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Work bench

Doug

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Posted up in response to Paul`s thread I appreciated that folks wont have all the tools shown in the pictures but it`s quite easy to utilise other tools to do the same job. I designed my build so as to use the tools I had at the time, this bench is about 3 years old & as my machines have changed in the meantime I wouldn`t go about making it in the same way if I was to make another tomorrow, this is just to show how I went about making a bench.

I made the top & leg frame work in tandem, whilst one was in clamps I was working on the other, but for clarity I will start by showing the build of the leg frame work.

This first picture shows the end frames ready to be glued up, Made from pine to keep the price down the shoulder cut of the tenons were cut on a radial arm saw & the cheeks cut on the bandsaw. The mortises were cut on a mortiser but could easily have been cut with a router & the corners squared up with a chisel.



Through tenons were used on the legs with wedges knocked in for added security.



The tenons were also pegged with dowels & the corners of the pine eased with a 45 degree router cutter.



Top & bottom rails were mortised & tenoned into the end frames, glued & clamped.



The top was made from 2" Beech, 4 pieces glued together & reinforced with dominos, biscuits would also have worked or indeed just a rubbed joint, though using some sort of biscuit or domino makes alignment much easier.





The front aprons were also held on with dominos but the end aprons were housed on a breadboard end.



These ends were not glued on merely held in place with dowels through the top & also through the front aprons, these dowels also give added strength as a tail vice was fitted.



This photo shows the front aprons being glued & clamped in place.



The vices were added, the tail vice being a concoction of an old Record quick release vice & a couple of steel bars to prevent racking.



The final job before oiling was to skim the surface of the top to ensure it was flat, this was done with a router in a shop made jig supported on 2 battens clamped to the sides of the bench.
 

Doug

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Finally the finished article minus some dog holes which were routered in latter.



I would finish by saying there are loads of ways to make a bench,mine is no way definitive far from it as there are things I would do differently given the chance, but most of my build could be done with a router, mitre saw, bandsaw & a few hand tools.
 

paulm

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That's not a workbench is a dinning room table... I wouldn't put my glue, my chisels, anything down on that except my dinner. Absolutely superb, what a craftsman and excellently show too. thanks Doug

:thumbs:
 

Doug

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That's not a workbench is a dinning room table... I wouldn't put my glue, my chisels, anything down on that except my dinner. Absolutely superb, what a craftsman and excellently show too. thanks Doug

:thumbs:

Thanks Paul, but if you saw it now with chisel marks, drill holes & router cuts in it you might not be so impressed, but after all it`s only another tool when said & done.
 

Paul

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Wow, just wow. A craftsman always makes something look easy. But if I could just make something 10% of that quality I would chuffed. So would the wife... And an endless amount of projects would be found. She booked me a wood turning course, I think she regrets that it wasn't a carpentry course.

Amazing Doug thank you for showing.
 

edlea

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Doug you are an absolute star. ... you are a man obviously at one with his work...you can make me a workbench any time ...it's fabulous.
 

PhillH

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Having seen this the other week that's why I wanted Doug to show it off.

My dining table is worse quality than this bench.

Craftsman indeed.
 

Woody

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And there is the difference between a chippy and a cabinet maker a work of art well for a short while till you start doing your thing on it
 

Paul

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Having seen this the other week that's why I wanted Doug to show it off.

My dining table is worse quality than this bench.

Craftsman indeed.

Jim

I think you can scratch off "bench making" competition, from your plans.....

Unless there was a prize for the worst. :rolling:
 

Jim

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Looks the bees knees Doug, and to be honest, I wouldn't expect to see anything different my friend. You certainly show passion in all your work that is for sure .. If i could afford you i would have you doing all my home jobs (Instead of the Wife) ..:tongue:
 

bigbob

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Excellent Doug I wish I had your skills I would just about manage to fit a kitchen worktop into my shed and probably make a dogs breakfast out of that:thumbs:
 

Penpal

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You know how folks put a glass top on a table well I would top you work bench with a sacrificial top mate your bench is furniture IMO.

Peter.
 
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