Just shorten the bench up maybe?Dovetail Saga - Dovetail Number Two
Went a little past the mark on the tails on this one.
![Wood Wooden block Rectangle Ingredient Flooring]()
Yikes! Looks a little bit jagged on the back side - that's the side it's more difficult to keep an eye on.
![Wood Hardwood House Wood stain Tints and shades]()
Uh oh! Big mistake - back to the lumber yard to fetch more wood to fix this mistake. Just a teeny bit discouraging.
![Wood Table Textile Art Hardwood]()
Southern Yellow Pine Work Surface (workbench)
My first "benchtop"
![Wood Automotive tire Floor Flooring Composite material]()
Beginning to make a Japanese style planing beam/board. 6 boards from Lowe's - 2 X 10 X 12's cut in half and staked up on my old sawhorses.
![Wood Road surface Asphalt Composite material Flooring]()
I used a 1 X 2 "select" pine as a straight edge - screwed to the 2X with drywall screws as a guide for my circular saw. Set the depth to leave a wafer thin "bridge" on the very bottom so I didn't cut into the board below. Worked very well. (Bit of a "mis-start" on the first board. I am ripping each one down the center and the cut edge will be the top side. Garage is absolutely full of boxes of my junk. I need to go through them and sort stuff out (plus find my hand plane and any other tools that may be lurking in there).
![Brown Wood Wood stain Flooring Hardwood]()
This one has a LOT of gummy sawdust. Smells good though.
![Wood Flooring Floor Wood stain Hardwood]()
Thin wafer on the bottom of one side. I took an old chisel and sliced it off even with the cut face.
![Wood Triangle Flooring Hardwood Plywood]()
Here is the first one all split and ready to go.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Flooring Gas]()
All ripped and stacked up. Fairly even and almost the same width - 4 5/8". The top ones are very heavy and knotty with a lot of sap. The slab will be 18" wide and 70 or 71 inches long after laminating. I don't have but a couple of small clamps, so I got five 3/8" all-threads X 24" and some fender washers and nuts to cinch it all down good. I am going to have to be precise in drilling my holes so the threaded rod will fit - I will drill larger holes (say 7/16" or 1/2") with a Forstner bit (I have a small drill press). I bought some Elmer's wood glue to do the lamination, but later I bought a tube of Liquid Nails heavy duty adhesive instead. I'm going to use a plastic putty knife to spread the adhesive out on each board. I also bought five 4-1/2" bolts to glue two boards at a time, then join those together later.
Beginning to make a Japanese style planing beam/board. 6 boards from Lowe's - 2 X 10 X 12's cut in half and staked up on my old sawhorses.
I used a 1 X 2 "select" pine as a straight edge - screwed to the 2X with drywall screws as a guide for my circular saw. Set the depth to leave a wafer thin "bridge" on the very bottom so I didn't cut into the board below. Worked very well. (Bit of a "mis-start" on the first board. I am ripping each one down the center and the cut edge will be the top side. Garage is absolutely full of boxes of my junk. I need to go through them and sort stuff out (plus find my hand plane and any other tools that may be lurking in there).
This one has a LOT of gummy sawdust. Smells good though.
Thin wafer on the bottom of one side. I took an old chisel and sliced it off even with the cut face.
Here is the first one all split and ready to go.
All ripped and stacked up. Fairly even and almost the same width - 4 5/8". The top ones are very heavy and knotty with a lot of sap. The slab will be 18" wide and 70 or 71 inches long after laminating. I don't have but a couple of small clamps, so I got five 3/8" all-threads X 24" and some fender washers and nuts to cinch it all down good. I am going to have to be precise in drilling my holes so the threaded rod will fit - I will drill larger holes (say 7/16" or 1/2") with a Forstner bit (I have a small drill press). I bought some Elmer's wood glue to do the lamination, but later I bought a tube of Liquid Nails heavy duty adhesive instead. I'm going to use a plastic putty knife to spread the adhesive out on each board. I also bought five 4-1/2" bolts to glue two boards at a time, then join those together later.
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21 - 40 of 46 Posts
Hi TheFridge - yep! I ended up abandoning the dovetail joints on this project (see next few posts - I just added them - finally got caught up on posting progress on this project, whew!) I am going to do rabbet joints and put some 5/16" oak dowels in the joints for appearance and added strength (sheer strength too). I made some arrows a long time ago with the oak dowels - but never got to fletching them because they warped so much, so I am going to use them to make dowels for my joints on this project. They should look nice after putting a bit of finish on the wood.Dovetail Saga - Dovetail Number Two
Went a little past the mark on the tails on this one.
![Wood Wooden block Rectangle Ingredient Flooring]()
Yikes! Looks a little bit jagged on the back side - that's the side it's more difficult to keep an eye on.
![Wood Hardwood House Wood stain Tints and shades]()
Uh oh! Big mistake - back to the lumber yard to fetch more wood to fix this mistake. Just a teeny bit discouraging.
![Wood Table Textile Art Hardwood]()
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Rod, despite the over cut, those dovetails were looking good. I'm thinking you should incorporate them into your repertoire. If not on the bench, then in a first build.Dovetail Saga - Dovetail Number Two
Went a little past the mark on the tails on this one.
![Wood Wooden block Rectangle Ingredient Flooring]()
Yikes! Looks a little bit jagged on the back side - that's the side it's more difficult to keep an eye on.
![Wood Hardwood House Wood stain Tints and shades]()
Uh oh! Big mistake - back to the lumber yard to fetch more wood to fix this mistake. Just a teeny bit discouraging.
