# Prototype workbench build - WIP



## MattRoberts (4 Jan 2018)

So finally I'm getting round to building my first workbench. I've decided to prototype it first, as I really don't know what sort of workbench I need or what configuration will work for me best. I also want to build one from decent wood in the future, so I'd rather build a prototype from cheap wood before splashing out on something better quality.







It's essentially a split-top Roubo, using a Record 52 1/2 vice along with a Veritas tail vice. The central strip is a reversible plane stop / tool holder. I'm going to use CLS 38 x 89 for the prototype material, and I've designed the bench to use various 2 and 3 lamination components.

I like to colour code my sketchup models and then strip out the components into a cut list to make things easier.











I'd be interested to hear any thoughts or suggestions along the way


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## dzj (4 Jan 2018)

I'd put those bottom grey stretchers somewhere half way up the leg.
Unless of course you are considering cabinets later on.


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## MattRoberts (4 Jan 2018)

dzj":39nk8vs7 said:


> I'd put those bottom grey stretchers somewhere half way up the leg.
> Unless of course you are considering cabinets later on.


Exactly that - the bench is quite small, as I have limited space in my single garage. I'm concerned it might not be rock solid, especially the prototype which is built out of relatively light CLS. I'm planning on adding a few drawers in a cabinet underneath the bench to give me some additional storage space and to add some extra weight


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## dzj (5 Jan 2018)

Some 5-6 years ago I built a similar small bench, with the idea
to add some drawers/ cabinets at a later date.
Never got round to it.


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## MikeG. (5 Jan 2018)

If you make it of CLS I suggest that instead of using 4x2s, you buy 8x2s, and rip them lengthways. This will remove the need for much planing away of rounded over edges. Frankly, I really can't see anyone making this twice, and CLS will give you a fine bench, so make it well, and make it once. This is a workstation, not a piece of furniture, so I wouldn't suggest making this out of expensive hardwood.

As so often with modern benches, I'd say that this design doesn't look to have a big enough footprint in relation to it's top, and could do with a back panel, diagonal bracing, or being bolted to the wall to prevent racking.


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## MattRoberts (5 Jan 2018)

dzj":2fci1fey said:


> Some 5-6 years ago I built a similar small bench, with the idea
> to add some drawers/ cabinets at a later date.
> Never got round to it.


Nice bench - but it looks like you're using much better wood than my prototype, presumably more dense


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## MattRoberts (5 Jan 2018)

MikeG.":3mg69unh said:


> If you make it of CLS I suggest that instead of using 4x2s, you buy 8x2s, and rip them lengthways. This will remove the need for much planing away of rounded over edges. Frankly, I really can't see anyone making this twice, and CLS will give you a fine bench, so make it well, and make it once. This is a workstation, not a piece of furniture, so I wouldn't suggest making this out of expensive hardwood.
> 
> As so often with modern benches, I'd say that this design doesn't look to have a big enough footprint in relation to it's top, and could do with a back panel, diagonal bracing, or being bolted to the wall to prevent racking.


Thanks Mike, but fortunately I'm using a planer thicknesser rather than planing by hand - call me a wimp 

I've also seen this kind of low grade construction timber warp significantly when it's heavily ripped, so would be concerned about having a bunch of banana boards!

I hear what you're saying regarding not making it twice, but my thought process is this:

- I don't know if the configuration will work for me (never having used a proper workbench)
- I don't know if it will be solid enough to handle vigorous hand planing without moving
- when moving house in the distant future, having a bigger workshop space is top of my list (not sure the wife would agree though!), so this bench will be a test run for a bigger version.

The footprint is a concern for me - I'll have to see how it holds up and add additional bracing if required. The main cross stretchers are tusk tenons, so I'll have the ability to remove them and add additional bracing afterwards if required


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## dzj (5 Jan 2018)

In Eastern Europe the price of Beech and SPF is similar. 
IIRC this was made from firewood logs, so it was next to nothing.


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## paulrockliffe (5 Jan 2018)

If you're going to put a cabinet in later, you should do it now and make the cabinet part of the structure. You'll get loads of strength from rebated panels of ply, or MDF, it'll make that stretcher redundant.

If this is a hobby thing then I'd err on the side of making it nice, it's far more satisfying sinking a load of time into something that'll look great every time you're in your workshop. Is there a better hobby than building a great workshop?


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## Sawdust=manglitter (5 Jan 2018)

I would recomend using a solid 6x2” top and legs (in reality they are 140x38mm sections). My bench is a bit bigger than what you’ve drawn, but this is what i did, and it is properly solid! Weighs plenty and absolutely no racking whatsoever when taking a battering...





I have decided to ‘skirt’ my bench top in Ash, which is a similarly coloured timber, but more resistant to dings or knocks.

Also, i would recommend orientating the laminations of your legs by 90degrees, so running left to right, which would be more efficient in resisting racking


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## nabs (5 Jan 2018)

my first bench had a shelf at the same height as your rails and I have to say I regret including it ( I left it off bench v2 as a result). it is often comfortable to stand with one foot under the bench and the rail gets in the way, plus the shelf just gathered clutter and sawdust. 

