So following on from SteL's thread on his English style workbench (HERE), I have decided to create my own thread, it probably won't be as detailed or as many pictures, but I will see what I can do. This will again follow Richard Maguire's The English Woodworker design (HERE).
I decided to make this type of bench for three reasons, one, I liked the simplicity of style in the final result. Two, I plan to do it all with handtools and so larger thicker French Roubo benches don't seem as manageable, and three with today's prices of wood such a build would cost a small fortune. I play to build it 1800mm so just shy of six foot long as this is the maximum length that means once built I could get back out of my mid-terrace workers house if we ever move.
I was planning (and probably still will) on doing everything ala Richard (apart from I bought PAR boards as I think/hope that will be a real timesaver), including the wooden screw vice, although have considered the Record 52 1/2. My reasoning being that I plan to only do handtool work in the shop, and so will be doing a lot of stock preparation so being able to clamp the boards deeply in the vice for jointing edges will be useful. Likewise having a wide gap between screw and guide will allow me to drop long and wide (say 10 inches) boards for dovetailing straight down between the screw and guide, and clap them easily, something I couldn't do with the record. Although I maybe missing a few things, either benefits or negatives of each. Would appreciate any views from those currently using a wooden screw as to whether they work well or if you'd use something else next time?
Timeline? Who knows lets see how it goes. This is my first handtool project. I have made things with powertools like built in wardrobes, bookcases and cabinets, but this has always been from sheet goods, so solid wood with its movement, knots etc. is new to me. The decision to move away from powertools was because with two under 5s running around I was unable to do much machine work as all the children wanted to do was be around and I felt it unsafe. Running machines past their bedtime would also be antisocial for the neighbours, but also keep them up even longer, so I've decided to move to handtools only.
And here's my first question, more will certainly follow and apologies I am very much learning as I go.
One of the boards turned up with a large crack right down the middle (see pics), the company refunded me for it, but I was planning on using it for the top rails, in the plans this was 184mm wide, for simplicity I am using 210mm boards for all wide stock (top boards, aprons, top, rails). I was therefore thinking about cutting the board in two removing the central part with the split and joining together with glue, I would do this with a tracksaw (and on my very first post have already broken the handtool only aspect, oh well - I ain't rip sawing 1.8m of 50mm thick wood), and would cut out a piece approximately 30mm wide. This would only be a bit smaller than the original planned width, but my real concern was could this jointed board cause me issues later on, will it be weaker or any other problems?
Cheers
James
I decided to make this type of bench for three reasons, one, I liked the simplicity of style in the final result. Two, I plan to do it all with handtools and so larger thicker French Roubo benches don't seem as manageable, and three with today's prices of wood such a build would cost a small fortune. I play to build it 1800mm so just shy of six foot long as this is the maximum length that means once built I could get back out of my mid-terrace workers house if we ever move.
I was planning (and probably still will) on doing everything ala Richard (apart from I bought PAR boards as I think/hope that will be a real timesaver), including the wooden screw vice, although have considered the Record 52 1/2. My reasoning being that I plan to only do handtool work in the shop, and so will be doing a lot of stock preparation so being able to clamp the boards deeply in the vice for jointing edges will be useful. Likewise having a wide gap between screw and guide will allow me to drop long and wide (say 10 inches) boards for dovetailing straight down between the screw and guide, and clap them easily, something I couldn't do with the record. Although I maybe missing a few things, either benefits or negatives of each. Would appreciate any views from those currently using a wooden screw as to whether they work well or if you'd use something else next time?
Timeline? Who knows lets see how it goes. This is my first handtool project. I have made things with powertools like built in wardrobes, bookcases and cabinets, but this has always been from sheet goods, so solid wood with its movement, knots etc. is new to me. The decision to move away from powertools was because with two under 5s running around I was unable to do much machine work as all the children wanted to do was be around and I felt it unsafe. Running machines past their bedtime would also be antisocial for the neighbours, but also keep them up even longer, so I've decided to move to handtools only.
And here's my first question, more will certainly follow and apologies I am very much learning as I go.
One of the boards turned up with a large crack right down the middle (see pics), the company refunded me for it, but I was planning on using it for the top rails, in the plans this was 184mm wide, for simplicity I am using 210mm boards for all wide stock (top boards, aprons, top, rails). I was therefore thinking about cutting the board in two removing the central part with the split and joining together with glue, I would do this with a tracksaw (and on my very first post have already broken the handtool only aspect, oh well - I ain't rip sawing 1.8m of 50mm thick wood), and would cut out a piece approximately 30mm wide. This would only be a bit smaller than the original planned width, but my real concern was could this jointed board cause me issues later on, will it be weaker or any other problems?
Cheers
James