![Wood Table Textile Art Hardwood]()
Attachments
Thanks Buckethead! Thank you for the encouragement. Dovetails are immensely fascinating. I really like the big ones like these. And I really love this southern yellow pine! What a great wood. For some reason I like the resinous parts the best. I guess I like the smell of turpentine, LOL! I am really happy with the outcome of the first two upright assemblies that constitute the first saw bench/saw horse (the ones that I did the rabbet joints on instead of these dovetails). I am getting ready to attach the feet to the first one and then on to the second one. Then I'll solicit the help of a friend and move the 4-1/2" slab down to the garage and begin to plane the top flat (then I will even up the bottom boards) - or perhaps do the bottom of the slab first and then the top? I feel confident that if I take my time and cut the tails and pins proud, then trim them to fit that I can make a decent dovetail more like the very first one that I did. Thanks again for your kind words.Dovetail Saga - Dovetail Number Two
Went a little past the mark on the tails on this one.
![Wood Wooden block Rectangle Ingredient Flooring]()
Yikes! Looks a little bit jagged on the back side - that's the side it's more difficult to keep an eye on.
![Wood Hardwood House Wood stain Tints and shades]()
Uh oh! Big mistake - back to the lumber yard to fetch more wood to fix this mistake. Just a teeny bit discouraging.
![Wood Table Textile Art Hardwood]()
Attachments
Dovetail Saga - Dovetail Number Three
Tails of dovetail number three. Middle is humped up, but at least it's not cut past the mark like the ends are.
![Wood Rectangle Material property Font Publication]()
Starting to look sloppy. I'm not sure if I was getting tired or what here. Good picture though - the camera decided to focus on the boxes and stuff in the background.
![Wood Flooring Floor Drawer Cabinetry]()
Dovetail number three I think - Whoa! Little bit of a gap there dude!
![Wood Floor Flooring Gas Tints and shades]()
And the view from the end - Wow, too much space in between the parts. I know what happened though. The first dovetail, I was very cautious (because I had never done one before) and I ended up trimming and paring a lot to make it fit (apparently that is what you are supposed to do - but it seemed like a LOT of work - but probably because I hadn't sharpened my chisels and I wasn't using them on these dovetails - not good.)
![Product Wood Font Artifact Hardwood]()
Tails of dovetail number three. Middle is humped up, but at least it's not cut past the mark like the ends are.
Starting to look sloppy. I'm not sure if I was getting tired or what here. Good picture though - the camera decided to focus on the boxes and stuff in the background.
Dovetail number three I think - Whoa! Little bit of a gap there dude!
And the view from the end - Wow, too much space in between the parts. I know what happened though. The first dovetail, I was very cautious (because I had never done one before) and I ended up trimming and paring a lot to make it fit (apparently that is what you are supposed to do - but it seemed like a LOT of work - but probably because I hadn't sharpened my chisels and I wasn't using them on these dovetails - not good.)
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Sharp tool are a must, especially with softwoods, where the fibers tend to compress instead of shear if the tool is getting dull. I'd try making a dove tail guide and using a marking knife if you haven't.Dovetail Saga - Dovetail Number Three
Tails of dovetail number three. Middle is humped up, but at least it's not cut past the mark like the ends are.
![Wood Rectangle Material property Font Publication]()
Starting to look sloppy. I'm not sure if I was getting tired or what here. Good picture though - the camera decided to focus on the boxes and stuff in the background.
![Wood Flooring Floor Drawer Cabinetry]()
Dovetail number three I think - Whoa! Little bit of a gap there dude!
![Wood Floor Flooring Gas Tints and shades]()
And the view from the end - Wow, too much space in between the parts. I know what happened though. The first dovetail, I was very cautious (because I had never done one before) and I ended up trimming and paring a lot to make it fit (apparently that is what you are supposed to do - but it seemed like a LOT of work - but probably because I hadn't sharpened my chisels and I wasn't using them on these dovetails - not good.)
![Product Wood Font Artifact Hardwood]()
The longest journey always begins with the first step.
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TheFridge - you are so right. I was SO being lazy and not using a chisel. I did eventually buy a 5/8" Kobalt chisel a couple nights ago. Sharpened that baby up tonight after I got off work (I am actually working on making some dado cuts on my uprights for my stretchers - and I am taking my time with my saw cuts and then knocking out small chunks of waste at a time with the chisel. It is sharp enough to easily clean up the bottom of the dado too). I had thought about making a galvanized metal template for my dovetails, and next time I will do that. It makes marking the tails quicker and easier. At least they are the same that way.Dovetail Saga - Dovetail Number Three
Tails of dovetail number three. Middle is humped up, but at least it's not cut past the mark like the ends are.
![Wood Rectangle Material property Font Publication]()
Starting to look sloppy. I'm not sure if I was getting tired or what here. Good picture though - the camera decided to focus on the boxes and stuff in the background.
![Wood Flooring Floor Drawer Cabinetry]()
Dovetail number three I think - Whoa! Little bit of a gap there dude!
![Wood Floor Flooring Gas Tints and shades]()
And the view from the end - Wow, too much space in between the parts. I know what happened though. The first dovetail, I was very cautious (because I had never done one before) and I ended up trimming and paring a lot to make it fit (apparently that is what you are supposed to do - but it seemed like a LOT of work - but probably because I hadn't sharpened my chisels and I wasn't using them on these dovetails - not good.)
![Product Wood Font Artifact Hardwood]()
Attachments
Dovetail Saga - Dovetail Number Four
Pic of the tails (I've miss designated some of the other pictures in DT 2 & 3 I think - calling them tails when they were actually pins - doh!) on the second top piece.
![Wood Floor Flooring Hardwood Wood stain]()
More tails - this piece really has a lot of resin in the knots - smells good, but gums up my saw a lot.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plywood Flooring]()
The resin makes the wood almost translucent.
![Wood Art Brick Wood stain Flooring]()
Had to trim a shave off the pins to make it fit right.