I suppose a cupboard would be better, but if I needed the extra storage I would rather have a separate cupboard on wheels that I could move as needed (it could then be pulled out and used as a separate work surface as required).

obviously this would need a modified design - is there some reason you do not want to include an apron ala the 'Paul Sellers' workbench and similar designs?

PS I agree you do not necessarily have to build again with different timber - my new bench is small (< 6ft), made of softwood and very heavy/rigid - I do not think there would be any advantage to replace with more expensive timber. Besides, having used cheap timber I can - and do - bang in nails etc in to the top to act as ad-hoc work holding devices which is very useful.


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## Phil Pascoe (5 Jan 2018)

Matt, if you think you might build a bigger one in the future spend some time and thought on the end frames - if you're pegging the frame together you'll be able to reuse them on a bigger bench - it won't be wider, only longer. If you turn the legs 90 degrees you'd be able to build the through mortices into the lamination and thus save yourself a job.


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## MattRoberts (5 Jan 2018)

This is the bench I'm replacing. I knocked it together when I moved in the house 3 years ago and just started woodworking. I had no clue what I was doing, needless to say! It's terrible - it obviously wobbles all over the place due to lack of support, and the top is cupping. The vice is super cheap and super rubbish.

I'm really excited to start a new one, but it's proving tricky to build it using this wobbly bit of rubbish. If only I had a decent workbench to build my new workbench on...


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## MattRoberts (5 Jan 2018)

paulrockliffe":g3s9rz3g said:


> If this is a hobby thing then I'd err on the side of making it nice, it's far more satisfying sinking a load of time into something that'll look great every time you're in your workshop. Is there a better hobby than building a great workshop?



Just what I was thinking Paul - I'd like to eventually build a bench that I'm proud of and like to look at in the future. It is a hobby after all, so I can afford the time and it won't take the kind of abuse that you trade lot dish out


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## MattRoberts (5 Jan 2018)

Sawdust=manglitter":2z77bm77 said:


> I would recomend using a solid 6x2” top and legs (in reality they are 140x38mm sections). My bench is a bit bigger than what you’ve drawn, but this is what i did, and it is properly solid! Weighs plenty and absolutely no racking whatsoever when taking a battering...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That's really nice Sawdust. It's a bit late regarding the leg orientation on the prototype I'm afraid! I'm already part way through. Out of interest, why do you suggest it will help avoid racking? I'd have thought that once laminated, it's effectively a single component and orientation wouldn't matter?


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## MattRoberts (5 Jan 2018)

nabs":2o276aeh said:


> is there some reason you do not want to include an apron ala the 'Paul Sellers' workbench and similar designs?



It's a good question nabs. I had considered it, but I'm unsure if the type of work I do really needs an apron. I will be able to clamp components to the side using the record vice, and I'm contemplating having some sort of deadman set up to the right of it to provide support if required. I also have the option to clamp on the face via the split top if needed. I'll definitely keep this in mind though and include it in the proper design if it looks to be useful


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## MattRoberts (5 Jan 2018)

phil.p":25zfnrd6 said:


> Matt, if you think you might build a bigger one in the future spend some time and thought on the end frames - if you're pegging the frame together you'll be able to reuse them on a bigger bench - it won't be wider, only longer. If you turn the legs 90 degrees you'd be able to build the through mortices into the lamination and thus save yourself a job.



I like your thinking Phil. I have designed the main stretchers to be tusk tenons, which would allow me to remove and replace with longer stretchers in the future. However, the design at the moment has the tenons from the legs going up through mortises in the table top. I'm considering reducing them so they're not through mortises, thus allowing the table top to be removed without ruining the tenons, so the bench can be somewhat disassembled if required. What do you think?


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## MattRoberts (5 Jan 2018)

So the first step was selecting the timber to use for the various components. This is no easy task, given the quality of the stock! I selected the straightest boards with the least amount of knots for the table top and put them to one side.

The remaining wood was cut to rough length at the mitre saw in preparation for lamination.











I used a ton of glue to ensure no gaps in the glue lines. I'm leaving the rounded edges on, as I will be dimensioning the components after they've been laminated up. 






I found that four of the cheapo aluminium clamps were sufficient for each component. They're well worth the money (after the usual Paul Sellers tweaks).






After the glue dried, my little home made flush trim plane did the job of removing the glue squeeze out, although I wish I had been able to do it before the glue completely hardened.


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## Sawdust=manglitter (5 Jan 2018)

MattRoberts":1em86mla said:


> Out of interest, why do you suggest it will help avoid racking? I'd have thought that once laminated, it's effectively a single component and orientation wouldn't matter?



No worries Matt, I was talking about orientating the grain differently for the 140x38mm timbers (3 No. would be 140x114mm leg), as you'd want the longer dimension of the leg to be along the front. So if you've used 3 No. 89x38mm and its glued up well (which it looks like you have!) then the way you've shown it is fine as the longer dimension (114mm) would be along the 'racking -prone' direction.


