What wood to use for Paul sellers workbench

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Probably like you I wanted to upgrade and old rickety bench that I have used for many years. When I priced up the cost of the wood I started looking for a good secondhand work bench. Within quite a short like I came across a Sjoberg vintage bench in practically unused condition, like new. One owner from new, came with the purchase receipt from the 70’s and complete with unused accessories. This is a beautiful solid work bench for very little money, the owners were more concerned that it went to a worthwhile home. It saved me a lot of money and time.
Probably like you I wanted to upgrade and old rickety bench that I have used for many years. When I priced up the cost of the wood I started looking for a good secondhand work bench. Within quite a short like I came across a Sjoberg vintage bench in practically unused condition, like new. One owner from new, came with the purchase receipt from the 70’s and complete with unused accessories. This is a beautiful solid work bench for very little money, the owners were more concerned that it went to a worthwhile home. It saved me a lot of money and time.View attachment 141213View attachment 141214
I have done something similar but the one I bought is not to your high standard and is still not properly set up. However it was very local, came with a record 52 1/2 QR vice and a fortis engineers vice. £50 FB Marketplace. workbenches come up regularly on eBay and similar so it is one way to get a workbench and possibly cheaper than the cost of the wood. Photo below of mine is from the advert.
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I have done something similar but the one I bought is not to your high standard and is still not properly set up. However it was very local, came with a record 52 1/2 QR vice and a fortis engineers vice. £50 FB Marketplace. workbenches come up regularly on eBay and similar so it is one way to get a workbench and possibly cheaper than the cost of the wood. Photo below of mine is from the advert.View attachment 141266
Nice - vices are worth easily more than that!!
 
What's the difference in accuracy required for fine woodwork and green woodwork then ?
That's a long (decent) question, which I'll try and answer quickly.
In my opinion anyone looking to do real fine work
Take laminating a benchtop for instance from anything solid you can find
if you don't want gaps, that requires tolerance.

Contrast that to folks who specifically aim for a different sorta end product
like Follansbee, who procures his own timber all very much like yourself.
Intentionally being historically accurate and aiming to make reproductions/repairs to stuff made in that time.
Follansbee is credible, and doesn't try and fool folks, and he's not aiming for fine tolerances, but he can use ahand plane well for his work.

Rather a nasty slur there?
I've watched near every free video he's made, and never seen him do anything with a hand plane which I could call honest, or good practice.
Have you tried his methods like stuffing shavings into the mouth with thumb and forefinger to eliminate or reduce tearout?
What about planing long bendy stock in a vise?
What about forgetting about how a double iron plane works, how did ya get on with that.
I could go on, as I've never seen him do anything but bad habits using a hand plane.

Dimensioning the material and getting less than stellar results will stop one from progressing, which is the aim of his videos.
He wants folks to fail and feel ham fisted, so they go looking at his courses for the answers.

Contrast that to using a flat bench which makes the work easy and accurate.
No skill required, physically easier regarding effort, faster, properly accurate to the tolerance one needs to laminate anything, or just plane well.

Yet to see anyone make a video regarding accurate planing using anything other than the flat bench method.
This is IMO why so many folks fail at learning how to use a cap iron,
or just even just prepare the stock with acceptable results,
and feel they need to get a plastic P/T with a noisy throwaway motor which might let the magic smoke out at any moment.

Please try and "attack" me for others sake,
rather than say I'm being insulting, as it's just hot air without proof.
Surely one with such an opinion can give me another reference regarding fine work.

Hopefully you can find a video of similar work practice, or just anything but using a flat bench, and I'll "attack" that too, or be proved wrong.

All the best
Tom
 
I have done something similar but the one I bought is not to your high standard and is still not properly set up. However it was very local, came with a record 52 1/2 QR vice and a fortis engineers vice. £50 FB Marketplace. workbenches come up regularly on eBay and similar so it is one way to get a workbench and possibly cheaper than the cost of the wood. Photo below of mine is from the advert.View attachment 141266

Good shout that, though I've found when they do become availabe in South Yorkshire they almost always have a silly price (£200-300+) because a couple of years ago Hipsters have started hoovering them all up to use them as Kitchen Islands and side tables... :rolleyes:
 
That's a long (decent) question, which I'll try and answer quickly.
In my opinion anyone looking to do real fine work
Take laminating a benchtop for instance from anything solid you can find
if you don't want gaps, that requires tolerance.