![Hand Wood Finger Hardwood Flooring]()
That's a sliver for sure - all done with an old Stanley back saw - the kind with a solid plastic handle - I don't remember how old it is, but it sure beats the one I have with a thinner blade and hollow plastic handle. Cut so much better.
![Wood Finger Nail Flooring Wood stain]()
I'll use it for a shim sometime.
![Gesture Wood Finger Thumb Nail]()
Again as with the other dovetails (no. 2 and no. 3) there is WAY too much space in between the parts. The only thing to do is to use 2 part epoxy I guess. Not sure about this.
![Wood Rectangle Plank Wood stain Hardwood]()
View from another angle of dovetail number 4.
![Wood Rectangle Floor Wood stain Flooring]()
Standing up on their own. Entirely too much daylight coming in through the cracks!
![Wood Floor Hardwood Wood stain Flooring]()
The 2 X 12 they are sitting on is crowned in the middle - not enough to topple them over though.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plywood Lumber]()
Pic of the tails (I've miss designated some of the other pictures in DT 2 & 3 I think - calling them tails when they were actually pins - doh!) on the second top piece.
More tails - this piece really has a lot of resin in the knots - smells good, but gums up my saw a lot.
The resin makes the wood almost translucent.
Had to trim a shave off the pins to make it fit right.
That's a sliver for sure - all done with an old Stanley back saw - the kind with a solid plastic handle - I don't remember how old it is, but it sure beats the one I have with a thinner blade and hollow plastic handle. Cut so much better.
I'll use it for a shim sometime.
Again as with the other dovetails (no. 2 and no. 3) there is WAY too much space in between the parts. The only thing to do is to use 2 part epoxy I guess. Not sure about this.
View from another angle of dovetail number 4.
Standing up on their own. Entirely too much daylight coming in through the cracks!
The 2 X 12 they are sitting on is crowned in the middle - not enough to topple them over though.
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Transition from Dovetails to Rabbet Joints
If thy dovetail offend thee, cut it off!
![Tableware Rectangle Wood Flooring Floor]()
I decided to not use these dovetails that I have been practicing on. I read on two different articles that you should practice on scrap wood and not on your project (which is what I have been doing). Plus, I want the joints to reflect a similar quality/skill level as the rest of the project. So, I am "ditching" these dovetail pieces and transitioning to rabbet joints (not as strong, not as "flashy", but adequate) with oak dowels for added strength and appearance. I actually bought enough wood to cover this design change when I had to replace the pins on dovetail number two that I cut matching the tails (oops!).
I made a quick and expedient marking gauge.
![Table Wood Hardwood Flooring Wood stain]()
The only thing to buy is a thumb screw and dowel. Cheap.
![Wood Hardwood Font Flooring Wood stain]()
Works pretty well on soft yellow pine.
![Table Countertop Wood Drawer Rectangle]()
Also made a couple of bench hooks out of some scrap white pine I had laying around. Really soft wood, but works for what I am doing. Really makes cutting the joints (all straight cuts now) so much easier - and more accurate!
![Table Wood Rectangle Flooring Wood stain]()
Not extremely precise, but accurate enough and square enough for what I am doing on this project. It is pretty soft wood, but I don't have any wood that is actually that hard except for a couple of tiny sticks of red oak. Otherwise I have always worked with construction lumber which is fairly soft (except for some old seasoned wood from old chicken barns and old farm houses).
![Table Rectangle Wood Ruler Flooring]()
OK, here is the first rabbet cut - all made with just the back saw. Not too shabby. I'm getting better at cutting my straight cuts accurately. I'm thankful for that.
![Wood Flooring Floor Wood stain Hardwood]()
Straight lines, straight cuts. The marking gauge helps a lot.
![Wood Hardwood Tool Wood stain Flooring]()
This is the first rabbet joint held together to see how close my saw cuts come to fitting. Acceptable. I like the way it looks too.
![Finger Wood Flooring Nail Gadget]()
Two pieces cut exactly the same. I like it!
![Wood Wood stain Floor Hardwood Flooring]()
If thy dovetail offend thee, cut it off!
I decided to not use these dovetails that I have been practicing on. I read on two different articles that you should practice on scrap wood and not on your project (which is what I have been doing). Plus, I want the joints to reflect a similar quality/skill level as the rest of the project. So, I am "ditching" these dovetail pieces and transitioning to rabbet joints (not as strong, not as "flashy", but adequate) with oak dowels for added strength and appearance. I actually bought enough wood to cover this design change when I had to replace the pins on dovetail number two that I cut matching the tails (oops!).
I made a quick and expedient marking gauge.
The only thing to buy is a thumb screw and dowel. Cheap.
Works pretty well on soft yellow pine.
Also made a couple of bench hooks out of some scrap white pine I had laying around. Really soft wood, but works for what I am doing. Really makes cutting the joints (all straight cuts now) so much easier - and more accurate!
Not extremely precise, but accurate enough and square enough for what I am doing on this project. It is pretty soft wood, but I don't have any wood that is actually that hard except for a couple of tiny sticks of red oak. Otherwise I have always worked with construction lumber which is fairly soft (except for some old seasoned wood from old chicken barns and old farm houses).
OK, here is the first rabbet cut - all made with just the back saw. Not too shabby. I'm getting better at cutting my straight cuts accurately. I'm thankful for that.
Straight lines, straight cuts. The marking gauge helps a lot.
This is the first rabbet joint held together to see how close my saw cuts come to fitting. Acceptable. I like the way it looks too.
Two pieces cut exactly the same. I like it!
Attachments
The last picture is very telling. I cannot achieve those results yet. It is a lot of technique… but probably has to do with my lack of proper layout, and accurate lines to begin with.Transition from Dovetails to Rabbet Joints
If thy dovetail offend thee, cut it off!
