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

[David Turner]

I took a similar route as Rob. My bench is made up of a purchased laminated maple top 24" wide x 72" long x 1 3/4" thick. To that I added a 4" thick x 4" wide front face for the tail vise and the front vise and included bench dog slots/holes. On the ends and the back I added a 3/4" x 4" strip to make it appear it is 4" thick all around. The legs are of oak reclaimed from pallets. It is approaching 30 years old and is still flat.

David Turner
Plymouth, MI.

[Chris Hachet]

Here's my budget friendly design. Most of the materials are recycled or reclaimed Borg stuff.

The base is made from SYP off-cuts from work, originally sourced at a home center. The legs are 4 1/2 x 5 and the stringers are 3 1/2 x 5. The top is made from two maple butcher block benchtops salvaged from a local factory that closed. I laminated them together to form a solid 3 1/2" thick top 27" x 60". I bolted a 3 1/2" hard maple apron all the way around to make for a cleaner look.

The front vise is hard maple with a curly maple cap, 3 1/2" thick x 8" tall x 36" wide, powered by a Veritas twin screw kit with the screws at 24". The end vise is an old Wilton that I mortised into the top behind the apron with a big maple chop attached to the moving jaw. All the maple used for the apron and vice chops came from a tree that was taken down in a neighboring town. The guy had the presence of mind to saw it into boards and sticker it in case it might be useful. Some had nice figure, some was well spalted, and the rest was just nice and clear. All of it was cheap.

Nice simple bench. how do you like the twin screw front vise?

[John McBride]

Here's my budget friendly design. Most of the materials are recycled or reclaimed Borg stuff.

The base is made from SYP off-cuts from work, originally sourced at a home center. The legs are 4 1/2 x 5 and the stringers are 3 1/2 x 5. The top is made from two maple butcher block benchtops salvaged from a local factory that closed. I laminated them together to form a solid 3 1/2" thick top 27" x 60". I bolted a 3 1/2" hard maple apron all the way around to make for a cleaner look.

The front vise is hard maple with a curly maple cap, 3 1/2" thick x 8" tall x 36" wide, powered by a Veritas twin screw kit with the screws at 24". The end vise is an old Wilton that I mortised into the top behind the apron with a big maple chop attached to the moving jaw. All the maple used for the apron and vice chops came from a tree that was taken down in a neighboring town. The guy had the presence of mind to saw it into boards and sticker it in case it might be useful. Some had nice figure, some was well spalted, and the rest was just nice and clear. All of it was cheap.

Rob,
Awesome use of materials. I actually saw this bench on a couple of other threads I think. I love the use of reclaimed lumber. I have been watching Craigslist for either a reclaimed bowling alley, or the like for a nice maple slab. When they do pop up, the seller usually wants a mint for the slab. I'm talking at or above going bf rate for the lumber. It kind of let's the wind out of my sails when I see what I hope is a deal, turn into something as expensive as just getting the lumber and laminating it myself.....lol

That is one of the reasons I'm kind of hot to use BORG lumber for this bench. I really want to build a quality, traditional bench, but it is going to get USED, so the ability and freedom to use and abuse it with out guilt is a nice feature.

Eventually, once the permenant shop is built, I will build a "real" bench. Probably out of maple or beech. But for now, I lime the reclaimed/BORG/recycled lumber route.

[Randy Bonella]

John, thanks for the kind comments. We're pretty close to the DF source here so it tends to be pretty wet. That being said we also have some pretty good material. Not sure of your selection locally but it might be worth looking at some 4x6 or 4x8 if they are available. I know locally they tend to be better cuts of wood than the 4x4s. Enjoy and look forward to seeing your pictures
Randy...

[Mike Siemsen]

I have built many Nicholson style benches from borg materials.I posted a video on viseless workhold on one at youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvhn-PAfEW4
This particular bench is made to knock down and fit in the back of my Honda Civic. The bench in the background of the video does not knock down and is 8 feet long. They cost around $100 to $120 for materials in my area of Minnesota. I demonstrate building the bench on a video at Lost Art Press http://lostartpress.com/collections/...ked-woodworker
The bench in the Naked Woodworker Video took less than a day to make.

