Old-style workbench questions

[Woody2Shoes]

On another thread about sharpening (etc. !) Jacob recently posted a picture, which Graham Haydon has also recently posted a copy of elsewhere, of an old-fashioned British design. I immediately recognised this as being almost identical to the bench my grandfather had made for me by his friend, a time-served joiner and cabinet maker, when I was a small boy (some decades ago). Sadly it was lost in a house move a while back.

Can someone please tell me the purpose of "b" on the diagram (and why it spins on the central screw) - I never used it - and explain what "n", "r" and "f" are (I didn't have these refinements on mine)?

http://www.owdman.co.uk/forum15/bench1.jpg

Cheers, W2S

 

[Droogs]

I think f is the drawer which can be opened from either side. n + r are maybe the same thing on opposite sides. Have to admit the bench has a striking resemblance to the design that Paul sellars uses all the time

 

[xy mosian]

As a guess I think 'b' could be to rest the toe of a bench plane on. To keep the edge from the surface. As for spinning? To ease brushing debris out of the well?
xy

 

[PAC1]

As a guess I think 'b' could be to rest the toe of a bench plane on. To keep the edge from the surface. As for spinning? To ease brushing debris out of the well?
xy

Correct on both counts. It also stopped things rolling off
f is a drawer and r just its runners. I have never seen the drawer go all the way through. n might be a flip stop for when you are sawing a length of wood you push the wood against it and saw away from the bench but it is in the wrong place to my mind. Mine is at the end of my bench

 

[Bod]

On another thread about sharpening (etc. !) Jacob recently posted a picture, which Graham Haydon has also recently posted a copy of elsewhere, of an old-fashioned British design. I immediately recognised this as being almost identical to the bench my grandfather had made for me by his friend, a time-served joiner and cabinet maker, when I was a small boy (some decades ago). Sadly it was lost in a house move a while back.

Can someone please tell me the purpose of "b" on the diagram (and why it spins on the central screw) - I never used it - and explain what "n", "r" and "f" are (I didn't have these refinements on mine)?

http://www.owdman.co.uk/forum15/bench1.jpg

Cheers, W2S

Could give details of the book your picture has come from please.

Bod

 

[Woody2Shoes]

The link I gave is from Jacob's website, here's the link on Graham Haydon's PW blog page, which gives a reference, cheers, W2S

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodw ... ners-bench

 

[G S Haydon]

xy had it! It's a nice detail, however I wonder how likely the plane would always go back to the exact spot?

 

[Woody2Shoes]

I wonder how many people - like Paul Sellers (and me!) - are happy to put their plane down flat (sole down) on a soft wood surface (thus making "b" a bit superfluous)? Cheers, W2S

 

[JohnPW]

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