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## MattRoberts (5 Jan 2018)

Sawdust=manglitter":kc6o8orv said:


> MattRoberts":kc6o8orv said:
> 
> 
> > Out of interest, why do you suggest it will help avoid racking? I'd have thought that once laminated, it's effectively a single component and orientation wouldn't matter?
> ...


Aha, I understand now, thanks for clarifying


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## Phil Pascoe (5 Jan 2018)

My top is now on a different frame than it was originally and fixed down with steel brackets. When I fitted them I turned over the frame and fixed them to that first with spacers to ensure that when the top was put in place there was a gap of a mil or so to pull it down dead - obviously any gap between the two when the job is done is undesirable. Through tenons to me are just making work, but of course that's only opinion - so long as there's no likelihood of any bounce it doesn't really much matter how you achieve it. It's not caused any concern whatsoever and as the bench has been moved four times it's ideal to be able to take half the weight off easily.


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## El Barto (5 Jan 2018)

Looking forward to seeing this come together Matt. Building a prototype bench probably isn't the worst idea. For instance, after building the Paul Sellers version of the English workbench it was interesting how quickly preferences were developed or how after using it I'd probably change a couple of things to suit the way I work. And by building and using a first version you can do that! I bet it'll prove very useful in the end.


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## MattRoberts (5 Jan 2018)

El Barto":60pr6ub2 said:


> Looking forward to seeing this come together Matt. Building a prototype bench probably isn't the worst idea. For instance, after building the Paul Sellers version of the English workbench it was interesting how quickly preferences were developed or how after using it I'd probably change a couple of things to suit the way I work. And by building and using a first version you can do that! I bet it'll prove very useful in the end.



Cheers El Barto


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## Tasky (5 Jan 2018)

El Barto":3qw5qlji said:


> For instance, after building the Paul Sellers version of the English workbench it was interesting how quickly preferences were developed or how after using it I'd probably change a couple of things to suit the way I work.


^ Pretty much what I was going to suggest - Finding a simple but solid design that you can build quite cheap, and have room to modify and test out ideas for the future DreamBench. Kinda what I'm doing my own self at the minute. 
You might decide you like dogging (fnar fnar) your work down with prarie dogs and does feet and holdfasts, or a bare top that you can swap boards around like Maguire's build. 
I personally like the idea of a reversible strip that holds tools and is a planing stop, as I have several other things I'd do with that, but equally I'm playing with French Cleats and removable tool racks too see what I like. 

Definitely experiment!!


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## MattRoberts (5 Jan 2018)

I'm all up for experimenting.

I have a scaffold screw that I'm planning to use to make a leg vice to see if I like it, as well as having various attachments that slot onto the top of the bench, such as: router planing sled rails, clamp holders for panel glue ups, a dispenser for my rolls of wax paper (invaluable for glue-ups / painting)...


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## Phil Pascoe (5 Jan 2018)

Tasky":tso5zb56 said:


> I personally like the idea of a reversible strip that holds tools and is a planing stop, as I have several other things I'd do with that, but equally I'm playing with French Cleats and removable tool racks too see what I like.



I had a strip for tools down the middle but changed it for a solid one as the tools got in the way. It's easy, cheap and and quick to change, of course. I did the replacement very low for the first couple of feet and higher for the rest so I could flip it end to end according to the height I wanted (and dead flat on the reverse side, obviously.)


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## Tasky (5 Jan 2018)

MattRoberts":3fz91ity said:


> I'm all up for experimenting.


Yes of course, but does the wife know this? 

Ja ja, I'll get me coat...  :lol: 




phil.p":3fz91ity said:


> I had a strip for tools down the middle but changed it for a solid one as the tools got in the way. It's easy, cheap and and quick to change, of course.


That's the beauty of the idea - You can swap it out so easily if you change your mind, or even make different ones for different tasks. 
I figured it would be more a temporary holder than the permanent storage spot, anyway, depending on what job you're doing. 

Admitedly this is inspired more by my mechanicking time, but still useful for those bad days when you keep picking up the wrong size tools and have to reach/hike across the workshop for others that then also turn out to be the wrong size or were put back in the wrong place, or whatever...


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## MattRoberts (6 Jan 2018)

The next step was to plane and thickness the components to size. Due to the dimensions, I chose to thickness the face and edge, rather than do the edge on the tablesaw.






Rinse and repeat, until I end up with all of the bottom components ready to go.






With some of the components, I could leave the central pieces long, as they will eventually form the tenons. In hindsight, however, I wish I hadn't. Unless you thickness evenly on both sides, you end up with the central piece off-centre, which makes extra work when marking and cutting the tenons. I think I'd rather have gone long on all pieces, that way I could treat it as a single workpiece when marking.






Here's the dimensioned stack. I had a little heater running in the workshop as it was bleedin' cold. It's not the greatest heater in the world, but was enough to help the glue dry as well as take the edge off when working in there.











On to marking up, and I took my time to carefully mark around all four sides and indicate waste areas. I find (from experience!) it helps avoid a lot of silly mistakes down the line.






I'm drilling out the majority of waste from the mortises with a forstner bit, so I marked and centre punched the centre of each mortise on both sides.






