Oh ok, I get it. I was thinking that looks like a English/Nicholson style. I am curious to see your build as I too wanted something portable to bring in my travel trailer.

 

If you decide to build a Moravian bench be sure to watch Will Myers' video, it is a fun watch and worth your time in info.

I believe for today's woodworker the Moravian bench is the best bench design out there. It can be scaled to any size. For the same stability and size it will use maybe a little over half the wood a Roubo uses and because we are so mobile today it is easy to break down and move.

OK enough fanboy for now, here is the start of the current build.

The legs are sized and ready for markout.

Another advantage of the Moravian bench is it is a very quick build. It usually takes about six weeks from buying the wood until finished and useable. That is while working full time, keeping Casa Chaos from falling down around my ears and keeping MsBubba happy. This build has taken a little longer, I'm about seven weeks into the build and have a couple more days to go. I'm not sure why other than the Tucson Summer has been brutal and MsBubba retired in January.

ken

 

Oh ok, I get it. I was thinking that looks like a English/Nicholson style. I am curious to see your build as I too wanted something portable to bring in my travel trailer.

- SMP

SMP,

That is my French/English bench. It has Roubo bones and an English apron. Next to it is the shop sized Moravian.

ken

 

The legs marked out.

marking out the middle stretcher.

This stretcher has a single shoulder through tenon. A joint that is easier to cut than a double shoulder and should be stronger because more "meat" is left between the tenon and the edge of the leg.

More later,

ken

 

I'm starting to see the light on th Moravian benches. I'm looking forward to seeing more progress pictures.

 

It does look like it would be an easier build than a Roubo, due to simpler joinery, and the strength from the canted legs would be like a well made sawhorse on steroids.

Will Myers, the part of Uncle Roy you don't see unless you travel to Carolina. Which I highly suggest as a very nice place to visit.

There are a bunch of great vids on this Wood and Shop site.

 

I'm starting to see the light on th Moravian benches. I'm looking forward to seeing more progress pictures.

- Lazyman

Thanks Lazyman,

I'm not great at taking photos while building so a lot of the photos will be of the product but you should be able to make out what was done.

ken

 

It does look like it would be an easier build than a Roubo, due to simpler joinery, and the strength from the canted legs would be like a well made sawhorse on steroids.

Will Myers, the part of Uncle Roy you don t see unless you travel to Carolina. Which I highly suggest as a very nice place to visit.

There are a bunch of great vids on this Wood and Shop site.

- therealSteveN

SteveN,

I've built both Roubo style and Moravian and the Moravian is a much easier build due to the simple easy joints and much lighter weight of the parts. When you are older than dirt lightness is important. Because of the design the strength and stability are there. I expect my shop sized Moravian weights no more than half as much as the French/English bench that sets next to it and it is every bit as stable as the heavier bench.

BTW, this build is kinda a hybrid. It is small with a ~1800mm (6') slab that is 90mm (3.5") thick. It will be bigger and heavier than my usual portable bench but slightly smaller than a standard shop sized one. I'm looking forward to seeing how it works out.

ken

 

The upper stretcher is a simple bridal joint, a much easier joint than a through tenon but offers as much strength as the through tenon in this application.

Sawing the tenons.

Next is the housed dovetail of the lower stretcher.

ken

 

I'm new to Lumberjocks is there any certain type of wood to build a workbench ?

 

I'm new to Lumberjocks is there any certain type of wood to build a workbench ?

- Navarro Edwards

Navarro,

Short answer…No. Longer and better answer, I like a wood with close grain, that is easy to work and has a light color and almost as important is cheap locally. Heavy for volume helps as well. Poplar meets all those requirements except for heavy, I will still use it for things like the base as I'm doing with this bench. In my area European Beech meets all the requirement except for cheap and it gets close on that. I've built complete benches with European Beech, this build will have a Beech glue up slab. If cheap is most important, then any of the construction grade woods found at the local home center will work. SYP can be a very good wood, I've built several benches using home center SYP, in fact one is still in my shop and I know a friend is still using one I built for him using home center DF. When I go to the wood store looking for wood to build a bench about the only bins I do not look at are Basswood and the darker woods like Cherry and Walnut.

Hope this helps,

ken

 

The lower stretcher is joined with large housed dovetail. Agan an easy open joint much like the bridle joint used on the top stretcher. The bottom stretcher's main job is the keep the legs from spreading and what better joint is there for doing that. Easy to make and the best joint for the job, what's not to like.

ken

 

Navarro, With respect to the many finely crafted workbenches shown in both of these threads, (many are works of art in and of themselves), AN answer to your question is it depends on what wood you have easily and affordably available to you. For instance, my own current workbench is made of about 70% salvaged pine. Parts of an old water bed frame I found at my last home, and other odds and ends of dimensional lumber that were on hand. I used it because I had it on hand, so the price was right. (Also because this bench is designed to be semi portable when/if another move occurs, THIS one will go WITH me….) Pine is also "stickier" than some other woods, which are known to be more slippery, especially when a nice finish is applied.
Quite honestly, ALL woods used in workbenches have their respective pros and cons. If this is your very first bench, pine would be cost effective, easily worked wood to use. Build a bench, use it for awhile, see what you like and dislike about it. This low cost bench can be used later on to build a more costly and elaborate workbench. Many of us here have had a few workbenches in our lives as needs and tastes change, and the budget allows.
Of course, this is just my own take, but I hate to see someone spend years PLANNING a workbench, when they could have built a first one, and been USING it in the meantime.
Please let us know your progress with your bench.

