MixedHerbs
Established Member
My second post as a newbie.
Well, as I said in another thread. I have recently moved into a larger house with a workshop in the garden. The workshop is an agricultural building measuring 40 feet by 20 feet with an en suite toilet (very important).
I placed my work-mate in the middle and it looked ridiculous. I decided I needed a proper workbench. Long ago, in another place, I was reading one of the previous issues of Scott Landis's Workbench Book. It had a picture of a Shaker workbench on the cover. A big one. "That'd be nice". I said to myself - and then folded up my workmate because I had to cook
supper. (As an aside, I would not recommend routing Paduk in the dining room just before a meal).
I now had the space. I re-discovered the book and decided I was not fussed with the drawers etc. I just wanted a big workbench on which I could spread out a plan on one half and make things on the other.
After some research, I found a local supplier of greenheart - complete with marine growth. The timber was 12 inches by 12 inches and about 15 feet long. They agreed to cut it into 4 pieces each 33 inches long. They had to order a new chain saw blade. Once delivered, I discovered they were cut skew even though each side may have been 33 inches long.
Each leg weighed approximately 200 pounds and had to be machined square. I heaved one onto the floor and out of curiosity I tried cutting it with a pretty sharp chisel. The wood took one look at the chisel and laughed at me.
After my router died, I bought a half inch 1850w Hitachi replacement and some CMT bits. I needed to re-sharpen each bit after machining one side of a leg. The legs are now 10 inches by 10 inches and exactly 32 inches long.
The workbench top consists of two lengths of 70mm beech worktop each 3 metres by 60cm.
The rear piece of worktop has cupped a little, but overall I am very pleased.
http://photobucket.com/albums/c55/MixedHerbs/?action=view¤t=Workbench2.jpg
Regards, Peter.
PS. I hope you all have a splendid new year.
Well, as I said in another thread. I have recently moved into a larger house with a workshop in the garden. The workshop is an agricultural building measuring 40 feet by 20 feet with an en suite toilet (very important).
I placed my work-mate in the middle and it looked ridiculous. I decided I needed a proper workbench. Long ago, in another place, I was reading one of the previous issues of Scott Landis's Workbench Book. It had a picture of a Shaker workbench on the cover. A big one. "That'd be nice". I said to myself - and then folded up my workmate because I had to cook
supper. (As an aside, I would not recommend routing Paduk in the dining room just before a meal).
I now had the space. I re-discovered the book and decided I was not fussed with the drawers etc. I just wanted a big workbench on which I could spread out a plan on one half and make things on the other.
After some research, I found a local supplier of greenheart - complete with marine growth. The timber was 12 inches by 12 inches and about 15 feet long. They agreed to cut it into 4 pieces each 33 inches long. They had to order a new chain saw blade. Once delivered, I discovered they were cut skew even though each side may have been 33 inches long.
Each leg weighed approximately 200 pounds and had to be machined square. I heaved one onto the floor and out of curiosity I tried cutting it with a pretty sharp chisel. The wood took one look at the chisel and laughed at me.
After my router died, I bought a half inch 1850w Hitachi replacement and some CMT bits. I needed to re-sharpen each bit after machining one side of a leg. The legs are now 10 inches by 10 inches and exactly 32 inches long.
The workbench top consists of two lengths of 70mm beech worktop each 3 metres by 60cm.
The rear piece of worktop has cupped a little, but overall I am very pleased.
http://photobucket.com/albums/c55/MixedHerbs/?action=view¤t=Workbench2.jpg
Regards, Peter.
PS. I hope you all have a splendid new year.
