Woodworking bench

[Ernie]

I purchased these plans some time back and I decided to go ahead and try to make a good woodworking bench. I have been wanting one for a couple of decades and have not found a decent used one for sale and can't justify the cost of a new one that I like so I figured I need to do it now while I am still able.

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So I need some hardwood. The plans suggest a hardwood top and vises then use Douglas fir for the rest of the bench however I want to use all hardwood. I have been looking for a local sawmill for the last couple months. The internet was not productive so asking around I finally found someone who knew someone still in business. He invited me out to his shop, we opened bundles of seasoned wood and I decided on ash which is disappearing fast due to the emerald ash borer. Picked out some air dried 2" planks and some kiln dried 1-1/2" planks and got about 180 board feet home.

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Now comes the hard part. I have to make space in the shop to set up the tools beginning with moving the truck out. I am now shopping for a temporary carport or something to keep it out of the weather. This is not going to be a quick project but I hope the end product will satisfy my need for a traditional style bench.

[markiver54]

Good for you Ernie. I wish I had room for a good wood working bench. I make do with what my small shop allows though. Just today I built a router table for my old Craftsman 315 router. I get a lot of joy out of basic woodworking projects. Hope your bench turns out to your satisfaction.

[BrokenolMarine]

We have kept the Titan in a Carport since we bought it new, it's a 2010. It still looks good, not faded or weather beaten. The one concession we made to Oklahoma weather was to buy breathable sunscreen sides for the carport here. So far so good.

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The advantage to the permanent carport is you can set up folding tables outside in the covered area when you need a larger work space or doing major cutting with the chop saw and wished the sawdust would just blow away, and cut outside under the carport out of the sun/rain in the spring, summer, fall... I have often set up a pair of 8' folding tables to give me an 8' x 8' assembly area there. just back the Titan out and get at it. With the concrete pad I have rolled the table saw out there and done major cutting out there as well.

[Sir Henry]

Ernie that is way above my pay grade. Keep us posted on the build.

[daytime dave]

That is a great looking project. Isn't it funny how one thing leads to another. You now need the carport to finish the bench.

[GunnyGene]

Making your own bench is one of the most satisfying and useful projects you can tackle. I built one (much simpler than yours) about 20years ago, and basically for the same reason. Even back then a good Sjoberg was well over $1000 and over $2000 with under bench cabinet. Looking forward to following your build.

[Ernie]

Making your own bench is one of the most satisfying and useful projects you can tackle. I built one (much simpler than yours) about 20years ago, and basically for the same reason. Even back then a good Sjoberg was well over $1000 and over $2000 with under bench cabinet. Looking forward to following your build.

Looked hard at the Sjoberg benches now $3000 + for a comparable bench made of Beech. I probably won't make the cabinet but final decision will be made at that stage. I truly love cherry and think it would make a fantastic looking bench but it is softer so I walked away from some beautiful planks ( left a little drool behind) and chose the ash knowing it will work out better in the long run. Ironically this bench would be easier to make if I had this bench.

[Ernie]

That is a great looking project. Isn't it funny how one thing leads to another. You now need the carport to finish the bench.

Always seems to work out like that doesn't it.

[Ernie]

We have kept the Titan in a Carport since we bought it new, it's a 2010. It still looks good, not faded or weather beaten. The one concession we made to Oklahoma weather was to buy breathable sunscreen sides for the carport here. So far so good.

Don't want to get too crazy but I need to do something that won't end up at the county seat in the next storm.

[GunnyGene]

Making your own bench is one of the most satisfying and useful projects you can tackle. I built one (much simpler than yours) about 20years ago, and basically for the same reason. Even back then a good Sjoberg was well over $1000 and over $2000 with under bench cabinet. Looking forward to following your build.

Looked hard at the Sjoberg benches now $3000 + for a comparable bench made of Beech. I probably won't make the cabinet but final decision will be made at that stage. I truly love cherry and think it would make a fantastic looking bench but it is softer so I walked away from some beautiful planks ( left a little drool behind) and chose the ash knowing it will work out better in the long run. Ironically this bench would be easier to make if I had this bench.

I think you done good. A little drool is good for you.

Btw, I don't know how good the plans you've got are, and I don't want to school you about the build. But are you planning on an edge grain top for it? That's really the best way, but it takes a lot of glue, clamps, and cauls to keep it flat during assembly. You should also alternate grain direction on the boards to help avoid trouble down the road with seasonal changes.

I have an antique (early 20thcentury) Students bench that I picked up at a local estate auction a few years back, that I thought you might like to see. The great thing about these small benches is they easily breakdown flat for transport. Made a drawer cabinet for it for extra storage. It was in pretty rough shape, but it had this great old Abernathy 80D vise hanging off it. Brought it home and started to clean it up and was surprised that it was entirely made of birdseye maple, including the vise faces. I did have to make new feet for it tho since the originals had pretty much rotted away. I ended up moving the vise to my main bench.