Contrast that to folks who specifically aim for a different sorta end product
like Follansbee, who procures his own timber all very much like yourself.
Intentionally being historically accurate and aiming to make reproductions/repairs to stuff made in that time.
Follansbee is credible, and doesn't try and fool folks, and he's not aiming for fine tolerances, but he can use ahand plane well for his work.


I've watched near every free video he's made, and never seen him do anything with a hand plane which I could call honest, or good practice.
Have you tried his methods like stuffing shavings into the mouth with thumb and forefinger to eliminate or reduce tearout?
What about planing long bendy stock in a vise?
What about forgetting about how a double iron plane works, how did ya get on with that.
I could go on, as I've never seen him do anything but bad habits using a hand plane.

Dimensioning the material and getting less than stellar results will stop one from progressing, which is the aim of his videos.
He wants folks to fail and feel ham fisted, so they go looking at his courses for the answers.

Contrast that to using a flat bench which makes the work easy and accurate.
No skill required, physically easier regarding effort, faster, properly accurate to the tolerance one needs to laminate anything, or just plane well.

Yet to see anyone make a video regarding accurate planing using anything other than the flat bench method.
This is IMO why so many folks fail at learning how to use a cap iron,
or just even just prepare the stock with acceptable results,
and feel they need to get a plastic P/T with a noisy throwaway motor which might let the magic smoke out at any moment.

Please try and "attack" me for others sake,
rather than say I'm being insulting, as it's just hot air without proof.
Surely one with such an opinion can give me another reference regarding fine work.

Hopefully you can find a video of similar work practice, or just anything but using a flat bench, and I'll "attack" that too, or be proved wrong.

All the best
Tom
I'm pretty sure there are no gaps in the chest I made, although there may well be a slight change in level at the joint, but that's because I haven't planed the joint flush on purpose.

The face of the chest is flat, although the back isn't and all the joints are tight even though it's green woodworking done by hand and with a minimum of tools and it has sat in a room with a woodburner for over a year.

You may be confusing tolerance with something else, I'm not sure what it is, but the skills required to produce furniture which was made in the 17th. century by hand, outstrip the skills required to laminate a bench top by a long chalk.
 
That's a long (decent) question, which I'll try and answer quickly.
In my opinion anyone looking to do real fine work
Take laminating a benchtop for instance from anything solid you can find
if you don't want gaps, that requires tolerance.

Contrast that to folks who specifically aim for a different sorta end product
like Follansbee, who procures his own timber all very much like yourself.
Intentionally being historically accurate and aiming to make reproductions/repairs to stuff made in that time.
Follansbee is credible, and doesn't try and fool folks, and he's not aiming for fine tolerances, but he can use ahand plane well for his work.


I've watched near every free video he's made, and never seen him do anything with a hand plane which I could call honest, or good practice.
Have you tried his methods like stuffing shavings into the mouth with thumb and forefinger to eliminate or reduce tearout?
What about planing long bendy stock in a vise?
What about forgetting about how a double iron plane works, how did ya get on with that.
I could go on, as I've never seen him do anything but bad habits using a hand plane.

Dimensioning the material and getting less than stellar results will stop one from progressing, which is the aim of his videos.
He wants folks to fail and feel ham fisted, so they go looking at his courses for the answers.

Contrast that to using a flat bench which makes the work easy and accurate.
No skill required, physically easier regarding effort, faster, properly accurate to the tolerance one needs to laminate anything, or just plane well.

Yet to see anyone make a video regarding accurate planing using anything other than the flat bench method.
This is IMO why so many folks fail at learning how to use a cap iron,
or just even just prepare the stock with acceptable results,
and feel they need to get a plastic P/T with a noisy throwaway motor which might let the magic smoke out at any moment.

Please try and "attack" me for others sake,
rather than say I'm being insulting, as it's just hot air without proof.
Surely one with such an opinion can give me another reference regarding fine work.

Hopefully you can find a video of similar work practice, or just anything but using a flat bench, and I'll "attack" that too, or be proved wrong.

All the best
Tom
I guess you're not a fan then Tom, but as such I wonder why you've watched nearly all his videos? ;)

These Youtube 'experts' (an old boss of mine defined 'expert' where ex is a has been and spert is a drip under pressure) make their living from these videos, some are good some not so much. Sellers' target market is people starting out in woodworking and those who wish to improve; he doesn't aim his videos at very experienced people like yourself. If I don't like a particular way he does things I move on and I've watched many Youtube videos and learned a great deal along the way. As I've said, he does irritate me at times and I am far from an avid fan, but I have learned from him (more on chiselling than planing) but I fail to see your justifications for your personal attacks on the man. The proof you call for is the huge following he clearly has, a lot of woodworkers do like what he demonstrates, but if you and other very experienced and talented woodworkers don't agree with his methods then by all means say so, but personal attacks like this are somewhat beneath you and unnecessary.
 
