My workbench design project

After thinking about the workbench I want to build for a while, I am leaning towards using many facets of "Garrett Hack's Ultimate Workbench" (I first saw it in the FWW, "Tools & Shops, annual issue", No. 209) as a guideline. The publication has lots of details, but the following link contains a picture at least.

formatting link
course, I'm going with Lew's recipe for a SYP top. I'm ignoring Hack's drawers, till, and other niceties, but I really like the look of the benches foundation.

I find the base/feet especially attractive--though I'm not really sure how to saw a semicircular-arc on the front and rear of the feet: I was thinking it would be easier if I drilled a small hole/dimple at the "center" of the circe having the semicircular-arc on its circumference--then I could build a jig that would allow me to rotate the piece on my BS. Do you think Hack did something like that? I believe Hack uses double-tenons and pegged single-tenon joinery throughout his bench (I better not be in a hurry, and I better practice...). He says the bench is "rock solid".

I thought the base should be made of hard wood, but not sure what type. Suggestions welcomed! I was just looking at a wood guide that Woodsmith sent me, and it says "Yellow Pine is Hard" (wow, that comes as a surprise to me!). Maybe SYP throughout? Other ideas?

Thank you, Bill

Reply to
Bill
Loading thread data ...

I am considering a simple design that WoodSmith on TV showed. Simple, 2x4 and 2x6 construction for the bottom with MDF reinforcement panels to stabilize the legs and a 4 layer MDF top. But I am also considering the same design and using BB plywood for the whole thing, just laminate/build up to achieve 2x4 and 2x6 dimensions. SYP is pretty hard considering it is clasified as a hsoft wood, harder than poplar for instance.

Reply to
Leon

You don't like the feet on the bench I linked to above? His vertical supports are each joined with double T&M joinery. You must be in a hurry! ; )

Bill

Reply to
Bill

The "index card" that Woodsmith sent me lists White Pine as soft and Yellow Pine as hard. It just occurred to me: maybe they mean in the sense of actually working the wood, rather than it's "botanical classification"!

Bill

Reply to
Bill

On Sat, 3 Apr 2010 05:36:40 -0500, the infamous "Leon" scrawled the following:

Oh, please. Just go get the

formatting link
and do the gloat, damnit. We can handle it. ;)

-- It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. -- Charles Darwin

Reply to
Larry Jaques

You really would like one of those? Better not try to plane on it... And did you see the feet and legs? Oh, the humanity...

Reply to
Bill

Okay, assume the problem is to "cut a 3.5" radius arc off the end of a 4 by

4 with a BS (note that 4 by 4s are actually about 3.5" by 3.5"). Assume 1/4" blade--so the blade is a non-issue.

I tried using my noggin for about 20 minutes and here's what I came up with:

1) Hammer a 3+" nail though a suitably large piece of plywood and clamp that to the BS table with the nail vertical and about 3.5" to the right of the cutting edge of the blade. 2) Hammer 1 or 2 small nails into the side vertically aligned, , and about 3.5" from the end of the 4 by 4. (the hole left by these nails will not be visible in the project). 3) Now the 4 by 4 can be held and rotated with the meeting point of the short nails and the workpiece held flush against the long nail (and the supporting plywood underneath) through the cut.

Please critique, if you will, my solution to the problem. This fixture/jig surely represents some of the most out-of-the-box thinking I have ever done in my brief experience in woodworking (I've a long way to go, huh? : ) ).

Bill

Reply to
Bill

=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 -- Charles Darwin

Festool is having a sale from now until the end of May. I am considering getting that table. But I don't think I would gloat afterwards.

Reply to
ExtremelyAvg

----------------------------------------

1) Make a template from 1/4 hard board. 2) Trace template outline onto stock. 3) Bandsaw about 1/8" proud of the outline on both ends of stock. 4) Attach template to cut stock with double backed tape. 5) Using a top bearing 1/2" x 2" router bit, clean up top 1-1/2"-2" of bandsaw cut. (Be careful of "climb routing to minimize tearout). 6) Flip stock over and using a 1/2" x 2", flush trim bit, clean the remaining 1-1/2"-2" of bandsaw cut. 7) Remove template and move to next piece. 8) If required, square up corners with good bench chisel.

Time for "a little greenie" to admire your handiwork.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

It goes without saying, the router is in a table.

