Yet another english style workbench build

[Fitzroy]

As a novice I build test joints and guides for most things. I’m pretty confident/capable cutting with a chisel but decent cuts off the saw elude me. I don’t see anything as cheating, it’s just another way of skinning the cat.

I feel I know my weaknesses and my plan is to seek some professional lessons, when time allows, as YouTube and personal practice are no longer seeing any improvement.
F.

 

[deema]

It's easier, Deema, to start your cut across the top of the work, and when you get to the front edge a mm or 2 deep, drop the heel of the saw as far as you can and saw down the front edge to the bottom. You now have two tracks to follow, and the saw will want to stay in them. Just completw the triangle, connecting the top back edge and the bottom front edge, then go horizontal and proceed to the bottom. At no stage have you had to cut using "feel" or judgement about what is vertical.

That’s the normal way of making a cut, but it is based on being able to cut straight to begin with. Watching two lines, I.e the two surfaces to try and keep the saw straight results in you looking from one side, this pulls the saw over towards the side your looking at, and you end up fighting to keep it straight resulting in a poor quality cut.
Your eye can detect the slightest out of plumb, so by looking directly down on the saw your brain automatically makes it vertical, as it likes things symetrical.

There are many ways to skin a cat, and no method if it works is wrong. I’ve found that anyone I’ve shown this ‘trick’ can saw straight / straighter immediately without hours building up muscle memory.

If you can stand and look directly down when using a mortice chisel, you can again achieve a vertical mortice cut. If you look from the side, you will tend to pull the chisel towards you. Another common problem is planing, where people hold the stuff in a vice and look from the side, pulling the plane towards them causing a chamfered cut (There are other things that affect it, I know)

 

[SteL]

Part of the build, later on, will require me to cut quite a few bearers and notches into the aprons and they won't be visible. That'll be an ideal opportunity to give those tips a go without the guide and see how I get on. Thanks.

 

[SteL]

The top rails are basically the same thing as the bottom to cut. By the time I got to them I was feeling better about cutting out those dovetail bits. The next big job was to cut the joints into the legs. I couldn't believe the surprises that were in store for me there! The bottom rail leg joints were a joy and they basically went along similar to Richard McGuire's video (only in slow motion).

Things were going so well I had time to take moody photos...

I was flying through the legs and I started wondering why the videos have you putting so many relief cuts in before splitting...

I found out...

A sneaky knot inside the wood. I didn't even know that was possible. Aren't knots just branches or am I making that up? There was no obvious visible sign that was going to be there. You can see where I've hit it and it has split right down towards my line. At the time I wasn't 100% sure if it had gone below or not. Without that relief cut (if that's the right term) I'm sure it would have gone right down past my line. That was my confidence set back a bit!

At least this knot had the decency to show itself...

The worst one of the lot was this mess...

The wood was sticky with what I assume was sap. I was having to clean and sharpen my chisel every few strokes. That set me back quite a bit, but eventually, out of pitty it gave up and I got it finished.

After much debate, I took the plunge and bought a low angle block plane to help with these bits of the build. I don't want to get caught up in buying every type of plane out there because I have that type of compulsive personality. I'm glad I did, though and I think the plane is the most well-made thing I own! Note to self: No more buying planes.

What that did lead to, though - similar to the old lady who swallowed a fly - is me buying another plane! After using the block plane I found myself using a chisel to get into the shoulder where the block plane couldn't reach. Inevitably I'd go too far with the chisel and be chasing my tail. So I bought a shoulder plane. I could have done with it for the rails but I still have some joinery it might help with as well as getting into the bits the block plane can't reach.

That's it, no more planes!

They turned out okay in the end.

I can't report any major cockups for the legs apart from the one I've already said about not squaring them. I was considering having a go at splitting in one go (without relief cuts) and that would have been a massive cockup to report!

 

[NickM]

This is looking great. I started out in this hobby at the start of this year and making the workbench is a perfect starting project because you can learn a great deal and end up with the most useful part of the workshop you will ever own.

