Need Roman/low bench mechanics help

[Tony Wilkins]

I have a Roman/low bench because there are times when I’m stuck in a wheel chair. Even on good days, I can’t stand for long. I’ve adjusted to mist things but one thing still gives me an issue - planing along long boards. It’s really evident right now because I’m working on boards that are for a table top where the boards are going to be at minimum 7 1/2 feet long (and right now 12’).

suggestions on making long passes on a low bench/seated?
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[Rafael Herrera]

Tony, perhaps the technique described in Nicholson's The Mechanic's Companion may be of help. At least in the initial steps, long passes are not necessary.

https://play.google.com/books/reader...AJ&pg=GBS.PA94

[Jim Koepke]

Can you rig up a 2X10 or 2X12 next to the Roman bench for you to slide along while planing?

My saw horses are occasionally set up along my bench to do this to avoid a lot of standing.

jtk

[chris carter]

Hi Tony,

I have a low staked bench. Last year I had to make an 8’ and 6’ countertop for my office remodel. If you can’t walk alongside the bench (I am in that camp because of a sensitive back), then you just sit on the board. Start at the rear from behind the board while kneeling, or in a chair if you need to get the first couple feet. Then sit on that spot and work your way forward as far as your arms/torso will reach. Then scoot up and keep going. When you get to the end of the board you’ll have to scoot the board back if it’s longer than the bench. It’s not full-length passes, but it does work. You will have to spot check occasionally for straightness and twist and work any offending areas. But, if you have a long jointer,/try that will make it a lot easier to keep things straight and even.

The trickier thing is working the edges. On boards that aren’t too wide, but really long, I have thrown a folded up towel over the board to make it easier to sit on. If the boards are wider (taller in this configuration), I have successfully put my right knee on the bench to support my weight, and my left foot on the floor (I’m right handed), and worked that way. You can actually make full-length passes this way (slowly) if it’s necessary. In the pic below I was doing the final smoothing of the edges this way

BTW – if you get a chance, check out “unplugged woodworking” on youtube. This guy has a LOT of low staked bench videos and there’s a lot of good info and tips and tricks. He does do a lot of work standing, but you can extrapolate. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...6R71vtEWjy8r82

I don’t know if any of this will help, but good luck!

staked1.jpg

[Luke Dupont]

I would sit on the bench (using your butt as a clamp), and work each area individually first, rather than trying to take continuous shavings as if at a bench. You need to be careful not to take too much off in one area before moving on of course, but I've worked in this way plenty before.

This is the difficulty with low workbenches.

Jim's idea of having a second "bench" to sit on / slide down, spanning the length of the low bench, seems pretty brilliant.

But I want to also suggest one more thing... How well are you able to sit up on the floor? If your legs are really bad, I might actually suggest working in Japanese fashion with Japanese planes and a Japanese planing board. You sit completely on the floor this way. I don't know whether this would be better or worse for your condition, but I thought I might mention it. You can look up for yourself and see examples of Japanese furniture makers working in this manner.

I found the Japanese style to be much more comfortable and flexible than the low roman bench, but then I'm used to sitting and working on the floor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_MiykC0V2g

Don't be intimidated by Japanese woodworking methods, btw. It's really quite similar to Western woodworking, and you can figure it all out quite easily. You do need pull planes and pull saws though, because the benches are small and not heavy. Your body acts as a "stop" for your bench, so it doesn't move when you pull towards you. You can use western planes, pushing away from yourself, if you either sit on the bench to clamp it down, or butt it up against the wall so it doesn't move away from you. However, this will put you in a kneeling position which may be hard on your knees. The normal sitting position, pulling towards yourself, is quite comfortable and not tiring. You can see your work quite well too.

[Tony Wilkins]

I’m not sure I could get off the floor without a crane. I do have a small Japanese plane I can try though.

[Tony Wilkins]

Tried the sit and scoot (while planing) method. So far, so good, I think. Ran into some reversing grain around a knot so I pulled. Still trying to get the controls on the LV 5 1/4 & 5 1/2 custom to work for me so ended up using my #4 with a roughing blade in it.
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