What other online woodworkers content, DVD’s, books would you recommend Tom?
Someone here who has mostly followed Paul Sellers so far and had no clue how to even take a shaving with a hand plane a few years ago but who is always keen to improve.
 
I can't get my head round the level of vitriol PS arouses in some people. When I've watched him, I just see some old guy trying to encourage beginners. Never seems to push branded tools...
Mind you, I've never watched any of his paid for stuff, maybe that's a different kettle of fish.
 
I have yet to find a YouTube woodworker who doesn't grate!!!

As for plywood for a workbench it just seems wrong from an engineering point of view.

Cheers James

Curtis Buchanan - but he's not really much of a youtuber, and most people would think his workshop is dirty if they watch youtube a lot.
 
I guess you're not a fan then Tom, but as such I wonder why you've watched nearly all his videos? ;)

These Youtube 'experts' (an old boss of mine defined 'expert' where ex is a has been and spert is a drip under pressure) make their living from these videos, some are good some not so much. Sellers' target market is people starting out in woodworking and those who wish to improve; he doesn't aim his videos at very experienced people like yourself. If I don't like a particular way he does things I move on and I've watched many Youtube videos and learned a great deal along the way. As I've said, he does irritate me at times and I am far from an avid fan, but I have learned from him (more on chiselling than planing) but I fail to see your justifications for your personal attacks on the man. The proof you call for is the huge following he clearly has, a lot of woodworkers do like what he demonstrates, but if you and other very experienced and talented woodworkers don't agree with his methods then by all means say so, but personal attacks like this are somewhat beneath you and unnecessary.
The thing is I ain't very experienced, but have learned how to plane from the best.
The hand plane is so hugely important to hand tool woodworking, and certainly not something to learn down the road, start off with good habits rather than bad ones kinda thing, and progress rapidly!
Couldn't care less if he or anyone else may have an irritating personality,
doesn't bother me in the slightest bit whatsoever, yet I see folks bringing this up constantly rather than the actual important stuff.
This confuses me greatly, maybe it's part of the act and folks are actually getting annoyed at the whole package regarding to the misleading nature of the planing.
A friend brought over some of Paul's videos before, where he was in a castle with tense music like the results of some bake off finale,
Still the same bad habits as seen on youtube.
My mate wasn't too pleased about bursting that bubble, but one has to remember...
It's easier to fool someone than it is to convince them that they have been fooled!


A huge following ain't proof of anything, that comment was to get my own personal attacks, which I'm still waiting for in video format.
This is the proof I'm referring to, and not pot shot comments which are vague at best.

Beneath me and unnecessary, not so.
I ain't here to make friends or be friendly, although try to most of the time,
I'm looking out for myself, and won't stand for misleading behavior, especially so regarding important stuff like not ruining planes.
I don't want to see that cloud again.
Maybe the cast iron got to me'ead that day, luckily I came out of that anguish.
Some like myself might not have, so you'll have to believe I'm out for myself as good karma is an obligation to me.

I could imagine the same deal with someone spending every penny they had on stock, ,they might be deeply upset with themselves.
It's just someone with a similar brain to myself which is why I stoop so low.
Maybe I should just make some videos instead, like the lapping one which is a terrible watch, but I don't care, as it might just save someone out there.
Nothing to do with any "hobby horse" if you will.
That goes for a lot of folks, not just Sellars, but possibly its the long winded stories which gives folks false confidence to place all their faith in his approach regarding anything to do with planes, which may be why.

I'm still game for learning from anyone though, not too proud to be ignorant.

What other online woodworkers content, DVD’s, books would you recommend Tom?
Someone here who has mostly followed Paul Sellers so far and had no clue how to even take a shaving with a hand plane a few years ago but who is always keen to improve.

