Small workbench to stage a couple new tools.

SwampDonkey · December 17, 2011, 11:04:56 AM

I needed a small workbench to mount a couple tools I recently acquired.

This is how far I have come along. Mortise, tenons and dovetails. The bench will be on casters with one set that can be braked.

Will start working on the cross pieces, these are the back (closest to camera) and front. Two drawers up top, middle wide drawer and bottom 12" deep drawer. Hate to see space go wasted, I have some hand power tools that will fit nicely away in this project. ;D

SwampDonkey · December 17, 2011, 05:37:15 PM

Dovetailed in the two middle cross braces.

Next, the drawer slides to be installed

WDH · December 17, 2011, 09:39:49 PM

That thing looks like it will be stout. Nice touch with the dovetails.

Bill Gaiche · December 17, 2011, 10:01:17 PM

SwampDonkey, lookin good. That should be plenty strong and fast with casters. bg

SwampDonkey · December 18, 2011, 12:58:38 AM

Little video. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rbnsi5G0AQ

Or, forgot to mention there are bottom cross members to install. They will be a special bolted joint. ;)

Can't see the dovetails in the cross members in those pictures. Just the uprights.

OneWithWood · December 18, 2011, 09:09:22 AM

Do you grind your chisels to different profiles for paring and chopping?

I am just getting back into doing some serious woodworking and the first thing I did was sharpen my plane irons and chisels. The plane irons and paring chisels got a 25° profile with a 5° micro bevel. The chopping chisels got a 30° profile and a 5° micro bevel.

TreeWinder · December 18, 2011, 10:31:38 AM

Excellent, I'll take two...

Piston · December 18, 2011, 11:54:03 AM

Looks good so far!

I like the way the dovetails add some character...

Quote....to mount a couple tools I recently required

And what might those required tools be? ;)

SwampDonkey · December 18, 2011, 01:58:46 PM

Quote from: OneWithWood on December 18, 2011, 09:09:22 AM
Do you grind your chisels to different profiles for paring and chopping?

I am just getting back into doing some serious woodworking and the first thing I did was sharpen my plane irons and chisels. The plane irons and paring chisels got a 25° profile with a 5° micro bevel. The chopping chisels got a 30° profile and a 5° micro bevel.

OWW, exactly. And that is what this little baby is for when sharpening and honing. ;D

I also have the skew blade rig. That section with the writing on it is the jig to set micro bevel and chisel profile. Handy to have in the tool chest. ;)

Drawer slats installed.

They have a duel purpose, to help square up the bench. The bottom braces are just a but joint. I have not drilled the bolt holes yet. The sides and back will have 1/4" birch plywood. Thus the need for middle cross braces that I dovetailed in, for backing to the plywood. ;D

I also rounded the ends of the bottom rails, otherwise it could be hard on ankles on those square corners. Ouch!!

Clam77 · December 18, 2011, 05:19:02 PM

Lookin good so far - might have to put in an order for one!! :D

Looks like it'd be perfect for a bench-mounted drill press or a dovetailing machine or something of the like...

WDH · December 18, 2011, 06:42:05 PM

Country Music, eh? 8)

SwampDonkey · December 18, 2011, 07:45:10 PM

My mother told me the other day I needed a radio in the shop. I said I have had one there for some time. I've already modernized. ;D

Busy Beaver Lumber · December 19, 2011, 09:06:51 PM

Very nice bench SwampDonkey. Really admire your Dovetail joint

Axe Handle Hound · December 20, 2011, 08:58:06 AM

Quote from: SwampDonkey on December 18, 2011, 01:58:46 PM

OWW, exactly. And that is what this little baby is for when sharpening and honing. ;D

SwampDonkey- Isn't that an awesome little sharpening jig? I absolutely love mine.

Bench is looking good! I can't quite tell from the photos...are we looking at birch or maple?

Phorester · December 20, 2011, 09:23:55 AM

Very nice, precise work, Swamp. Looks great and will last a couple of lifetimes.

SwampDonkey · December 20, 2011, 03:56:57 PM

Axe Handle Hound, kilned sugar maple. Yeah the jig is top notch, of course I have never complained about anything Veritas makes, they have high standards.

