My first piece of Furniture

[Ron Rosenthal]

I just recently finished my first piece of furniture...my workbench. It's all ash and weighs a ton. I love it. Best tool I've got.

[John Davidson]

Looks good!! One day I am going to break down and build me a nice work bench. I am still work off a old door with legs attached.:D :D

[Jim Baker]

Looks like a great job on the bench, Ron. It appears to be very solid.

Welcome to the Creek.

[Glenn Clabo]

Hey Ron...nice to make that "first" piece, eh?

Can this old sawdust maker mention something? Maybe it's in your plans...the store boughts are costly...but if you put the/a vice on the end (Tail Vice)you can use the dog holes to the best advantage. The one you have in place now is a good distance for the existing vice.

What's next in the furniture plans?

[Doug Jones]

Originally posted by John Davidson
Looks good!! One day I am going to break down and build me a nice work bench. I am still work off a old door with legs attached.:D :D

My main bench is two saw horses with a pallet.
You did a great job on your bench.
Is that holes drilled in the top with a peg out of one of the holes? If it is whats the reason for the holes?

[Jason Roehl]

Looks great! A suggestion from someone who is not blessed with them in his shop? Add drawers to that bench. I need to make some (I have zero drawers in my shop), but turning seems to have distracted me from all flatwork.

[Ron Rosenthal]

I have already added slats to the stringers on the table, but it doesn't do what I need. So, Jason, I have already gotten the wood to build the drawer cabinet. I'm just waiting for the wood to get acclimated to my shop.

BTW, Doug, there are holes in the top. The "peg" you see is a "bench dog." There are "vise dogs" in the face vise seen here and the one on the other end (yes, Glenn, it does have an end vise). I couldn't work without it. But, back to you Doug. The vise dogs can be lifted up higher than the top of the bench. That way a piece of large wood can be clamped flat on the table top, between the "dogs," for planing, sanding, etc.

Incidentally, Jim, you and I and a couple of others could dance on the top of the bench and it would not move. It really is solid. Some of the joinery is pegged mortise and tenon and some is through-bolted mortise and tenon. It's nothing if not strong.

Right now I'm working on a coffee table. The top (1 1/2" slip-matched walnut) is made up. Now I'm gluing up the bases (one on each end). They're 1 1/2" tiger maple. They'll be joined to the top at a ten degree angle with pegged, through mortise and tenon joinery. That way, the white tiger maple will be incorporated as a design feature in the dark walnut top. Should be neat. I'll post a picture when it's done.

[Joe Tonich]

WOW!! A bench W/O a lot of STUFF on it!!! Been a while since I've seen one. Nice job, hope it sees a lot of work. Make sure you wax it good.

Joe

[Ken Wright]

If I can ever get my shop to suitable quarters where I have room for it .... I will make a bench my first project there.

Would love to have that vise.

[Jim Becker]

Great job on that bench, Ron. A nice, solid surface to work on is essential and you hit the mark on this one! Enjoy...:cool:

[Jim Young]

Nice Ron, I really could use a bench too. I've been using a door for my bench with the intention of getting a real bench like yours.

Any relations to those Germans who make the nice bone china?

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

Hi Ron,

Great work, I am envious, you have a completed bench to work on, mine is still not done...ah, but soon, real soon,

Thanks for the inspiration.

take care,
Jim

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

Great looking bench Ron. Just think, if you ever give up the wood tools and decide to rebuild big, heavy, Detroit Big Block Motor Iron, now you have a workbench to do that on! ;)
There is NOTHING like a Heavy Duty work bench, and yours is beautiful. That should last for ever. Great bench, and great execution. NICE! :D

[John Miliunas]

Yup, it shore is a dandy, Ron! Nice job. One of these years, but just don't have the room at present. Well, maybe I would, if I moved out my present "bench", but there still wouldn't be space to effectively use an end vise. Can't wait to see the coffee talble, too! :cool:

[Jim Izat]

Hey Ron,

I just finished mine a few weeks back. You'll wonder every time you use it how you ever did without it!

Jim

[Mark Mazzo]

Ron,

Very nice job on the bench. I finished mine about 6 months ago and can't beleive how I worked without out it. It truly is the best tool in the shop.

-- Mark

[Bob Lasley]

Nice job Ron. Now, get busy and put some scratches on it so you can quit worrying about it and concentrate on your next piece of furniture! ;)

I know you will get many years of enjoyment from your bench.

Bob

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Looks really great!
I don't have a workbench, just two saw horses and a piece of plywood.
So you're way ahead of me.

[Robert Goodwin]

Verry Nice. I just started my bench this weekend. With 2 little kid, it may be awhile, but I can't wait.


Nice Job!
Rob

[Ron Rosenthal]

Ken,

The vise is a Columbian 10". I liked it so much, I got a second one just like it. I got both of them on eBay. One was $71. The other $76.

BTW, here's the first bowl I turned. It's maple (hollowed out) with a tiger maple top. I made it in a course I took a couple of months ago. Fun stuff!

Ron

[Ron Rosenthal]

I took the picture of the workbench right after I applied the 5th coat of tongue oil. That way it had to be uncluttered. I'd hate to show you what it looks like right now.

As for being related to the "fine bone china" people...DON'T I WISH!

By the way, how'd you guys get your picture to show up on your posts. I just might want to scare the pants off you, too.

Ron

[Ron Rosenthal]

Jason,

The waving flag is great!!!!!!!! How'd you do that?

Ron

[Ron Rosenthal]

Daniel,

How come your picture is more than double the size of mine? I thought I had it figured it out. Obviously not! I made it a jpg. file and set the size at 5x5.

Ron

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by Ron Rosenthal
I took the picture of the workbench right after I applied the 5th coat of tongue oil.

I'm really hoping you used tung oil...I'm not sure how you would extract the other kind! :D

[Ron Rosenthal]

And man am I telling you it took a lot of licking!!!!!! but it kept on tic....! Naw, I can't say it.

Ron