Saw Bench

[Mikey R]

I'm not concerned at all about dents in the softwood sawbench, what I'm saying is that if I had laboured long and hard on a full size bench in softwood I'd be frustrated for it to be covered in dents after 6 months. I agree that the sawhorse is a bit more sacrificial. The exercise of doing this made me realise that benches need to be something harder that the currently vaunted SYP.

Ed

Hi Ed,

Nice sawhorse, whilst building my softwood bench Ive been ripping on my workmate, and a dedicated sawbench would have made life so much easier!

My bench is made from B&Qs finest construction softwood, so probably generic gnarley spruce - which is way softer than SYP. During construction, I found the trick is to keep at least one dent in the bench at all times That way when its finished I wont be too fussed about dinging it up.

Realistically Im expecting to flatten it quite often, so most of the dings will get regularly planed off.

 

[MikeG.]

Is this a singleton, Ed? I ask, because obviously they a traditionally made in pairs that stack, and your lower shelf (something I have never seen before of a saw-horse) would prevent stacking.

You may be interested to know that saw-horses were often used as a test for people applying for site carpentry jobs on building sites. They would be given access to scrap timber, and given a few hours to go and make a pair of stacking saw-horses which would then be inspected by the foreman. If they were good enough you got the job.

My brother was given this test/ opportunity in Australia when he was looking for a job to fund his travelling in the 70's, and responded by saying......"look, I can either give $50 to a carpenter friend to make the saw-horses for me, or I can give the $50 to you. Which do you want it to be?"!!!!!! He got the job without making the saw horses!

I wouldn't be without mine, and stacking is an essential part of their usefulness to me.

Mike

 

[Mr Ed]

Its not a saw horse, its a saw bench. The distinction between the 2 might be esoteric, but I believe they are different things. The article I linked to clarifies why.

Ed

 

[bugbear]

2. I don't agree with the current fashion for making benches out of softwood, as this stuff dents so easily I don't think its suitable.

Better to dent the bench than a workpiece.

Similarly, a bench surface shouldn't be super shiny (*) - we don't want "over mobile" workpieces.

BugBear

(*) tip stolen shamelessly from Landis' book

 

[grafter]

see this on the lost art blog - Christopher Schwarz has updated plans and these can be downloaded - now allow stacking

http://blog.lostartpress.com/2008/02/17 ... bench.aspx

pdf: http://blog.lostartpress.com/content/bi ... wbench.pdf


pictures of updated completed sawbench here
http://www.bob-easton.com/blog/?p=173

 

[Mr Ed]

Better to dent the bench than a workpiece.

I dont think you need to put up with denting either. If ones benchtop is meant to be flat and reliable as a reference surface when building furniture I would have thought that avoiding dents and dings was pretty important. OK you can plane it flat but the point I was making was that with softwood this is going to be a pretty regular exercise.

I think the traditional choice of Beech is probably good for benches as a balance of cost, hardness and workability.

Ed

 

[Charlie Stanford]

I've just completed this saw bench. Its entirely based on the age old English form, although ironically it was an article by an American that inspired me to make it.

The article is here if you wish to follow it; http://popularwoodworking.com/article/t ... _sawbench/

I like to think that every project is a learning experience and this was no exception;

1. I have never used drawboring before, but I now see it is a highly effective technique.
2. I don't agree with the current fashion for making benches out of softwood, as this stuff dents so easily I don't think its suitable.
3. This would be an excellent primer project for someone who is thinking of building a bench soon.
4. Apparently I can use nearly every tool in the shop, even to make something as simple as this.
5. I can't be doing with imperial measurements, so have to convert everything.

I'm not yet sure how useful this will be in my ongoing projects, but Mr. Schwartz seems to think its essential so I'll try it and see.

Ed

Your project is obviously well executed but I find two boxes, a la Charles Hayward, more versatile to use as platforms for all kinds of sawing. They don't have nearly the visual appeal as your project but for the patient are susceptible to showing off one's dovetailing skills which does dress them up a little.

