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Thread: How Many Have Made or Planing To Make A Moravian Style Bench

  1. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Steven Mikes View Post
    Ken, as my 2-year-old likes to say, me want!
    Steven,

    Smart kid

    ken

  2. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Southwood View Post
    Plan on building one this fall/ winter. All the lumber is stickered and probably ready to go. (10% last time I checked it) Now I need the time. Using SYP and White Oak. Screw is here from Lake Erie as well.

    Building this type because it is probably the quickest and will give me a place to work when I decide to go Roubo, which will be years down the road.
    Steve,

    You may never get around to the Roubo . I expect the shop sized Moravian I'm building now will replace my Roubo/English bench that is my current main bench. Nothing wrong with the current bench but I find I work more on the small Moravian than the big English/French bench.

    ken

  3. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Nathan Johnson View Post
    After reading all of your posts, Ken, one is definitely in my future.
    The plan is to make a bit smaller one for the shop to keep my sharpening stuff on and perhaps double as an assembly space. It could also be portable for the few occasions I'd like one in the wild.

    And then eventually I would like to replace my current bench (Seller's copy) with a Shaker style built on a cabinet. Something about the aesthetic pleases me.
    Nathan,

    Sharpening bench is the job of the first Moravian build. It spent one season traveling in the motorhome and then was replaced by the second build.

    BTW, it makes a great sharpening bench.

    ken

  4. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Matthew Hartlin View Post
    On my list as well. Currently have a construction lumber Nicholson bench which does the trick, but I'm not happy with heft of the top or the ability for it to hold my holdfasts. I'm currently looking for a couple slabs that can be used for a top and some poplar or clear pine for the base. Hoping to do a split top with two slabs and Lake Erie leg vise and Veritas inset vise. Something about the splayed legs and slab top interests me.
    Mathew,

    My portable benches have 8/4 Beech slabs. The current build's slab is laminated from slats of 8/4 Beech and is ~90mm, just over 3 1/2", thick. It is one heavy sucker. I've used both DF and Poplar as base wood and both work well, I've Ash on order for this base but so far no joy. I may fall back on either one of the Oaks or Maple..

    ken

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Clarks Summit PA
    Posts
    1,733
    Ken, bending down for that beautiful vise handle does not look friendly to my frequently aching back. Have you had any back issues?

  6. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rainey View Post
    Ken, bending down for that beautiful vise handle does not look friendly to my frequently aching back. Have you had any back issues?
    Mark,

    Yep, I had a laminectomy last year. No problem working the vise and parallel guide pin.

    If you can find a good neurosurgeon and your problem is one he/she can fix sooner is better than later. After mine I felt like Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove, "Mein Fuhrer I can walk".

    ken

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Edmond, Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,749
    Ken,

    I have thought about that, not building a Scandy, especially after reading your reports.

    If I like the Moravian as much as I think I might, I will just build a bigger version of the Moravian, and put the vise screw already in hand to work on an end vise on the bigger Moravian.

    My thinking is that, like you, if I really like the smaller version of the Moravian I build first then my eventual main bench will also be a Moravian, just bigger and likely a bit heavier as well.

    I will be watching for your eventual comments on how well you end up liking your latest Moravian as a main bench.

    Stew
    Last edited by Stew Denton; 10-24-2018 at 8:07 PM.

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Clarks Summit PA
    Posts
    1,733
    Quote Originally Posted by ken hatch View Post
    After mine I felt like Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove, "Mein Fuhrer I can walk".

    ken
    . Love that movie!!!

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Evanston, In
    Posts
    290
    Quote Originally Posted by ken hatch View Post
    Steve,

    You may never get around to the Roubo . I expect the shop sized Moravian I'm building now will replace my Roubo/English bench that is my current main bench. Nothing wrong with the current bench but I find I work more on the small Moravian than the big English/French bench.

    ken
    Let's hope I get to that Roubo, some day. I have all the Benchcrafted bits and pieces for it as well. Might be a Benchcrafted yard sale too, some day.

