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Thread: Bench revamping

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Warwick, RI
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    804

    Bench revamping

    I've been working on a small bench using a slab of bowling lane that I got from a friend. I've come to the conclusion that I still won't have a good bench when I'm done. It might make a good sharpening station down the road.

    I have a bench in the basement that will work very well with a few dog holes and a vise. Since its Father's Day and I get to what I want, I've started planing and adding my Vise to this bench.20180617_104421.jpg

    After a lot of work with my #5 and transitional jointer I'm well on my way to having a usable bench. I love the workout.
    20180617_125827.jpg

    I plan on building 7' Nicholson style bench using this.
    Last edited by Richard Hutchings; 06-17-2018 at 3:16 PM.

  2. #2
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    Mar 2006
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    Austin Texas
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    Glad you are enjoying the project. That is what makes it good.
    David

  3. #3
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    Dec 2006
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    Yes thank you. I'm enjoying every minute. Now I need to go shopping for dogs and holdfasts followed by some lumber. I have a great liner supplier up the street. They seem to have every thing I might want in the rough. Yay more planing.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    Sierra Nevada Mtns (5K feet)
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    I seem to recall someone posted about building a bench top from a slab of bowling lane. This was some years ago. A significant problem was the large number of nail present used when the alley was first built. Bad news for drilling dog holes or any other type of drilling or modifying.

  5. #5
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    This one has large dowels running through it. It more work than it's worth. That's why I'm going with a Nicholson style. They look fairly easy to build and use less lumber than laminated.

  6. #6
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    Mar 2006
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    Austin Texas
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    I have had good luck with the holdfasts that Joel sells at Tools For Working Wood. As for dogs, I am one of the folks that uses wooden dogs rather than metal ones to prevent a mishap due to a blade accidently contacting a metal dog and save some on the cost. I have fabbed up both round and square wooden dogs that work well. I believe that the metal ones also work well and it is just a matter of personal preference. I use my holdfasts daily and would not want a bench without that capability.
    David

  7. #7
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    Jul 2014
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    Edmond, Oklahoma
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    Richard,

    From a practical standpoint, that bench looks like it holds some good promise. The lumber for the top looks pretty substantial, and your plane work looks good too.

    Stew

  8. #8
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    Dec 2006
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    Warwick, RI
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    My only issue with it is there's no cross members or apron to keep it flat. I don't want to mod it too much I'd rather just use it to best of its ability while I build my bench. This one will always be useful for most work.

  9. #9

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Warwick, RI
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    I'm aware of that method of flattening a bench. It's just not for me right now. I'm trying to stay away from the noise and dust of these kind of operations.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
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    USA
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    Hey Richard, how thick is the top on the bench you are revamping? Its hard to tell from the pictures. Maybe just 2x construction lumber?

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    It's about 2" thick. The more I think about it the more I want to add the extra braces and apron that I want. Heck if can plane this bench comfortably then I can plane anything on it. I can start building stuff instead of a bench.

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