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Thread: Wood choice for visual appeal

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Nashville, TN
    Posts
    52
    Hard maple top, padauk for the legs, short stretchers, and end cap. Padauk is stiff and hard. Keep in mind that different woods move differently with changes in humidity.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Cedar Park, TX - Boulder Creek, CA
    Posts
    832
    Bastogne Walnut. Some of that is pretty hard stuff.

    If cost really is no object, I can hook you up with a guy that has a warehouse full of slabs. Most of it Claro though. Don't know how much Bastogne he's got.

    If something like this is pretty enough for a bench:

    bastogne.jpg

  3. #18
    Agree with "soft" maple, used it for mine. Can't remember right now if 6/4 or 8/4 ,but I know I bought it from the
    vendor around here, they don't shop price, they always buy from same reliable source for each species. After milling the
    pieces I cut a dado in the center third of each piece about 1/16th deep as a precaution against ending up with the often
    seen open joints on old benches. But certainly even with that precaution , a lot of damp rag wiping in every day use
    could cause some " compression ring-set caused shallow open joints. So I avoid using overly damp clothes to clean it .
    I first glued up separate sections about 6 or 8 inches wide, then carefully jointed those before making final glue up.
    That was a long time ago. Put couple coats of Waterlox on it.

  4. #19
    If you're a bit of a bench fanatic you might slog it out,
    I'm only saying as you mentioned the STR, I like that one
    There are loads of designs of them, with differing species to gaze upon.
    Get a pen and paper ready to take down notes of the best pages as there is a few hundred to get through.
    I hope your internet is half daaecent, as it will take some time.
    Type into google...
    "All replies on workbench smackdown"
    You will get onto a compilation from a popular forum.

    As for birdseye maple on a bench...... have a look at one of Rob Cosman's new workbench on youtube
    "Workbench completed with Rob Cosman"
    Yes it's a Scandi, but at least you get to see it used on a bench.
    A bit busy looking for my eye's

    Tom
    Last edited by Tom Trees; 01-19-2021 at 1:24 AM.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,685
    Quote Originally Posted by Mel Fulks View Post
    Agree with "soft" maple, used it for mine. Can't remember right now if 6/4 or 8/4 ,but I know I bought it from the
    vendor around here, they don't shop price, they always buy from same reliable source for each species.
    I wouldn't hesitate to do that, either...I've actually found soft maple to be a very cost effective and readily available species here for about the same cost as quality poplar or run of the mill oak. I've been using it more and more.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
    Posts
    9,467
    Quote Originally Posted by Victor Edwards View Post
    Absolutely agree. Bench is going to be function first, pretty second. I'm pretty much sold on hard maple for the top. Hadn't thought about aligning the grain. Good idea.
    Victor, if you want a working bench, ensure the top is a light-coloured wood. My preference would be White Oak (mine is European Oak), as it is hard but workable. I would not use Hard Maple, unless you are a masochist!

    You can make the base anything you like. Perhaps Black Walnut would be a nice contrast (mine is Jarrah).



    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Mountain Home, AR
    Posts
    13
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Hubbard View Post
    Hard maple top, padauk for the legs, short stretchers, and end cap. Padauk is stiff and hard. Keep in mind that different woods move differently with changes in humidity.
    Interesting design. I'd be curious as to what lead to the design. The inlay is spectacular.
    "The cure for anything is saltwater....sweat, tears or the sea." Isak Dinesen

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Mountain Home, AR
    Posts
    13
    Quote Originally Posted by Wes Grass View Post
    Bastogne Walnut. Some of that is pretty hard stuff.

    If cost really is no object, I can hook you up with a guy that has a warehouse full of slabs. Most of it Claro though. Don't know how much Bastogne he's got.

    If something like this is pretty enough for a bench:

    bastogne.jpg
    Breath taking wood! While I am blessed to not have this project solely by cost, even I understand the need to keep a teeny-tiny bit of reality involved .... lol
    "The cure for anything is saltwater....sweat, tears or the sea." Isak Dinesen

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Mountain Home, AR
    Posts
    13
    Derek

    NICE bench. The top being light colored wood is a definite. One of the things surprising me about this process is how trying to 'make it pretty' has lead me down a rabbit hole on design. I initially thought I'd just get the Benchcrafted set of plans, build it and get on with life. I've decided that if I went that route then I could just use SYP (southern yellow pine) from the big box store. Crossing the line into 'hmm... I could spruce it up a bit' has lead to a rather major effort to evaluate each design element, whether construction or visual, very carefully.
    Sure the houndstooth dovetail touch on the end.
    "The cure for anything is saltwater....sweat, tears or the sea." Isak Dinesen

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Michiana
    Posts
    3,046
    Derek's bench is awesome, and exactly the configuration I'll build if there is a "next time"

    My first real bench was built in 2007/2008 out of found and salvaged lumber. It's a small utilitarian bench and not super pretty, but looked OK when new. Construction lumber underpinnings, hard maple top, soft maple aprons and vise chops. To my eye, the real visual appeal comes after about ten years of solid use when it's covered with stories.

    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

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