An "Original Bench"

[steven c newman]

There is something to be said for a good back porch railing. One can just sit on it, and relax. One can clamp items to it to help make a job easier, as well. The important part of this porch is the 2x4 railings. :eek: Just the right size to make clamping things up easy. One could, say, clamp a blank for a saw handle to it229521 clamp a piece of stock to it, and saw it to size229522 Clamp a "Saw Vise" to it, to sharpen a saw 229523or, set a board on edge for a little handplane work.229524 Of course, it does help if the stair railing comes up past the corner post. That way, you can sit one end of the board on the angled end, and clamp the other end in place. Being soft pine ( they ARE 2x4s) it doesn't hurt the good wood to sit on it. The "Bench Vise(s)" are extra, though. I tend to use this bench in the mornings, as the natural light is much better to see with. There is a roof overhead on my back porch, never know when an April Shower might show up.


And, when you're done making sawdust, pull up a chair and sit awhile. Dust Collection? Mother nature does a very good job of blowing any out into my back yard. Shavings from the handplanes just drop down and make mulch. :D

[steven c newman]

Rather than load up a bunch of stuff to take out to the "regular" woodshop, I find i can do quite a bit just outside my back door. So far, all the handsaws have been sharpened out there. And tested out there. best time to work is in the morning, when the sun is shining onto the bench"s "top". Until the "Big Bench" from those 4x6 beams is completed later this year, this will be the "go-to" bench. otherwise229555it will have to wait until I go to the "Barn' to work. I am certain that THAT bench top is flat, though....

[steven c newman]

Oh, there are parts in the shop to start a Nicholson style bench. Some 4x6 beams from a barn. I have another beam outside of the shop, drying in the sunshine. I had to take an axe to one side of it, just to "pare" all the buggy stuff off. About half the width is now mulch chips....

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I love working on the porch when I can; for the longest time before I moved, the bench railings where all I had for a work surface, and I built something like 6 guitars on those.

[steven c newman]

When I worked construction, you'd be surprised at what two sawhorses, and a couple of 2xs can do. Set up once to 're-saw' some 2x facia boards ( because they didn't like the crown) with just a pair of "horses" a circ. saw, and a chalk line. Crown was gone.