Workbench Question

[JohanB]

Hi,

I am new to this forum and relative new to hand tool woodworking. I am attempting to make a workbench from two 5X12X67 inch sleepers that I got for free. I have planed the surfaces flat and square with an wooden hand plane and a Stanley No 4. I noticed that the one board seems to be from the centre of the tree and that both are still not completely dry and stable. The other board is from the outer section of the tree and does not include the centre.
I want to make a top for my bench with the two boards and a tool well in between with a twin screw vice and an end vice with dog holes on the one side and joined to the leg structure with through mortice and tenon joints. I do not know what wood it is but its definitely a softwood.

My question is whether these boards will be sufficient to make a bench from and what I should expect in terms movement and splitting as the wood dries out.
A common issue with softwoods that i have to take account of is they will probably split at the ends of the boards and I wonder if there is anything that I can do to minimise this effect. Maybe putting some kind of hardwood end cap on the ends or something?
Is there also any specific oil that I can finish the bench with to minimise the splitting?

I am going ahead with the project as I got most of the wood for free and I think it will be good practice in terms of hand dimensioning the wood and the joinery and planning involved but would appreciate any thoughts in terms of what to watch out for when working with slightly wet wood cut from the centre of the tree.

Thanks for taking the time to read my question.
Have a good day
Johan

 

[DTR]

Welcome to the forum

My question is whether these boards will be sufficient to make a bench from and what I should expect in terms movement and splitting as the wood dries out.
A common issue with softwoods that i have to take account of is they will probably split at the ends of the boards and I wonder if there is anything that I can do to minimise this effect. Maybe putting some kind of hardwood end cap on the ends or something?
Is there also any specific oil that I can finish the bench with to minimise the splitting?

Just about any wood species will work for a bench, as long as it's not really soft. If you coat the ends of the boards with neat PVA glue this will slow the drying process at the ends of the boards and therefore reduce the splitting.

 

[JohanB]

Thanks for the advice - i have Titebond glue - will that work?

 

[skippy75]

I imagine sleepers will make a lovely workbench. If you got them for free then then you have nothing to lose if they twist or crack and you'll learn something in the process whatever happens.

Titebond is just a brand of PVA based wood glue so yes it'll be fine.

 

[JohanB]

Thanks Skippy75 - will post a picture on the workbench forum when complete.

 

[JohanB]

Photo of the beams at the start

 

[hammer n nails]

Interesting will watch out for the completed bench

 

[JohanB]

Hi Guys,

As promised - some snaps of the completed bench.
Some details of the completed bench -
Length 1800 mm
width 650
distance between front vice screws - 25 inches
screws - large york vice screws
vice chop is American Ash
vice backing section is Beech
boiled linseed oil finish
beech butterfly keys to try and arrest the split in the top
Weight - no clue but heavy and solid

The only piece of electric equipment that was used was my drill to attach the end vice and certain sections of the front vice

 

[JohanB]

Also turned the handles on the lathe

 

[JohanB]

I have worked on it a bit since it was completed and it handles all tasks thrown at it with ease. The front vice is an absolutre dream to work with and simplifies a lot of the tasks like dovetailing and handsawing.

Well -0 just wanted to update as I said I would.

Comments always welcome.

Regards,
Johan

 

[mseries]

bench envy. Nice job Sir. Looks like a proper bench, rather than piece of furniture

 

[artie]

Sturdy, is one word that comes to mind.

Well done and thanks for the pics

 

[custard]

Johan, I take my hat off to you.

For someone who describes himself as "relatively new to hand tool woodworking" that was one mighty endeavour, and a correspondingly mighty achievement! There are lots of people who come to this forum with small experience but big ambitions, I'd bet not one in a hundred actually sees their big project through to the end. You sir are someone with a promising woodworking future, very well done!

 

[VanTheMainMan]

Lekker Johan!!!!

That is a very nice bench, and all done with handtools, wow!!!!

Looking forward to more projects from your side.

Regards
V/d Merwe

 

[Jmcp]

Great looking bench and it looks like you have a nice workshop as well. I have just butchered an old workbench that I retrieved from a school that was demolished and using it as part of a router table build but it wasn't a patch on yours.


Cheers, John