![Tableware Rectangle Wood Flooring Floor]()
I decided to not use these dovetails that I have been practicing on. I read on two different articles that you should practice on scrap wood and not on your project (which is what I have been doing). Plus, I want the joints to reflect a similar quality/skill level as the rest of the project. So, I am "ditching" these dovetail pieces and transitioning to rabbet joints (not as strong, not as "flashy", but adequate) with oak dowels for added strength and appearance. I actually bought enough wood to cover this design change when I had to replace the pins on dovetail number two that I cut matching the tails (oops!).
I made a quick and expedient marking gauge.
![Table Wood Hardwood Flooring Wood stain]()
The only thing to buy is a thumb screw and dowel. Cheap.
![Wood Hardwood Font Flooring Wood stain]()
Works pretty well on soft yellow pine.
![Table Countertop Wood Drawer Rectangle]()
Also made a couple of bench hooks out of some scrap white pine I had laying around. Really soft wood, but works for what I am doing. Really makes cutting the joints (all straight cuts now) so much easier - and more accurate!
![Table Wood Rectangle Flooring Wood stain]()
Not extremely precise, but accurate enough and square enough for what I am doing on this project. It is pretty soft wood, but I don't have any wood that is actually that hard except for a couple of tiny sticks of red oak. Otherwise I have always worked with construction lumber which is fairly soft (except for some old seasoned wood from old chicken barns and old farm houses).
![Table Rectangle Wood Ruler Flooring]()
OK, here is the first rabbet cut - all made with just the back saw. Not too shabby. I'm getting better at cutting my straight cuts accurately. I'm thankful for that.
![Wood Flooring Floor Wood stain Hardwood]()
Straight lines, straight cuts. The marking gauge helps a lot.
![Wood Hardwood Tool Wood stain Flooring]()
This is the first rabbet joint held together to see how close my saw cuts come to fitting. Acceptable. I like the way it looks too.
![Finger Wood Flooring Nail Gadget]()
Two pieces cut exactly the same. I like it!
![Wood Wood stain Floor Hardwood Flooring]()
Good job.
Attachments
Thank you RustyHacksaw!Transition from Dovetails to Rabbet Joints
If thy dovetail offend thee, cut it off!
![]()
I decided to not use these dovetails that I have been practicing on. I read on two different articles that you should practice on scrap wood and not on your project (which is what I have been doing). Plus, I want the joints to reflect a similar quality/skill level as the rest of the project. So, I am "ditching" these dovetail pieces and transitioning to rabbet joints (not as strong, not as "flashy", but adequate) with oak dowels for added strength and appearance. I actually bought enough wood to cover this design change when I had to replace the pins on dovetail number two that I cut matching the tails (oops!).
I made a quick and expedient marking gauge.
![]()
The only thing to buy is a thumb screw and dowel. Cheap.
![]()
Works pretty well on soft yellow pine.
![]()
Also made a couple of bench hooks out of some scrap white pine I had laying around. Really soft wood, but works for what I am doing. Really makes cutting the joints (all straight cuts now) so much easier - and more accurate!
![]()
Not extremely precise, but accurate enough and square enough for what I am doing on this project. It is pretty soft wood, but I don't have any wood that is actually that hard except for a couple of tiny sticks of red oak. Otherwise I have always worked with construction lumber which is fairly soft (except for some old seasoned wood from old chicken barns and old farm houses).
![]()
OK, here is the first rabbet cut - all made with just the back saw. Not too shabby. I'm getting better at cutting my straight cuts accurately. I'm thankful for that.
![]()
Straight lines, straight cuts. The marking gauge helps a lot.
![]()
This is the first rabbet joint held together to see how close my saw cuts come to fitting. Acceptable. I like the way it looks too.
![]()
Two pieces cut exactly the same. I like it!
![]()
I am proud of those cuts. All done with an old Stanley back saw. I am getting fairly good at my straight cuts. I don't miss my old direct drive Delta table saw at all (well maybe a tiny bit, but I don't miss the ROAR). I really like sawing by hand. It's so much quieter and hand saws are fascinating. One of these days I will have a really nice back saw (probably like what they call "sash" or "carcase" saw - I don't know that I'll ever need anything as deep as what they call "tenon" saw). I'd prefer it be an antique, but I wouldn't reject the idea of a new quality saw. Until then, my old Stanley is doing the job for me. Only bad thing is that the handle sucks. Doesn't fit my hand at all. And I really prefer the feel of wood for a handle rather than plastic. Although the handle on my saw is the older solid plastic rather than the more recent lighter hollow kind - those are SO not cool. I might go to Home Depot and buy one of those Husky wood handled back saws (close to $10 - the handle is worth that IMO) and cannibalize the wood handle for my Stanley.
As for layout and accurate lines, I have been combing the internet for tips and information about how to do all this better. One of the things that helped me so much on the rabbet cuts was making a marking gauge. I'm not sure if I posted pics of the quick and dirty one that I made one night after work. Here it is:
Also I made a couple of quick and dirty white pine bench hooks - that too has helped beyond words. It is just so much more relaxing to not have a 'death grip' on the board while cutting it! Here is a picture of them:
I used to work at metal fabrication several years ago when I was raising and supporting a family and maybe that helps me to layout and mark more accurately. Seems the tolerances in fine woodworking are close to the kind of tolerances in metal fab - more strict than say rough carpentry/framing, though not as demanding as a machinist. When I take my time and am careful, I get good results. I read about using a knife instead of a pencil, but I sometimes use a really sharp lead pencil to mark stuff out - I've had lots of practice drawing the lines with pencils - I have done a lot of hand drafting and my day job is computer drafting and mapping. It helps a lot to draw stuff out before making it. Even if it's just a hand drawn sketch.
Thanks again for the compliment and I wish you the best in your journey toward better and more accurate layouts.
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Rabbet Joints - Well Underway
Cutting dados for stretchers. I finally sharpened my new Kobalt 5/8" chisel and I am taking my time removing the waste. Also being real careful not to cut below the mark on depth.
