Starting the Moravian Workbench Build

[ken hatch]

At one point last night MsBubba, while I slept, whispered we have a new kid in town. I'm not sure of her name or even if it was a dream but I'll bet it's true. The changing table shipped just in time.


Yesterday I ripped the Beech lumber into slats. Today starts the real work on the bench, getting the slab wood ready for glue up. other than the completed slab and base, these are the heaviest hunks of wood to be worked. It's almost a toss up between doing the prep by hand or machine. I'll start using the machines but may end up finishing mostly by hand.

Here is the Beech lumber cut to rough length of 2150mm from 10' length:

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Last night I ripped rough cut beech slats from the Beech lumber. Each is approximately 45mmX100mmX2150mm. Two of the slats will be dressed on only one edge and one face. The rest will be dressed on one edge and both faces.

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I'll glue up in two's so I'm only dealing with one glue surface at a time. It takes longer that way but I think is easier and less backbreaking until you start dealing with putting the glue ups together.


Once everything is done I'll be shooting for a finished >75mmX~400mmX2100mm slab. That's in the range of 3"X16"X7' for the metric challenged. BTW, each slat weights ~17 lbs., the finished slab will be close to 170 lbs. My best guess the finished bench will be over 300 lbs and maybe close to 400 lbs.


It should be heavy enough to stay put but at the same time break down into manageable parts for moving when needed. That is the major problem with the French/English main bench, without the neighborhood or a fork lift that sucker is immoveable.


I talked to the woodstore manager yesterday, I made a return trip because of a BF the day before and I was short one board of Beech, he said the order for my 12/4 Ash was made too late to be in yesterday's shipment. That was the reason it wasn't there but he would see if they could get a special delivery next week. We will see, I really don't want to drive to Phoenix and back.


Anyone want to learn how to make a Moravian bench? Have I got a deal for you :-).


ken

[ken hatch]

I've started gluing up the slab. Because of the weight and size the 10 slats will be glued up 2 at a time. Once I have 5 sets of doubled slats I'll glue 2 of the doubled slats together to make the two sides of the slab and then finally use the remaining doubled slat to tie the two sides together. It will take longer but reference surface clean up will be easier and I will only have to deal with the full weight of the slab and a smaller reference surface clean up at the end. I expect I'll find a friend to help with the final passes through the planer. Hopefully a little single malt or some Jack will be enough to entice. :)

As I lay the slats out for glue up I check for grain direction and mark with an arrow. You may be able to see the arrow in this photo:

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Next is about a 1/3 bottle of glue and clamp those suckers together, then walk away for a few hours:

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Click 'em to big 'em.

In the background are the other 6 slats waiting their turn, One set is out of the clamps. It's slow going but for the most part easier on the back.

ken

[James Pallas]

Nice. It appears that you need a Morovian bench to build a Moravian bench. How can one work that out? Oh forgot, Moravian benches are common as cacti in you case.
Jim

[ken hatch]

Nice. It appears that you need a Morovian bench to build a Moravian bench. How can one work that out? Oh forgot, Moravian benches are common as cacti in you case.
Jim

Jim,

The truth hurts :o.

That is one of the problems a first time builder faces, how to build a bench without a bench. Mike Siemsen has a good answer using Home Depot 5 gal buckets but it sure is easier if you have a bench to start with.

BTW, for final slab glue up I'll move over to the English/French bench, more real estate don'tchknow.

ken

[Stew Denton]

Hi Ken,

Good news on two fronts.....new addition to the family and new bench underway! Congrats on both, but more for the blessed event!

Looks like this bench is going to be a tad bit heavier than its little brother. The more the merrier! Anyway it doesn't look like you are letting any grass grow under your feet.

Stew

[ken hatch]

Hi Ken,

Good news on two fronts.....new addition to the family and new bench underway! Congrats on both, but more for the blessed event!

Looks like this bench is going to be a tad bit heavier than its little brother. The more the merrier! Anyway it doesn't look like you are letting any grass grow under your feet.

Stew

Stew,

Thanks, the Mom and girl peanut went home yesterday and for now all is well. MsBubba flies to Houston tomorrow to "help out" for a few days leaving me and dogs without adult supervision.

Usually once I get started things go quickly unless I run into supply problems which may happen on this build. That and the Sept. Oregon trip. I'd like to finish before Oregon but....

One outer slab finished and the other ready for glue up. Those suckers are getting heavy, once the two outer slabs are joined I'll get some help moving the finished slab around for final cleanup.

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ken

[ken hatch]

The last of the slats/slabs are in the clamps. Towards the end those suckers were heavy for just one old fart to move around. MsBubba made it home just in time to help with the final glue up and moving everything in place to clamp. What a difference four hands and arms make.


Tomorrow a friend will help me take the slab out of the clamps, check it for wind and run it through the planer until everything that is not a slab is removed.


In the clamps:

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ken

[David Eisenhauer]

My unsolicited advise is to take very, very good care of that MsBubba labor resource. It is indeed an extremely valuable resource but I have fund it to be a resource that requires some attendance or cultivation from time to time as it were.

[ken hatch]

My unsolicited advise is to take very, very good care of that MsBubba labor resource. It is indeed an extremely valuable resource but I have fund it to be a resource that requires some attendance or cultivation from time to time as it were.

David,

Ain’t that the truth. Worth it but not inexpensive:).

I removed the clamps before heading to work this morning. The glue up looks good and I expect will need little clean up before its date with the planer.

ken

[David Eisenhauer]

My from time-to-time extra labor resource is getting lunch in town today and sounds like you are at that "next time I am not going to put so much glue on" part of the project. Carry on.

[ken hatch]

My from time-to-time extra labor resource is getting lunch in town today and sounds like you are at that "next time I am not going to put so much glue on" part of the project. Carry on.

David,

I took MsBubba to the airport this morning before work. She had to go to Houston to meet the new Grandpeanut. This afternoon after work I had a friend over to help with the slab. Damn it is a heavy sucker. I'm a few years older than when I made the main bench slab and with it I did the whole thing single handed. This time I had help and the two of us OFs wasn't enough, I had to call on help from the neighbor. Even with three it kicked our butts. Whatever it is done and stacked in a corner out of the way until it is needed to fit on the base. For now I'm dead in the water until the 12/4 Ash is delivered. After this afternoon's sweatfest a break may be good. I just hope it isn't too long.

A photo of the slab standing in the corner:

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ken

[David Eisenhauer]

One of two reasons I went split top. My two 12" w x 4" t x 9' (before trimming to 8') l. slabs were slid across a TS outfeed table, the TS, a couple of sawhorses and then onto the bench base I built first. I can't imagine an 8' l x 4" t x 24" wide one-piece bench top. Would have to use a come along or chain fall from the joists I guess if I were working alone. Best help my MsBubba could be in that situation would be to hand over the Advil, Aleeve, Ibuprofen or something similar afterwords. At least you have the top out of the way. IMO, the work is worth it, though, as there is something satisfying about building a proper woodworking bench in whatever style one prefers at the time.