Woodworking Easy to Build: workbench

A video on how to make a handy cubby shelf

One of my projects for this year is to make a wide bookshelf in the kids playroom. I want to incorporate some drawers in the bottom and some cubbies in the middle with shelves on top. This is a good plan for the cubbies.

If these benches dont do it for you, then join in with the Guild for the actual workbench build. Given that Marc has a newborn at home, I might actually keep up with him this time.

New Yankee Workshop Workbench update cutting the inserts out of the top

I cut the slot out of the benchtop for the dogs and tailstock. What a giant pain in the rear? Norm does it in the video in like 30 seconds and it took me nearly an hour.

I attached the 2 pieces of plywood together with 1" drywall screws and some of them ended up poking through so I had to cut off all the tips with my dremel before running the piece through the tablesaw.

I marked the two ends of the slot and then cut them on the tablesaw.

I got them close and then finished them with a jigsaw.

I also used the jigsaw to cut the ends.

All cut and ready for the next step.

I marked the corners and then clamped a framing square down to use as a cut guide for my small cordless saw.

I cut it close and then used the jigsaw to finish it.

I made sure that all my cuts were square to the material.

Here it is all cut out.

The Ultimate Workbench

Last October, immediately following Woodworking in America (and some goading from Aaron Marshall) I began my bench build in earnest. I took the front-to-back stretcher panels I had previously made and begain to re-design around them. I also switched my intended front vice from a Veritas Twin-Screw to a leg vise. In order to make the leg vise, I bought a Lee Valley tail vise screw and an 8” cast iron handwheel from Grizzly. It took them both to a machinist I know and viola! They fit and work together.

Then it got cold and I put the bench achoice for the winter so that I could insulate the shop.

I’ve been working on the insulation since early November and my shop has been pressed against the non-opened up wall since then. In that time I’ve completely re-wired the shop and brought outside wall to R-40.

The Lee Valley Tail Vise Screw

The shop wall, today.

I’ve also learned that I can be productive without a fancy pants bench. In fact, when I was walking through Home Depot recently, I found an American made beauty of a bench and bought it on the spot.Why did I buy it? Many reasons. It beats all the shop made and high end benches I’ve ever seen on so many levels.

No futzing with those hard to make mortise and tenon joints. This bench is even stronger with butt joints reinforced with two (2) cheap screws.

I dare you to find stronger, simpler joinery.

A square edge for clamping and referencing? Not on this bad boy. The top has been rounded so that even silky smooth woodworker hands will love to caress it.

No splinters from that beautiful edge

Does that big twin-screw of leg vise get in the choice, alchoices banging your thigh as you walk past your bench? Well who needs it? One of the most wonderful parts of this bench is that it pares down all the clutter of modern benches to the pure functional core. That’s why you’ll not find a face or end vise on this gem. Your thighs will thank you.

The bench as a 3 dimensional clamping surface? Really? Who needs to clamp in 3 dimensions? Wood is only 2 dimensional, and so is my clamping. That’s why this bench is so great. Having its legs set back from the front apron and it’s leg attachment bolts set proude of the front apron make it virtually impossible to clamp to the front face.

Inset legs and proud bolts prevent the user from making any
face clamping mistakes.

Apparently, heavy benches are all the rage these days with bench evangelists like Chris Schwarz talking up the benefits of a massive bench with a thick (but not too thick) top. Needing a massive bench is the oldest old wives tale in the woodworking book. All you need to do for any bench is stand on it while working and it won’t move an inch.

No stupidly thick and complicated top here!

Deal with a complicated bench top glue up to only follow it by flattening the top by hand? Not with this beauty. A single piece of good old fashioned ¾” OSB is all the top you need. It comes dead flat from factory. In fact, just about the only choice to warp this top would be to stand on it.

Are the pieces you build too big? Not with this bench. The convenient rear lip prevents pieces from hanging over the back. No longer will you be building those hideous, gianormous chests of drawers and tables.

There rear lip is so awesome, it intimidated the camera so much
the photo came out blurry.

So now that my bench saga is done, I couldn’t be happier. I ended up with the perfect bench, it only took minutes to assemble and I only spend $70.00 on the whole thing.

Behold the majestic beauty.

Now, what should my next project be? Maybe I’ll pick up a laser guided circular saw and make some decorative boxes.

Edit: The original post date was 4/1/12.

New Yankee workbench update

I got the benchtop all cut down to size and screwed together. I also cut the dados and grooves for the rear tray. All I have left now is to cut the pieces out of the top for the dogs and tailstock. My bench vise screw should be in any time now. When it comes in I will build and install the tailstock.

Im not very good at estimating distances so I marked the placement of all the

2x4s on the tabletop so that I would know where to place the screws.

I then clamped it into place so I could countersink and drive in some 1" screws to hold all three pieces together.

I clamped the rear piece in so that I could mark for the dados.

I made sure to mark what needed to be hogged out.

