My First Workbench Build - A Journal

[Eric Schubert]

Don't kill yourself trying to get those stretchers perfect.

Definitely a weakness of mine... trying to be a perfectionist. It's a big reason I never finish projects. I spend so much time trying to consider all of the factors that it gets to be overwhelming, and I just stop working on it (if I started at all). That's one reason I'm trying to commit to getting some work done at least every 3 days on my bench. I must keep moving forward!

[Robert Engel]

Eric I'm not meaning to be critical and I don't know how much free time you have AND and I'm probably out of line for saying this but you indicated you have trouble finishing projects. And now you're 15 mos into this project. Even though it is a big project it's not really that big if you break it down into components.

Perfectionism is a curse and I too definitely have to fight it. ive found thru experience as your skill level increases it's much easier to get thing s right quickly. As a result frustration decreases and satisfaction increases.

Bottom line we perfectionists have to give ourselves a break, realize we are humans not CNC's with arms and legs and therefore there will be errors. In fact there has to be errors if we are to prove we builder it by hand, right?

I admit sometimes I have a problem pushing thru a project. Although sometimes it is necessary (for example if I hit a design issue, I will deliberately shelve a project for a while til I settle it in my mind). I often will do little side projects in the middle of a project for a break, but I try to keep my mind always on getting back to it.

This is something you must overcome in your own way. The only thing I've found that works for me is mental discipline and creating a vision on my mind of the finished project and the satisfaction that comes with it.

I've pretty much overcome it and I owe a lot of that to a refocus on hand tools and away from machinery. I was fast approaching a point where ww'ing was no longer enjoyable, but rather a frustration and sessions in self criticizing.

Hope this gives you a bit of encouragement and perspective.

[Eric Schubert]

Thanks, Robert. I do appreciate the encouragement. And, I agree, this project has been in progress for a LONG time...

I tend to have a lot of different things that pull me in all sorts of directions besides full-time work. For example, I'm not only attempting to learn woodworking, but I also enjoy photography, I brew beer, play board games, have regular tabletop roleplaying sessions with friends 2-3 nights a week, and target shoot/reload, plus I want to hit the golf links more often this year. So, my schedule is pretty busy as it is. I also have trouble motivating myself to do things that I know aren't going to be that exciting. (Can you say... flattening/squaring slabs of wood? Or how about working out?)

I do want to get this project done. And that's why I try to at least keep making forward progress. But this first part, having to prep all of these pieces, has been tedious and tiring. This doesn't exactly help my sense of motivation, which is why I've typically only worked on this project about an hour or so at a time. (Although, I'm wondering if prepping EVERYTHING at once is the best way to go or not..?) Still, I have noticed that it's been getting easier as I go, so at least I know I'm learning and improving my skills.

I realize these are all just excuses. I have plenty of time to work on this project. I just need to push myself to get more done, which is always something I've struggled with.

[Eric Schubert]

I guess, just to add to my previous reply...

For whatever reason, I tend to get very focused and passionate about things that are interesting and new to me. But, once I research and learn all about something (not that I ever REALLY learn everything about anything...), that tends to slow down and I find something else that's interesting to me that I can focus on. I've done the same thing with other hobbies, like aquariums. I read a TON about keeping aquariums, both saltwater and freshwater. I had 2 or 3 aquariums running at one time. For some reason, that passion just died down as I felt I learned everything I wanted to know about them. I still miss having an aquarium and want to set another one up. (We haven't had one since moving a few years ago.) But, I found new and interesting things that stole my attention.

My point is that I tend to burn myself out on things by going gangbusters on all of the research. But, I really enjoyed woodworking in high school, so I want to try and keep this hobby going. I just need to find a way to push myself to keep learning and trying new things. And I need to find new motivation to take a project that's been "active" for 15 months and push it to completion. Sometimes, when you have a project this long, it's easy to lose motivation. It feels like it's never-ending. Or overwhelming in scale. So, add that to the way that my brain operates and it's not really helping.

