# A better bench



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

For the past few months, I've been working on a new bench.

I'll do this in several posts to describe the process.

My current bench is construction lumber held together with screws and joist hangers with a face vise tossed in as an afterthought. It has worked so far, but I've learned a lot since then.


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

The top is composed of kiln dried 2x4s. Each skip planed then laminated, and the bottom face flattened with a #6


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

For the front legs, I glued up 3 2x6s that had been drying in my garage for a year or so. the outer 2 were slightly longer to facilitate the double tenon.

Tenons cut by hand, as were the double mortises.

Rear legs were the same process, except using 2x4s


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

Front and rear stretchers are 2x4s with one face planed (smooth, not flat) and glued together. 

Side stretchers are 2x4 offcuts.


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

New vise is quite a bit bigger than the current, and also more features.

Unfortunately, it was a bit too big for the ~3" final benchtop thickness, so I had to shim it with a piece of oak I had handy.

Current status is in the last picture: inverted,in ratchet straps, waiting for the glue to dry.

It's ugly, and it's not going to get much prettier. Next challenge will be figuring out how to flip it over.


----------



## Travico (Dec 25, 2012)

It is looking GOOD!! I think it could take a BULLET!!!


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

Managed to flip it upright without too much trouble.

Took a few passes with the fore plane and decided 2 things:

1. I have a lot of planing to do (I'd say about 1/4")
2. The wood is ugly, and the joints have gaps, but this bench hardly moves at all.


----------



## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Youre hand-planing the top flat? Youre a much more patient man than I... Id rig up a router sled/rail job. You have my respect sir!


----------



## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

epicfail48 said:


> Youre hand-planing the top flat? Youre a much more patient man than I... Id rig up a router sled/rail job. You have my respect sir!


Three years ago I would have agreed with that statement. I have been progressively using more and more hand tools where now my go to tools for flattening anything, table top, whatever is my antique Stanley #29 plane (great grand fathers dated about 1890) and a Stanley Baily #7.

It honestly is faster for me than setting up a router sled. And you just have to pick up the shavings!. Now, I have not done something that large....yet I have done my kitchen table which is 36" by 48".


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

I had considered using a router sled but it seemed like there was a lot of room for errors given my experience level. Hand planes give me more flexibility to check and adjust as I go.

Also, there is the time to build and set up the sled. With a plane, I can go at it whenever I have a half hour to spare. 

Most importantly, it will give me a lot of practice.


----------



## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Heavy duty for sure. It will hold the weight of a truck.


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I made a door from 2 Xs ....*

I made this door from some dried PT 2 X 10's and used several different techniques to flatten it ... hand planes, a power hand plane, belt sander and while it took some muscle, all in all it was a satisfying experience:

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/door-build-2-xs-1-4-ply-55717/

I rounded the plane iron on a second plane making it a "scrub" plane for removing greater amounts of material where needed.


----------



## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

Very nice & sturdy bench!!


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

Spent a few hours planing it down. It's pretty flat except for that one spot that always taunts me.

I might hit it again in a few months, but I'm ready to move on.

Crosscut one end with a hand saw, but was disappointed with the results. I might cheat with circular saw for this task.


----------



## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

So was there a reason behing doing everything by hand, or did you just want to? Only reason i ask if because if i ever built a bench like that, id have to have broken every power tool in my shop...


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

Primary reason is to develop skill, but it's more important for this project that I end up with a functional bench.


----------



## woodchux (Jul 6, 2014)

That certainly is a massive bench design/build! Will you be adding drawers and/or shelving, and what are the overall dimensions (height, width, length)? Thanks for sharing, and be safe.


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

It's about 5'6" wide, 22" deep, and 37" high (I'm 6").

Compared to the benches I normally see online, I would have assumed it is on the small side (except for the height).


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

I have a tentative plan for drawers and a shelf, while leaving space for holdfasts. 

Not going to tackle that any time soon.


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

Second crosscut turned out much better.


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

Holes bored for dogs (3/4") and holdfasts (11/16")


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*sweet!*

That's a sweet lookin' bench. You did real well. :thumbsup:


----------



## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

Simple, sturdy, flat surface. clamping capacity... all the right ingredients for a functional bench and it looks great. Welcome to the site and now you can build things,


----------



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Looks good... the top looks fantastically smooth.

Except for the lack of an apron, it's pretty close to the bench Paul Sellers advocates... did you use that for inspiration, or work it up on your own? Either way, looks like a job well done.


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

The picture doesn't quite do it justice. There are still high and low spots that I couldn't be bothered to plane out (I keep telling myself that I'll come back to it in a few months once it has 'settled', but I'm not convinced), a little bit of tearout, and a very nice framing hammer ding from playing with the holdfasts.

Paul Sellers is certainly partly responsible (he taught me the joinery), but I looked at a lot of builds before coming up with the simplest, sturdiest design I could.


----------



## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

If the bench isn't finished, wet the hammer ding and it will pop out.

As for the flatness - I'm sure you will get back to it because it will hinder your work sooner or latter if you're into fine furniture builds...


----------



## Daddy Warcrimes (Jul 20, 2015)

I'm calling it done for now. Added a saw rack on the side, oak inserts on the vise, and 1/4 mdf on top of 3/4 osb to serve as a shelf.

BLO was applied at some point.


----------