Over to the table saw to cut the shoulders. I first trimmed one end, and then used a stop block on the fence to help avoid any binding. I had also swapped the fence to the left side of the blade, as I hadn't yet cut the components to length and therefore couldn't reference from the other end. In hindsight, I didn't really need to do this and could have cut each component to final length - something I had to do later anyway.






Nice set of shoulders!


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## MattRoberts (8 Jan 2018)

Time to cut the tenons. I did the first set with a Japanese saw, but I must confess I did later ones using the bandsaw. My hand sawing isn't great, and despite having a terrible bandsaw with a resaw blade on, it was still an improvement over handsawing!











I did some initial cleanup with a chisel and then did a test fit. A little bit of massaging with chisels and a shoulder plane resulted in a satisfactory fit. 






I'm planning on drawboring the tenons later, which brings me to a question: would softwood dowel be sufficient to use as the pegs? I have some 20mm oak dowel, but would rather save this for future use if normal softwood dowel will do the job.


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## MattRoberts (12 Jan 2018)

So cutting mortises in this wood sucks. It's super soft and springy, which means the fibres compress rather than cut cleanly. It almost feels like you're smashing the mortise out rather than chopping. It's also pretty difficult to keep clean edges, so cutting with a knife first is essential, as well as creeping up on the lines gradually to avoid taking off too much and denting the surrounding fibres in the process. I also seemed to need to sharpen my chisels very frequently, to ensure I had the sharpest edge possible at all times.






After completing the leg mortises, it was time to move on to the cross braces using the same technique:


Cut mortise lines
Drill mortise holes
Chop through on both sides
Chop back to lines
Final trimming of mortise and tenons to fit
















It's nice when it all comes together and each joint helps keep the other joints tight / in place. It feels like it's all coming together.






I'm undecided whether to wedge these through tenons or just leave them. I don't think they need to be wedged per se, it's more for aesthetic reasons - I think wedged tenons look nice


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## El Barto (12 Jan 2018)

Damn that looks very clean indeed! That thick tenon looks really cool. I agree that wedged tenons sure do look good too...

I also noticed that you're using one of those automatic centre punches. I love mine, it must be my most used tool!


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## transatlantic (12 Jan 2018)

Nice one Matt. It's looking nice and beefy. I see you share your workspace with the boiler too! (I also share mine with the washing machine)


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## MattRoberts (12 Jan 2018)

El Barto":w1q8bnhz said:


> Damn that looks very clean indeed! That thick tenon looks really cool. I agree that wedged tenons sure do look good too...
> 
> I also noticed that you're using one of those automatic centre punches. I love mine, it must be my most used tool!


Yeah, it's definitely a handy tool


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## MattRoberts (12 Jan 2018)

transatlantic":fofexbiv said:


> Nice one Matt. It's looking nice and beefy. I see you share your workspace with the boiler too! (I also share mine with the washing machine)


Hah, yes - and a massive hot water cylinder. It's very cramped in the shop at the moment. Hopefully the new bench will help alleviate that, although I need to think of somewhere for the pillar drill to go...


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## MattRoberts (17 Jan 2018)

I find it tricky to get the fit just right. Too loose, and the through tenon has gaps. Too tight, and bam! Out blows a big chunk from the edge of the mortise!






A bit of glue and some clamps fix the piece back - it's going to be pretty much hidden under the table top anyway.






With the mortises in the leg components complete, I start working on the leg bases. I remove the majority of material using the bandsaw.






I then use the router table to create a nice straight edge and curved profile for the feet.






I used a speed square along with a bit of ply for additional support in order to cut the 45s. I had toyed with making the cuts on the tablesaw, but didn't think it was worth the hassle.






Here's the completed leg assembly prior to chamfering and glue up, and a close up of one of the legs.


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## MattRoberts (17 Jan 2018)

Next I start working on the main base rails. These are going to be tusk tenons, so the tenons themselves are very long. I marked out all of the bits as usual.






Cutting the cheeks on the tablesaw again, and then I used the bandsaw to cut the shoulders to size.






Once the tenons were more or less there, I could use them as references to mark my layout of the mortises on the legs.






The usual cutting knife lines and marking the centres ready for drilling.






As these mortises are through the thickest part of the legs, and I'm drilling four of them, the mess was phenomenal! I have the kit ready to make dust extraction for my drill press, but haven't got round to putting it together yet. This mess has just bumped it up my priority list 






One of the tusk tenons in place. In hindsight, I would have like to have had more tenon poking through, especially as I'm using softwood. There's a chance that the tusk wedge could pop the end of the tenon off.






A lot of chopping and a lot of mess later, and all four mortises are done. It's surprisingly stable even as just a dry fit, which makes me feel even more confident about its stability once assembled.


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## will1983 (17 Jan 2018)

That looks great Matt, certainly looks plenty strong enough!
Are you planning on putting a cabinet with drawers inside?


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## MattRoberts (18 Jan 2018)

will1983":11ud652x said:


> That looks great Matt, certainly looks plenty strong enough!
> Are you planning on putting a cabinet with drawers inside?


