With very little...

[Pedro Reyes]

I am posting this as a way to inspire other beginners like me, I see too many posts about how many tools, how big a workbench? Which vises and all our (and I include myself) obsession with having the perfect bench and tool sets.

I had an average walnut board, and (IMO) what turned out to be a gorgeous cherry board.

Few grooves and dados




test fits



draw a curve and cut it



start refining with spokeshave



wrestle the damn thing together, glue+clamp, rub some linseed oil+turpentine mix, and you get this.



I will confess I do have more tools than I need, but at the time I don't even have a workbench, this was all done on an old (see pictures) Workmate which sits outside, the rest was done on a bench hook sometimes on that Workmate, sometimes on the kitchen island!!!

It is far (far) from perfect, in fact it is worse than some work I have done earlier, but the cherry boards save the day (IMO). I really like to combine cherry that has those dark stains with walnut.

Having mentioned the sophisticated "workbenches" used, here are the tools used:

Old Stanley #5-1/2
Lie Nielsen #60-1/2
Spokeshave
Coping saw
two (two!!!) chisels
Record #50 (okay I admit this is not on everyone's toolbox, but I have done grooves like that with chisels alone).
joinery saw (a crappy crown gents saw I think is all I used - owning a LN set of saws)
Stanley #3 smoother

All I needed were those few tools and a reason to start. If you just start, the worse thing that can happen is you'll get the most precisely cut firewood and a whole lot of knowledge. I am guilty of waiting for the perfect tool or workbench, or even the perfect project, but just going at it is always better and inspiring.

This was done in a very short time (spread over some more considerable time). Pick an easy project like this and just go at it.

peace

Pedro

[Andrew Hughes]

Well that's looks Damn nice Pedro.Becareful or will find yourself making nice things.Insead of having nice tools. We all say that will never happen to me.Until one day you find your self using your LN plane with old finger prints on it! Nice hanging shelf thanks for sharing.

[Frederick Skelly]

Looks great Pedro! And it is definitely inspirational, as you intended!
Fred

[Kent A Bathurst]

Pedro -

You nailed it. Not the work piece, but your point:

The craftsman makes the tools, the tools don't make the craftsman.

[Brian Holcombe]

Nice work Pedro!

[Phil Mueller]

Well said Pedro. I can appreciate the sentiment.
I also know many of us spend considerable effort to avoid the dark areas in cherry. You celebrate it. Thanks for the post.

[Randy Karst]

Nice design and execution and in particular the well crafted point you made and sent home with this project - happy woodworking!

[Matt Lau]

Great work!

[Jim Koepke]

A very nice piece.

Thanks for sharing and expressing a great point.

jtk

[Kees Heiden]

Well done! But I still would put a real working bench close to the top of your to-do list.

[Pedro Reyes]

Well done! But I still would put a real working bench close to the top of your to-do list.

Thanks to all for the kind words.

@Kees, agree. It sort of is, but at this point in my life it will have to be outside, covered. I am watching (the very long) Morovian Bench build vid. The bench (without the tray) has some appealing characteristics. I am already hunting for decent SYP boards at the BORG.

Pedro

[Barry Dima]

With my four chisels, I should be able to do, like 100% woodworkery, right?

Fantastic post (and resultant thread). Big thanks for making this point, Pedro.

@Kees, agree. It sort of is, but at this point in my life it will have to be outside, covered. I am watching (the very long) Morovian Bench build vid. The bench (without the tray) has some appealing characteristics.
Pedro

Is this Will Myers's build? the knockdown bench? I'd love to hear your thoughts on getting it (or any bench) to work outside, since that option is one of my better ones. Mother Nature can be a cruel, though.

[Pedro Reyes]

With my four chisels, I should be able to do, like 100% woodworkery, right?

Fantastic post (and resultant thread). Big thanks for making this point, Pedro.



Is this Will Myers's build? the knockdown bench? I'd love to hear your thoughts on getting it (or any bench) to work outside, since that option is one of my better ones. Mother Nature can be a cruel, though.

Well, I have been asking around, I think it can be done if proper care is taken, at least give a good 5 year service, which may be okay given sometimes we want to change benches anyway. I think it was Dave, who recommended using Minwax wood hardener, I believe he used it on a picnic table and after years the elements ate through everything but left the 4-6" leg bottoms unharmed. The idea would be to treat the bottom 6" of each leg, and cover the bench when not in use. You still have to worry about moisture collecting inside some sort of (grill?) cover.

That is why the Morovian Bench is somewhat appealing, even if I don't disassemble every time, I can knock it down when I know I won't be working for several weeks.

/p

[cody michael]

Well that's looks Damn nice Pedro.Becareful or will find yourself making nice things.Insead of having nice tools. We all say that will never happen to me.Until one day you find your self using your LN plane with old finger prints on it! Nice hanging shelf thanks for sharing.

somedays I find myself having more fun buying the tools then actually using them, I need to work on that.


If your bench is going to be outside would using a more rot resistant wood be a better choice, possibly treated lumber, cedar etc. I know nothing about hand tool benches but I made a pretty nice work bench from a few 2x4's and some wood from a water bed frame.

[Steve Voigt]

Nice work. I especially like, and heartily endorse, the idea that one can do good work like this with a limited toolkit.

For those lacking a plow plane like your Record, a great option is a Roubo-style open throat grooving plane. Dave's classic thread is here:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...s-step-by-step

Also, search for "Roubo Bouvet 10th tool" to see the image Warren posted, and ensuing interesting discussion.