 

[mr grimsdale]

The very superior trad british saw bench/trestle/stool is different from all these so far, in that the feet are splayed outwards not only side to side but also end to end which makes them inherently stable, as a step-up frinstance. You can balance right at the end with no danger of it tipping.

They are also used as a classic first exercise in roof cutting.

I did a page here with full details of how to make one

I keep meaning to stick more stuff like that on my web site but that's it so far.

 

[Jake]

If you made those in African Blackwood with brass bits, you could sell them for a fortune, MrG.

 

[Mr Ed]

Theres also an opportunity for an extensive debate about the precise angle of the legs here...

 

[mr grimsdale]

Theres also an opportunity for an extensive debate about the precise angle of the legs here...

:lol: Good point.
In fact if you draw the layout as shown, the drawing works out the angles and you take them off directly with a sliding bevel, or by laying on the workpiece, so you may never know what they are at all (in degrees).
You don't even need to know dimensions - you can draw them in direct and take them out directly. But you might as well decide on timber sizes (these are 2x4" tops and 2x3" legs) and the height and width (can't remember what they were I'll measure them tomorrow).

 

[Mr Ed]

Having looked at the diagram on your web page I think the full size drawing to set a bevel is the only way I could do it; I got lost in the algebra part way through. :lol:

 

[mr grimsdale]

Having looked at the diagram on your web page I think the full size drawing to set a bevel is the only way I could do it; I got lost in the algebra part way through. :lol:

That's the idea - it's a full size drawing (a rod) involving no algebra at all. Doesn't involve geometry or any other maths either.

 

[OPJ]

I think the traditional choice of Beech is probably good for benches as a balance of cost, hardness and workability.

One thing I don't like about beech is that it isn't as stable as many of the other woods. Price is good and it is quite hard. If you don't treat it carefully enough though, it'll split and crack like God-knows-what! At least, that applies to the locally-grown stuff I've worked with... European beech is available as 'steamed', which is supposed to help improve its stability.

I don't know why the Americans don't use maple. They must have tonnes of it! It can't be much dearer than SYP, surely?

 

[Mr Ed]

I thought Beech was meant to be fairly stable?

Ed

 

[Auguste Gusteau]

Here is another tutorial about building a saw bench:

http://www.traditionaltools.us/cms/inde ... pic&p=2766

Auguste

 

[Benchwayze]

Edit: forgot to ask... what wood did you use (noob here) as you state a dislike for building this sort of thing in softwood.

Its softwood, which is what led to my comment. My tenons were snug fitting and when I tapped it apart with a Thor rubber mallet after a test fit I ended up with loads of dents. I planed these out, but it made me think that a workbench made out of this would be wrecked after 12 months.

Ed

Ed...

I am making my bench from softwood. But I am putting up a big sign on the wall above it.

ALWAYS use a bench-hook, paring board, and morticing block! :lol:

I should add that I have some nice maple reserved for the vice jaws.
8)

That saw-horse would make a good seat for my old bones when I need to use it too. Nice job indeed..

One thing missing from the design.
It's usual to bore a hole at the intersection of the 'jaws', presumably to prevent splitting along the top.

Regards
John

 

[EdK]

Very nice !
I made one out of scrap based on the Schwartz one. I just used the dimensions I had so the legs are a bit beefier than his but all to the same length/height etc.
Wouldn't do without one (no table saw) now and use it alot (with my D112 ).

Also agree on the wood type - I reckon ash would be nice but then again that's about the only wood I've used so far on my house renno project... (when all you have is a hammer...).

As for leg splay/angle, I think that you could go a little on the steeper side than the Schwartz one so when you are ripping on the side of the bench you miss the legs - only noticed this with longer rip saws (28" I think).

Anyway, nice bit of kit and will be making another (better one) once I have a proper house to live in.
Ed