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Thread: Workbench Questions

  1. #16
    nice job on the bench Bob. adding a couple of drawers will improve the storage of the bench and a vise is a necessity.

    because the peg board wall comes down to the top of the bench it encroaches on the usable space of the top so you might want to make the bench deeper by 10"-12".
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    S.M.Titmas.

    "...I had field experience, a vocabulary and a criminal mind, I was a danger to myself and others."

    -Anthony Bourdain

  2. #17
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    I am also learning very quickly that an overhang would have been nice for clamping...Oh well there is always next time.

    As far as drawers go, what thickness should the drawers and boxes be? 1/2"?

  3. #18
    if this was a kitchen i would use 3/4" for the box and 1/2" for the drawer sides and 1/4" for the bottom.

    however, since the drawers will be holding a heavy load i would make everything from 3/4" including the bottom panel set into a 3/8" deep dado
    S.M.Titmas.

    "...I had field experience, a vocabulary and a criminal mind, I was a danger to myself and others."

    -Anthony Bourdain

  4. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by sean m. titmas View Post
    if this was a kitchen i would use 3/4" for the box and 1/2" for the drawer sides and 1/4" for the bottom.

    however, since the drawers will be holding a heavy load i would make everything from 3/4" including the bottom panel set into a 3/8" deep dado
    What is the best way to do a dado with just a circular saw? Cut strips and chisel it out?

  5. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Haskett View Post
    So build a box that hangs from the top and the drawer just slides into it? Are there particular woods that would work better for this purpose? I am trying to visualize the divider but am having a tough time seeing how it would come together to make the drawers look natural and not an afterthought.
    Welcome Bob. Nice.. sturdy bench that will function as a bench is meant to do. The fancy stuff comes after the bench and yours reminds me of my first I made 38 years ago. Personally.. I see no need for dividers and making the drawers look natural. It's a work-bench. I hung two drawers under my first bench by using rabbeted pieces of pine attached to the bottom side of the top as the keeper. Then added a strip of pine to the top outer sides of the crude drawers made with butt joints that simply slid in and out of the rabbets in the keepers.

    So... remember you are not building a museum piece here but... a simple bench that will function regardless of looks. Then you concentrate on pieces that are a bit more refined on top of your Work-horse.... err.... work-bench.

    Good luck and master the challenge. It's fun!
    Sarge..

    Woodworkers' Guild of Georgia
    Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Thompson View Post
    Welcome Bob. Nice.. sturdy bench that will function as a bench is meant to do. The fancy stuff comes after the bench and yours reminds me of my first I made 38 years ago. Personally.. I see no need for dividers and making the drawers look natural. It's a work-bench. I hung two drawers under my first bench by using rabbeted pieces of pine attached to the bottom side of the top as the keeper. Then added a strip of pine to the top outer sides of the crude drawers made with butt joints that simply slid in and out of the rabbets in the keepers.

    So... remember you are not building a museum piece here but... a simple bench that will function regardless of looks. Then you concentrate on pieces that are a bit more refined on top of your Work-horse.... err.... work-bench.

    Good luck and master the challenge. It's fun!
    Kind of like this?

    http://woodgears.ca/workbench/drawers.html

  7. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Haskett View Post
    Not really.. those drawers are using wooden runners to support them on the sides. In order to attach runners you have to have vertical support pieces to attach the drawers too as you see in the picture. I was simply talking about "hanging" drawers with the runners attached to the bottom of the top of the bench.

    The runner there is a simple strip of wood rabbeted. In other words it will not longer be square but in the shape of an L.. attached to bottom and spaced the distance of the drawer width. Then you attach a square strip to the side of the drawer. The square strip simply slides into the L on one side and reverse L on the other and "hangs".

    BTW... you can only use the method for single row drawers as there would be nothing to support drawers underneath as in the side support runners you posted the link to. If you need multiple rows of drawers you will have to use the side support method as in the link.

    To the shop as I have a printer-shredder table working for the young lady of the house and she awaits the outcome.

