bp122
Expert at Jibber-Jabber
Chapter 1: The itch
I have been kinda fed up of using my dining table converted workbench for over two years now. It rocks (not the good kind), squeaks, shakes and everything a workbench shouldn't.
Had the itch to design and build a new one. Procrastinated for months over COVID and watched the timber price skyrocket. Couldn't wait much longer as the list of projects I needed to complete (but would have liked to have a good workbench to work on) was getting longer. Finally, made the call.
Yes, it is yet another workbench build. Difference is it will be a painfully slow ordeal. When I say slow, I mean glacial! (Busy job, little 2 year old trouble, life...)
Decided on a Roubo design from Chris Schwarz's book and adjusted the length to 6 feet (that's all I can fit in my setup). Also have a different vice design for the leg vice - more on that later.
Decided to use southern yellow pine as my timber as well.
I had ordered the timber from a merchant in Manchester and had it picked up by a man with a van, last April. So it has had a long time to "settle-in".
When I started this, I didn't have a bandsaw or a planer thicknesser and had been suggested that it would be an ordeal and a half to do it by hand with my skill and tools. So I had bought planed timber but in large planks.
So I reached out to another member on the forum, @Fidget, whom I had met before, to see if he'd be willing to guide me and help me mill the timber. He graciously agreed.
Then all I had to do was do a full cut list for everything I needed, which took a few days.
It took two days of over 5 hours each to rip the planks, plane them and thickness them and then cut to length. But it was a massive learning experience for me and it was good banter and a lot of fun spending time with another woodworker who is so experienced. Had I had the tools and gone at it on my own, I'd have cocked up royally or lost a finger!
Planks outside the workshop.
The man himself!
Filled up 3 and a half of these dust bags in total!
And finally,
Mischief Managed!
P.S: Yes, it is overkill and it is not needed to be this beefy. I generally value function over form but this is different. Just want to clarify, what started as a necessary tool has turned into a vanity project. But it's mine
I have been kinda fed up of using my dining table converted workbench for over two years now. It rocks (not the good kind), squeaks, shakes and everything a workbench shouldn't.
Had the itch to design and build a new one. Procrastinated for months over COVID and watched the timber price skyrocket. Couldn't wait much longer as the list of projects I needed to complete (but would have liked to have a good workbench to work on) was getting longer. Finally, made the call.
Yes, it is yet another workbench build. Difference is it will be a painfully slow ordeal. When I say slow, I mean glacial! (Busy job, little 2 year old trouble, life...)
Decided on a Roubo design from Chris Schwarz's book and adjusted the length to 6 feet (that's all I can fit in my setup). Also have a different vice design for the leg vice - more on that later.
Decided to use southern yellow pine as my timber as well.
I had ordered the timber from a merchant in Manchester and had it picked up by a man with a van, last April. So it has had a long time to "settle-in".
When I started this, I didn't have a bandsaw or a planer thicknesser and had been suggested that it would be an ordeal and a half to do it by hand with my skill and tools. So I had bought planed timber but in large planks.
So I reached out to another member on the forum, @Fidget, whom I had met before, to see if he'd be willing to guide me and help me mill the timber. He graciously agreed.
Then all I had to do was do a full cut list for everything I needed, which took a few days.
It took two days of over 5 hours each to rip the planks, plane them and thickness them and then cut to length. But it was a massive learning experience for me and it was good banter and a lot of fun spending time with another woodworker who is so experienced. Had I had the tools and gone at it on my own, I'd have cocked up royally or lost a finger!
Planks outside the workshop.
The man himself!
Filled up 3 and a half of these dust bags in total!
And finally,
Mischief Managed!
P.S: Yes, it is overkill and it is not needed to be this beefy. I generally value function over form but this is different. Just want to clarify, what started as a necessary tool has turned into a vanity project. But it's mine