Another Bench Thread

[ken hatch]

I just finished building a new bench a couple of weeks ago. I started rough cutting the lumber June 15th and finished the bench the last week of July. BTW, it was built not so much to replace my SYP bench but as an addition to. The new bench is made of European Beech and is 2485mm long, 625mm wide, and 880mm tall. The top has an asymmetrical split and is 100mm thick. It has a Paramo #52 face vise I've owned since the 70's that has been my goto vise on most of my work benches. The other work holding will be done with holdfasts, stops, and battens. Here is a photo of the completed bench with the old SYP bench in the background:




With the back story established I'll cut to the chase: One of my co-workers helped a little with the rough dimensioning and early glue up of the slab. I offered to help him build a bench whenever, well this week was whenever. He called Monday and asked if I was ready to start his bench. What can the answer be other than "sure". Just a couple of observations, construction grade lumber has more than doubled in price over the last few years, I paid less than 0.40 USD/BF about three years ago for SYP, this week DF cost about 1.00 USD/BF and it is really hard to find good boards even in the 2X12 pile.

The wood is really wet but it will work for starting the base which we did. The four legs are glued, dimensioned except for length, and marked for rough mortice position. The long stretchers are also glued up. I figure a couple or three weeks working when the two of us can find time off together and we will have that sucker knocked out.

Exciting photo of the glued up legs with the stretchers picking out of the lower right corner :-):

[Brian Holcombe]

That beechwood bench is sweet. What steers you toward the different style of vise for this one over the SYP version?

[ken hatch]

That beechwood bench is sweet. What steers you toward the different style of vise for this one over the SYP version?

Brian,

Thanks, It has been everything I expected when I was planning the build and maybe even a little better. I have yet to run into a false note nor wish I had done or added anything different. I think some of that is years of working on different benches and remembering what worked well and what bugged me.

When I built the SYP bench I installed the leg vise, after working with it for almost a year I took it off and installed the old Paramo. When I first started thinking about building a new bench I re-installed the leg vise and worked with it for a month or so to see if I wanted to get a leg vise with a "johnson bar" and crisscross (I didn't) before going back to the Paramo. I worked with the Paramo on the SYP bench right up to the time to mount the slabs on the beech bench. As you can see the leg vise is re-installed on the SYP, it works OK for a secondary bench but it is slower than the Paramo and with the wheel my old hands have a tough time getting it tight enough and once tight enough it's even harder on 'em to get it loose. Bottom line, while the leg vise is ok, a quick release English metal vise is better for my way of working or in other words some OF's have a hard time changing their ways :-).

ken

[george wilson]

Ken,there is hardly any info about you. Where are you located,and how did you get European beech?

[Harold Burrell]

Oh, man...that bench is SWE-E-E-E-E-E-T!!!


By the way...your shop is too neat.

[Mel Fulks]

Yes, fine bench AND Pulitzer quality photographic and journalistic editorializing. "SYP bench in background"

[ken hatch]

Ken,there is hardly any info about you. Where are you located,and how did you get European beech?

George,

I'm semi-retired, a little long on the semi and short on the retired part but what the hey it keeps me out of the bars, in Tucson, AZ. My local wood store brought in a load of European Beech and it has been on sale. With the sale price and my discounts the Beech was less per BF than any of the suitable domestic hardwoods and it was clearer as well. I've wanted to make a "pretty" bench for awhile, the price of the Beech pushed me over the edge.

BTW, on your advise I picked up a Spyderco extra fine ceramic stone yesterday. Thanks, it may be what I've been looking for. The first couple of irons off have looked and worked very well.

ken

[Paul Saffold]

Ken, that's another really nice bench. One thing you've done, that's just a small detail, but nice, is having the shelf flush with the stretchers. On my bench the shelf is recessed about 3/4". Cleaning off the shavings and sawdust is annoying because of it. Nice job.
Paul

[ken hatch]

Oh, man...that bench is SWE-E-E-E-E-E-T!!!


By the way...your shop is too neat.

Hey....I did sweep a week or so ago and most of my chisels are racked :-).

Thanks, BTW have you had a chance to do much work on your new bench?

ken

[ken hatch]

Ken, that's another really nice bench. One thing you've done, that's just a small detail, but nice, is having the shelf flush with the stretchers. On my bench the shelf is recessed about 3/4". Cleaning off the shavings and sawdust is annoying because of it. Nice job.
Paul

Paul,

Thanks,

Funny you mentioned the shelf, if you could see the SYP bench you would see the shelf is below the stretchers and it was one of the few things that bugged me about that bench.

ken

[ken hatch]

Yes, fine bench AND Pulitzer quality photographic and journalistic editorializing. "SYP bench in background"

Well kinda in the background, if you squint.

ken

[Harold Burrell]

Hey....I did sweep a week or so ago and most of my chisels are racked :-).

Thanks, BTW have you had a chance to do much work on your new bench?

ken

Actually...I'm still tinkering with it. Filling gaps, prepping it for finish...

I will be away for a week. Leaving today. I plan on checking it for flatness, again, when I get back.

I told my wife last night, "I'm going to miss my bench."

"More than me?", she asked.

I'm afraid I hesitated too long...

[Jim Matthews]

I'm building a replacement top for my bench.

Thanks for the tip on the asymmetric split, that's one I hadn't considered.
How did you determine where to put it?

Lastly, what's the notch at the far left for?

Nicely done.

[ken hatch]

Actually...I'm still tinkering with it. Filling gaps, prepping it for finish...

I will be away for a week. Leaving today. I plan on checking it for flatness, again, when I get back.

I told my wife last night, "I'm going to miss my bench."

"More than me?", she asked.

I'm afraid I hesitated too long...

Harold,

I wouldn't worry too much about flatness for a couple or more months if it is anywhere close now. Just get on it and work, giving it time to finish doing its stupid wood tricks then once it is settled get it flat.

What's the old punch line modified for a woodworker....send pictures of the workbench.

ken

[ken hatch]

I'm building a replacement top for my bench.

Thanks for the tip on the asymmetric split, that's one I hadn't considered.
How did you determine where to put it?

Lastly, what's the notch at the far left for?

Nicely done.

Jim,

My old bench had a symmetric split with about 270mm of work area on each side of the split. I found the work area ok but many times the split was where I would need to place a dog hole for the holdfasts. By increasing the work area of the top to 370mm and keeping the same width I now have a better work space with no interference to dog hole placement. In addition I keep the build advantages of a split top. Kinda win win.

I think the notch is just "there" because I didn't make the split fill full length. Wish I had a reason other than "because" :-).

ken