If you're looking for something specifically to do with hand planing for free, then I'd suggest the one single particular Cosman video I've timestamped, and mentioned multiple times, has some hidden tips which tells all, if you can discount the rest
but there is other carp involved also, remember the guy has ten kids and sells tools.
Combine the useful bits regarding planing on the bench, and referencing off of it,
with Mr Charlesworth's videos and you can make sense of it easily.
Reference of the bench, good habits, stopped shavings, the principal of all things flat
That covers pretty much everything you need...
until tearout is of concern, then it's over to Mr Weaver and I suggest no one else
as most have got it wrong.
He will show you how a fine panel plane and smoother should be setup.
Everyone else is still in the dark about this.
One has to discount everything they have learned regarding anyone else and read the woodcentral and watch his utubes regarding the cap iron.
This has everything to do with the plane setup and make one realize the red herrings of many.
Going back to hand planing, and not the proper setup of the plane...
You could buy Charlesworth's videos on the matter, the one at a show was a damn good watch, and I learned a heckuva lot overnight, without even picking up a hand plane.
Trouble is, if you buy something, then you fall into a hole of "getting your moneys worth" and likely wouldn't progress near as quickly with total honesty and unbiased attitude.
Charlesworth's planing technique videos won't see you wrong,
the worst that will likely happen is one will get fed up with tearout and progress afterwards.
No bothers, as at least you will have honesty and the stock will actually be accurately planed by then, rather than still on some pathetic drip feed system from whomever else who is selling videos, trying to find out why ones planing ain't going so well.

Thats my flat bench rant over .
Happy to get slated, I don't take offense, call me what ye like and I'll still say hello.

Suppose I could just rip off/ parrot Charlesworth's stuff and stick it up on youtube,
That would be a heck of a lot more distasteful in my eyes than slating anyone.
They say copying is the ultimate compliment,
and I could even add my own bit, from what I've learned from David, so it wouldn't be
total content thievery, and one more thing regarding the crowned bench (1/64" over 7 foot) a hard lesson which may be in another of his videos?

It seems to me no-one on earth could explain something like Charlesworth did,
even though I could do it silently but it doesn't sit well for me TBH.
Be like ripping off music, that's how well Charlesworth spoke.

Maybe I'll rope in some slave young fella, and make him do the work instead.
I just made a pointer today so could be like a teacher of olde.
Back of the hand kinda deal, lol.


Still ranting about my hobby horse.
Regarding some other woodwork, another departed master was Mr Phil Lowe.
Look up on youtube "The art of woodworking" series.
I think it was produced by a TV crowd.
Beware some waterstones are used, but you can skip those bits.

Forums are likely better for what you wish to know for the next month's work,
as you can get referrals to utubes if you need, without glazing over,
but more importantly get the results you're after without getting sucked into buying tools which you could be getting for a song instead.
Some of the tidiest workers will have you believe you need it all,
There's a cheap old tool for everything which can be made to work equally well or better 99% of the time, this is where the forums comes into play when looking for the alternative from someone honest.



Betcha won't ask me anything again, lol.
Most write shorter messages than I.

All the best
Tom

Now, time for me to get a good dollop of abuse, since I dished out a fair bit! 😱
 
I have done something similar but the one I bought is not to your high standard and is still not properly set up. However it was very local, came with a record 52 1/2 QR vice and a fortis engineers vice. £50 FB Marketplace. workbenches come up regularly on eBay and similar so it is one way to get a workbench and possibly cheaper than the cost of the wood. Photo below of mine is from the advert.View attachment 141266
 
I have done something similar but the one I bought is not to your high standard and is still not properly set up. However it was very local, came with a record 52 1/2 QR vice and a fortis engineers vice. £50 FB Marketplace. workbenches come up regularly on eBay and similar so it is one way to get a workbench and possibly cheaper than the cost of the wood. Photo below of mine is from the advert.View attachment 141266

My first decent workbench which I still use regularly came from a local farm sale. It is almost 8ft long and came fitted with a Record metal quick release woodworkers vice fitted. I have added a metalworkers vice. It is a very sturdy bit of kit which I now keep outside and have a metal sheet I place on top when welding. I have had it for over 25 years and got it for a £1 bid........
 
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cosman desperately wants to be david charlesworth or alan peters but he doesn't have the skill level, he's more interested in selling you his snake oil tools, do you enjoy being pitched to? where you feel like you're being cornered within the first 30 seconds of a free youtube video? that doesn't work for me, I simply can't stand the guy, and genuinely can't watch his videos, he is too in love with himself.
 
I can't get my head round the level of vitriol PS arouses in some people. When I've watched him, I just see some old guy trying to encourage beginners. Never seems to push branded tools...
Mind you, I've never watched any of his paid for stuff, maybe that's a different kettle of fish.