 

Another benefit of recycled lumber is that it is probably dry (unless left outside) and should not move.

 

Thanks fellow Lumberjocks for all of your help.

 

The last mortise on the legs is the long stretcher mortise. The bad new it is a big mortise and it is cut at a 15 degree angle. The good is the mortise must be loose, no piston fit for this sucker,

After chopping the mortise, sawing the long stretcher tenon. It also has a 15 degree shoulder.

Finished tenon.

Fitting the long stretcher to the leg.

The build slowed at this point, I had to put Sam the Wonder Dog down because of old age. I still miss him a lot. Here's his first day home from the pound.

Next up is gluing the base units together.

ken

 

After completing the joinery it is time to glue up the base units. As with most glue ups, it is a little chaotic and mistakes happen easily. On the last build I turned the middle stretcher upside down on one of the base units causing the wrong tenon to fit in the mortises. One didn't fit without the help of "lumpy" and the other was loose.

While it doesn't work every time (see above), careful layout and run through helps.

A base unit in glue up, this one was a little out of square but I was able to pull it up with a diagonal clamp.

Base unit out of clamps.

Each base unit requires some clean up then it is on to marking and chopping the "key" mortise.

ken

 

Ken I truly understand how your loss for Sam could have slowed down the build. Having a companion like Sam for a long time is a tremendous impact on your life . At this point in my life since I am retired I have nothing but time to build my very first workbench.
OleGrump thanks for the advice about using the reclaimed wood. I have access to loads of reclaimed wood at my disposal. It's great to have friends in that business since now I know that I can use it . Thanks.

 

Navarro,

Thanks, he was a very good and unique dog that "knew he wasn't a dog". Sam's last trip to the beach, the harness is to help him up the steps to the Motorhome.

I know I'm a fanboy but there is a reason for it. I've been building workbenches since the late '70s and the Moravian style bench is the only one to tickle all my bench "G" spots. Of course everyone has different wants and needs but if you want a bench that is simple, easy and quick to build, uses minimum wood for a given stability (in other words cheap to build), and most important of all is rock solid, the Moravian is all that.

BTW, most folks over think their first workbench. OleGrump had it right about just build one then use it to find out what works and what doesn't. Then build another to fix the things that drive you barking at the moon mad and so on. Each of my builds over the year has gotten simpler with most of those early "must have" features removed because they just got in the way of doing work. A face vise and a couple or three holdfasts with battens and stops is all you need to hold your work. Simpler is better.

Good luck with your build, please post photos during the build.

 

The top rail/stretcher needs beveling to match the bevel on the legs. A wood stock scrub plane and my Steve Voigt wood stock Jack plane made short work of the job. Steve is one of the few makers of double iron woodies and his planes are a joy to use. His prices are going up soon, if you are thinking of buying a woodie you could save a couple of bucks by ordering now.

First assembly of the base units with the long stretchers so the "key" mortises can be marked on the long stretcher tenons.

The base of the bench is almost finished at this point.

ken

 

After marking the position of the long stretcher keys and chopping them the bench is put back together. BTW, the key mortises are a bear to chop, they are narrow, short and deep with each end angled.

A key installed.

Once the key mortises are finished the base is put together. I've moved the base to the back garden so I have room to work on it.

Next is glue up of the slab.

ken

 

Navarro, You're entirely welcome to such suggestions as I could make that may help. I think woodworkers have been using 'reclaimed' wood for their benches as long as there have been workbenches….. It's pretty surprising how much lumber I was able to find in the garage of my last house, which is now in the workbench. (FREE!!!)
Building any kind of workbench is a learning experience, and sometimes we've gotta fly by the seat of our pants to git er dun, because we run into various hiccups along the way.
I firmly believe in what I said: Don't waste years PLANNING a bench. (Some folks over think it WAY too much) Build a bench. Use it for awhile. Find out what you like and dislike about it. That way, if you decide to build another one in the future, you'll know what features you want, and can use the first bench to build your dream bench.

 

I am trying to understand how the top is attached to the legs?

 

I am trying to understand how the top is attached to the legs?

- Lazyman

Lazyman,

That post is coming soon. A short preview: the slab is attached with dowels that have been "blind pegged". That way the slab is removable if you decide to break the bench down. It'll all be clear in another day or two. Photos to follow.

ken

 

Navarro :..Don t waste years PLANNING a bench. (Some folks over think it WAY too much) Build a bench. Use it for awhile. Find out what you like and dislike about it. That way, if you decide to build another one in the future, you ll know what features you want, and can use the first bench to build your dream bench."
- OleGrump

Some of the best bench building advice there is.

ken