Work bench build - picture heavy.

[woodtickgreg]

View attachment 248409

That's funny. But the only thing I have spent money on so far for this build is glue, lol. I got all the logs for free and chainsaw milled the lumber out of them. I can't even imagine what the hardwood lumber for a build like this would cost. It's why most people settle for pine or something else. I've used crappy benches all my life, made due with what I could. I've even used solid core doors as a workbench, and many construction 2x lumber benches. Its what im using now and I cant wait to give it away, lol. I'm finally going to have a massivly heavy hardwood workbench of my dreams. It will have what I want in a workbench but also be very simple. I've learned over the years what works for me as far as height of the bench, vises, and also the width so I can reach across it if need be and length so I can walk around it. It will be wide enough so I can work on chairs, etc. It will still house my air cleaner so no need for drawers in it. And it will go all the way to the floor so dust and shavings don't go under it, or whatever I drop that always seems to roll under the bench. This will be the last bench I ever build at my age, but I've had years to figure it out and I'm excited about this build and I'm having a lot of fun building something for me and my shop. Maybe my work might inspire others to build a better bench of their dreams too, dunno? My bench might not be what some people consider ideal but it will be for me and how I work in my basement shop. I won't want for more, I'm building exactly what I need and what I want, but remembering the k.i.s.s. too.

 

[woodtickgreg]

Second section is in the clamps. 3 more glue ups for the top.
1st section has been scraped down as well.
That's it for today. Been a long and busy day so this is all I had time for, but it's something.

 

[Nature Man]

Second section is in the clamps. 3 more glue ups for the top.View attachment 248471
1st section has been scraped down as well.
That's it for today. Been a long and busy day so this is all I had time for, but it's something.

Loving the progress!!!

 

[woodtickgreg]

Removed the clamps and ran the second section through the planer. 2 done, 1 to go for the top. If you want to get a work out move one of these sections around, lol.

I know this is probably getting boring and monotonous but it shows the process for anyone thinking of doing this, so here we go on another glue up.

Glue spread, I like to let it set like this for a few minutes to kinda tack up and soak into the ash wood pores.

Clamped. 1 more like this and then glue these 2 sections together.

It seems like a lot of work but I would rather do many small glue ups than try and keep everything straight with a big glue up. Doing it this way it only takes a pass or 2 on the jointer and the bottom is flat and square with the side board.

 

[trc65]

Not getting bored at all. Enjoy watching your progress. What I'm really waiting for is seeing your joinery. Love seeing big mortise and tenons being cut/chopped.

 

[woodtickgreg]

What I'm really waiting for is seeing your joinery. Love seeing big mortise and tenons being cut/chopped.

Me too! But unfortunately there is going to be cutting and machining of the stock and glue ups to make the 6x6 legs. But I'm anxious to do some joinery.

 

[trc65]

When I made mine, was lucky to have some 40 year old 4x6 Douglas fir beams to use. Still remember test fitting those large mortises and lifting the base assembly off and on the upside down top to fit.

 

[2feathers Creative Making]

I am having bench envy...

 

[Mike1950]

When I made mine, was lucky to have some 40 year old 4x6 Douglas fir beams to use. Still remember test fitting those large mortises and lifting the base assembly off and on the upside down top to fit.

My first was old growth Doug fir top and red oak for the rest. Resides at my son's house now

 

[djg]

........ I used my favorite Stanley scraper for that. I don't know why they quit making them, they work excellent.
.........
View attachment 248384

Wooden knob and handle on your scraper? What model No.?

 

[woodtickgreg]

Wooden knob and handle on your scraper? What model No.?

No. 82 with the double sided blades.
Love this thing. It's like a card scraper with a handle.

 

[woodtickgreg]

Yesterday's glue up is out of the clamps and scraped, ready to joint the bottom.

Got home from work late and Betty is already in bed so no noisey machines tonight. Try and joint it tomorrow.

This board needs to be ripped in half, hmmmm, bandsaw wont be too noisey.

Besides that's a lot of material to waste in the planer.

Ready to plane down to 7/8". I did realize that I suck at resawing, lol. Good thing there is extra material, lol.

I need to make this last board thinner to get the 12" I'm shooting for on each section. Hopefully tomorrow I won't have to work so late and I can plane this board and get the glue up in the clamps

 

[woodtickgreg]

10 hour day at work, came straight home and went right down to the shop to plane the last board I needed for the 2nd half glue up.

I'm out of glue! Amazon to the rescue! A gallon will be here tomorrow even if I have to work late.

Next step will be gluing the 2 halves together to make the last section for the top. Once that's done and planed down I'll clean the shop up a bit in preparation for the work on the legs and base.

 

[T. Ben]

 

[woodtickgreg]

The last of the 3 sections is in the clamps! Been a lot of work to get this far.

Next I'll plane them all to the same thickness.
The legs and base is going to be more of the same as far as gluing goes to get the 6x6 leg timbers I need.

 

[woodtickgreg]

Came home from work and emptied the dust collector.
Then took the last section of the bench top out of the clamps. Flipped it over and scraped the bottom in preparation of running it through the planer.
Ready to go! After this one is planed down to the close dimension all the top sections will be run through the planer 1 more time for a skim cut to make sure they are all the same height.

Filled the glue bottles.

Cleaned of the outfeed table and rolled up the craft paper and threw it out. Ill be running the saw again soon to rip the stock for the legs and base.

 

[woodtickgreg]

Today I got the last section planed and surfaced. Then ran all the sections through one time to make sure they are all the same thickness. I was shooting for 3 5/8" but they cleaned up at 3 1/2"
I may have to shim the vice but that's not a big deal and it would only be about an 1/8" shim
This is the bottom.

It will be finished up at 3' wide and 5'6" long. It's about 6' long now.

I filled all imperfections with CA.

And scraped it all level.

The top surface. I will run the center sections of the walnut through the jointer for a clean fit. 1 pass on each surface should do it.

About 3 inches of each end will be cut off to remove snipe. It's almost unavoidable with sections this long and heavy with a benchtop planer.

 

[T. Ben]

 

[woodtickgreg]

A lot of hours at work over the last couple of days. No shop time, not good to be in the shop when your tired.

 

[woodtickgreg]

Well I worked in the shop a bit today, but not really much wood working. My plan for the work bench is to make it so it can be taken apart and moved if need be but still be a masive heavy bench. The 3 sections I have made for the top will stay separate sections to allow for wood movement and also help keep the weight down in the event of a move. It is 3 feet wide, 5 1/2' long, and 3 1/2" thick hardwood. If you want to get a workout move one of these sections around. Lol. But the top sections will be joined together but not glued and no mechanical fastners, how? Dowels. I purchased some 3/4" oak dowels from the big box store. Each section will be loose doweled with about 6 dowels. This will make the top 1 large heavy piece but still able to take it apart if need be.

So I bored a test hole in some scrap ash.

The largest dowel centers I could find where 1/2" So off to the Southbend metal lathe I went. I found a piece of 1" 304 stainless steel and chucked it up and went to work.

And I made my own dowel center. Just enough point to make a mark for drilling

So metal work does cross over to wood working.

1 down and 5 to go.
I also realized I don't have crap for cutting bits for the southbend. I really have to step up my game in that regard. I don't have a parting tool so I'll just cut this off with a hacksaw and sand it smooth.