    Also.. you might want to attempt to find some basic WW courses local if possible. I don't know where you are as you didn't add your location in the info to your name personal profile but... many small and inexpensive classes are offered all around the country.

    Regards and good luck...
    Sarge..

    Woodworkers' Guild of Georgia
    Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

  8. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Thompson View Post

    Also.. you might want to attempt to find some basic WW courses local if possible. I don't know where you are as you didn't add your location in the info to your name personal profile but... many small and inexpensive classes are offered all around the country.

    Regards and good luck...
    Good idea. I will look around for some workshops...Sorry for all the questions.

  9. #24
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    As far as the vise goes, I was looking at something along the lines of this...

    http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...8820_200358820

    Decent? Or do I need to be looking a different specifications? It will mostly be for simple woodwork (doing some shelves in the attic, and building a baby changing table, and a 2 more benches for friends) and then also working on the motorcycle and truck.

  10. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Haskett View Post
    As far as the vise goes, I was looking at something along the lines of this...
    That's a nice vise and it will be great for metal work and could be used for woodworking if you put some wooden pads on it. Since wood is so much softer than metal, a good woodworking vise has much wider and softer pads.

    Something like one of these for example. One very nice thing about this kind of vise is the thing that slides up and down on the front called a "dog". You can pull it up and use it to clamp things against a clamp or another dog inserted into your workbench. That allows you to hold things horizontally on top of your workbench.
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  11. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Haskett View Post
    What is the best way to do a dado with just a circular saw? Cut strips and chisel it out?
    if you dont have a router or a dado blade for the T/S than i recommend just planting the bottom on to the side pieces with glue and 2" wood screws. than mount the slide hardware at the top side of the drawer side instead of at the bottom where the screws would blow out the endgrain of the plywood. when it comes time to install them i'll draw you a Sketchup model to detail the placement of the slides. you might want to consider a router purchase.

    even though this is your first bench you want to start off right by doing things to the best of your ability, even pushing your own limits. dont cut corners with quality or inferior construction methods because bad choices like that will only come back to bite you in the a$$ later on by breaking down or worse yet, teaching you bad habits. whenever you build something, no matter how insignificant it may seem, use it as an opportunity to teach yourself a new skill and to grow as a carpenter. that way when it comes time to build something that really counts you will already have the needed experience with whatever it is and you will be able to produce quality results the first time around.

    for a vise i recommend these from WoodCraft. its a great vise for a great price. i have 2 of them and after adding some wooden pads they are far superior to any metal vise available.
    S.M.Titmas.

    "...I had field experience, a vocabulary and a criminal mind, I was a danger to myself and others."

    -Anthony Bourdain

  12. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by sean m. titmas View Post
    if you dont have a router or a dado blade for the T/S than i recommend just planting the bottom on to the side pieces with glue and 2" wood screws. than mount the slide hardware at the top side of the drawer side instead of at the bottom where the screws would blow out the endgrain of the plywood. when it comes time to install them i'll draw you a Sketchup model to detail the placement of the slides. you might want to consider a router purchase.

    even though this is your first bench you want to start off right by doing things to the best of your ability, even pushing your own limits. dont cut corners with quality or inferior construction methods because bad choices like that will only come back to bite you in the a$$ later on by breaking down or worse yet, teaching you bad habits. whenever you build something, no matter how insignificant it may seem, use it as an opportunity to teach yourself a new skill and to grow as a carpenter. that way when it comes time to build something that really counts you will already have the needed experience with whatever it is and you will be able to produce quality results the first time around.

    for a vise i recommend these from WoodCraft. its a great vise for a great price. i have 2 of them and after adding some wooden pads they are far superior to any metal vise available.
    I actually dont have a table saw. I just have a saw similar to this: http://www.skiltools.com/en/AllTools...5480-01&cid=45

    That vise looks great. Looking at the instructions, I wonder if it would mount to my bench. My bench is built with the 2x4 frame you see. So the bottom of the top of the bench is not flush. How would you accomodate it?