Thanks Will! Yep, that's the thought. I could fit three decent sized drawers in there


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## Paul200 (18 Jan 2018)

MattRoberts":3k9e28se said:


> A lot of chopping and a lot of mess later, and all four mortises are done. It's surprisingly stable even as just a dry fit, which makes me feel even more confident about its stability once assembled.



That's exactly how I felt when mine got to that stage! It's looking very nice Matt.


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## will1983 (18 Jan 2018)

If you are anything like me Matt, things get dropped into drawers when I'm tidying up and if that drawer is too deep the item is never to be seen again.
I would always rather have more shallower drawers than a few deep ones, that way I can see at a glance what is in there when I open it.


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## MattRoberts (18 Jan 2018)

will1983":25edh347 said:


> If you are anything like me Matt, things get dropped into drawers when I'm tidying up and if that drawer is too deep the item is never to be seen again.
> I would always rather have more shallower drawers than a few deep ones, that way I can see at a glance what is in there when I open it.


It's a good shout. I've recently just built a mitre station with a ton of drawers for storage, and at the moment everything I have in the shop has a place to be, so I'm not even sure what I'd store under the bench! I'll have a think when I come to build them.


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## Hornbeam (18 Jan 2018)

Hi Matt. How thick did you decide to make the top. I regularly use G clamps to hold work down ont te bench for jobs like routing etc. Most of my clamps are 6" so with a 4" thick top I can just about get 2" thick timber clamped. Having an apron or a very thick top might make this facility more difficult. Anything over 4" thick is probably overkill

Ian


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## MattRoberts (18 Jan 2018)

Hornbeam":2upfh2vg said:


> Hi Matt. How thick did you decide to make the top. I regularly use G clamps to hold work down ont te bench for jobs like routing etc. Most of my clamps are 6" so with a 4" thick top I can just about get 2" thick timber clamped. Having an apron or a very thick top might make this facility more difficult. Anything over 4" thick is probably overkill
> 
> Ian


I'm using CLS, so after it's dimensioned it's about 80mm thick. I tend to use F clamps, and have a variety of capacities that will easily cater for decent sized work. However, I imagine I'll do the majority of holding with the vices to be honest


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## MattRoberts (19 Jan 2018)

With the rails clamped in place, I marked the tenons to determine how much is sticking out on each tenon.






I then did all of the layout for the tusk mortises, giving a good 5mm additional depth to ensure there's enough room for the tusks to pull them tight, even if the soft wood compresses slightly. You can see there's only about 30mm to the end of the tenon - not an issue with hardwood, but as I say I've seen this amount of wood pop out in the past when a lot of pressure is applied.

Then it's back to drilling and chopping the mortises, which is becoming a real pain by now. Fortunately these are the last mortises to chop until I do the bench top, so at least I can have a break from it!






I used a couple of bits of scrap ply to support the tenon whilst chopping, and it seemed to work ok.

I then cut four wedges from some sapele, and shaped them using the belt sander. It was very much a case of trial and error to get the angle and the fit right to ensure that when seated properly the tusks stick out an even amount above and below. 






Once one was complete, each remaining tusk needed to be individually fettled, as the mortises weren't all precisely the same.






It's nice to get a little bit of contrasting colour / wood into the bench, as it's all been a bit bland up until now


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## El Barto (21 Jan 2018)

That looks very cool. You're right about the contrast of colour.


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## Bodgers (31 Jan 2018)

It is looking good. Is that a Japanese chisel you are using? My bench build will be starting soon and I was thinking of getting a couple of Narex mortise chisels. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## MattRoberts (1 Feb 2018)

Bodgers":uymh62j1 said:


> It is looking good. Is that a Japanese chisel you are using? My bench build will be starting soon and I was thinking of getting a couple of Narex mortise chisels.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Thanks!

Yes, but it's just a cheap one with no hollow grind. I've yet to sharpen them properly to determine performance. I ended up using my trusty Stanley chisels for the majority of the work!


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## MattRoberts (3 Feb 2018)

With the leg units pretty much complete, it was time for some clean up with the number 4 and my cabinet scraper. This type of work is really hard to do on a bench that racks about 4 inches each time you push against it!






I also added chamfers to the majority of edges, and they cleaned up quite nicely






On to the drawboring!






I used a long 3mm drill bit to locate the holes all the way through the material, as my pillar drill doesn't have enough travel in it to make it all the way through.






I then drilled a 10mm hole one each side of the workpiece, using the 3mm pilot holes as a centre guide. Once the holes were created, I could slot the tenon in and use the brad poiint bit to mark the location of the hole on the tenon.






I then used a centre punch to re-locate that mark about 1-2mm closer to the cheeks, to allow for the drawboring.






On to the glue up of the leg components. I used glue sparingly as the dowels will be providing most of the strength, and hammered the dowels home. I had mixed results - I wish I hadn't used softwood dowels, or perhaps I wish I'd used a more appropriate drill bit and dowel diameter combination.

I was using 12mm softwood dowels and a 10mm drill bit. It was a really tight squeeze, but I didn't have an alternative to hand. It was such a tight squeeze, that some of the dowels ended up being obliterated by my somewhat enthusiastic hammering.






