Its weight adds another 10 kg (22 lbs) to the total, bringing the final weight of the bench to 192 kg or 422 lbs.


I was planing the panel with The Dreadnought (36" Jarrah jointer). The quickest way to flatten I know ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/Finished1.jpg


... using one bench dog and a makeshift stop, when I decided I was going about this in the wrong order. Get the round dog holes done! So I sharpened up a 3/4" Jennings bit and brought out the 12" MF brace ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/finished2.jpg


I do like this brace. It has the simplicity of a Spofford, but with bling :)


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/finished3.jpg


Soon I had lined up a series of holes opposite the square dogs, each 1" in from the far side of the bench ...


I have chosen to use the brass Veritas dogs. A slight modification is the addition of suede leather on the flat face.


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/finished5.jpg


These are long enough to pass through the bench top.


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/finished4.jpg


The purpose here is to plane across the bench ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/finished6.jpg


The bench is now 12" from the far wall. This allows the use of a jointer or jack plane without danger of hitting the wall. It was not possible to work this way when the old bench was attached to the wall.


The new shelf ..


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/finished7.jpg


It will hold tools such as a shooting board, Moxon vise, and bench hooks.


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/finished8.jpg


Alongside the last two square dogs I added two rows of round dog holes. These are coplanar, enabling a short or long bench stop to span the bench. I have yet to make a couple of stops that will be clamped in the leg vise. The following one was co-opted into use in the short term ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/finished10.jpg


The leg vise was given a layer of 2mm thick suede leather on each side. This makes a huge difference to the work holding power of the leg vise. It will now clamp pieces securely with little force.


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/finished11.jpg


One other point about the leg vise - add the supporting wheels to the glide, as designed by Jameel Abraham, and this will create a smooth running screw, even the wooden one on this bench. I can spin the handle, and the chop will slide in-or-out freely.


My old bench was 34" high. For my height of 5"10" the "pinky test" of Chris Schwarz would point to a bench height of 30" as ideal for planing. My concern, however, was that there are a number of tasks that need to be done at a bench, not just planing. Would the bench be high enough for marking and other detail work? In the end I decided to compromise on a height of 32".


Marking with a gauge is comfortable ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench build/finished12.jpg
Derek Cohen
03-26-2012, 12:18 PM
The Moxon dovetail vise is positioned against a dog, and clamped down by two holdfasts at the rear (which may assitionally be used in any of the round dog holes)..


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench%20build/finished13.jpg


Marking dovetails is also fine, but sawing is less comfortable at this height than before. The saw has to angle upward and I can feel my wrist having to cock more than I like ..


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench%20build/finished14.jpg


Cross-cutting (the tails) is another comfortable position ..


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench%20build/finished15.jpg


A bench hook clamped into the leg vise allows chopping to take place over a leg ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench%20build/finished16.jpg


It has never been this easy to hold work to plane a rebate along an edge ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench%20build/finished19.jpg


I scratched my head for a while how to hold the short ends. Then I remembered I had a tail vise! Easy peasy ..


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench%20build/finished20.jpg


Finally, the sliding deadman, along with the new Veritas surface clamp, made it easy to hold the completed box for planing ..


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench%20build/finished21.jpg


So what was the first project being built on the new bench? It will become a tool tray, one that will attach to the wall instead of the bench. I want to leave the edges of the bench free for clamps, if needed. To the tool tray I will add a section to hold a few chisels and backsaws that are in current use. That is for a later date.


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench%20build/finished17.jpg


The completed bench ...


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Bench%20build/finished18.jpg


Thanks to all for your suggestions and advise along the way.


Regards from Perth


Derek
Chris Griggs
03-26-2012, 12:41 PM
A fantastic bench Derek! Thanks for sharing it with us.

EDIT: Hey I just realize this is my 1000th post. Man I wish I'd saved it for something better! ;) J/k Derek... So what do I win????
Bob Lloyd
03-26-2012, 12:58 PM
Beautiful job, thanks for sharing. Enjoy using it.
george wilson
03-26-2012, 1:54 PM
Beautiful bench,Derek!!
Federico Mena Quintero
03-26-2012, 2:12 PM
Gorgeous bench and wood!
Jim Belair
03-26-2012, 2:13 PM
Nicely done and clearly documented Derek. Thanks for taking us along for the ride, through ups and downs!
Matthew N. Masail
03-26-2012, 2:21 PM
a dream bench !
James Owen
03-26-2012, 2:38 PM
Beautiful bench!
It was fun and informative to follow your adventure building it.
Looks like you have a keeper!
Thanks for sharing.
Stuart Tierney
03-26-2012, 2:48 PM
That came out pretty nicely. :)

(Wish mine was half as nice, but one's old and made when I was clueless, the other needs to be portable within 10 minutes...)


