Saw Bench Part 5

[Larry Gelder]

Did I miss it?

[harry strasil]

No, back was giving me fits and I was afraid to navigate the basement stairs.

Sorry

Jr.

[Larry Gelder]

Get well, Harry. I sure appreciate your contributions to this forum.

[harry strasil]

I used a chisel and a coarse file to work the pins on the legs down one at a time to fit the the cuts on the bench top.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench35.jpg



.Now is the time to mark out and cut the V Sawing Notch in one end of the top, I used 4 inches all the way around for mine.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench36.jpg


Sawing out the notch, I used a crosscut saw for this.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench37.jpg


My back didn't like turning the brace so I used a tailed cousin to drill the holes. I used slightly oversize 3/8 shop made cherry dowels, the holes were drilled one size under 3/8 and the dowels were driven in and then cut off, no glue. Notice the dowel is at an angle, the right hand one was drilled the opposite angle as this locks the piece in place and adds strength to the joint.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench38.jpg

I must admit due to the pain I did a rather poor job of cutting the dovetails. I would normally split off a sliver of one of the pieces I removed from the legs and drive it into the void trying to match the grain. This time I glued the legs in place and afterward, used glue and sawdust to fill the void.

I will sand the sides and tops of the legs smooth before marking the legs to be cut off next.

[harry strasil]

After the legs are worked flush with the top, its time to cut the legs to length so the bench table leg sets level on the floor. This is how I mark the length of 20 1/4 for this bench. A framing square with a combination square clamped to it at the proper height and marked while it is setting upside down on a known flat surface.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench39.jpg


I used the bevel gauge to mark the tapers on the inside edges of the legs and then sawed them off. This picture shows it setting on my shop bench after the edges were chamfered slightly with a sanding block. It doesn't rock at all.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench40.jpg


All that's left to do is to add the stretdhers and drill the holes in the top and make the pegs and wedge for the chairmakers part.

[harry strasil]

Using two scrap pieces the same width, set them on edge inside both legs as shown and mark outside the legs for cutting to length. Make sure you label the bench leg and the stretcher A and the other leg and stretcher B, to make sure they stay together.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench41.jpg


I used my small bench hooks to cut the stretchers to length.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench42.jpg


I used a clamp and scantling as shown to hold the stretcher in place for scribing the cut lines of the mortice from the tails. READ THE NEXT PART BEFORE CUTTING THE PINS.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench43.jpg


This picture shows the stretcher glued and pinned in place. it looks like a normal dovetail joint. But, the top cut of the tail is 10 degrees and the bottom cut is 20 degrees on the stretcher, the cuts on the leg are both 10 degrees. 1/4 inch dowels with holes one size under and drilled at an angle to lock the stretcher in place.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench44.jpg

[harry strasil]

This shows the holes, pegs and wedges for using the Saw Table as Chairmakers bench for morticing and drilling, and it can be used for other tasks also.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench45.jpg


If you have a set of these, or a lathe it makes the pegs easier to make.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench46.jpg


I made mine using the Stanley dowel machine shown here.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench47.jpg


This is the setup for using the Saw Bench as a Charimakers bench stool.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/saw%20bench/sawbench48.jpg

[Chuck Stanford]

Really fine Harry. I especially like it as a mortising bench. Awesome work.