Benches made from BORG wood.....PICS/designs, tips, tricks, sock it to me!!!!!

[John McBride]

So I am RE-building a very small shop finally, after divorce, patience, and determination. I am significantly downsizing, and starting from scratch.

I want to build a bench. no rookie to this, I assure you. Several maple and Beech benches laminated and constructed over my career, and another, eventually in my future again.

For now though, I want something that will serve my needs, yet provide me with just a little.....pinache?

For that reason, and since my budget is so thin, I wanted to just see what benches, traditional Scandi, Europian,etc. benches you folks have made using the SYP, Doug Fir, or whatever, that you have been able to source from the local BORG stores.

ANY takers?

[paul cottingham]

I have a good friend who built a very nice Roubo bench from Douglas fir. I am positive you could build a Roubo from Borg lumber. You may need to weigh it down a little, he does.
The top of my bench is jointed 2x6 lumber, and it works fine. Frankly, I don't fuss over it too much. I have never even flattened the top (gasp!) It works great for someone of my extraordinarily modest skills.

[John McBride]

Wonderful,
I am planing to build a bench because I need one, but have neither the funds, nor the need for a replacement to my old Beech bench from a previous life until the new shop building is actually built. For now, I just wanted to hear about build experiences using the BORG sourced materials, and to see what folks had built.

I have been/am running searches here, and have seen some already. Loving what I see.

I don't know, I guess I feel that even if it is BORG lumber, I still want to build something traditional, as well as functional. Something pleasing to the eye, that I won't be as concerned about actually using, and that can eventually be a good spare bench once a replacement can be built for the one I lost in the meelee of divorce.

Anybody else have pics? Words of wisdom? Tips on design or construction?

[Chris Hachet]

I don't know if we are allowed to link in this forum, but at Lumber Jocks, project # 39550 is a split top bench that is currently giving me a lot of inspiration.

Sorry about your divorce, that really is unfortunate.

[Rich Harkrader]

I built the Paul Sellers/English Joiners workbench from SYP that I got from Lowe's. He has a video series about it on YouTube and a blog series as well. You'll have to Google those, since I can never keep whatever the link rules are here straight from week to week.

IMG_20141016_181000.jpgIMG_20141016_181051.jpg

[Chris Hachet]

I built the Paul Sellers/English Joiners workbench from SYP that I got from Lowe's. He has a video series about it on YouTube and a blog series as well. You'll have to Google those, since I can never keep whatever the link rules are here straight from week to week.

IMG_20141016_181000.jpgIMG_20141016_181051.jpg

I have always liked that video series and that bench. Gald to see that you did such a ncie job building it.

[Tony Shea]

Sorry about the poor pictures but this bench was made with Doug Fir 4x4's from the BORG that I selectively picked up over a period of time. But if I had it to do over again, which I eventually will, I would not use 4 x 4's but would pick out 2x12's and rip them to width and laminate my benchtop using those. The 4 x 4's caused me to get a bit too shallow in thickness than I wanted. But so far this bench has served me really well!

Shop resize.jpg Bench vise resize.jpg Bench side resize.jpg

[Richard Hutchings]

What problems did you see with the 4 X 4s? Why do you need a 6" thick bench?

Sorry about the poor pictures but this bench was made with Doug Fir 4x4's from the BORG that I selectively picked up over a period of time. But if I had it to do over again, which I eventually will, I would not use 4 x 4's but would pick out 2x12's and rip them to width and laminate my benchtop using those. The 4 x 4's caused me to get a bit too shallow in thickness than I wanted. But so far this bench has served me really well!

Shop resize.jpg Bench vise resize.jpg Bench side resize.jpg

[Chuck Nickerson]

What problems did you see with the 4 X 4s? Why do you need a 6" thick bench?

The 4x4's are 3-1/2 which means the top probably finishes to 3", maybe 3-1/4".
A ripped 2x12 gives you 5-1/2", which easily finishes to 4-1/2.

When making mine from 2x12's I used the 5-1/2" to work around edge knots, leaving me with good yield and an easy 4" top.

[David Castor]

I'll drop out of lurk mode briefly... I built a basic workbench using kiln-dried Douglas Fir from the local Home Depot. Since I live in Oregon, there is no SYP framing lumber availalble. I used 2x4s for the top - hand planed the faces prior to gluing, then I ripped off the curved edges with a bandsaw. I used a couple of 2 x 6s for each leg. I read a lot of recommendations to buy 2 x 12s and/or 4x4s and rip them down, but our local yards have no kiln-dried framing lumber larger than 2 x 6 - at least that I could find.

I had to sort through A LOT of sticks to find ones that were reasonably straight-grained and free of knots. I made a lot of trips to HD, sometimes getting only two or three 2 x 4s. The fir is soft and dents easily, the workbench seems heavy enough - it doesn't budge when planing. It was good experience - cut my first M & T joints, and got a lot of practice with my hand planes and chisels. But it took a long time. If there's a next time, I'll probably get a lunch box planer to help speed up the prep work a little.

Probably the first step is to see what your local store normally stocks then figure out your options for material.

Sorry about the divorce. But I'm always reminded of the Willie Nelson line: The reason why divorces are so expensive? They're worth it.

Good luck,

Dave

[John McBride]

That's awesome guys, thanks.....Chris, unfortunate ? Well....yes, I suppose. But ultimately the best move either of us ever made. Zero regrets....thanks for the encouragement and compassion though.

What a great looking bench. I will absolutely look up the YouTube for that.....thanks.

[John McBride]

@tony....that is sweet Tony! I love that bench. That is more or less what I am considering for design of mine. Something rather traditional, mortised trestle base, thick top, et .

[Karl Andersson]

Here's my scandinavian bench, posted a few years ago: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/album.php?albumid=794 . Used BORG Doug fir 4x4s for all of it, had to go to several stores to hand-pick wood with the tightest rings and least knots; as stated above, when I do it again, I'll use ripped 2x12s now that they carry those in DF. The top doesn't flex, but dents pretty easily - I've gotten used to using bench hooks and other props for mortising, beating things, etc. It's a bit lighter than others, but you get used to it and put wieghts on it or strategize how to place things so you're putting any great force along the length, not across it (like ripping thick boards). For most tasks, I don't have to pause at all, just do it. For assembly, it was definitely worth grooving and putting splines in each top board to help alignment and strengthen the joint, based on problems others have reported when doing large glue-ups. I got these all together at once and clamped, no issues at all with the joints ever since.

bench01.JPG
Karl

[John McBride]

Karl, that's beautiful. I am leaning to something very similar. Perhaps sans the shoulder vice.

I have actually been looking at the Acorn bench in Landis's workbench book. That design feels good to me as a potential jumping off spot for a bench made from BORG materials. If for no other reason than to get some practice, live with the bench a bit, and also give me time to figure out tweaks for when I go to build in a hardwood.

[Karl Andersson]

The shoulder vise does cause you to adjust your work and movements, but since my main bench is only about 18" wide, the extra width of the top and leg spacing for the shoulder vise side do add substantial stability against tipping. It's great for sawing dovetails and ripping. One more thing about the 4x4 top; at about 3 1/4 " thick, I've never had a problem getting Gramercy holdfasts to stick tight or to release when needed.