Another bench thread

[Reggie]

Following on from my hijacking of another thread on benches here: post785723.html#p785723 I've started this thread up.

On further inspection, the plans I based mine on are from here:
http://www.plansnow.com/weekworexvie.html

I've attached a jpg of my bench from sketchup so you can get an idea of what I'm doing or attempting, I basically ditched the drawers but that's essentially the frame I was looking at, but swapped out laminating? the sections together and going for solid wood, 70mm x 70mm legs, everything else 45mm x 70mm except the top which is 45mmx200mm sections. I haven't added the bolt holes into the sketchup image yet for the front rails, just in case you're wondering how they're attached, it's only my 2nd attempt at anything in sketchup so if anything looks wrong, let me know.

 

[wizard]

There is no bracing it will fall apart

 

[Reggie]

explain no bracing? the front rails are supposed to sort out the side movement, they will be bolted or I might consider mortises. The side frames will be glued and screwed and are 1/2 lap joints. none of this is set in stone though, it's just a sketchup before I start.

 

[longinthetooth]

You need far deeper longitudinal and transverse rails (& hence, crucially, joints) for anti-racking strength in an open structure like that. Full height diagonal bracing is an ideal that deep rails start to approximate. Or fill the back & both ends of the framing with firmly-attached sheet material. Think of the stresses that you impose on a bench whilst working - it's not just downward forces, but pushing along, pushing across ...

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Back to my comments on the other thread about 6" rails.

 

[Reggie]

Thanks Phil, now I understand what you meant, so the 3" gap wont affect support for the worktop? The racking was essentially why I was asking about aprons, looking further in the paul sellers video where he adds them, it's this process that adds the bracing across the length of the bench, I think that also braces the sides as everything is glued, screwed and bolted together.

 

[Jacob]

The bog standard bench is two frames 4" square legs joined by 6" x 1 1/2" rails. These two frames are then joined by 10 or 12" by 1 1/2" aprons. Then a beam (3 x 9 ish) or two beams are plonked on top. So simple and so effective.
Reggie what you have is a light weight table with a thick top - a very different thing altogether.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The two heavy pieces on my top are 11" x 2 3/4" mahogany of some description (found in the sea). The rails on the ends are set flush to the top with a piece of 2" angle screwed very well to them 1/16" down, so that the top screws down tight. I have been glad to be able to take the top off on the one occasion that I had to move it any distance. The well is a piece of 18mm ply that slides out, so I have access all around for any number of cramps or tie downs if I wish to tie down anything odd shaped. It is of ample strength, bearing in mind that mortices etc. are cut over a leg. Put an apron on if you need one, but I decided I'd rather have the access.

 

[Jacob]

A handy accessory to the well (as I have recently been finding) is a couple of loose 2" x 4" the width of the well. You drop them in as back stops instead of dogs. Further refinement is to make one measurement equal to the depth of the well so it extends the surface if you have a big workpiece, but with space for bits n bobs in between. These can then be turned on edge to act as stops as above. And, being offcuts, you can nail and screw to them as many other stops and devices as you want.
Turns the well into a useful extension of holding devices. All benches should have a well!

 

[Reggie]

This bench is unlikely to have a well but thanks for the thought Unlikely I will change the thickness of the legs, although I am open to adjusting the rails so it's more substantial. I take it we're all on the same page here that I haven't actually built anything yet so I have neither a lightweight table or a work bench yet

I'm trying to work to a budget here, can I use the 'bosch' method for strengthening the rails? which is essentially gluing/screwng short lengths to the ends of a long rail to make fatter tenons.