My New Work Bench arrived today (sort of)

[harry strasil]

My New Bench arrived sort of today. Some of the materials anyway. I had it sawed up at a Living History show I was demoing at, by a miniature Sawmill powered by a miniature Steam Engine. It stared out as a salvaged Pin Oak log 5 ft long.

Its been stickered in storage inside a friends Quonset building for 7 or 8 years. He needed the space so he delivered it today.





1 - 4¼ by 10¼ by 5ft
2 - 2¼ by 7½ by 5 ft
1 - 2 1/8 by 6 by 5 ft
1 - 2 3/4 by 7½ by 5 ft
1 - 1 by 7½ by 5 ft
1 - 1 by 9½ by 5 ft
1 - 1 by 6 by 5 ft
1 - 1 by 5 by 5 ft

It will reside in my basement for a month while it aclimates to the temp and humidity, 58° and 28% , should give me time to figure out how to work it up into a bench.

I have some 4 by 4 oak dunage material from steel shipments in the past, but to keep the weight down and conserve my precious supply of Oak, I think I will make the foundation from pine 4 by 4's from the lumberyard.
I have no idea of the brd ft in the pile.
In my mind at the moment it will have a regular leg vise like the old benches on one side at the end, an emmert clone by Columbia on one end, and two regular old vices from school benches on the other long side. Still debating if I should put a tail vise on it.

[Terry Beadle]

I agree with your decision to use 4 X 4 pine for your legs and under structure. I used 4 X 6's for my bench legs and used 4 X 4s' for the cross pieces. They are treated too. I was worried about the arcenic possible out of the treated wood, but I cut the open dove tails by hand and that was a decade or so ago. No ill effects. Any way, the treated pine timber is really heavy. That bench stays put.

By the way, I bought one of those Woodcraft tail vice specials for $45. Sure wish I hadn't. I recommend if you put a tail vice on her, get the LN. Much easier to mount, more stable in use, and stays aleigned. IMHO. There's 2 cents in there too! Hoot!

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Nice boards Harry, pardon my ignorance, but what is pin oak and how is it different than red or white oak?

[harry strasil]

its a relative of red oak. http://www.thejump.net/hunting/plant-id/pin-oak.htm

[Phil Thien]

Aw common, those boards are all dirty, and stained. I can trade you some nice, clean construction grade lumber for those.

-Phil (who is looking forward to another nifty thread bench in about 60-90 days).

[gary Zimmel]

Harry

Can't wait to see the finished bench....

[Steve Rozmiarek]

its a relative of red oak. http://www.thejump.net/hunting/plant-id/pin-oak.htm

Thanks Harry, I learned something there.

[Mark Roderick]

Man, those are beautiful timbers. One thing is, I'm not sure a month is going to acclamate (sp?) wood that thick to your shop.

[Chris Padilla]

Man, those are beautiful timbers. One thing is, I'm not sure a month is going to acclamate (sp?) wood that thick to your shop.

Those aren't freshly cut green timbers...they've dried down to more or less the local environment so a month is plenty to acclimate to a new (to them) shop.

Harry said a month so he can take his time designing his bench and we'll have to wait forever for this thread to be updated!

[Mike Cutler]

Harry

That's a fine looking bench you have there, just waiting to be made.

[George Sanders]

Nice haul Harry. Great link too. I know where I can get a barn full of wood like that if I just tear down the barn. I too, am accumulating the makings of a bench. I like your vise ideas for the versatility and have been thinking along the same lines. I have 2 vintage quick release vises and I will bite the bullet and buy a good leg vise. I just don't see the advantage of a pattern makers vise at this time. Good luck on your project.

[harry strasil]

I have the vise, it was a gift so why not put it to work.

[harry strasil]

rough drawing of what the bench will look like, it will probably be wider to accomadate the 18 inch wide patternmakers vise.



vises (a) are 7 inch wide normal wwing vises that are now on the end of the present bench.

vise (b) is an old style wwers leg vise, I have an old double lead screw for it.

vise (c) is a holding vise, that some are calling a wagon vise. I just ordered a tail vise screw for it from Lee Valley.

vise (d) is the Emmert Clone made by Columbia.

The top side will have an apron full length with holes similar to my demo vise.

For holding long stock I can use all 3 front vises, both a's and b.

[Charles Jackson III]

Very nice stock.

[David DeCristoforo]

Sweeeet. All you need now is a couple of saw horses.....

YM