![Wood Table Flooring Floor Hardwood]()
![Wood Rectangle Wood stain Hardwood Flooring]()
![Table Wood Rectangle Flooring Wood stain]()
All cut for one side of one horse and laying on the work surface (uprights are on the wrong side - it fit much better with them switched to the correct side (reversed).
![Wood Wood stain Rectangle Floor Flooring]()
Stretchers fit nicely.
![Wood Flooring Floor Wood stain Table]()
Gaps aren't too big or wide. Good for saw bench/saw horse.
![Wood Automotive design Publication Beige Hardwood]()
And it stands up on it's own without any help from glue, clamps, or screws (yet anyway). And it's square!
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Shelving Lumber]()
Glue added to stretcher joints and held together with "bunk bed" screws.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank Office ruler]()
"Bunk Bed" screws up close:
![Dress shirt Wood Collar Beige Sleeve]()
Cutting dados for stretchers. I finally sharpened my new Kobalt 5/8" chisel and I am taking my time removing the waste. Also being real careful not to cut below the mark on depth.
All cut for one side of one horse and laying on the work surface (uprights are on the wrong side - it fit much better with them switched to the correct side (reversed).
Stretchers fit nicely.
Gaps aren't too big or wide. Good for saw bench/saw horse.
And it stands up on it's own without any help from glue, clamps, or screws (yet anyway). And it's square!
Glue added to stretcher joints and held together with "bunk bed" screws.
"Bunk Bed" screws up close:
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Oak Dowels in Screw Holes
From my "bunk bed" screws holding the rails on while the glue dries overnight, to 5/16" oak dowels glued in enlarged holes.
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Here are four more pins for the next rail.
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Gluing up the top rail now using new HF 1/2" pipe clamps. At first I didn't think they were going to work. The back clamp wanted to slide badly. But after I took some Coleman stove fuel to the pipes to remove much of that gummy, waxy finish they worked brilliantly. They are a little bit heavy, but they seem to work fine so far. I have pre-drilled (drill press so they will be perpendicular) some 3/16" pilot holes through the top and sides so that after the glue dries, I can enlarge the holes for dowel pins to match the bracing rails/stretchers.
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This joint closed up nicely. Looks OK.
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More dowels prepped for installation.
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I put the remaining dowels in the first assembly. I skipped a step (finish drilling pilot holes in the top rail and uprights) and that was a mistake. I thought I could drill the 5/16" hole straight the rest of the way (I had gone so far as to drill 3/16" pilot holes in the top part of the joint on my drill press before gluing the pieces together.) Almost all of the 6 remaining dowel holes were crooked. One barely blew out the side of the upright (bleep!) It's not noticeable, but I know it's there, and I know its a mistake that I shouldn't have made. Why do I get in such a hurry? I've been really taking my time sawing and chipping out the dados by hand with my sharp chisel. Then I get careless and do this. Lesson learned? I wonder sometimes.
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Here is the second upright assembly (that goes with the first one to make the first saw bench/saw horse). I glued the stretcher rails up last night and used the bunk bed screws to hold it together while the glue dried. I used a little bit more glue on this one than the first one and was worried about glue getting on the screws and them being difficult to remove, but they came out very easily. These screws seem to have a plastic waxy coating on them that shows no signs of glue being able to stick to it in any way. I bought them at Lowes and they came 50 to a box for about $19. At the time I bought them I didn't know if I was going to leave them in as a fastener or not so I bought enough to cover all the places I would put them. They were worth the money for sure - excellent screws.
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And the shop as I was leaving to let glue dry until I come back. The pieces for the second saw bench/saw horse are in the background.
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My new flush saw. It's a HF buy, but it works for what I need it to. I would not use it on anything "fine" though - it's so sharp and jagged that it wants to cut into the surrounding wood as well as the dowels. But the handle is pretty fancy looking wood! It as the best looking one on the rack and had that speckled look, so I chose this one.
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Here are the screws:
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Cut off oak dowels.
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This is a clearer image of the dark oak dowels in contrast to the lighter yellow pine. Looks good I think.
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The pattern of the grain in the oak dowels is almost checkered or speckled.
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One of the finished rails.
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From my "bunk bed" screws holding the rails on while the glue dries overnight, to 5/16" oak dowels glued in enlarged holes.
Here are four more pins for the next rail.
Gluing up the top rail now using new HF 1/2" pipe clamps. At first I didn't think they were going to work. The back clamp wanted to slide badly. But after I took some Coleman stove fuel to the pipes to remove much of that gummy, waxy finish they worked brilliantly. They are a little bit heavy, but they seem to work fine so far. I have pre-drilled (drill press so they will be perpendicular) some 3/16" pilot holes through the top and sides so that after the glue dries, I can enlarge the holes for dowel pins to match the bracing rails/stretchers.
This joint closed up nicely. Looks OK.
More dowels prepped for installation.
I put the remaining dowels in the first assembly. I skipped a step (finish drilling pilot holes in the top rail and uprights) and that was a mistake. I thought I could drill the 5/16" hole straight the rest of the way (I had gone so far as to drill 3/16" pilot holes in the top part of the joint on my drill press before gluing the pieces together.) Almost all of the 6 remaining dowel holes were crooked. One barely blew out the side of the upright (bleep!) It's not noticeable, but I know it's there, and I know its a mistake that I shouldn't have made. Why do I get in such a hurry? I've been really taking my time sawing and chipping out the dados by hand with my sharp chisel. Then I get careless and do this. Lesson learned? I wonder sometimes.
