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My First Woodworking Bench!

988 views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Clarkie 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Well, it's really my second bench but my first was such an piece of crap of unprecedented crapiness that I can't count it.

This took almost a year to complete (because I have a business to run and 2 small boys that I adore and who love to devour my time), but it was worth it.

Who knew that it would take more than a thousand dollars in materials, well over a hundred hours of labor, pegged tenons, wedged through tenons, haunched dovetail through tenons, stopped tenons, a sliding deadman, many new tool purchases and so so so many mistakes and curse words to hold up a can of beer? But look at it, that beer isn't going anywhere!

I took a roubo plan from Fine Woodworking and adapted it. Veritas twin-screw vise and a Veritas inset vise are the vises. Top is beech, base is poplar. Top is 4.25" thick.
Table Wood Wheel Bicycle Tire


Weighs in at around 350-400 lbs. Practically burnt up youtube making this thing. I think I've watched every single bench building video ever published on the internet. I'd love to say that it's flawless but it isn't. It is however very flat and I'm pleased about that. All in all, it's damn fine and I built it.
 

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#2 · (Edited by Moderator)
Wohoo. A really fine bench and the best part, it is a lefty bench. What are it's dimensions?

How did you find it working with beech. Some folks I have talked to hated working with beech and one actually changed to maple before he got too far in his bench build.
 
#3 ·
Funny you noticed the left hand setup. I'm a mix of right and left handedness. I'm right handed, but anything involving two hands in motion together and I am left handed. For example, I throw right but bat left. And I'm reasonably comfortable doing anything left handed that I would normally do right, like handwriting. When I hand plane, I have my right hand at the heel of the plane but I'm more comfortable if the vises are configured for a lefty. This set up felt the most natural to me. Odd, I know.

As for working with beech. I didn't find it that difficult. I've worked with maple several times and I didn't notice any added difficulty. One board was real prone to tear out but I was able to manage.

Thanks for looking.
 
#4 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hello skogie, really fine job, and I can appreciate the amount of time that it took. I've made two benches in my career and it is as much a labor of love as it is necessity. Right now and for the past 30 years I have a Steiner bench, made in Germany, before east and west split. She's been a very fine bench at 8 feet long and solidly built throughout. If I do build another bench, I'd like to build a Shaker bench with the drawers and all. Have fun make some dust, great job.
 
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