Lee J's new workbench build

[Lee J]

Well your in for a treat now folks, well when I say a treat what I mean is a ruddy good laugh :lol:

I decided to convert my single integral garage into my wood workshop. So I started collecting bits of kit and tools and timber ready to make a go of it. But first I need a workbench. Needs to be solid and reliable but I'm not too bothered about it cosmetically looking like a £1000 bench.

Disclaimer :

1. Please be aware this workbench will be made COMPLETELY from reclaimed timber. It will have a ply top but this is only so I can replace it easily when it gets butchered.
So the quality of the finish will not be intended on been super smooth with lovely varnishing etc etc. It's gonna be built to be used. I dont want to be scared to scratch it.

2. Some of my methods for doing things may not be the 'correct' method but it worked for me at the time. Sometimes I probably use the wrong tool for the job and you'll all jump up and say "I wouldn't of done it like that!". I would however appreciate some input into how I could of done something differently.

Anyway, enough waffling and justifying what your about to witness...

On with the job!!

This is my 'sketchup' design...

This is the space I have allocated for my bench...

and this is my reclaimed timber, for the legs and bracing, 4"x4" posts ...

and for my top, reclaimed scaffold planks...

First job - pot of tea to weigh up the job

So cos these are reclaimed timbers they're very rough finished on the faces and some of them have defeats in, like splitting on the posts and slight warps but I intend to square them up a bit and planed the faces smooth.

So on with the posts/legs. Needed to square them up a bit and remove the slight twists/warping. I don't own a thicknesser as yet so I decided to knock together a jig so I could use the router as a thicknesser...

Took some flat boards and routed a rebate on one side...

Cut some MDF sides and glued/pined into place at 90 degrees to the boards...

Next 4 picture shows me smoothing out a leg. I cut the legs to size then mounted them into my jig.

"But wait! this wont square them up cos you've got them resting on an uneven side!" - I realise this but remember this is supposed to be a rustic looking bench so I'm not too concerned.

This was a looooong process. Took me ages but eventually I got each leg to a thickness off 90mm x 90mm. I finished them off with the hand held power sander.

I also did the top bracing to as this is to be made out of the same timber...

I took the opportunity to put a round over on all the edges.

End of day

 

[Lee J]

Here we go again...

Pot of tea

The splitting I was mentioning on the legs isn't to serious really. The timber has been stood in my workshop :lol: for the last 4 months so 1 or 2 slight cracks have appeared. Nothing to worrying.

so, on with todays job. I intend to cut some rebates out of the tops of the legs to take the bracing peices. I'm not sure of what this type of joint is called but it seems to be a good idea...

I cut the legs at the top using a hand saw...

see, jobs a gud 'un...

Next up was to make some long bracing peices (not sure of the name for these). These will go from the left leg to the right leg and will be morticed straight through the legs and then glued up. I will make a home made dowel to put all the way through to make this a stronger joint.

I took a scaffold plank...

and planed it smooth and as flat as I could using the hand held planer...

I carefully calculated the tenon size, measured and cut the tenons by hand, using a tenon saw...

...on both ends...

finished them off (tidied them up I mean) with a chisel...

I decided at this point I would not be morticing by hand. So I nipped on line and ordered me one of these...

I sat and waited it's arrivel...

 

[Lee J]

Morning all... kettles on!

Morticer arrived nice and early. Took me 2 hours to degrease it and build it but ee-by-gum it was worth it. Had an issue with it sticking and jamming but after Olly had given my a tip in the right direction (thanks Olly!) I had it mastered and rattled through the mortices...

thought I'd knock one together to see...

-----------------------
ADVICE REQUIRED: should they be nice and tight or a bit slack?
-----------------------

Seems now I'm at the point where I can assemble this bench frame on a 'dry run' ...

Well wont ya look at that...

Look, you can see the tenons...

So it's now onto the shorter braces. These don't need to be as robust and heavy duty as the others so a couple of offcuts of 3x2 should see it done. I cut them to size, then cut them again as I forgot to take into account the tenon (schoolboy error or hangover?).

Here I am using my mortice/tenon measuring device...

Once I had these done I could drill out the mortices to receive them...

there's one... right there... look...

Time to start seriously considering assembling this bench now. So I used some Titebond and fixed the short bracing in place, clamped up and left it over night...

 

[Lee J]

So here I am today, gonna turn my own dowels on my Record Coronet lathe...

Took some offcuts, mounted them on the lathe...

and using all my concentration turned it down to this 19mm dowel...

chopped them up into 92mm lengths...

tonight I will plane the top down and might even get it glued up...

more to follow tomorrow...