On a couple of occasions I had to drill out some broken bits of dowel and insert new ones. I think I'd definitely use hardwood dowels next time and have an appropriately sized drill bit making the holes. I also didn't get much of a feel for the joints being drawn tight by this method - presumably because the softwood is so soft that everything just compressed. I guess it was a good job that my mortise and tenon joints were nice and snug themselves.






After the glue had dried I could clean up the dowels with a flush trim saw and a bit of sanding.


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## MattRoberts (3 Feb 2018)

With the legs complete, it was time to move on to the top.






I cut the wood to rough length and then oriented it the best I could trying to get the least amount of knots on the top and a decent alternating grain orientation from board to board. I marked the two halves of the top and numbered the boards. There are a total of 16, with 8 boards in each half of the top.






I glued them up in 2s or 3s, as I didn't want to stress the clamps too much. I'm also looking to drill some dog holes in advance using the drill press, so I'm going to be keeping each half of the table in separate components until near the end. I also need to limit how wide each glue up is so it will fit in the planer.






Once the glue had dried, I spent a good few hours planing and thicknessing the components as well as the two end caps. I kind of wish I'd thicknessed the end caps separately so they were slightly taller than the rest, but of course I didn't realise that until later 






After emptying my full sized dust bin a good few times and completing the thicknessing, I was able to attach some of the components together. I used the domino for alignment, and they went together really smoothly.






A bit of clamping and they can sit to dry.


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## Phil Pascoe (3 Feb 2018)

MattRoberts":25vh3qxe said:


> I kind of wish I'd thicknessed the end caps separately so they were slightly taller than the rest, but of course I didn't realise that until later



If you offset your dominos slightly, you could still have the ends slightly proud which would allow for easy cleaning up - any discepancy would be on the underside where it'll not be seen.


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## MattRoberts (3 Feb 2018)

phil.p":2fhpsu71 said:


> MattRoberts":2fhpsu71 said:
> 
> 
> > I kind of wish I'd thicknessed the end caps separately so they were slightly taller than the rest, but of course I didn't realise that until later
> ...


Unfortunately it's not the end caps that are being dominoed on. They're being attached as breadboards with dovetailed ends.

Not to worry though, as I'll need to flatten the whole top anyway


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## MattRoberts (25 Feb 2018)

With sections of the top separate, it allows me to drill the dog holes using my shiny new 20mm Fisch forstner bit - what a lovely bit that is! The Veritas inset vice says it can handle dogs 195mm apart, but I drilled them a bit closer than that just to be sure and to ease the need to travel the vice huge amounts each time.






I used dominos again to attach the sections together - they're lovely and accurate for alignment.






While the sections dry, it's on to creating the breadboard ends. I cut the majority of the waste with the table saw.






It was then a simple task to clean the waste with a chisel.






With the sections all glued up aside from the two end lengths, I could clamp all of the pieces together and trim them to length.






My track saw doesn't quite cut through the full 80mm or so, but it's close.






A couple of minutes of effort and they're planed flush. Not that it really matters, as I'm about to chop them anyway, but it helps with the marking.






I use the track saw to cut the shoulders and chop the waste away with a chisel, cleaning it up with a shoulder plane. I also chamfered the edges to ease the tenon in the breadboard mortise.






It's a snug fit, but not too tight. Hopefully I won't have issues with the tenons expanding and warping the ends - it should be fine.






I marked the dovetail ends of the two lengths. No special ratio or anything, I just winged it.






I cut close to the lines, and then pared back with the chisel. This wood is so soft, the edges can flake away or crumble with the slightest of pressure, and they often did!






I marked the tails and chopped the pins out. Again, this was really difficult to maintain any semblance of accuracy with this super soft wood, plus it's my first time doing any kind of dovetails...






The end result was ok - I'd like to hope that with a bit more practise and with wood that doesn't crumble so easily, I might be able to get them a bit better next time.






After a dry fit, I was ready to do the final glue-up for the top. I did it in two halves, using two spacer blocks to maintain the stop / tool holder section in the centre. I'm pleased I had these two super long sash clamps - I'm not sure how I would have done it otherwise!

I only applied glue on the breadboard tenons close to the sides of the bench top, leaving the area close to the centre of the bench top dry, so it can expand into the centre.


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## dzj (25 Feb 2018)

You've weakened the top tenon (marked A) with that through tenon just beneath it.
A twin tenon on the end of that cross member that doesn't cut the top tenon's fibers would've been a safer bet.


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## MattRoberts (25 Feb 2018)

dzj":19wt1j0w said:


> You've weakened the top tenon (marked A) with that through tenon just beneath it.
> A twin tenon on the end of that cross member that doesn't cut the top tenon's fibers would've been a safer bet.


That's a great call, thanks. I'll update the design


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## MattRoberts (17 Mar 2018)

After a quick plane, they don't look too shabby.






I marked the mortises for the legs into the top, and then flipped the top upside down to cut the lines.






I then went through the long and boring process of freehand routing them. I know, it's cheating, but they were deep mortises, and I wanted them to be nice and perpendicular, plus I wanted to test this technique out. It actually turned out quite well, freehanding near the line and then finishing off with a chisel.