[John McBride]

I have built many Nicholson style benches from borg materials.I posted a video on viseless workhold on one at youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvhn-PAfEW4
This particular bench is made to knock down and fit in the back of my Honda Civic. The bench in the background of the video does not knock down and is 8 feet long. They cost around $100 to $120 for materials in my area of Minnesota. I demonstrate building the bench on a video at Lost Art Press http://lostartpress.com/collections/...ked-woodworker
The bench in the Naked Woodworker Video took less than a day to make.

Mike, heading to view your bids now.....god I love the internet......MORE BENCH PORN!!!!!

[Charles Bjorgen]

I watched Mike's video yesterday and it's a really good outline on many ways to hold work without using a vise. Viewing recommended.

[Paul Saffold]

Excellent video, Mike. Lots of great ideas for cheap work holding. Your video sponsor, Novisatol, is now available here in West Virginia, too.

[joseph quijas]

First time poster here, Long time lurker.
I built the bench in the photo exclusively from Doug Fir. the beams on top are 6x12's and those are 4x4 post as the legs. I fortunately got the material from work (I am a finish carpenter here in the bay area) and the most expensive part of the whole bench was the pattern makers vise. I think the only part that I paid for was the 3/4" pegs purchased from a local hardwood store.
The bench took about two days to build, but I have been doing slight modifications ever since.
To flatten the top I took an electric planer to it and then finished up with a hand plane.
I have been a long time luster of all the benches that I have seen on here, but in my own case, I could not justify the cost nor the labor to build a hardwood bench. The great thing about the bench is that I dont worry about it to much; its gotten paint on it, I set up my tormek on it sometimes, it is a real general purpose bench that I use constantly and dont worry about. If you look closely at the photos, there are even screws driven into the sides of the top (my four year old) and sharpie marks everywhere else (my two year old).
bench2.jpgbench1.jpgbench3.jpg

[Chris Hachet]

First time poster here, Long time lurker.
I built the bench in the photo exclusively from Doug Fir. the beams on top are 6x12's and those are 4x4 post as the legs. I fortunately got the material from work (I am a finish carpenter here in the bay area) and the most expensive part of the whole bench was the pattern makers vise. I think the only part that I paid for was the 3/4" pegs purchased from a local hardwood store.
The bench took about two days to build, but I have been doing slight modifications ever since.
To flatten the top I took an electric planer to it and then finished up with a hand plane.
I have been a long time luster of all the benches that I have seen on here, but in my own case, I could not justify the cost nor the labor to build a hardwood bench. The great thing about the bench is that I dont worry about it to much; its gotten paint on it, I set up my tormek on it sometimes, it is a real general purpose bench that I use constantly and dont worry about. If you look closely at the photos, there are even screws driven into the sides of the top (my four year old) and sharpie marks everywhere else (my two year old).
bench2.jpgbench1.jpgbench3.jpg

Your workshop with its sawdust and well used look makes me feel much better about mine. In the end, it's all about work holding and something you can use. Your bench is definitely well loved.

[John McBride]

First time poster here, Long time lurker.
I built the bench in the photo exclusively from Doug Fir. the beams on top are 6x12's and those are 4x4 post as the legs. I fortunately got the material from work (I am a finish carpenter here in the bay area) and the most expensive part of the whole bench was the pattern makers vise. I think the only part that I paid for was the 3/4" pegs purchased from a local hardwood store.
The bench took about two days to build, but I have been doing slight modifications ever since.
To flatten the top I took an electric planer to it and then finished up with a hand plane.
I have been a long time luster of all the benches that I have seen on here, but in my own case, I could not justify the cost nor the labor to build a hardwood bench. The great thing about the bench is that I dont worry about it to much; its gotten paint on it, I set up my tormek on it sometimes, it is a real general purpose bench that I use constantly and dont worry about. If you look closely at the photos, there are even screws driven into the sides of the top (my four year old) and sharpie marks everywhere else (my two year old).
bench2.jpgbench1.jpgbench3.jpg

AWESOME Joe,
See, this is what I am talking about. I absolutely love the idea that I can spent very, very little money, buy quality materials, (even not so quality materials) build an asthetically pleasing, functional workbench that will last, and last, and do it with out the hastle and worry of the stressor that would come with spending $500 or much more an a "real" hardwood bench.