 

[head clansman]

hi lee j


your doing OK , so who's laughing , most start like you are now , i did many years ago, good luck keep the pics coming .hc

 

[The Shark]

Hi Lee J,
I'm not laughing, looks like you are improvising well, and coming up with a good end result.
Thanks for taking the time to document your project, I look forward to seeing the end result.
Keep it coming!!

Malc

 

[OPJ]

This is looking good, Lee. I like the fact that you're using reclaimed materials and you shouldn't have any trouble with 4in. square legs! :wink: I agree that your braces (on the ends) don't need to be too substantial. They are, however, essential; in any size or form, to prevent racking.

Your thicknessing jig looks like a pretty good idea. Next time, adding some wedges or 'packing' below the bottom face to keep it still as you rout away a reference face above. I think you should also consider adding a second pair of rails outside - otherwise, you run the risk of routing them away when they're supposed to be supporting your router's base... Or, just buy a thicknesser!!

Look forward to seeing more progress. Have you got your vices sorted yet?

 

[Lee J]

hey, thanks folks for the encouraging words.

Olly, I have a vice all ready to fit to this new bench. I need to spend some time working out where and how to fit it, but I should be ok i reckon.

I am going to fit a rail to each of the long braces and pop a shelf in that space, to hold hand held power tools.

 

[PowerTool]

Great post to follow - well written,interesting ideas and excellent photos.

Thanks for sharing

Andrew

 

[Lee J]

thanks mate, nice to know

now what do you mean by 'interesting' ideas? hmmmm :lol:

only kidding with ya.

 

[Benchwayze]

You're doing well.
Don't knock yourself!

Leave that to everyone else, and then take no notice!

John

 

[Lee J]

:shock: how bizzare...

my drill chuck has just fallen off?? On my pillar drill the actual chuck has fallen of but it's left the tapered shaft in the drill??

what do I do with that then?

 

[CroppyBoy1798]

Looking good alright! Look forward to seeing the finished article!

As for the chuck, just push it back up the tapered shaft. Its not one of those Aldi bench mounted ones is it? I have one and the chuck dropped off a couple of times. Just push it back up, set the table right up under it, and force the chuck down onto the table with the lowering arm.

 

[wizer]

Yes what brand is the drill? It sounds like your saying the morse taper bit is still in the shaft? i.e the male is still in the female?

 

[Lee J]

it's an Nu-tool i think. it jut wont stay on longer than 20 seconds

 

[dexter]

Nothing wrong with that build. It`ll do what you want of it and last you years.

Dex

 

[Benchwayze]

Ooops.. wrong thread...

 

[Benchwayze]

:shock: how bizzare...

my drill chuck has just fallen off?? On my pillar drill the actual chuck has fallen of but it's left the tapered shaft in the drill??

what do I do with that then?

Lee:

I had a similar problem with the tail-stock chuck on my lathe. Dismounting the chuck, I was left with the taper in the 'ole!

Got me a new Jacobs chuck, problem solved.

John

 

[DaveL]

:shock: how bizzare...

my drill chuck has just fallen off?? On my pillar drill the actual chuck has fallen of but it's left the tapered shaft in the drill??

what do I do with that then?

The chuck was only held on using friction, this quite common and does work well.
You need to clean both parts of the joint with something, I would use meths and then reassemble, with lots of pressure. When this happened to my drill press, I wound the jaws of the chuck inside the body and placed a wooden block on the table, with just enough clearance to get the chuck back on the taper. I then lent on the handle very hard and the chuck stayed in place, on the second try. :roll:

 

[Lee J]

ok folks, ready for a small installment? well, get yersens a brew - always the first job.

I decide while I have an hour or so spare I would tackle the shelf that will be located on the inside of the long braces. This shelf will be used for general storage but I dont want it going the full length. I though it would be a good idea to leave a gap so I can stand taller objects on the floor.

So I found some off-cuts of 45mm x 45mm pine I had left over from another job (recycled I think is the correct word). Remember, this bench is to be made from reclaimed timber!!

I cut them to length, put them in place and drilled the holes for the 4 screws. I'm using some screws I had left over too. These are good for wood as the thread is quite wide. I smeared Titebond on the face and screwed the baton into place.

I repeated this for the other side too. Here's them both in place...

...and a close up...

I cut a length of 'reclaimed' :lol: floor board into 4 peices to make the base of my shelf. These will be planed then fixed across the batons.

So I was kicking my heels a bit waiting to go out but this gave me some valuable time to do some small prep jobs. I decided I would fix the large 4" x 4" braces that run from front to back to the legs using long screws then cap the heads off with wooden plugs.
This give me chance to use my new set of plug cutters.

and here they are...

that one thats on it's side couldn't stand up, bit like myself late on Saturday night :lol:

Next up, there was just time to line the timber up for the bench top and cut some biscuit slots. This will add strength to my bench top and also aid alignment.

here's some slots...

Final assembly should be tonight, all been well.