Here is the second upright assembly (that goes with the first one to make the first saw bench/saw horse). I glued the stretcher rails up last night and used the bunk bed screws to hold it together while the glue dried. I used a little bit more glue on this one than the first one and was worried about glue getting on the screws and them being difficult to remove, but they came out very easily. These screws seem to have a plastic waxy coating on them that shows no signs of glue being able to stick to it in any way. I bought them at Lowes and they came 50 to a box for about $19. At the time I bought them I didn't know if I was going to leave them in as a fastener or not so I bought enough to cover all the places I would put them. They were worth the money for sure - excellent screws.
And the shop as I was leaving to let glue dry until I come back. The pieces for the second saw bench/saw horse are in the background.
My new flush saw. It's a HF buy, but it works for what I need it to. I would not use it on anything "fine" though - it's so sharp and jagged that it wants to cut into the surrounding wood as well as the dowels. But the handle is pretty fancy looking wood! It as the best looking one on the rack and had that speckled look, so I chose this one.
Here are the screws:
Cut off oak dowels.
This is a clearer image of the dark oak dowels in contrast to the lighter yellow pine. Looks good I think.
The pattern of the grain in the oak dowels is almost checkered or speckled.
One of the finished rails.
Attachments
Builds coming along nicely, looking forward the final result. Are you planning on using Japanese planes with this bench?Oak Dowels in Screw Holes
From my "bunk bed" screws holding the rails on while the glue dries overnight, to 5/16" oak dowels glued in enlarged holes.
![Wood Rectangle Flooring Floor Wood stain]()
Here are four more pins for the next rail.
![Wood Wood stain Flooring Hardwood Rectangle]()
Gluing up the top rail now using new HF 1/2" pipe clamps. At first I didn't think they were going to work. The back clamp wanted to slide badly. But after I took some Coleman stove fuel to the pipes to remove much of that gummy, waxy finish they worked brilliantly. They are a little bit heavy, but they seem to work fine so far. I have pre-drilled (drill press so they will be perpendicular) some 3/16" pilot holes through the top and sides so that after the glue dries, I can enlarge the holes for dowel pins to match the bracing rails/stretchers.
![Hand tool Tool Wood Bumper Gas]()
This joint closed up nicely. Looks OK.
![Wood Gas Hardwood Wood stain Household cleaning supply]()
More dowels prepped for installation.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank Font]()
I put the remaining dowels in the first assembly. I skipped a step (finish drilling pilot holes in the top rail and uprights) and that was a mistake. I thought I could drill the 5/16" hole straight the rest of the way (I had gone so far as to drill 3/16" pilot holes in the top part of the joint on my drill press before gluing the pieces together.) Almost all of the 6 remaining dowel holes were crooked. One barely blew out the side of the upright (bleep!) It's not noticeable, but I know it's there, and I know its a mistake that I shouldn't have made. Why do I get in such a hurry? I've been really taking my time sawing and chipping out the dados by hand with my sharp chisel. Then I get careless and do this. Lesson learned? I wonder sometimes.
![Wood Wood stain Floor Flooring Hardwood]()
Here is the second upright assembly (that goes with the first one to make the first saw bench/saw horse). I glued the stretcher rails up last night and used the bunk bed screws to hold it together while the glue dried. I used a little bit more glue on this one than the first one and was worried about glue getting on the screws and them being difficult to remove, but they came out very easily. These screws seem to have a plastic waxy coating on them that shows no signs of glue being able to stick to it in any way. I bought them at Lowes and they came 50 to a box for about $19. At the time I bought them I didn't know if I was going to leave them in as a fastener or not so I bought enough to cover all the places I would put them. They were worth the money for sure - excellent screws.
![Wheel Wood Automotive tire Automotive exterior Tire]()
And the shop as I was leaving to let glue dry until I come back. The pieces for the second saw bench/saw horse are in the background.
![Wood Table Automotive design Floor Flooring]()
My new flush saw. It's a HF buy, but it works for what I need it to. I would not use it on anything "fine" though - it's so sharp and jagged that it wants to cut into the surrounding wood as well as the dowels. But the handle is pretty fancy looking wood! It as the best looking one on the rack and had that speckled look, so I chose this one.
![Office ruler Wood Floor Hardwood Rectangle]()
Here are the screws:
![Wood Carton Publication Hardwood Wood stain]()
Cut off oak dowels.
![Wood Wood stain Material property Hardwood Plank]()
This is a clearer image of the dark oak dowels in contrast to the lighter yellow pine. Looks good I think.
![Wood Rectangle Material property Ruler Hardwood]()
The pattern of the grain in the oak dowels is almost checkered or speckled.
![Wood Floor Beige Flooring Rectangle]()
One of the finished rails.
![Brown Property Building Window Wood]()
Attachments
Hello siavosh,Oak Dowels in Screw Holes
From my "bunk bed" screws holding the rails on while the glue dries overnight, to 5/16" oak dowels glued in enlarged holes.
![Wood Rectangle Flooring Floor Wood stain]()
Here are four more pins for the next rail.
![Wood Wood stain Flooring Hardwood Rectangle]()
Gluing up the top rail now using new HF 1/2" pipe clamps. At first I didn't think they were going to work. The back clamp wanted to slide badly. But after I took some Coleman stove fuel to the pipes to remove much of that gummy, waxy finish they worked brilliantly. They are a little bit heavy, but they seem to work fine so far. I have pre-drilled (drill press so they will be perpendicular) some 3/16" pilot holes through the top and sides so that after the glue dries, I can enlarge the holes for dowel pins to match the bracing rails/stretchers.
![Hand tool Tool Wood Bumper Gas]()
This joint closed up nicely. Looks OK.