I just purchased a Incra mitre guage, shoulda had it years ago. Works awesome. 8)

I have these 1-3/8" thick planks I'm using for the top. You can see one there with a bark inclusion in it. Can't waste, and besides it's a bench top. ;) The top will be installed after I have the enclosure panels on it. But the drawer building will come first so I can have access all the way around alining and measuring. ;D Never enough drawers and cabinets to put stuff away. :

I have the casters on it, but can't see in that light. Casters are casters I guess. ;)

These are the tools I'm making a home for. ;D

WDH · December 20, 2011, 10:29:28 PM

Your table saw/work table will now get jealous

.

Norm · December 21, 2011, 07:16:07 AM

Nice work SD, can you tell me some more about your sharpening jig?

Piston · December 21, 2011, 07:32:35 AM

QuoteYeah the jig is top notch, of course I have never complained about anything Veritas makes, they have high standards.

I certainly agree. If I didn't have that sharpening guide/jig I wouldn't have sharp chisels! It makes it easy.

.....and I'm one of those who need easy :D

isawlogs · December 21, 2011, 08:09:10 AM

Norm,

Its a veritas tool made by lee valley tools http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=51868&cat=1,43072,43078&ap=1

I have this one .. http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=33001&cat=1,43072,43078&ap=1

Its so easy to get a good edge with these. Well worth the money !

Norm · December 21, 2011, 08:37:42 AM

Thank Marcel!

So where do you get your flat stones at to use with it?

SwampDonkey · December 21, 2011, 08:41:36 AM

Lee Valley, they have tons of water stones.

I got the one with 1000 grit on one side for sharpening and on the flip side it is 8000 to hone. Makes steel shine like glass. 8)

isawlogs · December 21, 2011, 08:49:27 AM

Norm ... open the online catalog from Lee Valley but before, hide da credit card to!! ;D

Norm · December 21, 2011, 02:42:22 PM

I might want to wait until Patty forgets about the tractor I just bought...sure hope she has a short memory. :D

jueston · December 21, 2011, 09:02:55 PM

that is a beautiful work bench, with some awesome joinery...

you did good work.

jamesamd · December 22, 2011, 01:12:50 AM

Thats a sweet lil bench SD 8)
Jim

SwampDonkey · December 22, 2011, 07:11:45 AM

Well, I have a bunch of new Canadian Tire (Mastercraft) screw drivers that are just junk (they all strip out, too soft), so I had to order some decent screw drivers from Lee Valley.

Free shipping for the next two weeks. 8)

I have no reason to ever walk in that store (Canadian Tire) again.

metalspinner · December 22, 2011, 09:46:53 AM

That's one heckuva workbench you built there, SD.

You sure have bee busy in the shop the past coup;le of weeks. Is the snow flying there steady yet?

SwampDonkey · December 22, 2011, 04:02:25 PM

As far as snow, not much at all. Less than 1". Rained all night, with some freezing rain. Was in the 30's today. Had a flurry role by around 4:00 pm, didn't amount to anything.

As far as projects, about half a dozen on the go. Also made a couple new cherry handles for some new rasps today, plus another project worked on. Updated in my other thread. ;D

SwampDonkey · December 27, 2011, 06:38:57 PM

Finished up assembling the bench/cabinet tonight.

Used that walnut because it wasn't furniture grade, had a lot of defect that I worked around. Doesn't look too bad on those shallower drawers. Darn fuzzy stuff though, behaved like butternut. Seemed light.

Oh, and those drawer handles are patented off my lathe. :D :D Hard maple, turned them tonight and put them on. Slicker than a sidewalk dog turd. ;)

T Welsh · December 27, 2011, 07:51:56 PM

Lookin good

. Tim

WDH · December 28, 2011, 12:35:45 AM

The walnut gives it a very nice look.

Norm · December 28, 2011, 07:02:26 AM

Great job SD!

Holmes · December 28, 2011, 07:42:01 PM

That is a very nice cabinet. Great job

SwampDonkey · December 28, 2011, 08:16:08 PM

I did get two coats of shellac on her today in a 90 F heated shop. That'll dry a finish. :D

Hmmm, something unexpected yesterday. Went to use the belt sander, the floor model one. No power to the motor. Worked perfect the last time, nothing weird happened. Had to be the switch. Took the switch all apart today and the contacts were full of sawdust. Cleaned that out and rubbed a file across the contacts. Put her back together and like new again. ;D It's not an old machine, just dust. The scourge in a shop. ;D

Lud · December 29, 2011, 06:10:01 AM

Real nice, SD.......