 

[Orraloon]

This is coming along great. Problem solving, buying tools as required for the job and with good pictures and explanations. Shaping up to be better than my first bench and to be honest my second.
Regards
John

 

[MikeG.]

View attachment 90952

I found out...

View attachment 90953

A sneaky knot inside the wood. I didn't even know that was possible. Aren't knots just branches or am I making that up? There was no obvious visible sign that was going to be there. You can see where I've hit it and it has split right down towards my line. At the time I wasn't 100% sure if it had gone below or not. Without that relief cut (if that's the right term) I'm sure it would have gone right down past my line. That was my confidence set back a bit!

At least this knot had the decency to show itself...

View attachment 90954

View attachment 90955

The worst one of the lot was this mess...


View attachment 90961
..........

Great progress so far, and you're clearly learning a lot in the process.

Next time (!! ), I'm sure you'll take great care to set out your material such that you cut joints in a knot-free part of the wood. Anyone walking into my workshop when I am tackling a new job and a pile of wood will more than likely see me with a rubber in my hand, rubbing out marks. Or a piece of chalk. Picking and choosing which piece is going to be made out of which board is a frustrating but critical element of the construction process, and can take quite some time. Your reward, though, is not having to cut joints through horrible knots like the ones you've shown (I'd have sawn at least a couple of those, rather than chiseling, BTW), and not having shakes or other blemishes on show faces. This applies to absolutely any- and everything you make.

 

[SteL]

This is looking great. I started out in this hobby at the start of this year and making the workbench is a perfect starting project because you can learn a great deal and end up with the most useful part of the workshop you will ever own.

Thanks, Nick. Agreed. I started it this year as well and initially, I had all kinds of ideas that I wanted to build but soon realised a B&Q picnic bench was totally inadequate for work holding! I thought about buying a workbench but the ones in my price range looked something like Fisher-Price's "My First Workbench". I did put a couple of bids in on eBay for some old benches but they ended up going beyond what I was willing to pay.

 

[SteL]

This is coming along great. Problem solving, buying tools as required for the job and with good pictures and explanations. Shaping up to be better than my first bench and to be honest my second.
Regards
John

Thanks. I am at the nieve stage at the moment of telling myself that this will be my first and only bench. I've read all the bench builds on here and see that it is the second or third attempt that you might end up keeping. If I let myself think that this is basically a prototype I know I'll end up getting sloppy and rushing. It is one of the reasons I'm holding off choosing a vice at the moment. I'll see how it turns out and scale the quality of the vice accordingly.

 

[MikeG.]

I'd snaffle the first 52-1/2 you see. You can always remove it from your fist bench and put it on your second. Having said that, I am using an adapted school bench, which I've had for 40 years, and there is no reason to change it. It's nothing special, but it's solid. Really, that's all you need in a bench.

 

[SteL]

Great progress so far, and you're clearly learning a lot in the process.

Next time (!! ), I'm sure you'll take great care to set out your material such that you cut joints in a knot-free part of the wood. Anyone walking into my workshop when I am tackling a new job and a pile of wood will more than likely see me with a rubber in my hand, rubbing out marks. Or a piece of chalk. Picking and choosing which piece is going to be made out of which board is a frustrating but critical element of the construction process, and can take quite some time. Your reward, though, is not having to cut joints through horrible knots like the ones you've shown (I'd have sawn at least a couple of those, rather than chiseling, BTW), and not having shakes or other blemishes on show faces. This applies to absolutely any- and everything you make.

Thanks, Mike. Ha, the dreaded next time! Don't burst my bubble at this stage. I'm telling myself this is the bench I'll keep forever against all the odds and experience of everyone else, despite my complete lack of skill, somehow it'll turn out alright on the night. I read someone doing this bench build where all was going well until the wood started moving about and they decided to use bolts through the joints. I'm just waiting for that issue where I can tell myself "Well you always knew this wasn't going to be the one".

