A Saw Bench?

[steven c newman]

Picked up a free (love that price) 2x8 from an old waterbed frame. Yep, I do Dumpster Dives.

The rest of the 2x laying there were a little buggy, and warpped. So, all the parts for a saw bench will have to come from this one plank of pine. After the hardware is removed, of course.

Knee-high for a height?

How long to make the top of the bench? ( have about 7' to work from)

Notch on one end, then the legs? Or, have the legs on either side of the notch?

Might be able to scrounge some 3/4" plywood for a bottom shelf. Needed?

Might cut a dovetail to house the legs to the top. Splayed legs?

Got the day off today, and half of tomorrow, should have this cobbled together by the time I have to leave for work @ 6 pm....

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I like a shorter bench top - easier to move around - and make up for with two benches for long pieces. I designed mine to stack to save space - it almost works, I wasn't quite thinking when I did it, so the cleats don't quite let it sink as low as would be ideal.

I like splayed legs, but I also like to cut at the end, not along the sides. The splayed legs necessitate a notch or a groove or something for ripping. Mine is just half lap joints (although a little funky with the angled legs) and screws, and is plenty sturdy. I suppose dovetails might make it heftier and projects like these are always great practice for a new joint.

I left the notch proud of the legs, (rather than having the legs right at the end of the top) the thinking being that as I chew it up, I can shorten it a bit and cut a new notch easier. Also means I can really use the whole notch before I start nicking the stretcher below.

Mine are just about knee height, but I find I'd really like something a smidge taller. I suppose it depends on how you measure your knee height, which is surprisingly hard to do by yourself, and that height fluctuates some as get into the position. Easier taller and cut it down than try and lengthen it later.

If you have an overhang past the legs, be careful calculating it. Any overhang can get tippy if you did something like stand on it (mine double as step stools all the time, and this is the voice of experience) but even a small overhang on the non-notch end can flip the whole thing if you're sitting on it and backing up to drill one more hole, for instance. (Again, voice of a experience)

[Jim Koepke]

For the height, mine are so a knee can be comfortably placed on top of what is being sawn.

If you start with your legs, what ever is left will be for the top. After 3' they get a little unwieldy. It is also helpful to make them with plans to stack well or nest in storage.

A bottom shelf makes it unable to stack.

I like splayed legs, but if you like to saw along the side of the bench they get in the way.

Mine use lap joinery, but there is nothing wrong with dovetails.

Here is my project:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?146777-Saw-Table-Project

After reading Joshua's post it came to me that I like thee for ripping, one in front, one in back and the one that is supporting the work. This is used most with long pieces being ripped.

jtk

[Mike Holbrook]

Here is the one I plan to make, probably two. Can be made simpler or contain some interesting joinery:

270335

[Chuck Nickerson]

A bottom shelf makes it unable to stack. jtk

I have a stacking pair, both with a bottom shelf. The shelf on the larger is hinged.
It's nice to be able to set a tool down but not on the ground.

[Tony Shea]

I like the looks of that design Mike. Where'd you come up with that picture if you don't mind me asking? I've seen similar designs posted here on SMC. If you do a search I'm sure you will come up with a few options Steven. And if you need more lumber than your board allows, which I don't believe you will, this is a better place to spend the $3 on a 2x4 rather than on another plane at a yard sale. You seem to have plenty for the time being. Spending $ on honing your skills is never a bad idea especially if you will get a useful shop appliance that will last a long time.

[Gordon Eyre]

The pictures of my saw bench may be of some value to you:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=247148&d=1354722890

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=247151&d=1354722897


http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=247150&d=1354722895

[steven c newman]

Gordon: I believe I shall steal that idea of yours, if you don't mind sir.

Went out and bought a cull cart 2x4x8" (pre-cut one, wasn't sure just how long it is) for just under $3

Walked around on a rust hunt today, spent two more dollars bills and some change, for a couple saws. I think one of them will work just fine on the new bench270341This is after I cleaned it up a might.

[Gordon Eyre]

Gordon: I believe I shall steal that idea of yours, if you don't mind sir.

Went out and bought a cull cart 2x4x8" (pre-cut one, wasn't sure just how long it is) for just under $3

Walked around on a rust hunt today, spent two more dollars bills and some change, for a couple saws. I think one of them will work just fine on the new bench.

270341

This is after I cleaned it up a might.