After a test fit, the legs were wonderfully square - a complete surprise I can assure you!






The top slid on with a satisfyingly tight fit. I'm actually going to leave the mortises dry I think, as I don't see much of a reason to glue them, plus it means I can disassemble the bench in the future should I need to for whatever reason. It's starting to look like a workbench (to me at least)!

On to the centre tool rest. I decided to splash out and use a nice bit of walnut (my absolute favourite wood).






I ripped a board in two, and then thicknessed them down to approx 1/3 of the thickness of the gap in the table.






I added sections from an offcut in the centre and on the ends, and glued the whole lot together.











After some clean up and a bit of hand planing, the end result looks pretty nice (aside from the completely unmatching grain colour in the centre!)






I added a couple of hardwood scraps to either end of the gap in the centre. These will allow the tool rest to stand proud one way.






With the tool rest in place I was able to mark the notches that will receive the scrap blocks I just glued in.






I made sure to leave 1mm or so when marking, so that when reversed, the tool rest stands ever so slightly proud, and I can plane the entire top of the bench and the tool rest flat.






Here it is in place, ready for a damn good thrashing.






And after a lot of sweating and swearing at the opposite grain direction from one board to the next, it's finally flat!


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## Phil Pascoe (17 Mar 2018)

I did a centre strip similar to that for mine - after a couple of months I replaced it with a solid one as I found the tools in the middle got in the way and pencils, drill bits, sawdust etc. fell through it.


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## MikeG. (17 Mar 2018)

MattRoberts":3e90q0w0 said:


> ..........On to the drawboring!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I've got a tip there, Matt. For a start, I'd have drilled the holes closer to the edge/ shoulder, but that's not really important with such long tenons. More importantly, if you drill the hole for the peg *before* you chop out the tenons, not only do you avoid the breakout where you go through into the void, but much more importantly, your hole remains more accurate. Dropping through the mortice gives it a chance to start again slightly out of line, the way you did it.

That aside aside.......you've built yourself a nice solid-looking bench there. If you are filling the void underneath with drawers, are you going to put a diagonal brace or ply backing in place, for further racking resistance?


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## MattRoberts (17 Mar 2018)

MikeG.":24a2v3cw said:


> I've got a tip there, Matt. For a start, I'd have drilled the holes closer to the edge/ shoulder, but that's not really important with such long tenons. More importantly, if you drill the hole for the peg *before* you chop out the tenons, not only do you avoid the breakout where you go through into the void, but much more importantly, your hole remains more accurate. Dropping through the mortice gives it a chance to start again slightly out of line, the way you did it.
> 
> That aside aside.......you've built yourself a nice solid-looking bench there. If you are filling the void underneath with drawers, are you going to put a diagonal brace or ply backing in place, for further racking resistance?



Argh, that's a great tip Mike, thanks. Will definitely do that in the future.

I'm pleased to say that there is zero racking as it is, having used it for quite a bit of hand planing already. As and when I add drawers, I'll probably attach them in a way that they brace the whole structure anyway


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## custard (17 Mar 2018)

Looks terrific!

And having that central slot will allow you to use F-Cramps to secure a workpiece from the rear rather than front; which is useful for veneering, laminating, copy routing, shooting an edge, and lots of of other woodworking applications.


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## MattRoberts (17 Mar 2018)

custard":tnkiwqs0 said:


> Looks terrific!
> 
> And having that central slot will allow you to use F-Cramps to secure a workpiece from the rear rather than front; which is useful for veneering, laminating, copy routing, shooting an edge, and lots of of other woodworking applications.


Thanks custard, and a special thanks for the walnut too - it's part of the offcuts you very kindly gave me before 

I've already been using the centre gap for clamps as you say, and find it very useful. I may not end up using the tool rest for tools, but I'll definitely be using it as a plane stop / domino stop


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## Bm101 (17 Mar 2018)

MattRoberts":3llr86ge said:


>


Nice work Matt. You must be well pleased with those dovetails as first attempts. =D> I like the walnut too. Proper Fancypants workbench.


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## MattRoberts (17 Mar 2018)

Bm101":3ke0i984 said:


> Nice work Matt. You must be well pleased with those dovetails as first attempts. =D> I like the walnut too. Proper Fancypants workbench.



Thanks Bm! I must confess, that dovetail was the best of the four. I wish I could blame it all on the cheap timber, but having seen others on the forum making flawless dovetails out of pine, I suspect it was my lack of skill too!

Still, I'm pretty sure I used the right technique, so I'd be interested to see what improvement there might be with decent wood and a bit more practice


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## dzj (17 Mar 2018)

MattRoberts":3vozpia4 said:


> Bm101":3vozpia4 said:
> 
> 
> > Nice work Matt. You must be well pleased with those dovetails as first attempts. =D> I like the walnut too. Proper Fancypants workbench.
> ...



Your joinery is more than adequate! 
It's a bench after all and a prototype at that.
Good job.


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## MattRoberts (17 Mar 2018)

After flattening the top, I could lay out the lines for the vices. I started with the Veritas inset vice, a lovely low profile vice I got from Axminster. The instructions gave all the measurements in some foreign language (something about inches?!), so I simply flipped it upside down and drew around it.