Definitely not free hand work.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

On Sun, 4 Apr 2010 01:05:34 -0400, the infamous "Bill" scrawled the following:

No, only if it were given to me. But the Festool Three would.

Piece of cake. Just plug in the planer over there and... I carry a #4 with me in the truck and used it to touch up the mess the circ saw (dull blade, no spare with me) made on ripping the tubasix PT board. My client helped by holding the board steady. He was amazed at how quickly it took the ripple off and put a radius on the top of the cut edge. He played with the shavings for awhile afterward. That was fun to watch.

Vive le Galoot! Vive Satanley! Vive Roy Underhill!

-- It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. -- Charles Darwin

Reply to
Larry Jaques

On Sun, 4 Apr 2010 03:07:37 -0400, the infamous "Bill" scrawled the following:

It'll be extremely dicey with an 8' tubafore and nigh onta impossible with a 20' length. What's your length, Bill?

That kind of move is typically done with either a sabre saw or recip saw. Occasionally it's done with a portable bandsaw. (HINT: This is a _perfect_ time to go buy a new portable bandsaw, Bill.

You misspelled "bolt that to the BS table"

It could work, and that is the ideal saw for smaller work of this nature, but moving long sticks into a blade can get wonky in a hurry.

I ran 8' tubasixes through the bandsaw to build curves into my bridge base. That was fun, but I had set up infeed and outfeed tables for it. You'll need a similar suport for the fourbafour if you do it that way. You didn't say how many of these you're doing.

No matter how you cut them, you'll have to sand the cut ends afterward anyway. If you don't have short (3' or less) pieces to cut, it might be safer to hand/sabre/recip saw the cuts and use a belt sandah on the thing to do final shaping.

G'luck!

-- It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. -- Charles Darwin

Reply to
Larry Jaques

I'm glad you mentioned that--though it will be difficult to turn my back on an idea which makes so much sense. The technique you described has been printed and saved, maybe for use on bench #2; surely for use somewhere.

In answer to those that asked, there are four 4 by 4s, about 30" long--hopefully not too unwieldy. If I start with one 36" long, I can practice the cut! : )

Right after I posted the description of "my solution", it occurred to me that rather than using "2 small nails", I should nail a small wooden block to the side of the workpiece to leverage against. At first, I thought "clamp a small wooden block", but reading the posts I better realize that 4 by 4s are not toys...

Bill

Reply to
Bill

Thanks for your replies, Larry, you provided several helpful comments that I found quite insightful.

I just have two, 30" four-by-fours, seeking a quarter-circle on each end. Like the feet in this workbench:

formatting link

Reply to
Bill

On Sun, 4 Apr 2010 14:40:50 -0400, the infamous "Bill" scrawled the following:

Thanks and jewelcome.

nail on your locator board instead of using extra nailsif you wanted. That's what I'd probably do.

I cut these freehand, bottoms and ends.

formatting link

-- In order that people may be happy in their work, these three things are needed: They must be fit for it. They must not do too much of it. And they must have a sense of success in it. -- John Ruskin, Pre-Raphaelitism, 1850

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Nice. I like the "hollow" in the base between the ends of the feet. Garrett Hack sketches a hollow in his workbench diagram, but the feature does not appear in his actual bench.

Intuitively, seems like stability would be easier to obtain with hollow (less contact area) but that the hollow could create a point of weakness. Maybe there's no such thing as a weak 4 by 4, I'm not sure. I like the look of it though.

Bill

Reply to
Bill

On Sun, 4 Apr 2010 18:21:27 -0400, the infamous "Bill" scrawled the following:

True!

There is if you cut 3" away. ;)

Ditto. It's the traditional look/style.

-- In order that people may be happy in their work, these three things are needed: They must be fit for it. They must not do too much of it. And they must have a sense of success in it. -- John Ruskin, Pre-Raphaelitism, 1850

Reply to
Larry Jaques

That is a fine design but I want a work bench...to build projects. I don't want a work bench project. ;~)

Reply to
Leon

SYP is a hard "softwood". IIRC hard and soft woods are classified as to the width of the leaves on the tree. Long and narrow/thin leaf, soft wood. Broad leaf, hard wood.

Reply to
Leon

Ok ok ok ok,, I'll go get "2". I'll tell my wife you siad it would be ok. ;~)

Reply to
Leon

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.