Again... excuses. But, just trying to help you understand that I'm fighting my own brain/personality with this workbench project.

[Eric Schubert]

While today is marked as a day to make progress on my bench, your push in the right direction was great to help get things done early in the day before work. I decided to just go ahead and double up on the short stretchers, too. If I'm going to do it, I may as well just do it right. I had some squared pieces that were plenty long enough. I cut them into 3 pieces each, gluing two pieces from each long board together to make the bottom short stretchers. The top stretchers I'll leave as a single board thickness, as the top will provide stiffness once it's lag screwed onto the base.

I'll try to revisit this later today to start cutting tenons on the top short stretchers.

[Eric Schubert]

As promised, I got a bit more done tonight with what time I had. While my bottom short stretchers dry, I can at least cut the tenons for the top short stretchers. I laid out the first one with a 1/2" shoulder all around the tenon and cut away. Overall, seems to be nice, straight cuts with very little paring needed. I'm quite happy with how this piece turned out.

[Eric Schubert]

Another progress report. Got the second top stretcher tenons cut. Next up, I want to make sure I flatten/square my doubled-up short tenons. Once those are done, I'll work on cutting the rest of the tenons. After tenons, I want to get my legs cut to rough length and square at least one end to be the bottom/foot.

[Eric Schubert]

Got to it again today. Spent about 3-4 hours removing glue lines and squaring up the doubled-up short stretchers, then cut the tenons on both of them.

Cutting the tenons was interesting. The long sides were a little trickier with my saws. They're not designed to have so many teeth engaged with the piece. But, it still worked.

I'm pretty proud of my ability to square the stretchers. As I laid out my tenons, the lines came around nearly perfectly. If they were off at all, they were only as bad as these:



And all four pieces together...


Next up, cutting tenons on the long stretchers. Then on to chopping some mortises. I'm considering assembling the base, then worry about the top. But, should I cut the double tenons in the legs before or after assembling the base..?

[Phil Mueller]

I'd do it before assembly. Much easier to manage/maneuver the piece around in a vice than wrestling with a glued up base.

Glad to hear it's coming along...congrats on the progess!

[Eric Schubert]

Good point, Phil. I'll go that route.

And, thanks! It feels good to see some momentum building. I want to get this thing done so I can start my next project!

[William Fretwell]

If you can hold the pieces properly cut them before assembly. If you can't then cut them after assembly; this would be my second choice.
As for the precision thing, be precise where it matters only. If an outside curve won't matter don't worry, if the underside of the bench is ugly who cares? You have to be selective on big projects to get it done. At the end of the day it just adds to the handmade character of the bench. If the joints fit and it's square where it needs to be that's all you need. My top stretchers still have the marks from the saw mill on the sides, I love that! It gives manufacturing history and character, but you won't see it without searching. Plan to add some whimsy to the bench, because you CAN. That touch, that uplift, will make you smile when you use it. It will show the discrepancies to be just that and you can do more than just get there. Mine is a tool tray made of Black Walnut, Cherry and Quarter Sawn White Oak.

[Eric Schubert]

I like that idea, William. Thanks for suggesting it. I was thinking I'd make sliding tool trays for the center, so that would work perfectly. I hadn't planned any embellishments (not that I can carve with a darn), but that will add some character. I'll consider other places to mix it up a little, too.

I felt ambitious tonight, so I put in some more work. I got one long stretcher done. I cut the tenons in both ends. Only one more long stretcher to go. Then come the legs.

[Noah Magnuson]

Looking good. It will all come together before you know it.

[Eric Schubert]

Thanks, Noah! Guess I just need that little push to motivate me again. I'm even starting to think about finishes.

My first thought is either unfinished or an oil finish. What would you all recommend?

[Brian Holcombe]

Looking good. No finish, a planed surface is in and of itself 'finished'. This is especially true in the realm of workbenches where a film finish or oil finish will do you a disservice in use.