Am i nuts or just a woodworker.

[Pat Barry]

There's nothing stopping you. Go ahead and let us know how things are going as you progress. Are you going to start with the base or with the top?

[Patrick Walsh]

I kinda had a feeling it was a C with a funny little hash above it.

C'est la vie.

[Patrick Walsh]

Well right now i am in talks with Lake Erie and Pete Ross to make me a custom wooden screw vise. I need to source some 24/4 cherry ash or other interesting and hard wood. Im not thrilled on the maple Lake Erie uses in conjunction with my ash.

Last week i purchsed the ash lumber to to the tune of $2500 delivered. Then this week my machinist finally finished some parts that i had him making for some custom pneumatic air clamps i have been building. The bill was twice what he originally quoted. Being thsimthe case i gotta settle down on the tool purchases for a few weeks minimum. The reality is i need #7 or #8 jointer plane, a dowel plate and maybe a tennon saw i can cut a 6" tennon with to build thsi bench. I could just use my band saw for the legs and just might in the end as the $$$$ is getting crazy...

After the lumber sits another month or so i will cut it up rough legths. 36" for the legs and 10' for the top. I have to ripp up that big slab for the legs. I might do that this weekend!? After everything is roughed to length ill let it sit another couple weeks. At this point i will start the base.

Chances are i use my big jointer/planer to dimension the lumebr. I will use the #7 or #8 to fine tune the boards. Being this the case the leg and top laminations may happen in conjuntion to each other?

In the midst of this i also have to get a old and extremely heavy drill press into my shop and up and working. It is a gift from a uncle whom purchsed it for his own shop than came across something nicer.

Maybe i should start a build thread of all this. Or maybe not as i also work 40-50 hrs a week to afford this habbit

Should be fun i am excited! Couple years waiting for this to all come together. And i will surely share at least a few pictures..

There's nothing stopping you. Go ahead and let us know how things are going as you progress. Are you going to start with the base or with the top?

[Kees Heiden]

Yes post pictures! I would forgo the giant tennon saw if it is only for this job. 4 to 5" is plenty for most any other tennon sawing.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

$2500? That was for the 330 bft you said you bought? That was a bit pricey for ash.

[Patrick Walsh]

Yup,

$5.50 a BF. I imagine 12/4 stock is the reason why. I was going to go with all 16/4 and that would had been more like $8-9BF.

My ideal was French oak at $4500 plus shipping for everything. Wood vise,hold fast everything. Second in line was 16/4 cherry but that was $15BF and i could only find 9's. I really wanted to finish at 9' so i chose ash.

$2500? That was for the 330 bft you said you bought? That was a bit pricey for ash.

[Brian Holcombe]

I vote that this is the bench that makes the middle of the room, and you make a bench from something else to use against the wall. This is far too awesome to hide away in the corner and use for glue ups in a few years.

Your second one will be better, but maybe you don't need a second one....

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Yup,

$5.50 a BF. I imagine 12/4 stock is the reason why. I was going to go with all 16/4 and that would had been more like $8-9BF.

My ideal was French oak at $4500 plus shipping for everything. Wood vise,hold fast everything. Second in line was 16/4 cherry but that was $15BF and i could only find 9's. I really wanted to finish at 9' so i chose ash.

$2500 ÷ 330 = $7.58 Did you get parts too? Surely shipping wasn't that much difference. I'm getting 120bft of 12' long 4/4 at $3.44/bft and ocean shipping 1200 miles is only $95.

I second Brian. Put that bench in the center so you can work all angles and overhang long or wide stock.

Glad you went with ash. Oak would darken too much.

Edit: Your wood looks high quality so it's not out if range at $5.50 but I'm trying to figure how you came to $2500.

[Patrick Walsh]

It was just under $2300. And over 330 BF but under 350 I think might have been 360BF?

At the last minute I was offered the one last slab from the flitch and I took it without asking any questions.

I was sent 4/4 for the base and I payed $3BF for that.

Sorry guys this bench is going in the corner. It is right in front of a window looking out to my Americanised Japanese garden "my other pride and joy" and one of the best views in my house. Not to mention the only view outside from my shop.

The other bench will get built. It have a idea or plan already tormenting my brain for my second bench!

[Brian Holcombe]

I pay more than that for Ash. I think it's a fair price.

Japanese Gardening as well? A man after my own heart. Bonsai too?

I've been styling a Japanese Black Pine from a sapling for a few years now. I don't have room for a garden really, but I enjoy working on my shimpakus, a maple and the JBP.