Also caught myself looking for stuff I've sent to you. :D

(4 chisels so far, that is all...)

Stu.
Joe Bailey
03-26-2012, 4:00 PM
Quite the synthesis of form and function - thanks for taking us along on that ride.
Sam Murdoch
03-26-2012, 5:25 PM
a dream bench !

In my dreams that's for sure. Very nicely done!
Derek Cohen
03-26-2012, 7:04 PM
That came out pretty nicely. :)

(Wish mine was half as nice, but one's old and made when I was clueless, the other needs to be portable within 10 minutes...)


Also caught myself looking for stuff I've sent to you. :D

(4 chisels so far, that is all...)

Stu.

Hi Stu

Did you receive my email sent a few days back?

Anyway, the Koyamaichi dovetail chisels were used and, if you look carefully 4 pics from the end, you will see the latest chisel lying on the bench. Also, pics 14 and 15 from the start, there are two others. The new one worked wonderfully in cleaning out some of the most horrible Jarrah I have ever used for dovetails.

Regards from Perth

Derek
Jessica Pierce-LaRose
03-26-2012, 8:40 PM
Derek, that's darn nice! I'm jealous. Looks like a lot of fun.

I like the idea of the wall-attached tool well a whole lot. I may have to steal that. ..

I posted on your last thread, but I was wondering how you ended up attaching the parallel guide to the vise chop? Originally you had mentioned wedging the tenon, but I don't see how that would work with it open on one end after making room for the rollers. Is it just a glue joint, or did you strengthen it with anything? I wonder if the shear forces over time would weaken a glue joint.
Wallis Hampson
03-26-2012, 8:56 PM
Speechless
John Coloccia
03-26-2012, 9:14 PM
That's very nice, Derek.
Derek Cohen
03-26-2012, 9:42 PM
Derek, that's darn nice! I'm jealous. Looks like a lot of fun.

I like the idea of the wall-attached tool well a whole lot. I may have to steal that. ..

I posted on your last thread, but I was wondering how you ended up attaching the parallel guide to the vise chop? Originally you had mentioned wedging the tenon, but I don't see how that would work with it open on one end after making room for the rollers. Is it just a glue joint, or did you strengthen it with anything? I wonder if the shear forces over time would weaken a glue joint.

Hi Joshua

I could have sworn that i replied before .. apologies.

When I initially prepared the chop for a through tenon I had forgotten that there was a wheel below. So I had to cut off the chop at the end of the mortice ... which meant that I could not use a wedge in the tenon. The tenon was glued in, and then I add two steel rods (pins) from the edge. No clear pics of this to show, sorry.

I will post pics of the tool well at a later date. I like the idea - have not seen one similar, although some have a shelf on a wall to do the same thing.

Regards from Perth

Derek
Pat Barry
03-26-2012, 10:33 PM
Thats a great workbench. Nice attention to detail. Love the in-process picture of the hole drilling with the brace. I could not make a full revolution with the tool so close to the wall but you pulled it off, congratulations.
Mike Holbrook
03-27-2012, 12:07 AM
Great job Derek!

I'm gathering the final parts to follow in your foot steps.
Jeff Bartley
03-27-2012, 8:08 AM
Beautiful bench, thanks for the documentation and story as you've built it! Hopefully this will inspire me to drill some round holes at the back of my bench.....I've thought about it for too long now! That tool tray is pretty too! Bravo!
Paul Saffold
03-27-2012, 8:40 AM
Great bench, Derek. Thanks for all the inspiring post.
Paul
Christopher Charles
03-27-2012, 6:51 PM
As always, many thanks to you Derek, for sharing your process! I'll look forward to your continued review of the bench as you two get to know each other (I love that you "remembered" the wagon vise"!).

Cheers,
Chris C.
Bill Rhodus
03-30-2012, 7:39 AM
Derek, thanks for taking the time to share this bench build. I have saved this post for future inspiration when I upgrade my bench. My more immediate need is for a knock down bench that I can move from site to site (next generation in the family are buying homes) that will take the thrust loads of hand tools and the components will be light enough to be moved easily as I age. Surely you have or will have a need for something similar? Opportunity for new post?
john brenton
03-30-2012, 9:58 PM
Beautiful bench, Derek. It's attractive, solid, and complete. I can't think of a single task that this bench would be deficient in. I especially liked your comment about grooving/rabbeting/molding on the edge and the ease you find with the holdfasts situated the way they are. That opened up a whole world of ease to me too. This is an heirloom piece that you're family will cherish long after you're...(ahem) retired.
Gordon Eyre
03-31-2012, 12:46 PM
Love your bench and the pictorial account as well. Many years of happy woodworking ahead.
Brent VanFossen
03-31-2012, 11:56 PM
Spectacular. You deserve to be very happy. Nice work.