    Thanks for all the comments. Once again, sorry for all the questions, I am researching everything I can just to keep up with some of the terminology used here, like I said, "dog", "router", "planer", "rabbit", etc are all new to me. I am a complete newbie. This bench is the first thing I have ever built. I plan to take some courses but with a super busy work schedule it wont be for at least another month or so.

    That being said, thanks again for taking the time to work with me, and hopefully overlooking my inquisitiveness.

    As for the drawers, I was looking at Lowes today. I saw some 2ftx2ft (3/4 inch thickness) sheets of birch. What I was planning to do, is buy 8 sheets of that, and cut each sheet in half. One 2x2 sheet would be the sides, and one 2x2 sheet would be the front and back. Glue/Screw those together into drawers, the 8 sheets would make 4 drawers. Each drawer would be 2 feet deep, 2 feet wide, and 1 foot tall. Then come up with something to attach it to the bench. (not sure if this is what you had in mind or not). I see you mentioned some sketchs you could draw and I would VERY MUCH appreciate that. Once again, thanks to everyone for lending a hand to a complete newbie.
    Last edited by Bob Haskett; 09-15-2009 at 3:05 PM.

  13. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Haskett View Post
    Good idea. I will look around for some workshops...Sorry for all the questions.
    Bob... no need to be sorry for asking questions. You are not going to learn if you don't. I only wish I had someone I could have ask questions to in 1972. There was no inter-net with instant responses and very few that were in pursuit of building furniture at home. Things have changed so take advantage of them.

    If I could recover all the lumber I have burned in "trial and error" during those early days for me.. I could build a mansion about the size of the Biltmore House in Asheville, N.C.

    Just keep moving forward as you feel comfortable as it is a long journey with many obstacles you have to overcome.

    Good luck and as stated.. ask questions. I stay very busy in my shop retired but.. I will find time to answer any question you ask if I feel qualified to do so.
    Sarge..

    Woodworkers' Guild of Georgia
    Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

  14. #29
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    You know, the first thing you seem to discover when you start building a workbench is to build one you really need a workbench. You've got that part knocked out! When you get your perfect bench all planned out, you'll be all set!.

  15. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Haskett View Post
    That vise looks great. Looking at the instructions, I wonder if it would mount to my bench. My bench is built with the 2x4 frame you see. So the bottom of the top of the bench is not flush. How would you accomodate it?

    after you give me the dimensions of the underside of the table top i can sketch up a drawing to show how to attach your vise but it will involve cutting a shim or cutting out the front 2x4, either way it will make a flush surface to attach the vise.

    This bench is the first thing I have ever built. I plan to take some courses but with a super busy work schedule it wont be for at least another month or so.

    taking lessons is ok but you can accomplish a lot more with just a pile of wood, a basic set of carpentry tools, and a drawing of what you want to build. also having the internet can help you to learn a lot.

    That being said, thanks again for taking the time to work with me, and hopefully overlooking my inquisitiveness.

    dont apologize for your inquisitiveness, use it as often as you want to learn new things.

    As for the drawers, I was looking at Lowes today. I saw some 2ftx2ft (3/4 inch thickness) sheets of birch. What I was planning to do, is buy 8 sheets of that, and cut each sheet in half. One 2x2 sheet would be the sides, and one 2x2 sheet would be the front and back. Glue/Screw those together into drawers, the 8 sheets would make 4 drawers. Each drawer would be 2 feet deep, 2 feet wide, and 1 foot tall. Then come up with something to attach it to the bench. (not sure if this is what you had in mind or not). I see you mentioned some sketchs you could draw and I would VERY MUCH appreciate that. Once again, thanks to everyone for lending a hand to a complete newbie.
    before you build the drawers you need to lay out what you want the drawers to hold and than size the drawers around that.
    S.M.Titmas.

    "...I had field experience, a vocabulary and a criminal mind, I was a danger to myself and others."

    -Anthony Bourdain

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