The Moraivan Work Bench Base is Finished

[ken hatch]

The base is finished, it just needs trimming and clean up. I'm impressed, even without closing the box, slab not installed, it is rock solid.


I still think I will paint it with a red undercoat and black over coat of milk paint, both to hide the numerous mistakes and mostly the butt ugly DF.


As I have posted before, the design and engineering of the little bench is impressive. From a wood workers view point it is a fun build with brindle joints, through mortises, and housed dovetails along with the tusk tenons and each joint is there because it is the best joint for purpose. If I had all the time in the world to think about and design a portable bench I don't think I could come up with a better design.


Better construction for sure but design not likely.


BTW, the next one will be better and it is such a fun build I expect there will be several more.

baseFinishedLeft170806dscf1935.jpg

From the other side....Click 'em to big 'em.

baseFinishedRight170806dscf1932.jpg

ken

[Noah Magnuson]

Looks great. How quickly does it knock down?

[ken hatch]

Looks great. How quickly does it knock down?

Noah,

The slab and tool tray set on pegs, the vise will be held in place by tenons in a rail mortise and slab mortise, the long stretchers are keyed. Answering the question could take longer than doing. I've seen it done in about one minute to either knock it down or put it together. No tools other than a mallet are needed.
There are 7 modules, other than the slab none are very heavy and even the slab on my build should be less that 50 lbs. It is going to be interesting to put it to work.

One thing I know for sure is it will not "rack", the base is rock solid. It may need sand bags to add weight for heavy planing, if it does, it ain't no big deal as long as the bench doesn't rack.

ken

[Mike Baker 2]

Nice.
And I think Doug Fir looks great, btw.

[David Eisenhauer]

Good stuff Ken.

[Pat Barry]

Very nice job Ken!

[ken hatch]

Thanks Guys,

Still a bit to go but so far a fun build.

ken

[michael langman]

Looks great Ken. I have always liked the looks and design of the Moravian Bench. Some day I may build one too.

[Kees Heiden]

Nice! Looks like an excelent design. Do you have pics with the top and vise installed?

[ken hatch]

Nice! Looks like an excelent design. Do you have pics with the top and vise installed?

Kees,

Not yet. I'm still waiting on the vise screw. I've some clean up of the base to do before I set the slab, maybe this afternoon or tomorrow.

ken

[Stew Denton]

Hi Ken,

It is looking great.

Question, I have been thinking about a portable bench, and thought about the Moravian bench, especially seeing your posts. My question is: if you made a conventional German/Scandanavian style bench, but used the tusk tenon stretchers like in the Moravian bench, would it be as rock solid as the Moravian bench, based on what you are seeing with the Moravian base so far? (This is with the base trussed at 90 degree angles to the bench top, rather than angled out like the Moravian.)

I, and apparently lots of others are looking forward to seeing the rest of the build, and especially the vices. Thanks for the posts so far.

Thanks and regards,

Stew

[ken hatch]

Hi Ken,

It is looking great.

Question, I have been thinking about a portable bench, and thought about the Moravian bench, especially seeing your posts. My question is: if you made a conventional German/Scandanavian style bench, but used the tusk tenon stretchers like in the Moravian bench, would it be as rock solid as the Moravian bench, based on what you are seeing with the Moravian base so far? (This is with the base trussed at 90 degree angles to the bench top, rather than angled out like the Moravian.)

I, and apparently lots of others are looking forward to seeing the rest of the build, and especially the vices. Thanks for the posts so far.

Thanks and regards,

Stew

Stew,

Thanks, I'm the wrong person to ask, the forum engineer would be much better, but I expect a good part of the rigidity comes from the angles. But there are many ways to a solid bench, tusk tenons with a strong slab connection, completing the box, should work as well.

ken

[bridger berdel]

How will you use it? Your shop doesn't have tons of extra room and already you have 2 benches in there....

[ken hatch]

How will you use it? Your shop doesn't have tons of extra room and already you have 2 benches in there....

Bridger,

I know, my shop should have a one in, one out rule.

The bench is going to live in the RV to be used only on road trips or off site projects.

I'll find any excuse to build a bench, it's a sickness.

ken.

[Brian Holcombe]

Really nice Ken, can't wait to see this with the bench top.