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It started as a bit of a joke. My wife wanted a table for our daughter Jana. She really likes my workbench. I got the idea to make a mini version of my own workbench (see the other project I've uploaded.) But once I started getting into actual design process, I didn't like how a replica would look scaled to her size. So, letting the wood dictate some of the constraints (it's made from a single 8'x10"x2" rough sawn piece of white ash) I came up with this design.

Dimensions are 27" x 16" x 18". The top and legs are 2" thick. True to the Roubo bench design, the legs are flush and square to the top (to provide a vertical clamping surface in addition to the obvious horizontal surface). Weight is approximately 40lbs.

I started it late Thursday evening (I am a habitually-procrastinating elf) I finished Saturday afternoon. Approximately 20hrs total project time.

Parts were assembled using a Festool Domino (my first project with this tool) and glue. I couldn't be happier with the performance of the Domino. My Minimax has a horizontal mortiser, which I used on my big bench with excellent results, but the setup time is considerably longer than the seconds it takes to use the Domino. From the clamping photos you might be able to see how I used the top as a clamping guide to make sure the legs and stretchers glued up nice and square.

Sanded using Abranet abrasives (first try with these… so far a very good impression. Long lasting, great dust collection.) I used a Festool ETS125 ROS and a Dynabrade 5" Spirit pneumatic ROS. The Festool is the best ROS I've used. But the Dynabrade ROS is so much lighter, smoother, quicker cutting, and cheaper. If you have the compressor to drive one of these things I highly recommend them.

The finish has yet to be applied (I left it a little too late to get it dry for Christmas.) I plan to apply Osmo Polyx Hardwax Oil (same finish as on our floors… it's food-safe/kid-safe, low-VOC, and reparable. All good qualities for this application.

My daughter (2yrs old) loves her bench… although it's currently being used to host her tea set. I guess I'll wait until she asks to drill it for dog holes.

Gallery

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That is a cute workbench and a little beauty sitting on it. She will really like it!!
You can't get them started too early to work with wood!............Jim
 

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Very cute & well built woekbench for the cutie.
 

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What an adorable Christmas picture - you better be sure to hold on to this one because you're going to look at it many, many times over the years - especially when she gets older. Very nice workbench and she surely looks like she's happy with it! What a cutie!!!
 

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I am so building one of those! No vise? Dog holes? Oh, I get it; it's really a table…
 

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I'm trying to convince her she'll be fine with just a planing stop, round dog holes some holdfasts from Tools for Working Wood… But she's holding out for a Benchcrafted tail vise and square dog holes.
 

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Love it…. And by the look on her face… She does too. Well done Dad!
 

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Cool very cool! About 2 years ago I made for my then 8 yo a tool box (basic A-frame) with kid sized tools (saw, hammer, tape measure, torpedo level, screwdriver, pliers, etc) all real tools just smaller sized. As she opened it for her birthdays she squealed with excitement as her friends looked on confused with faces that said "eeewww". Well some did, her better friends thought it was cool to.

Anyway it's great having a shop helper isn't it?
 

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That is one beautiful daughter, what a wonderful proud face on that photo.
A wonderful bench.
And what a wonderful workshop you have.
Best thoughs,
Mads
 

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When I was 4 or 5, my Aunt would spread a quilt out in the living room, and give me a coping saw and a piece of pine to play with. They gave me my first tool set too.
 

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Thanks Mads. I've been working on the shop for almost 2 years (since we moved back home after a few years living in England.) It is finally approaching the point where I am satisfied with it. It was a delight to take a break from all the construction work and finally create something. It was also nice to get some confirmation that all that hard work was worth it… the shop was now working with me, instead of against me.
 

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I showed my wife the pic of your shop (shop envy) and she said I couldn't have one (like it).

Mine is a 12×20 out-building I built, nowhere near the room you have! Nice shop!
 

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DYankee: My shop is in my basement, and it's only 13'x21'... and I had to move a furnace, all the ductwork, a water heater, all the plumbing (gas and water) to get that much space.
 

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Very nice bench and a very nice shop to go along with it! I love your floors and the lighting. You better watch out with that little woodworker; don't let her out skill you, lol:)
 

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^Whew! Blood, sweat, and tears there. You made some very smart design choices. It's one of my favorite shops I've seen here. When I build my new shop, I'll steal some of your ideas;)

One day, when you get some breathing time, you should fill out your workshop section. I think there'd be a tremendous amount of interest.
 

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With a small shop and a ton of stuff it took a really long time to puzzle out how things should be. Everything you see is probably the third or fourth iteration of an idea. I spent weeks designing/building a table saw stand and outfeed table, less than a month later it was scrap. And I've lost count of how many times I've rearranged things. The furnace was the biggest roadblock. It wasn't until I committed to moving it that I could properly address the lighting/ceiling/wiring. I did most of it on the cheap too… since I was taking a year off work to "play" in my shop. The Minimax combo machine was a lucky find on Craigslist ($600!) and so was the 3/8" thick rubber flooring ($100 for 600sqft). My workbench was made out of ungraded 4/4 oak that I got for less than $1/bf. (I'm helping a friend build a similar bench, but this time using select or better 8/4 stock… wow, it's so much easier.) It was a ton of effort and would have been so much easier if I knew then what I know now… I guess I just need to consider all that extra work as my "tuition".
 

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You are a scoundrel! I've got a home gym with a rubber floor. A single 8'x4'x1.5" mat to go under the squat cage cost almost $400. Similar 4'x4'x2" mats for the deadlist station were that again. I don't even want to talk about a Minimax for $600. It sounds like you put a lot of effort into shopping, too, and it shows.
 

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Compulsive monitoring of Craigslist via iPhone is the secret. Makes every trip to the bathroom even more productive. :) It's also how I got all my Festool gear, one giant package. I got a great deal, but even at a significant discount that stuff isn't cheap. Which is why I've deleted my Craigslist bookmarks until my budget recovers.
 
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