![Wood Gas Hardwood Wood stain Household cleaning supply]()
More dowels prepped for installation.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank Font]()
I put the remaining dowels in the first assembly. I skipped a step (finish drilling pilot holes in the top rail and uprights) and that was a mistake. I thought I could drill the 5/16" hole straight the rest of the way (I had gone so far as to drill 3/16" pilot holes in the top part of the joint on my drill press before gluing the pieces together.) Almost all of the 6 remaining dowel holes were crooked. One barely blew out the side of the upright (bleep!) It's not noticeable, but I know it's there, and I know its a mistake that I shouldn't have made. Why do I get in such a hurry? I've been really taking my time sawing and chipping out the dados by hand with my sharp chisel. Then I get careless and do this. Lesson learned? I wonder sometimes.
![Wood Wood stain Floor Flooring Hardwood]()
Here is the second upright assembly (that goes with the first one to make the first saw bench/saw horse). I glued the stretcher rails up last night and used the bunk bed screws to hold it together while the glue dried. I used a little bit more glue on this one than the first one and was worried about glue getting on the screws and them being difficult to remove, but they came out very easily. These screws seem to have a plastic waxy coating on them that shows no signs of glue being able to stick to it in any way. I bought them at Lowes and they came 50 to a box for about $19. At the time I bought them I didn't know if I was going to leave them in as a fastener or not so I bought enough to cover all the places I would put them. They were worth the money for sure - excellent screws.
![Wheel Wood Automotive tire Automotive exterior Tire]()
And the shop as I was leaving to let glue dry until I come back. The pieces for the second saw bench/saw horse are in the background.
![Wood Table Automotive design Floor Flooring]()
My new flush saw. It's a HF buy, but it works for what I need it to. I would not use it on anything "fine" though - it's so sharp and jagged that it wants to cut into the surrounding wood as well as the dowels. But the handle is pretty fancy looking wood! It as the best looking one on the rack and had that speckled look, so I chose this one.
![Office ruler Wood Floor Hardwood Rectangle]()
Here are the screws:
![Wood Carton Publication Hardwood Wood stain]()
Cut off oak dowels.
![Wood Wood stain Material property Hardwood Plank]()
This is a clearer image of the dark oak dowels in contrast to the lighter yellow pine. Looks good I think.
![Wood Rectangle Material property Ruler Hardwood]()
The pattern of the grain in the oak dowels is almost checkered or speckled.
![Wood Floor Beige Flooring Rectangle]()
One of the finished rails.
![Brown Property Building Window Wood]()
I don't have any Japanese planes yet, so I will be using what ever I have at hand first. I did see one Japanese plane at a flea market/Antique store locally not long ago. It was described as from the 1950's and they wanted $87 for it. I thought that was a good price, but I didn't buy it. It probably isn't there now at that price, but you never know. I don't know very much about Japanese planes or woodworking tools. At another flea market I once saw two Japanese Ryoba. They were quite old and the price on each one was $17. I didn't buy those either and when I went back to look for them again, they were gone. Like the old adage goes, "the time to buy it, is when you see it" - when it comes to a bargain and such.
Attachments
Hi Rodney, I've taken a couple classes in Japanese woodworking and such, I'm not expert whatsoever, so take this unsolicited advice for what it's worth. I don't think you missed much on those two items. Vintage non-replaceable blade saws require almost a master to sharpen, from my understanding a descent job sharpening a Japanese saw is a lot harder than Western saws. In Japan, there are specialty saw sharpeners where that's all they do (there's fewer and fewer of them). I was always recommended to not deal with the hassle and buy replaceable blade ryoba, especially when first starting out. Gyokucho is very easy to find and respected brand.Oak Dowels in Screw Holes
From my "bunk bed" screws holding the rails on while the glue dries overnight, to 5/16" oak dowels glued in enlarged holes.
![Wood Rectangle Flooring Floor Wood stain]()
Here are four more pins for the next rail.
![Wood Wood stain Flooring Hardwood Rectangle]()
Gluing up the top rail now using new HF 1/2" pipe clamps. At first I didn't think they were going to work. The back clamp wanted to slide badly. But after I took some Coleman stove fuel to the pipes to remove much of that gummy, waxy finish they worked brilliantly. They are a little bit heavy, but they seem to work fine so far. I have pre-drilled (drill press so they will be perpendicular) some 3/16" pilot holes through the top and sides so that after the glue dries, I can enlarge the holes for dowel pins to match the bracing rails/stretchers.
![Hand tool Tool Wood Bumper Gas]()
This joint closed up nicely. Looks OK.
![Wood Gas Hardwood Wood stain Household cleaning supply]()
More dowels prepped for installation.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank Font]()
I put the remaining dowels in the first assembly. I skipped a step (finish drilling pilot holes in the top rail and uprights) and that was a mistake. I thought I could drill the 5/16" hole straight the rest of the way (I had gone so far as to drill 3/16" pilot holes in the top part of the joint on my drill press before gluing the pieces together.) Almost all of the 6 remaining dowel holes were crooked. One barely blew out the side of the upright (bleep!) It's not noticeable, but I know it's there, and I know its a mistake that I shouldn't have made. Why do I get in such a hurry? I've been really taking my time sawing and chipping out the dados by hand with my sharp chisel. Then I get careless and do this. Lesson learned? I wonder sometimes.
![Wood Wood stain Floor Flooring Hardwood]()
Here is the second upright assembly (that goes with the first one to make the first saw bench/saw horse). I glued the stretcher rails up last night and used the bunk bed screws to hold it together while the glue dried. I used a little bit more glue on this one than the first one and was worried about glue getting on the screws and them being difficult to remove, but they came out very easily. These screws seem to have a plastic waxy coating on them that shows no signs of glue being able to stick to it in any way. I bought them at Lowes and they came 50 to a box for about $19. At the time I bought them I didn't know if I was going to leave them in as a fastener or not so I bought enough to cover all the places I would put them. They were worth the money for sure - excellent screws.
![Wheel Wood Automotive tire Automotive exterior Tire]()
And the shop as I was leaving to let glue dry until I come back. The pieces for the second saw bench/saw horse are in the background.
