Show us your Bench

[Greg Millen]

Hi Greg

That is fantastic! I see you have spent a bit on the end vise

The shipping alone must have been a killer.

Hi Derek, thanks for the comments. The vises I decided originally were just what I wanted but way too expensive. Then I considered how long it would take to finish the bench and what they would cost me per week over that time. Given it took me two years to get to this stage it was less than $10 per week, which didn't seem so bad - so that's what I did. A few birthday donations helped to speed it along. I'm glad I did it as they really suit my method of work.

Now, are you going to bring it along for Show-and-Tell at our next meeting?

Regards from Perth

Derek

I'm considering this - do you live near a railway?

[Greg Millen]

Oh my! What a serious looking bench. I bet that thing holds up for a few centuries of use. It must've been a killer on your plane blades to flatten that top. The small amount of Jarrah I;ve worked I def would dred flattening a top like that, more time at the sharpening station than actual planing. But I really like the deep red of your Austrailian hardwoods. Very nice bench Greg and extremely nice hardware.

I used one plane in particular to flatten the high spots, a cheap Stanley #4 fitted with an Academy Saw Works blade. I did not have to resharpen that blade yet it did 90% of the work. Once the hogging was done, I used a #6 with a standard blade followed by a HNT jointer. There were a few spots that jarred the elbows when approached incorrectly but I got used to them pretty quickly.

[Robert Nease]

Wow, what a nice bench. I had to settle for southern yellow pine timbers, 4x6 and 6x6. When I got done surfacing, I was down to about 3.5" thick. Still haven't finished, want to trade? Remember, it's the journey, not the destination.

[Mike Kelsey]

I was wondering if any benches for left-handed WWs would show up

[Leigh Betsch]

Greg, that's one great looking bench. You guys are making me sick, I started this thread and I don't have my bench started yet!

[Greg Millen]

Greg, that's one great looking bench. You guys are making me sick, I started this thread and I don't have my bench started yet!

Leigh, just to make you feel better, you started this thread on 11-14-2009. I began work on my bench 8-4-2008 so you have some time up your sleeve.

Also, my bench is not complete yet, there are still things to do, like make and install the leg vise, apply a finish (Danish anyone?), remake the wagon vise block and drill the horizontal dog holes. That should take a few months and get me past the three year point!

[Robert Miller]

Here is my bench.It' made of white oak. About 8ft long, 24 "wide (without the tool tray.) The top is 4" thick on a trestle base.The end vise is rosewood.

[Robert Nease]

Very nice! I am still struggling to complete my southern yellow pine bench - have been working on it off and on for what seems like a year, now. Have to work a little on it, then work a little on projects for the better half, to balance things out. YOurs looks like it would last several lifetimes, and be a real joy to use! Nice work.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Robert M. that's a pretty slick bench, wow rosewood as end vise.
Although I have posted my bare bones Roubo'esque bench in a separate thread, but here it is for the sake of communal pleasure. SYP 4x4 top and Ash base, one of these days it will have a cabinet in the base.
finished-bench 001.jpg finished-bench 002.jpg

[Seth Ribbens]

New member here, first post seemed appropriate in this thread.

I moved back to WI after 9 years in OR and took the opportunity to try woodworking. My last year out west I had been developing a curiosity for it, but not having space to work on cars prompted the new hobby. I have now been toying around with this for about 9 months.

After chasing a $15 workmate type bench around (and a $100 gift card for Christmas) it was time for a proper bench! All lumber is SPF from the big box stores.

Here is my first go at it. Lesson learned: planning carefully means not redoing hours of work.
DSCN3481.jpgDSCN3482.jpg

Not only was it ugly, but I changed so many things along the way that I gave up as the legs felt ruined. The intended top of the legs became the bottom, etc. And, I was seduced by the massive roubo style legs. That explains going from 3- 2x4's to 4- 2x6's!
DSCN3488.jpgDSCN3487.jpgDSCN3490.jpg


And yes, I am built this in my apartment!

[Seth Ribbens]

Initially I was going for a split top design. Later we'll see that I glued everything together. Why? I guess the gap seemed awkward.

DSCN3494.jpgDSCN3495.jpg

I knew this would be only temporary, but it was cheap and better than no vise at all. I still hate it but it get's me by for now.
DSCN3531.jpgDSCN3530.jpg

[Seth Ribbens]

And finally, pictures I snapped this morning to post here. The top is now one and I just started on one end cap. There is more flattening of the top to go (aesthetically that is, otherwise it is flat).
DSCN2330.1.jpgDSCN2329.1.jpgDSCN2328.1.jpgDSCN2332.1.jpg

You can see my first attempt at cabinet building in some. And, yes, I moved and have a garage! The tool cabinet was prompted by a suddenly growing supply of garage sale finds and downstairs neighbors that sometimes leave the garage wide open for hours.

I picked up a 1.5" wood threading kit from Woodcraft a while back. I'm still trying to figure out how to make it cut threads accurately...
DSCN2334.1.jpg


Other than a drill press and a few cuts with a circular saw, this has been a hand tool only build. And, my first real project. So far I am pleased.

[Bruce Page]

There's a lot to be pleased about Seth. That is a nice solid bench!

[harry strasil]

Way to go Seth, NICE JOB, you will always remember the first bench you built yourself. May all your splinters be small and shallow and your new calouses be forever.

My bench legs look small and spindly to most other benches, but I used what I had to make my benches and both are mostly salvaged material. Kinda vise heavy tho! LOL

[Bill Moser]

Hi all,
Attached is a pic of my latest ligneous creation, a 4 ft long, 9 in wide, 14 in tall "workbench", in quartersawn white oak. It weighs about 35 lbs; I've also attached a pic of my 350 lb Charlesworth-style for comparison. I'm planning on using the mini-bench to build a tv stand to match a coffee table I just finished, so we'll see how that goes. The mini-bench is kind of an east/west hybrid, with elements of Japanese and western-style benches. The idea is to have something light enough to be portable, so I can work outside, yet be able to handle all phases of woodworking on reasonably large scale items. I know I can chop mortises on it, saw on it using Japanese saws, and plane small-to-medium sized things like legs for the coffee table. The next step is to try to dimension a 4ft long by 6in wide board on it. I think I have it worked out, but haven't tried it yet. A small carpenter's tool bag holds all the tools I need for a particular job, so with my collapsible dolly to lug around the bench and whatever lumber I'm working on, I can take this anywhere.