Project by Rxmpo | posted 02-24-2008 08:51 PM | 2027 views | 2 times favorited | 15 comments | ![]() |
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I started woodworking 2 years ago when my wife registered me for a woodworking class at our local BOCES (vocational school) as a Christmas gift. Well, my teacher who was a carpenter/furniture maker was teaching this class for 1st time and told his 6 students “build whatever you want!” I’m sure he will not make that mistake again!! Anyway, I went home and designed this bench on some graph paper and after 10 three hour classes I came home with my first piece of furniture!
Because I didn’t own a single tool and I took right up to the last second of my last class to cut all of the mortises, the first picture was taken the night I got home from my last class and dry fit the bench for the very first time! I started this class 5 weeks earlier never having cut a piece of wood with a power tool in my life…Seeing this bench together for the first time was one of the proudest moments of my life.
15 comments so far
Thuan
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203 posts in 4785 days
#1 posted 02-24-2008 09:10 PM
Now, that’s a great first project, this is what you get when you learn woodworking the right way – a memorable piece for display. I forgot what my first project was, but it did have exposed sheet rock screws.
-- Thuan
GaryK
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10262 posts in 4956 days
#2 posted 02-24-2008 10:54 PM
That’s one good looking first project!
-- Gary - Never pass up the opportunity to make a mistake look like you planned it that way - Tyler, TX
Lakey
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97 posts in 4740 days
#3 posted 02-24-2008 11:24 PM
Very nicely done – clearly, there is a lifetime of great projects ahead of you. Congratulations!
-- "No Board Left Behind"
Scott Bryan
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27249 posts in 4789 days
#4 posted 02-24-2008 11:42 PM
I agree that this is great first project as well. In fact I will go on to say that this would be a great second, or third project too. Great job. Now that you are flush with success what is next on your wife’s list (that usually determines what gets to be done- at least at my home anyway)?
By way of sharing my first- no make that second- project was a cherry corner cabinet that I eventually re-purposed to the deck as a plant stand. (My first was a 12” walnut display shelf, which actually came out ok).
Thanks for sharing.
-- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful- Joshua Marine
MsDebbieP
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18619 posts in 5128 days
#5 posted 02-25-2008 01:14 AM
well, well, well.. look at you!!!
Well done. The design is great.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (https://www.facebook.com/DebbiePribele, Young Living Wellness )
clieb91
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4154 posts in 4902 days
#6 posted 02-25-2008 03:38 AM
Welcome to LumberJocks. A vey nice lookin first project.
Glad to hear you enjoyed and got something out of that class.
hope we’ll be seeing additional projects.
CtL
-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."- PortablePastimes.com (Purveyors of Portable Fun and Fidgets)
Paul D
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2134 posts in 4716 days
#7 posted 02-25-2008 03:47 AM
Very nice first project and welcome to LumberJocks!
-- Paul D - Lawrenceville, Georgia
Rxmpo
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270 posts in 4713 days
#8 posted 02-25-2008 04:11 AM
Thanks for the encouragement! Thankfully, since this project a few friends and family have commissioned some more projects which have been awesome to build. Like to most of you, woodworking to me is not a hobby, but a passion. I’m looking forward to learning and to contributing to this community. Thanks again.
Mike
cajunpen
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14578 posts in 5033 days
#9 posted 02-25-2008 09:09 AM
Good first project – you are off and running. Should be a bright woodworking future ahead.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
Muzhik
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173 posts in 5106 days
#10 posted 02-28-2008 06:36 PM
Well done! I can see why you have commissions already. Welcome to the wonderful world of woodworking (and Lumberjocks)! It’s a slippery slope, my friend. Enjoy the ride!
willabbyproject
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3 posts in 4706 days
#11 posted 03-01-2008 06:56 PM
What great gifts! A great gift of woodworking that you have AND a great gift that was given to you by your wife. I bet you never thought it would come out this good! Beautiful! Don’t stop now!!!
Scott Wigginton
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51 posts in 4713 days
#12 posted 03-01-2008 07:35 PM
Very impressive work and a nice hall bench!
I am 4 weeks into a similar course and considered an almost identical bench design (i am opting for an outdoor swing for our playground).
I’m curious how quickly your tool collection has grown since that course?
-- Scott
Rxmpo
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270 posts in 4713 days
#13 posted 03-01-2008 08:42 PM
Scott,
Thanks for the compliments. Good luck with the project. I have found designing the piece to be just as much fun as building it!
Funny story about my tool collection, while I was building this desk at a woodworking class 10 friends and I had a $200/man “biggest loser” weight loss bet. Well, it was winner takes all prize money and I won the bet which funded my basement woodshop. I have added a few items since then, but the bulk of the tools came from that bet. Amazing what you can accomplish when you set a goal!
rikkor
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11295 posts in 4842 days
#14 posted 03-02-2008 02:42 AM
That would be a pretty good fifth project. Congratulations on doing so well on your first.
Beginningwoodworker
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13345 posts in 4640 days
#15 posted 09-26-2009 05:13 PM
Nice work, Scott.
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