SwampDonkey · December 29, 2011, 11:39:23 AM

Finished, tools stored. Two routers, skill saw and a 4" belt sander in the bottom drawer. Bar clamps in the middle and a bunch of "loot" in the top drawers.

Work'n on a little video. ;D

SwampDonkey · December 29, 2011, 04:56:14 PM

Making a dowel. ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bepcx-ioLUU

WDH · December 30, 2011, 12:06:30 AM

Very good looking workbench with tools stored. The Underwear Drying Rack looks especially nice on top ;D.

SwampDonkey · December 30, 2011, 03:55:47 AM

Hey, mother never saw one before. She watched antique roadshow Monday and there it was. An antique one they appraised for $1000. ;D

WDH · December 30, 2011, 07:46:07 AM

There was one made out of whalebone and ivory, carved by a whaler on a ship in the early 1800's, and it appraised for $25,000.

SwampDonkey · December 30, 2011, 12:00:38 PM

That one would indeed be special and one of a kind I bet.

Holmes · December 30, 2011, 01:44:18 PM

Quote from: SwampDonkey on December 30, 2011, 03:55:47 AM
Hey, mother never saw one before. She watched antique roadshow Monday and there it was. An antique one they appraised for $1000. ;D

I saw that . Are you going to make one out of whale bone :)also?

SwampDonkey · December 30, 2011, 06:16:05 PM

Maybe whale tusk or walrus tusk. ;D

WDH · December 30, 2011, 08:35:49 PM

Making one out of Unicorn horn would be very special.

Patty · December 31, 2011, 08:18:34 AM

OMG we just can't get Donk off this underwear kick can we.

Do we get pictures again Donk?? :D

SwampDonkey · December 31, 2011, 08:40:09 AM

Well, I already gave you the skeletal underware view, the yarn mounted on the swift. :D I'm just making the finishing touches on that to. I have the threaded dowel made now for the wooded mounting vise and the swift tensioner. I am about to replace the attachment points for the cross pieces with beefier ferris wheels and replace the finish nails with brass rivets. ;D

WDH · December 31, 2011, 08:34:30 PM

Quote from: Patty on December 31, 2011, 08:18:34 AM
OMG we just can't get Donk off this underwear kick can we.

Nope. He is forever scarred.

SwampDonkey · January 03, 2012, 09:43:41 AM

Been practicing some 1/4" dowel cutting. Need a bunch for a raddle and for a couple joints on a spool rack I'm finishing up.

SwampDonkey · January 09, 2013, 11:20:50 AM

Well, over the summer the shop becomes a high moisture area because of humidity and no dry heat. Although gaps were left to accommodate moisture, it was not enough. Late in the summer I needed something and she was seized. :D ;D Well, I took the bottom drawers out then with a few choice words in the process and set them aside for a number of weeks. Today was the day to rectify things. I took out my nifty little skew block plane that has a fence on the side and shaved some wood off the drawers. And now back in business. ;D

WDH · January 09, 2013, 08:30:07 PM

Good that you can get to your stuff again!

SwampDonkey · January 09, 2013, 08:43:13 PM

Yes, and today I also ripped and planed up some 2" maple for 4 sectional attachments to my loom's warp beam. I'm letting the wood acclimate a few days in the dry heat. Then I have to drill 488 holes for the wire dividers I'm cutting from 1/8" SS rod, they have to be U bend. 244 U's needs 488 holes. ;D :D

Have a good one.

Jasperfield · January 09, 2013, 09:11:44 PM

Swamp':

In reference to your workbench; Did you dry the lumber, or did you buy it already dried?

All of your winter projects turn-out very well done.

SwampDonkey · January 10, 2013, 04:29:36 AM

It was kilned. But sitting in an unheated warehouse where it came from is like sitting in my barn when it equalizes. ;D

A lot of the dampness in the shop comes from the cement floor. The barn sits on a shallow spot near bedrock. One side is sloped where it's unheated and the shop side the lawn is flat and into shale. Blame the old timers 60 years ago. ;D :D

isawlogs · January 11, 2013, 09:35:21 AM

I follow this thread without posting much to it, but look in every time there's something new

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