![Wood Table Automotive design Floor Flooring]()
My new flush saw. It's a HF buy, but it works for what I need it to. I would not use it on anything "fine" though - it's so sharp and jagged that it wants to cut into the surrounding wood as well as the dowels. But the handle is pretty fancy looking wood! It as the best looking one on the rack and had that speckled look, so I chose this one.
![Office ruler Wood Floor Hardwood Rectangle]()
Here are the screws:
![Wood Carton Publication Hardwood Wood stain]()
Cut off oak dowels.
![Wood Wood stain Material property Hardwood Plank]()
This is a clearer image of the dark oak dowels in contrast to the lighter yellow pine. Looks good I think.
![Wood Rectangle Material property Ruler Hardwood]()
The pattern of the grain in the oak dowels is almost checkered or speckled.
![Wood Floor Beige Flooring Rectangle]()
One of the finished rails.
![Brown Property Building Window Wood]()
As for planes, they're pretty finicky to setup initially but there's great online resources. I bought my first Kanna new, it's an economy model that's has performed wonderfully, all for less than $50, direct message me if you want a couple good online sources.
Attachments
Putting On The Feet
Here I am cutting out a chunk of wood from one side of the "feet" boards. It's so much easier to chip out waste if there are smaller wafers standing. This reminds me somehow of piano keys.
![Wood Cloud Tints and shades Gas Hardwood]()
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Varnish Flooring]()
![Rectangle Wood Composite material Flooring Hardwood]()
One side almost done. Just a little more fitting and then glue and dowel pins.
![Wood Flooring Floor Rectangle Wood stain]()
Have to trim a bit on this one side of one of the upright posts to get the two boards to close together at the back.
![Wood Wood stain Flooring Plank Hardwood]()
Fuzzy picture from the front.
![Wood Natural material Hardwood Wood stain Plank]()
And the 'feet' for the right side have saw cuts, but still require chipping out waste and fitting to upright posts.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Lumber Machine]()
Walking around on wood chips!
![Wood Road surface Flooring Floor Automotive tire]()
More pics of the other side and ready to glue on the feet.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Flooring Rectangle]()
![Wood Shelving Hardwood Machine Engineering]()
Here I am cutting out a chunk of wood from one side of the "feet" boards. It's so much easier to chip out waste if there are smaller wafers standing. This reminds me somehow of piano keys.
One side almost done. Just a little more fitting and then glue and dowel pins.
Have to trim a bit on this one side of one of the upright posts to get the two boards to close together at the back.
Fuzzy picture from the front.
And the 'feet' for the right side have saw cuts, but still require chipping out waste and fitting to upright posts.
Walking around on wood chips!
More pics of the other side and ready to glue on the feet.
Attachments
Gluing Up The Feet
Here is a shot of the upright posts in their "sandwich" mortises.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank Lumber]()
Left side: C-clamps do the job.
![Table Wood Hardwood Wood stain Flooring]()
Right side: Pittsburgh bar clamps and one C-clamp.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Flooring Gas]()
Almost complete.
![Wood Shelving Electrical wiring Hardwood Engineering]()
Front and back upright assemblies are skewed by about 3/16".
![Wood Font Art Gas Machine]()
It's beautiful wood though!
![Brown Wood Flooring Hardwood Wood stain]()
And the top rails are dead even in height.
![Shelf Shelving Wood Bookcase Publication]()
Here is a shot of the upright posts in their "sandwich" mortises.
Left side: C-clamps do the job.
Right side: Pittsburgh bar clamps and one C-clamp.
Almost complete.
Front and back upright assemblies are skewed by about 3/16".
It's beautiful wood though!
And the top rails are dead even in height.
Attachments
Starting to look like something to work on, oh, wait its a great workbench. Looks good my friend..Gluing Up The Feet
Here is a shot of the upright posts in their "sandwich" mortises.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank Lumber]()
Left side: C-clamps do the job.
![Table Wood Hardwood Wood stain Flooring]()
Right side: Pittsburgh bar clamps and one C-clamp.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Flooring Gas]()
Almost complete.
![Wood Shelving Electrical wiring Hardwood Engineering]()
Front and back upright assemblies are skewed by about 3/16".
![Wood Font Art Gas Machine]()
It's beautiful wood though!
![Brown Wood Flooring Hardwood Wood stain]()
And the top rails are dead even in height.
![Shelf Shelving Wood Bookcase Publication]()
Attachments
Thanks benchbuilder. I am really satisfied with how it is coming out. It's 1/2 of a fancy set of "legs" for my work slab that I'll be bringing down before long. These 2 X 12s have really been nice to work on too though. One down, one to go. Got a little more done on the feet tonight - put some oak nails (dowels) in for good measure (you can't see the back side in this photo, but the dowels stop about 3/16" from the surface so they only show on the front side, but they go almost full length through everything):Gluing Up The Feet
Here is a shot of the upright posts in their "sandwich" mortises.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank Lumber]()
Left side: C-clamps do the job.
![Table Wood Hardwood Wood stain Flooring]()
Right side: Pittsburgh bar clamps and one C-clamp.
![Wood Wood stain Hardwood Flooring Gas]()
Almost complete.
![Wood Shelving Electrical wiring Hardwood Engineering]()
Front and back upright assemblies are skewed by about 3/16".
![Wood Font Art Gas Machine]()
It's beautiful wood though!
![Brown Wood Flooring Hardwood Wood stain]()
And the top rails are dead even in height.
![Shelf Shelving Wood Bookcase Publication]()
I was going to glue in a "spacer" somewhere in between the two uprights, but I've decided to make a "T" shaped piece 28" long that will set on top to make it a little bit taller (friction fit), and removable in cases where I need less height for certain tasks. I like the idea of mobility and modification to fit different jobs.
Attachments
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