You are right, though. I was focusing on getting knots and ugly bits out of view. I didn't really pay attention to where the joints would land. I was a bit disappointed with the wood really. The 9x2 is full of cracks, shakes, knots - you name it. That's going to be fun when I get to use that!

Being new it's hard to think too far ahead. When cutting those joints I didn't really worry about the knots until I hit them. There are too many other things going through my head like is this sharp, the right way up, are my hands out the way of this chisel... Ignorance is bliss. If I noticed the knot I don't think I would have thought to use the saw. Would I saw just off the gauge line and then use the chisel? Try just split the gauge line? Come off the gauge line and then use the block plane? That's too many unknowns for me!

 

[SteL]

I'd snaffle the first 52-1/2 you see. You can always remove it from your fist bench and put it on your second. Having said that, I am using an adapted school bench, which I've had for 40 years, and there is no reason to change it. It's nothing special, but it's solid. Really, that's all you need in a bench.

That is exactly what I'm thinking. If the bench turns out pants I'll use a removable vice on it. If I'm happy with it I might go the whole hog and build the vice with a nice wooden screw.

 

[MikeG.]

Sawing the tenon.......I'd have tried to get it right off the saw, and make any adjustments necessary on the other piece of wood. Planing and chiseling huge hard knots like those is just a nightmare.

 

[MikeG.]

That is exactly what I'm thinking. If the bench turns out pants I'll use a removable vice on it. If I'm happy with it I might go the whole hog and build the vice with a nice wooden screw.

In my view (and others vary, I know), but a 52-1/2 or similar IS the whole hog, and wooden screw things are just a gimmick.

 

[SteL]

Sawing the tenon.......I'd have tried to get it right off the saw, and make any adjustments necessary on the other piece of wood. Planing and chiseling huge had knots like those is just a nightmare.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. My ability with the saw would probably be called into question there, though! I will agree with the nightmare, my hands were killing me after it!

 

[SteL]

In my view (and others vary, I know), but a 52-1/2 or similar IS the whole hog, and wooden screw things are just a gimmick.

I've read that on here and a few other places and I'm sure that is true. I know this is not what a workbench is about... but ... it is the aesthetics of the big wooden vice. I've looked through lots of these builds and the vice always looks too small for the bench. If I do go down that route I'm sure I'll regret the repetitive strain injury from opening and closing it!

 

[clogs]

SteL,
I like what uve done so far......
my bench has to work both steel and wood......it has an 8mm steel top plate but gets a plywood sheet when needed.....
the only way I move it around is with a forklift.....hahaha....
Just an idea about ur measureing......when I worked in the states we used a thing called a "story stick".....
u only mark it up once.....then the blury lines on a tape don't matter....u just work to the line on the stick.....
Most kitchens over there were custom made (Euro style kitchen are there now tho) and all they used were story sticks....
perhaps look it up on line and for ur next project try it out.....the do work...promice......

I know most on here don't like the way Americans work but I learnt a lot in 5 years....
AND still using that info now.....I'm very gratefull for the privilage of working there....
great memories.....

When I went there one time prob 40 years ago they were useing drill-drivers that had a magnetic bit that would hold a No 12 x 6'' steel screw horizontally.......we still have a lot to learn from them BUT NOT DADO's....hahaha....

 

[Phil Pascoe]

. I've looked through lots of these builds and the vice always looks too small for the bench. If I do go down that route I'm sure I'll regret the repetitive strain injury from opening and closing it!

Get yourself a 53 instead of a 52 1/2, then.
(I've just paid £35 for a nice 52 1/2 Woden to go on a bench I haven't built yet for a shed I haven't yet got P.P for. )

 

[AJB Temple]

I use a quick release 53. It is brilliant. I also have a couple of large quick release Record metalworking vices. One is bolted to a piece of ply with a protuberance at the bottom so I can use it in a wood vice when needed.

Frank - your story stick is used here too and is usually called a rod. Used for repetitious measuring.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes. I have a 53e - nothing better.