Add to that, the actual construction becomes much more fun, hypothetically, when you remove the self induced pressures of expensive hardwood. PLUS I can use the damn thing like it was ment to be used. Not concern myself with avoiding any scratch or ding. Love it, Love it, Love it!!!

[joseph quijas]

You could probably find leftovers at a construction site and get them for free or offer about half the price of what you would normally pay. I've often seen lots of material similar to above end up in the trash; construction sites are notorious for waste. I would give craigslist a try and maybe look at some laminated beams also.
One reason I am glad that I did the bench in doug fir was that due to the time constraints (I had a house of 6 international relatives with me at the time) I miscut the top slots to receive the post. The most obvious spot on the whole darn table and I messed it up. Oh well, i just took some wedges and wedged around the tenenons to tighten it up. Only had an Italian Carpenter who was visiting my neighbour point out to me what I had done.
The one thing that I was happy about was I have no glue or nails on the bench; its all draw bored with pegs.
the one item that I would do over again if I had to, was I probably would have bought the slabs for the top instead of salvaging them off of a site (i think about 200.00 here is what you would pay ). The reason is the beams were well twisted by the time I got them (probably sat out in the sun/rain for a year before I got them and brought them into the house). At first when I got them, I let the beams just dry out on a pair of sawhorses for about two years before I finally got to work on them. They are still moving/drying out.

Not sure why I have never seen anyone doing bench's with doug fir; its structural material and looks okay. Most of the houses in the west are now probably framed with the stuff.
My favourite part of this bench is that it is strong; really strong. I have the bottom loaded up with festool tools and the top often has a chop saw on one side and on the other planes, materials and tools etc.
One soon addition is that I want to add some small tool holders/boxes for the space in between the two slabs. They will be removable so that I can empty sawdust ocassionally.
The total length of the table is a little over 8'. I chose this length as I often work on peices somewhere around 8'; cabinet frames, trim pieces, fireplace mantle parts and recently had a heavy and very solid 4"x20"x110" walnut slab that ended up being a fireplace mantle. The bench holds it all.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

What is BORG wood? Is this a term for big box hardware store off-the-shelf stuff? I am still on the hunt for some good wood for a Ruobo. I don't have enough fir from the two sailboat masts I salvaged, or I would gladly use that. I may just ship some maple down and be done. I had hoped for a bonus this quarter- didn't happen.

[Chris Hachet]

What is BORG wood? Is this a term for big box hardware store off-the-shelf stuff? I am still on the hunt for some good wood for a Ruobo. I don't have enough fir from the two sailboat masts I salvaged, or I would gladly use that. I may just ship some maple down and be done. I had hoped for a bonus this quarter- didn't happen.

I think it stands for Big Orange Box (Home Depot) or something....means mostly inexpensive off of the shelf building materials.

[Brian Holcombe]

What is BORG wood? Is this a term for big box hardware store off-the-shelf stuff? I am still on the hunt for some good wood for a Ruobo. I don't have enough fir from the two sailboat masts I salvaged, or I would gladly use that. I may just ship some maple down and be done. I had hoped for a bonus this quarter- didn't happen.

It's short for Big Orange Retail Giant.

If I did mine again it would be white ash and not maple, ash is about 1/2 the price of maple here and it is a nicer wood to work by hand in my opinion. But ash, oak, beech, maple, Purple Heart....all good!

I'd just avoid stuff that moves a lot.