Schwarz/Nicholson/Byron Workbench Build

[ByronBlack]

Looking really good, your making quick progress.

Beware those sash clamps, mine just fell apart, very light pressure is all they are good for.

Thats what I thought - but you should have seen the amount of pressure I put on those bad boys to close the joints, it was a very tight fit, my wrist/arm would give-up before those clamps, they have handled everything that I've thrown at them, I think I got a good batch though as a couple have broken off at the head, but my core set are rock solid.

 

[woodbloke]

Looking good so far BB. What's that Yellow Pine like to work with? Yandles have usually got a vast knot free selection of the stuff and I've been tempted on occasion to buy a lump - Rob

 

[ByronBlack]

Looking good so far BB. What's that Yellow Pine like to work with? Yandles have usually got a vast knot free selection of the stuff and I've been tempted on occasion to buy a lump - Rob

The stuff I've got is really nice to work with so far. I bought it PAR and was expecting it to twist/warp more than it has while drying. The MC content was only about 4% above my shop.

There also wasn't much tension in the boards It was relatively easy to rip/crosscut to size with no surprises. The smaller pieces that would be my legs and rails were planed within a few days and left in stick - again, I was expecting them to move a bit before I assembled them, but they were perfect.

Working it is easy, it planes exceptionally well and has a nice glossy finish. There's not many knots in the timber, just a handful of smaller ones where they wont be seen. Routing is also very easy.

It's a lovely wood to use - a lot of the boards are straight grained and quite attractive, its more a light brown than yellow which is nice, I imagine that with age its going to look great.

Not sure if I would use it for furniture, I may make a tool-chest with it, but for fine furntiure for the home, it might be a bit 'busy'.

 

[woodbloke]

Not sure if I would use it for furniture, I may make a tool-chest with it, but for fine furntiure for the home, it might be a bit 'busy'.

BB - thanks for that, it's reinforced my own view of what appears to be one of the better pines. I think it could be used for a piece of furniture, but the style would have to be chosen carefully...I reckon something chunkable like a low coffee table might suit it well - Rob

 

[Chems]

Bryon, I'm interested to know what swayed you to the English bench rather than the Roubo, was it material costs?

 

[ByronBlack]

Bryon, I'm interested to know what swayed you to the English bench rather than the Roubo, was it material costs?

Partly yes - although, given I've since spent more cash on tools which I wasn't planning on, I could have theoretically afforded it.

The other reason was I wanted the front apron. I have a number of projects on the tuit list that will require the use of the apron - I realise I could have used a sliding deadman on the roubo, but I like the extra solidity afforded by the apron. (I have a solution planned that will still allow me to use clamps on the worktop from the front - which is often remarked as the main downside to an apron).

And lastly - after doing the face-to-face glue-up on my previous beech bench, i didn't fancy doing it again with timbers twice as long (my old bench was only 4ft long). I don't own a P/T so dimensioning and planing all that stock for the top would have driven me mad.

The most important choice of course was that the Roubo is french! I just couldn't bring myself to consider building a french bench

 

[Chems]

Yes the lack of apron clamping would put me off the Nicolson. I want to build a beech roubo, but I'm just never going to get the time!

 

[ByronBlack]

Another update today:

Pics:

I'm glad I made some sawhorses before the workbench build, they are proving quite useful. Here i'm planing the edges square

Smoothing the areas that will be glued to the legs

The top rail didn't foul the trimming after-all

Rear apron glued on to the leg assemblies

Just for fun, I clamped the front apron to see what it would look like, its fudging big!!

During the week, I'll be shaping the front apron, drilling the holdfast holes and planing the areas where it meets the legs. I'll also drill the mortice for the leg-vice guide board.

 

[neilc]

Looking good BB, I'm enjoying this thread.
Neil

 

[ByronBlack]

Todays update:

My front apron was about 10-15mm higher than the rear apron which would cause a real problem with the top, so I had to trim and joint this edge. As I don't have a straight edge long enough to use my circular saw because it requires a very low piece to avoid fouling the motor, I decided to put my new router into service again - using a fairly straight decking board as a guide, I spent a fair amount of time routing off the excess material and prepared the edge for jointing:

After the routing, I finished the edge joint with a No.7

Trimming the excess leg tops with my trusty rusty ryoba (most versatile saw in my kit)

I Wanted to get an idea of how it looks with the top

Relieved the square edge with a bevel cut - sawed in situ with the ryoba again

End of todays work:

 

[Chems]

Looking great!

 

[Sawdust]

Your bench is looking great Byron - good thread this I'm really enjoying it. I might be pinching your design.

Cheers
Mike

 

[Benchwayze]

Hi Byron,

Things are looking great on this one.
Your cross-cutting track...

Obviously it fits the DeWalt Router so it should fit my Elu.

A few quick questions if I may?

What make is it please?

I assume these tracks can be used with a circular saw, so how does the saw locate in the grooves?

Or do you just run the sawplate up against the edge?

Cheers
John

 

[Gary]

John

That's the Dewalt rail with a router attachment.

The saw sits on the rail same as the Festool.

Have a look here.

 

[Benchwayze]

Much obliged Gary...
So one has to buy the saw too!
Ouch!

I already have three circular saws! With the amount of cross-cutting I do, I could just get by with a shopmade MDF straight edge.

I have a Trend 'clamp'n guide, but the plastic lever clamps are pathetic. They just won't hold and it's a bit disconcerting when it slips and the saw wants to kick-back!
Thanks for the info all the same.

John

 

[woodbloke]

I already have three circular saws! With the amount of cross-cutting I do, I could just get by with a shopmade MDF straight edge.

John

Same here John...I just cramp a bit of mdf to the job and run the saw along it. Not super accurate, but accurate enough for my needs with a hand held cs - Rob

 

[Benchwayze]

Indeed Rob,

I have been thinking about a short sash cramp, suitably adapted, and a piece of ply, of the right dimensions, to locate the saw for accuracy.

Genereally my local yard cut panels on their dimensioning saw, if I buy a whole sheet and supply a rough drawing!

So usually I manage.

I'll explain my thinking on the 'sash-cramp' idea, when I see you next month, or if I can fit in the adaptation, I'll do WIP.

Regards

John

 

[ByronBlack]

Here's my update from today:

Schwarz didn't have any transverse supports attached to the aprons, he screwed his directly to the top, I thought I would add to the torsion box design and give some more support by rebating in some 2x4 supports, these will then have some 3x1 glued to their face to provide a support area to put in some screws (with oval screw clearance holes to account for wood movement) which will hold the top flat - it will be glued to the first 6 inches of the apron and supports.

I also finished up shaping the corners of the aprons, and finally glued on the front apron of drilling the dog holes.

Pics:
Supports added to the leg rail:

Front Apron glued on:

Notched transverse supports placed into position - and their rebates marked on the aprons

Nearly broke my back getting the bench up onto the sawhorses

I sawed by hand the shoulders,routed out the excess and finally, I squared them up with a chisel

Test fit is good

Glued and clamped up - along with the front apron, these will be left over night, tomorrow I face the daunting task of jointing and flattening the tops.

I've spent approx 28 hours so far

 

[Mike.C]

Wow Colin that is some meaty, well made, and if it is going to turn out like the one in your Avatar, handsome bench. I am quite confident when I say that it looks like it will out last your woodworking life.

I look forward to the end result.

Cheers

Mike

 

[paulm]

Looking good Colin.

Were the front and back aprons glued and screwed or just glued ? Think you mention just gluing but that wouldn't give the strength needed by itself would it ?

Cheers, Paul