Getting the top ready to be taken off and moved to the table saw.

I used my framing square to mark all the places to drive in screws.

Dry fitting all the side pieces

Not perfect but close enough

Its starting to look like a workbench!

It was very tempting to just stop here but I really want those dogs and a tail stock.

New ASDOO video Shadow Casting Lamp

A House In The Trees Part III

On the second full weekend of tree house construction I was slightly hampered by the children’s social engagements on Saturday and Father’s day on Sunday. I only managed to get to the tree house on Saturday afternoon, yet I did try to make the most of it.

Eyeing down the bolts.

The first thing I did was install the next two mounting bolts. These will catch the northern of the two long beams. While both bolts did ultimately install fine and bit into the tree like crazy, I was somewhat surprised and concerned to find that when I was drilling out for the bolt in the westernmost tree once I was about 5” into the tree (it’s a 6” deep hole that gets pre-drilled) the self-feeding auger bit I was using stopped self-feeding. After I cleared the hole of chips, I was able to push the bid that last inch. When I pulled it out, I found that rather than chips clogging the flues of the bit there was instead an applesauce consistency pulp in the flues. Once I cleared the hole out again, a tiny trickle of water came out. At this point I asked twitter if there would be a problem and also checked with my Dad (he had decades of carpentry experience on me). The answer from both place was that it would probably be ok, but be careful and watch the tree.

Note the small trickle of water.

Once the water draining from the hole completely dried (only a few minutes), I proceeded to install the attachment bolts.

The next step was to take down some trees. There were three (3) dead trees in my backyard on Saturday morning. While none are in the choice or part of the new tree house, I wanted to take them down before I begin building the treehouse so that they don’t fall down onto it after it’s done.

Almost down.

Since I was the only adult around, I began with the smallest tree. With the help of a cheap come-along I bought from Harbor Freight for the task, I was able to get it down and in the direction I wanted (after getting it stuck in other tree branches). I may take the next tree on myself also, though I’ll definitely need help for the last and biggest one.

Down!

The final thing I managed to do for the tree house was paint the bracket that will hold the main beams on the support bolts. For this task I’m using some brackets Home Depot sells to attach 2”x4” railing posts. Even though they’re meant for exterior use, they only come with a zinc coating. I know it’s a losing battle, but rather than see them rust right achoice, I decided to paint them. At least this choice they’ll wait a few weeks before rusting.

Primed and ready to go!

When I first bought the brackets, I also picked up a small can of flat black Rustoleum, with the intention of hand coloring them. Now that it was time to do it, that seemed like choice too much work, so I picked up some Rustoleum spray primer and paint. One coat of primer and four coats of paint later, they brackets are all black.

Four coats later.

The next step is to get back to cutting down trees. Hopefully I’ll get the next two down during the week. Then I can begin with the framing. I can’t wait to get all the double 2”x8” beams off my shop floor.

After writing this, before posting it, I did get the 2nd tree down.

A Sight 4 Saw Eyes

Its a happy day! After waiting for over 3 weeks, I finally have my saws back from being sharpened.

As mentioned previously I have been given some saws (1,3 and 4) which I promptly de-rusted, cleaned and oiled and sent off for sharpening as follows:

1. Warranted Superior 26" - 5ppi RIP

2. Sandvik 22" - 10ppi RIP

3. NoName 21.5" - 8ppi Crosscut

4. Warranted Superior 20" - 10ppi Crosscut

All saws have been jointed flat and resharpened and set, each costing £10.50. I will get myself some files and a saw set to learn to do it myself eventually but for now, for just over £40 I should be able to cover most of my larger sawing requirements - bargain!

Unfortunately, the guy who normally does the sharpening has been on holiday, hence the delay, the service normally only takes a week. If anyone in the Surrey area is interested, the company who carried out the sharpening is Winsor Saw Ltd of Windsor 01753 862029, but you can also drop off and collect saws from Village Mowers in Hersham, Surrey 01932 248538.

Aside from my Lie Nielson backsaws (a crosscut carcass saw and a dovetail saw), which I use all the time. I still need (would like) a larger tenon saw. Common sense suggests something like a 400mm 10ppi rip saw as the largest cuts are with the grain when cutting a tenon, but would it still be suitable for making precision crosscuts when my carcass saw is a bit small ... or should I just try and do precision cuts with the panel saws above ... decisions decisions.

The New Yankee Workshop workbench build has started!

Ive been watching a lot of episodes of The New Yankee Workshop on YouTube lately and one of my favorites is their woodworking workbench. I found a hardcover copy of the 1st season of NYW book on eBay for a good price. Norm said that the project can be made with 6 - 2x4s so I bought 7. I made one mistake in my cuts and had to redo one 17" board that somehow came out 16.75" and still managed to use only 6 - 2x4s. I am also shooting video on this project so I didnt take as many pictures as I normally would have.

Its Norm!