I used a router to cut the outer edges to the correct depth and parallel to the side of the bench top.






It was a simple enough task to smack the rest of the waste out with a chisel and do a little bit of clean up.






Having already cut the marking lines, I could then just chisel out the correct depth for the lip of the vice. Annoyingly, the two ends of the vice are ever so slightly tapered, and I wanted a nice fit, so I couldn't use the router to do the lip as well. In addition, I drilled a couple of holes as directed at the top end to allow for chips to fall through. Of course I didn't put a sacrificial backer piece on the bottom, and due to the horrendous layered fibres of the wood ended up blowing out a huge chunk of wood. Thank goodness I cut from the top down and not the other way around!






And here it is, very easy to fit and looking pretty swish by my reckoning! It's not as slow to use as I had feared, and the grip is brilliant.


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## nabs (17 Mar 2018)

very impressed Matt - do you still see it as a prototype, or is it being promoted to the final article?


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## MattRoberts (17 Mar 2018)

nabs":2cq881ix said:


> very impressed Matt - do you still see it as a prototype, or is it being promoted to the final article?


Thank you very much. It's a good question. I may look to replace the top for something more substantial such as ash - I've already dented this one when a clamp fell on it and took a chunk out of it with a rogue brad nail. Whilst a harder top would still have been damaged by both incidents, it would probably have been significantly less.

I think I'll run with it for a good while, and either upgrade if we move house in the future (with a workshop larger than a single garage top of the wish list), or I'll replace the top if it becomes too damaged.


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## stuartpaul (18 Mar 2018)

Matt, - interesting build and nicely done. Really can't believe that's a prototype, - that's a bench that'll outlast you!


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## thetyreman (19 Mar 2018)

that's turned out great matt, not sure I'd even bother with a hardwood version, this version you've made will last a lifetime. =D>


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## Ttrees (19 Mar 2018)

Nice bench Matt
That should get you some commissions  
I'll bet you cant wait to use it now
Keep us updated on any additions, or ideas if you add any

Tom


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## MattRoberts (19 Mar 2018)

Thanks guys, appreciate it.

I've got lots of additions planned - first is a clamp attachment to hold clamps in place when doing panel glue ups.

I'm thinking of drilling a couple of holes in each side for threaded inserts, that way I can attach a variety of jigs to it. All will become clear!


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## custard (19 Mar 2018)

MattRoberts":2cq4t52u said:


> I've got lots of additions planned - first is a clamp attachment to hold clamps in place when doing panel glue ups.



You're right to put some thought into how you'll use your bench for glue-ups. Probably more projects go wrong during the glue-up stage than at any other point.

Personally I'd recommend that panel glue-ups are supported on waxed bearers.






You'll also see a plastic sheet underneath. Thoroughly cleaning up squeeze out (especially with PVA) takes more than just a wipe with a damp cloth, it's a wet business involving lots of hot water and scrubbing, so some protection for the bench is important.

The bearers mean you can sight across them by eye like they're winding sticks, and pack them accordingly to ensure the top bearer surfaces are parallel and true. And if the sash cramps won't stand up by themselves then little slotted feet can be useful, traditional Record sash cramps are excellent but they are inclined to fall over just when you least need it!






It might be worth using small matched blocks of scrap to keep the top sash cramps suspended above the workpiece. With iron sash cramps this prevents any iron staying on your work and means you can get in underneath the sash cramps to clean up the squeeze out.






The benefit of the waxed bearers is that they're sized to keep the workpiece about an inch above the sash cramps, again for access and to prevent iron staining. You can then just lift the cramped up workpiece off the bearers to clean up the underneath






And an old tooth brush will fit between the sash cramps and the workpiece to remove all traces of squeeze out.


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## transatlantic (19 Mar 2018)

Some good ideas there Custard. What brand of toothbrush would you recommend?


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## Bodgers (19 Mar 2018)

Sweet - love the dovetailed end caps.


Sent from my MI 3W using Tapatalk


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## MattRoberts (19 Mar 2018)

Thanks custard. I'm planning on tackling the issues you raise slightly differently. One of the key problems I'm trying to address is the clamps moving. I use those cheap Alu clamps (no Besseys here I'm afraid!), and because they're so lightweight they're constantly sliding all over the place. 

I'm thinking about using two boards, one attached to each side of the bench top but spring proud. I'll cut notches in them, basically like merlons on castle battlements. These will allow me to place the clamps in the notches to keep them evenly spaced across the panel.

I do like the idea of the panel sitting proud of the clamps though, but I fear it won't be as effective on non-parallel clamps


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## MattRoberts (19 Mar 2018)

Bodgers":b60pfnkt said:


> Sweet - love the dovetailed end caps.
> 
> 
> Sent from my MI 3W using Tapatalk



Cheers! Not the daintyest of dovetails, but it was nice to try and include a few design details


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## thetyreman (23 Mar 2018)

have you modded the aluminium clamps yet? I put cheap pieces of pine in them and it made a big difference, much stronger than before and the don't sound horrible and clangy, and still lightweight but feel more solid.


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