Wish I could take credit for the idea but this is a Christopher Schwarz designed bench. It is a great bench and very sturdy. I am sure I will pass this on to one of my children and they to one of the grandchildren. By the way, the saw was my dad's and is from the early 1900's.

[Jim Matthews]

Here is the one I plan to make, probably two. Can be made simpler or contain some interesting joinery:

270335

+2 on making two.

You've got plenty of material, and with two you can work on very long boards.
Search Archaraya Kumarswami (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?176915-Saw-bench-design-to-share) for the version I use - it incorporates two holdfasts on top.

That makes ripping near the edge of narrow boards a breeze.

[paul cottingham]

Gordon.
That is nicer than most of the furniture I have made.

[Mike Holbrook]

Tony I'm not sure where the picture came from originally. I did a search on sawbenches and there was a page with a bunch of pictures of benches which I pulled the picture above and several others from. I found an article on one of the wood forums by a guy who made it or one very similar once but lost track of it.

I found a few similar ones with the same search just now, but do not find the one above, apparently they change. I like some of the features on this one too:

http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A0PDoS7tvypSPjoASVOJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTFxYT ZoazUzBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZAMxYjEzMTQ4YmE4NDZj MzMyMWNiMmNkMTFkMTk3YzNlNARncG9zAzE-?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearc h%2Fimages%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3Dsaw%2Bbenche s%26fr%3Dyfp-t-900-s%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D1&w=2127&h=1660&imgurl=www.theunpluggedwoodshop.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F11%2Fa-better-saw-bench.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theunpluggedwoodshop.com%2Fa utumn-update.html&size=1.4MB&name=better+%3Cb%3Esaw+%3C%2Fb%3Ebench&p=saw+benches&oid=1b13148ba846c3321cb2cd11d197c3e4&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-900-s&tt=better+%3Cb%3Esaw+%3C%2Fb%3Ebench&b=0&ni=96&no=1&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=11m567ud0&sigb=13bujlau5&sigi=12emvh3ql&.crumb=9Fbn76AB/..&fr=yfp-t-900-s

The fence on top of the bench is held in place with two dowels. The same dowels apparently hold the fence in place under the bench when it is not needed

[Gordon Eyre]

Gordon.
That is nicer than most of the furniture I have made.

Thanks Paul.

[steven c newman]

Well, the first one is done. May not be furniture grade, but it will do for now270396All work was done using a stepladder with a 2x10 clamped to a step as a bench. Made use of a nice, dry, coolish morning on the back patio..

[Jim Matthews]

I recommend putting a cross brace connecting each set of legs near the bottom.

You can put a foot on these to keep it from sliding around.
I would kick the legs out of these, but you're probably more sure footed.

[steven c newman]

Better views of the completed bench270480270481Top is an old 2x10 from a waterbed. One eco/cull 2x4 for maybe $3. 1x4s from scrap pile. I figure to sit on this one while sawing most items. Plenty of areas to clamp parts in place. Shop is small enough, that this would just about do all I need to do. Spent more on this, than the D-8 rip I can use with it.270482Still have almost five feet left of the 2x10. Maybe make a Roy Underhill work bench too? Have some 3/4" plywood for the tool tray. Some more cull cart 2xs for some legs? HMMMM...

[steven c newman]

Legs for the underhill work bench have been cut.

a 48" long by 10" wide 2x has been cut

have dumpster-dived for some apron stock for around the edges, 2x4 has been selected from the dumpster pile to connect the legs near a bottom shelf location will be.

have the next three days off, might just get something done?

[Peter Pedisich]

steven,

I made mine like Jim said with a brace for my foot. Similar to Gordon's, but his is made with much nicer wood and details.
I made it from some doug fir and spruce that were my dad's sawhorses from the 1960's, recycled sort of.

-Pete

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9fLUvsy6J5g/UYshxgNruAI/AAAAAAAAB4U/PLmA0pyCSb8/s800/IMG_8232.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-sCytJw8Qk9w/UYsh5Yy5jxI/AAAAAAAAB4U/FIqtyITwX-Y/s800/IMG_8233.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JGCQlR5a4xQ/UYsiBVsy1PI/AAAAAAAAB4U/jQ6V5J3AZjk/s800/IMG_8239.jpg

[Pat Barry]

I like the split top design you have Peter. Nice work