The knockdown workbench

[Bacms]

Hi everyone I thought I would start here yet another workbench build project. My plan is to "replicate" Chris Schwarz knockdown bench he purposes on his book. The reason for that is that I use my garage which is shared with several other uses so the possibility to disassemble it flat was the main criteria for me picking it.

Doing a few modifications of my own with the addition of a vice and an additional top that works as a track saw cutting station. Still not sure whether to make this just sit on top or replace the top from the knockdown bench.

This will be my first "serious" project in solid wood so I am choosing to keep things simple to avoid errors. I am trying to find a source for the wood I will need but given the delivery prices, I have been quoted so far I will probably stick with my local Ridgeons which delivers for free. That pretty much limits me to redwood pine.

Was considering upgrading the top and aprons to something harder but they don't stock it. If I go the leg vice route I will also probably make that out of ash or beech.

Pine PAR sizes at Ridgeons seem to be no standard so I am using 33mm thick stock and 218/169/144mm wide boards

My plan is to make it looking something like this:

Details with the tops and aprons remove. They are reinforced with boards underneath the middle section to make them thicker

Details of the leg assembly

If you find any problems with the plans or any suggestion to improve it, by all means, get in touch.

 

[Bacms]

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the lack of updates but I have been trying to decide what to do regarding the wood. After many deliberations and several quotes from a few merchants, I decided to go for the upgrade of the top and aprons to steamed beech. The main reason for this was that given these merchants were machining the timber for me and I am still struggling to get cuts square so thought this would make my life so much easier.

Given that I don't own a car/van I ended up going for the several sellers that supply wood online and delivery to, which due to the size means I am burning ~£150 alone on the delivery. The process also of providing measurement also proved to be a lot more painful than what I was expecting and after reducing my options to 2 merchants timbersource and woodshopdirect I went with the latter. Based on the clarity of the quotes and customer service. After placing the order took them 10 days to contact me to schedule the delivery.

Wood has arrived on Monday and I had a chance to have a look around with more detail yesterday. Unfortunately, they seem to have missed one of the pieces but they already confirmed they are sending it as soon as possible. While receiving I noticed that some of the pieces of pine felt soggy but I don't have a moisture meter so cannot confirm whether this is the case. In any case, there are significant signs of cupping on some of the pieces. Since this is my first order I am not really sure this is what I should expect. The beech boards seem a lot closer to be square.

Here are some pictures

 

[thomashenry]

I made a Paul Sellers bench recently, and probably spent the bulk of my time truing and squaring the stock, even the stuff I bought as PSE. (have no machines so had to do it all with hand planes). Good luck with the build.

 

[Bodgers]

In the absence of responses I will attempt to weigh in here.

Re: cupping.

I think with those bits being near or at the centre of the tree they are very prone to cup. See picture. SPR can be very variable in quality.

Not much you can do other than to plane them flat and lose thickness which given you are buying S4S to begin with, you were hoping to avoid. Buying more than you need and throwing the bad ones is your other (wasteful) option.

Workbench design looks interesting - from the pictures it looks like some kind of 'additive' approach to the joinery where thinner boards are laminated to create mortises/joints etc. rather than cutting into thicker stock...

Sent from my Redmi Note 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Bacms]

Yes, I am aware of wood movement and cupping as I am currently reading Ernest Joyce which has really been eye-opening. But I was under the impression that cupping was mainly caused by moisture loss and the movement shouldn't be as bad once the wood is dry. I was obviously wrong and depending on the species that movement is still highly significant.

So definitely time to bring the hand planner out and do some exercise. The idea is exactly that by glueing narrow pieces together saves the effort and time of having to cut joints. Although I am still tempted to replace some of the leg assemblies with proper mortice and tenon, although I am not sure how much I will gain with. And should I plane after the glue ups or after the glue ups?

 

[Bacms]

Sorry for the lack of updated and it is crazy to think almost a full year has gone by already.
The good news is that after countless hours of hand planning, learning, getting things wrong, go back at it again I managed to finally attach the top last weekend. So this is no longer looking like a bunch of disjointed boards.
Almost exclusively done with hand tools and I wouldn't have really got where I am if I hadn't met Ed Walker through these forums which visited frequently to motivate me and help things move along.

Now need to plane everything flush, flatten the top and decide what to do vice wise. Thining in keeping it viceless as per the original plans of Chris Schwarz and add a custom Moxon vice. As anyone tried to build one of this and if so any device? Thinking in making about 60cm wide and also considering whether the veritas twin screw hardware would be better than the usual 2 york screws
Gave up on the leg vice idea for now given the price of the benchcrafted leg vice, so may add an old quick release 52 if working without one becomes to much of a problem.

 

[thetyreman]

that looks excellent! you've chosen the pine very well, looks almost entirely knot free, wish I could find pine like that. I went with an eclypse 9" vice on my workbench because at that time vintage record 52 1/2 prices were ridiculously high, if I made one again I'd go with a vintage record probably a 53A beast, well worth it, but you might need a hand installing it.

 

[thetyreman]

I would be interested to know if the top cups over time.

 

[custard]

Excellent work, that looks really tidy!

And full credit for persevering. Woodworking projects generally take way longer than planned, so good for you in having the grit and determination to see it through.

 

[Orraloon]

Nice work on the bench. As to a vice I reckon a leg vice would suit that design. By all means a moxon as an extra if you like. Depends on the work you do. Easier still is a bench bull. All sorts of holding options with one of those and costs nothing to make. I was going to do a moxon but when I tried the bull reckoned that would suit me. All you need are some clamps and perhaps holdfasts if you have them. Can also be mounted anywhere on the bench top. Raises the work to a comfortable height so a real back saver. About my most useful jig.
By the way I also made my bench knockdown and has proved very handy moving to another shed.
Regards
John