I have made many projects on his paid for woodworkingmasterclasses.com website and learnt a lot from all the projects I've done, they are much more advanced than many of the free youtube videos, and what's good about it is he eventually makes them free, but you can only see them on the website. p.s the keepsake box project is particularly challenging, but very rewarding.
 
cosman desperately wants to be david charlesworth or alan peters but he doesn't have the skill level, he's more interested in selling you his snake oil tools, do you enjoy being pitched to? where you feel like you're being cornered within the first 30 seconds of a free youtube video? that doesn't work for me, I simply can't stand the guy, and genuinely can't watch his videos, he is too in love with himself.
I have a like-dislike relationship with Cosman's videos. I find him quite smug at times, but there are a number of videos of his I've learned a lot from. Yes, his business is to sell educational material and tools, and that comes first, but I find that if I skip over that, there's plenty for me, personally, to learn. I especially liked his recent dovetail video. That had a few tips easily demonstrated that I'm hoping to use in my next project.

The biggest issue with YouTube (on almost any topic) is that the days of sharing information for the sake of sharing have mostly--not all--gone, replaced by the desire for it to be one's job, or at the very least, a significant secondary income.

Any time money comes into things, a conflict is introduced. I think many channels do a good job navigating this; oddly, the ones that are the most upfront about it. It's the sneaky ones that bother me, the ones that conveniently leave out the real info, usually hinted at by their video title and thumbnail, in order to 'upsell' you on something or another.

I have no issue with anyone making a living. It's honesty that matters. For example, I like 'John Heisz - I Build It' channel. The projects he features are mostly to sell the plans for said project, but in the videos, he doesn't leave anything out. It makes me want to buy his plans to support him because of this honesty (and I like his creative solutions).

@Ttrees - Who is Mr Weaver? I'd like to check out his videos as I've always had issues with tearout, mostly in the more exotic species.

Back on topic: having been let down by half a dozen timber suppliers; none of them able, or perhaps willing, to even quote my cutting list, I'm resorting to using C24 timber from a local supplier (who deliver) for my workbench, though I'm not using the Sellers design; I have no desire for a toolwell or bolts. Instead, I bought the video course for Richard Maquire's English Workbench (very inexpensive and thoroughly comprehensive).

@Samwise-thebrave - What did you go for in the end?
 
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@Ttrees - Who is Mr Weaver? I'd like to check out his videos as I've always had issues with tearout, mostly in the more exotic species.
He's the toolmaker on here.
Look up David W on youtube, after the woodcentral article, and provided you have learned how to plane well without all the bad habits...

No work deflecting in a vise, planing on the benchtop is so much more precise
and teaches one flat.

No planing 90 degrees to the grain, for many many reasons,
Most importantly is that the far edge is to be referenced off,
and chamfering the far edge makes it difficult to see where the wood is in contact with the bench.
It's going against everything which Charlesworth mentions regarding any flat surface.
(note Cosman mentions the edges on that video I mentioned,
but tries to baffle folks by ignorantly/or otherwise.....?????? (I've seen the original before),
using a plane one doesn't need or want for the job, and destroying the important far edge of the work.

That is a really really easy peasy way to attain a flat surface, i.e dimensioning.
Take note no dogs or anything trapping/deflecting the work,
that's bad habits which bend the timber, making one pretend they know better than
the tool for the job
(much like setting up a surface planer intentionally outta whack)

Trust both David's and you will never have an issue with tearout whilst planing again.
No tricks or silly things needed, every timber becomes the same as riven stock with no runout, no skewing or other pretending.
Really easy, anything else is foolish.

The plane has to be set up exactly like David mentions, add you're own flavour and it won't work, so...
No tight mouth,
Steep cap iron edge, at least @50 or more degrees, the steeper it is the further it can be set away from the edge.
A fine panel and a smoother required with cap iron influence, cannot get away with one.

This is page 2 of planing after Charlesworth's page 1
Nothing compares to this for fine or efficient planing.

Easy peasy, and the most challenging part to all this is achieving perfect camber
which is a different ball game to those who don't use those planes like they were intended.

Anything lesser (i.e pretending) back in the day (where folks didn't have machines) and the apprentice would'a got a good kick up the @r5e.

Tom
 
He's the toolmaker on here.
Look up David W on youtube, after the woodcentral article, and provided you have learned how to plane well without all the bad habits...
Gotcha... thanks, I'll check out his YT channel.
 
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