Broken Record

[Stew Denton]

Ken,

Your comment on "the original bench design and build being brilliant" really struck a chord with me. My thinking is that so often we think "that design (of whatever) is pretty good, but I am going to "improve" it." It occurred to me that I think a lot of the traditional designs of things, like benches, have stood the test of time. Designs that may be a hundred or even two hundred years old have had lots of folks think "I will improve the design," and make a change.

Over that long time period the design changes that DID make an substantial improvement catch on, those that were not an improvement bit the dust bin of history. Thus, after a couple of hundred years the designs become pretty much standardized for the simple reason that they have been optimized for that type of bench.

I recall that you gave someone the advise for his first bench, in so many words, "to follow a standard design "as is," this being either by copy of an existing bench or from a set of plans." I will very probably eventually do that when I get to the point of having time and space to build a bench, the first one probably a fairly portable size Moravian. I might modify the size a little, to fit my particular needs, but would leave the design and construction alone.
,
It seems to me that often it turn out the way you state it, that we have to build something like one of the very traditional bench designs, maybe even two, and use it before we understand how really good the design is. How good the design is becomes even more apparent if we have as a first bench built our own much "improved design," only to discover the warts after we have used it a while. After building our own "improve design" we discover "Oh, so that's why they did it that way."

If a traditional bench design has been used for a couple of hundred years, it probably has a lot going for it. Again, I might fiddle with the size a bit, to fit my individual uses, but would leave the basic design alone.

Thus, I appreciated your comment on how brilliant the design is. You have been there long enough, and built and used enough different benches, to be able to say "BTDT."

Thanks and regards,

Stew

[ken hatch]

Ken,

Your comment on "the original bench design and build being brilliant" really struck a chord with me. My thinking is that so often we think "that design (of whatever) is pretty good, but I am going to "improve" it." It occurred to me that I think a lot of the traditional designs of things, like benches, have stood the test of time. Designs that may be a hundred or even two hundred years old have had lots of folks think "I will improve the design," and make a change.

Over that long time period the design changes that DID make an substantial improvement catch on, those that were not an improvement bit the dust bin of history. Thus, after a couple of hundred years the designs become pretty much standardized for the simple reason that they have been optimized for that type of bench.

I recall that you gave someone the advise for his first bench, in so many words, "to follow a standard design "as is," this being either by copy of an existing bench or from a set of plans." I will very probably eventually do that when I get to the point of having time and space to build a bench, the first one probably a fairly portable size Moravian. I might modify the size a little, to fit my particular needs, but would leave the design and construction alone.
,
It seems to me that often it turn out the way you state it, that we have to build something like one of the very traditional bench designs, maybe even two, and use it before we understand how really good the design is. How good the design is becomes even more apparent if we have as a first bench built our own much "improved design," only to discover the warts after we have used it a while. After building our own "improve design" we discover "Oh, so that's why they did it that way."

If a traditional bench design has been used for a couple of hundred years, it probably has a lot going for it. Again, I might fiddle with the size a bit, to fit my individual uses, but would leave the basic design alone.

Thus, I appreciated your comment on how brilliant the design is. You have been there long enough, and built and used enough different benches, to be able to say "BTDT."

Thanks and regards,

Stew

Thanks Stew,

Your take is correct, the old guys knew what they were doing. I kinda have a rule in my shop, if I can I figure out how the old guys did it I do it the same way. Works most of the time.

Everyone is different and most build different things so needs vary but I've found a simple bench is better bench. My next build will have a wagon vise because Will Myers makes one that looks unobtrusive and easy to install but in general a leg vise, dog holes and holdfasts along with some wood scraps will do an easy job of holding what needs holding.

Stay safe, take care, and I hope you can build soon,

ken