DF Work Bench

[ken hatch]

Several months ago a work friend asked if I could help him build a work bench, like a fool I agreed. A couple of weeks after starting the bench he ended up in the hospital because of his recurring heart problem. Anyway long story shorter after many delays my part of the bench build was finished today as I helped him draw bore the base together and unload it from his truck. We set it upside down on the slabs to mark out the mortises, he still needs to drill out the mortises for the leg tenons and I will help him set the slabs on the base once the mortices are finished.

It's ugly as granny panties with a ton of mistakes but he did the joinery with direction from me and the base is within a couple of mm of square with no wiggles. Not too bad for a first go at it besides as was said many times during the build: "it's a work bench".

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/mickeyBench20150402_zpsvgoju6u8.jpg

[Reinis Kanders]

Looks nice. Why is the right front tenon shorter, optical illusion?

[ken hatch]

Looks nice. Why is the right front tenon shorter, optical illusion?

Reinis,

No optical illusion:-). That's one of the many mistakes....After chopping the leg mortises and squaring the leg's feet he decided he wanted the bench to be about 50mm higher. that's all the wood that was left. I don't know if you can see it but the reason for the clamps is there is a scab patch on the upper stretchers. Like I said it's a work bench and he learned a lot. I did as well, mostly don't take other's skills as a given.

The good news once everything is together it will be sturdy and it will be a better work bench than the one I started on.

ken

[ken hatch]

We finished the bench yesterday or at least stood it on the legs. Mickey still needs to add his vise or vises, drill a few dog holes and trim the ends to final length but it is upright and even better stable and solid. It ended up being only 2mm out of square, the top has no twist, and is reasonably flat. It's true enough to work on. It's a lot better bench than my first work bench, he should be happy with it.

[Kent A Bathurst]

.......... the reason for the clamps is there is a scab patch on the upper stretchers......

Please make sure he knows he is not - by a loooooong ways - the first guy who ever had to do that.

Looks like it will turn out very nice.

EDIT: But - how could there be errors like that with Budda overseeing the project :confused: :confused:

[ken hatch]

Please make sure he knows he is not - by a loooooong ways - the first guy who ever had to do that.

Looks like it will turn out very nice.

EDIT: But - how could there be errors like that with Budda overseeing the project :confused: :confused:

Good question :). BTW LMAO,

I don't know if you have ever given a check ride in an airplane but one thing you learn early, is they can screw it up faster than even Budda can fix.

BTW, I just got off the phone with Mickey, he's happy as a clam and beavering away on the last little finishing items. It's good to help someone do something that's no big deal to you but is overwhelming to them.

ken

[Kent A Bathurst]

It's good to help someone do something that's no big deal to you but is overwhelming to them.

Very true. Very rewarding - on both sides.


...I don't know if you have ever given a check ride in an airplane......

No. Not by a long shot. My Big Brother Who Knows Everything is a career pilot - USAF and then commercial. His guidance is that the pointy-end hits first. I sit in the back.

[Pat Barry]

Reinis,

No optical illusion:-). That's one of the many mistakes....After chopping the leg mortises and squaring the leg's feet he decided he wanted the bench to be about 50mm higher. that's all the wood that was left. I don't know if you can see it but the reason for the clamps is there is a scab patch on the upper stretchers. Like I said it's a work bench and he learned a lot. I did as well, mostly don't take other's skills as a given.

The good news once everything is together it will be sturdy and it will be a better work bench than the one I started on.

ken
Ah, excuse me, a mistake? Come on, thats a feature - its a keying device to ensure proper orientation of the top.

[ken hatch]

Ah, excuse me, a mistake? Come on, thats a feature - its a keying device to ensure proper orientation of the top.

Thank you Pat, I've got to remember that one:)

ken