  10. #25
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Philadelphia, PA
    Posts
    97
    I've heard it called a Dutch Bench before too, not unlike Warren (but then I'm also from Pennsylvania). I've been planning a (real) workbench build for a while now, even have most of the rough lumber waiting for me in my *shop; but like many others, now all I really need is to make the time to build it. When that miraculous time arrives, I'll be building a Moravian (Dutch) Bench with an angled leg vise (because I think they look cool).

    Why did I choose this style over all the others? Because all reports support them as wonderful workbenches and because I'm partial to their aesthetic design...angled legs look a challenge for me and they look cool. ... 'bout all the reason I need.

    - Jake

    *garage

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Moscow, Russia
    Posts
    49
    Quote Originally Posted by ken hatch View Post
    Mathew,

    My portable benches have 8/4 Beech slabs. The current build's slab is laminated from slats of 8/4 Beech and is ~90mm, just over 3 1/2", thick. It is one heavy sucker. I've used both DF and Poplar as base wood and both work well, I've Ash on order for this base but so far no joy. I may fall back on either one of the Oaks or Maple..

    ken
    I was just about to ask about top thickness.
    And I have one in my build list, hopefully this winter.

  12. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by Alexander Zagubny View Post
    I was just about to ask about top thickness.
    And I have one in my build list, hopefully this winter.
    Alexander,

    The 8/4 Beech slab works well with no problems. That and a Poplar base makes a fairly light weight bench which works well for a portable bench. For my shop bench I'm I'm going for more weight with a heavier slab and a heaver base. Really for no reason other than "because". The light bench is very stable fore and aft but it is also slightly narrow so you can notice the light weight when sawing cross bench, not bad but noticeable.

    ken

  13. #28
    A later photo on the second build taken after adding a tool tray:

    toolTrayInUse.jpg

    Another with the travel bench playing grown up bench:

    travelBenchInPositionC180427dscf2683.jpg

    One of the great things about a portable bench is when needed, setting up in the back garden is a sheet of cake*.


    travelBenchBackGardenA180501dscf2685.jpg

    ken

    *English was not the client's first language

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    2,151
    Quote Originally Posted by ken hatch View Post
    Alexander,

    The 8/4 Beech slab works well with no problems. That and a Poplar base makes a fairly light weight bench which works well for a portable bench. For my shop bench I'm I'm going for more weight with a heavier slab and a heaver base. Really for no reason other than "because". The light bench is very stable fore and aft but it is also slightly narrow so you can notice the light weight when sawing cross bench, not bad but noticeable.

    ken
    Ken, I include a photo of two pieces of 8/4 hard maple that I've had sitting for almost 2 years with a Moravian bench in mind. I do need a round toit to make it happen. You comment about across the bench stability is something I've been wondering about. What do you think about splaying the rear legs from the actual working surface, say say twelve inches or so, to the back of the tool tray or extension? It would give the same angle as the end to end angles, approximately. The tool tray or extension could be supported on struts if needed. After using your benches you may have a thought or two about it.
    Jim
    Attached Images Attached Images

  15. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by James Pallas View Post
    Ken, I include a photo of two pieces of 8/4 hard maple that I've had sitting for almost 2 years with a Moravian bench in mind. I do need a round toit to make it happen. You comment about across the bench stability is something I've been wondering about. What do you think about splaying the rear legs from the actual working surface, say say twelve inches or so, to the back of the tool tray or extension? It would give the same angle as the end to end angles, approximately. The tool tray or extension could be supported on struts if needed. After using your benches you may have a thought or two about it.
    Jim
    Jim,

    Two things about the portable bench, it was made to fit in the motor home sidebin so the base is narrow it is also very light. Change either and the cross bench stability will improve, it is not a problem now but just not as stable as fore and aft. Angled back legs would also work but with a slightly heavier or wider bench would likely be overkill.

    ken

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