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Thread: New bench planning

  1. #1
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    New bench planning

    I have a piece of laminated maple approximately 2 X 24 X 39.5" that a friend gave to me. The ends are split a little so I'm considering cutting them back. Got me thinking about the end piece I see on a lot of benches with the beautiful dovetailed face. What is the purpose of it? Doesn't it just make it more difficult when it comes time to re-plane the top? Should I include them?

    Thanks
    Dick Hutchings
    Last edited by Richard Hutchings; 06-01-2018 at 1:15 PM.

  2. #2
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    Are you talking about the front apron. I put a 2x12 apron on the face of my bench allowing apron clamps to be used.

  3. #3
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    No the end caps

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Hutchings View Post
    I have a piece of laminated maple approximately 2 X 24 X 30" that a friend gave to me. The ends are split a little so I'm considering cutting them back. Got me thinking about the end piece I see on a lot of benches with the beautiful dovetailed face. What is the purpose of it? Doesn't it just make it more difficult when it comes time to re-plane the top? Should I include them?

    Thanks
    Dick Hutchings
    Dick,

    I'm not sure of what you ask but that has never stopped me from having an opinion . If installing a wagon vise the slab needs an end cap other than that I can think of no useful reason for a cross piece on a bench top. There are two broad approaches to building a work bench. One is build a practical, useable bench quickly with little embellishment. The other is to build a bench to build a bench and show off your woodworking skills. Both approaches are valid it's just depends on what blows your skirt. I'm in the first group and have found over many bench builds the simpler the build the more useable the bench. Of course as with all things wood....YMMV.

    ken

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Hutchings View Post
    I have a piece of laminated maple approximately 2 X 24 X 30" that a friend gave to me. The ends are split a little so I'm considering cutting them back. Got me thinking about the end piece I see on a lot of benches with the beautiful dovetailed face. What is the purpose of it? Doesn't it just make it more difficult when it comes time to re-plane the top? Should I include them?

    Thanks
    Dick Hutchings
    Hi Dick,

    The dovetail on the end is usually only one lamination deep, the rest can be done like a bread board end.

    An end cap will help to protect the end grain. It may also help to mitigate any tendencies for the top to cup or bow.

    With a dovetail the end cap will not separate. This can be important especially with a wagon vise.

    If done as the lamination is assembled it can be done at both ends of the end cap. In your case you could add a couple more pieces to the lamination if this is desired.

    There is a similar piece of maple, 30 X 30", in my shop. It was formerly the top of a dishwasher. My plan is to use it as a top on a kitchen cart/rack for the wife.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  6. #6
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    Another thing, I remeasured it, it's actually 39 1/2" long not 30". I can't decide if it's large enough for a planing bench as is or if I should make a mini bench to use on top of my existing bench. It's too big for a mini, I would have to cut it down. I'm not sure it would be stable enough for a full bench being so short.

  7. #7
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    How about using it for a small joinery bench (taller obviously than you regular bench). Or, a carving station (if you do that sort of thing).
    "The reward of a thing well done is having done it." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

  8. #8
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    A bench is pretty thick and not usually very wide, so if it's made out of good material you don't need an end cap.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  9. #9
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    20180604_074911[1].jpgMaybe I should change the name of the thread to bench planing! This has become my daily workout. I'm almost there now. I started getting the high spots with a #2 with a heavy camber. Followed up with a cambered #5 and now I'm using my #6. I don't have anything larger that's ready to use. Am I doing this right?

  10. #10
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    Use of the #2 is somewhat unusual, but I wasn't there so if it worked for you, alls well that ends well. Straight edges and winding sticks along with the #6 (after the #5 took the worst out of it) should work to end up with a flat, wind-free surface. Longer planes like the #7 and #8 perhaps make the work go a little faster, but if the #6 is all you got, then it will do. The bottom surface need not be as good as the upper (work) surface, but don't forget to address any areas that stretchers may rest on. Looks like you should be headed towards fabbing the base pretty soon.
    David

  11. #11
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    David, I used the #2 as a scrub plane for removing high spots. I have a wood/metal, I forget what you call these hybrids, #7 or 8, not sure, that I need to sharpen. I'll try it after the #6.

  12. #12
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    If you don't have a scrub plane, go to the BORG and buy a narrow iron and breaker, put a radius on the iron and put the iron and breaker
    in a wider plane, and you have an excellent scrub plane. Don't laugh, it works.

  13. #13
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    Like I said, I wasn't there, but I would have been tempted to use the #5 for the rough work but maybe your material was rougher than I am imagining and your #2 scrub plane did that work for you. It worked, so keep on with the process. Lowell does bring up a good idea for using a larger plane (that may fit your hand better) as a scrub plane in the future. For whatever reason, I tend to go from the #5 to a #7 and skip the #6 all together. I don't know why, but there you are. Lots of ways to do the same work. I am interested in seeing your frame design next.
    David

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Eisenhauer View Post
    I am interested in seeing your frame design next.
    Me too :-)

  15. #15
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    Over time the end grain of a bench will dry out faster with humidity changes than the rest. This shrinking may lead to cracks in the top. A breadboard end will help to slow down the drying and prevent cracks. Thorough oiling will also help; and you can do both.

    In my case the front part of my bench is 5 inches thick but the majority of the top a little over 2 inches, the breadboard ends are 5 inches and add a consistent look to the bench.
    ​You can do a lot with very little! You can do a little more with a lot!

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