BrandonD Posted February 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Nice pile. Your lumber rack scares me a little. Normally I like over engineering things, but in the case of my lumber rack I wanted something quick easy and cheap. I found this video from Jay Bates. I've hung and bounced on each conduit piece like a monkey -- a very large, overweight, monkey -- and am reasonably confident in it. I'm more concerned the tapcons will fail before the conduit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estesbubba Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Brandon - normally I'm not a sticker and acclimate kind of guy since most projects will end up in a house with different conditions than the shop and so far I've never been burned by it. With this project, since it's going to end up in the shop and has a buttload of lumber, I would give it a week or two stickered like you have it (and what I'm doing). Are you starting with the top or base? I'm leaning towards the top so I can pick the best cuts for it to leave the least waste. Since the base uses mainly smaller boards I'm hoping that cutoffs will just fall into place somewhere there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonD Posted February 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 A week or two?! But... but... You're probably right. Lots of money invested in here to mess up due to jumping the gun. I really need to solidify that in my head now before my vises arrive tomorrow and I get the urge again. I'm 90% sure I will be starting with the tops, for the same reasons you said. I have a large strong table in my shop I can probably use to glue them up and do the work on the front slab. I'll know for sure over the next few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenaqua Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I picked out my lumber locally yesterday and ended up with most of the boards being in the 6.5" to 8" width range and 10' long. That is just what they seemed to mostly have and I may have quite a bit of "waste" at the conclusion of the project. The good news is the cost for the soft maple was about $3.14 per bd ft. I had them do some slight milling (S3S) before getting it even though I have the equipment. I do it because the wood can sometimes have a little dirt etc on it and it saves my blades and also saves a little time. My hardware also comes tomorrow. I saw Benchcrafted is not going to ship the beech handles with the "M" style on their blogpost. How are you guys planning on gluing the top laminates together? Do you plan to use a domino? I haven't really seen or heard of anyone using cauls yet and can't figure out why. I have been trying to talk myself into buying a Domino for this project but I don't know if my wife will use it on me while I am sleeping considering the money I have already spent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonD Posted February 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 One step closer Greenaqua :-) My hardware is delayed because of the weather. I don't have a scheduled delivery date anymore and it just says check back. I don't have a Domino and while it'd be a cool toy there's no way I'm spending even more money right now. I have a biscuit joiner and was planning on using that. I'm not sure cauls are necessary because of how thick the timbers are. You're face gluing them, not edge gluing them... the size of the boards will help prevent the cupping cauls are meant to prevent. I suppose it may help with keeping the boards aligned, but that is what the domino/biscuit is for. In the end, I don't see how adding cauls could hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Hein Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I used biscuits to align my boards and stacked them on the slab edge across my constructed base while doing my glue up. It went quite well as the weight of the stack eliminated the necessity of cauls and I just used pipe clamps to ensure there was sufficient squeeze out. Warren Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Hein Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Though be sure to do a dry run first and add support where needed to eliminate any bowing and ensure you are free of gaps. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenaqua Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Brandon, I hope you don't mind me joining your thread with my build. I was just excited to see somebody else right about to begin. I don't have a biscuit joiner either, in the past I just used cauls for glue ups. I am also leaning towards doing the top 1st because I think if there is an error in width it will be easier to match the base to the top's width than the other way around by messing with the short stretcher length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonD Posted February 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I don't mind at all. I think it's cool that there's three of us here all starting about the same time and enjoy the conversation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estesbubba Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I know T Cancelleri had all the hardware in his cart but don't know if he pulled the trigger yet. DaveAKA was also talking about starting his soon. Don't know if either one is in yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I wouldn't worry too much about stickering and stacking and the whole acclimation process for this particular build. Once the slabs are glued up they're pretty stable, and you'll be flattening the top at the end anyway. The base doesn't really matter if it moves a little. Dive in, get building! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estesbubba Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 "Ready, set, go!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstroDave Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I know T Cancelleri had all the hardware in his cart but don't know if he pulled the trigger yet. DaveAKA was also talking about starting his soon. Don't know if either one is in yet. I'm still looking to Spring maybe early Summer before starting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonD Posted February 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 Damn. You guys are toying with my sensitive brain right now. The internal struggle is real. I will decide when I get my vises, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say I'll be making sawdust within the next few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonD Posted February 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 It's been almost three days now since the lumber arrived, which I know is minuscule in tree life, and not a budge in moisture content, despite it raining the other evening and all through that night. My vises arrive today... unless UPS claims bad weather between the local dispatch and my house... I'll post some pictures up this evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estesbubba Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 With those thick maple boards doubt you get much moisture change over a few days or even weeks. Most of my 8/4 boards are 2 1/8" thick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonD Posted February 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 I figured as much; it's just fun to watch it. Also I'm just looking for one more reason to pull the trigger this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estesbubba Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 I have a couple of small projects to finish up but hopefully I'll be starting in a week or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenaqua Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 I received the wood today. I received the benchcrafted hardware last night. The UPS driver delivered it at 930pm which is the latest delivery I think I have ever had and of course I was anxiously awaiting it. I have attached some pictures for anyone interested. I found it amusing that the wood came from a mill in Latrobe (think Rolling Rock Beer) which is darn close to where I grew up but now live 1500 miles away. I think it makes the bench a little more special since the wood is "home". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estesbubba Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 Nice stack - looks like green ends are in! What wood you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenaqua Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 I am using soft maple. All I need now is to figure out which glue I want to buy (TB2 or TB3). I am thinking TB3 for the longer open time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonD Posted February 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 I keep TB3 stocked, it's all I've used for a while. That is until a thread on here not too long ago where multiple people complained about the glue drying dark brown and visible with maple joints. I've worked with maple before and don't recall the issue, but I bought some TB2 to use just to be on the safe side. I don't really see how it can be an issue if the joints are good but glue is glue and it'll get used, so why not. You can always glue your tops in sub assemblies if you're concerned about open time. My hardware arrived today. Packaged well, and the bench plans appear to be detailed. Hardware, including knockdown for the base that I'm not sure I'll use yet. Crisscross solo. Leg vise. Tail vise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estesbubba Posted February 20, 2015 Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 Yes, TB III will leave dark glue lines on maple. If you stain it not a problem but leaving natural they are pretty visible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dewald Swanepoel Posted February 20, 2015 Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 Nice stack - looks like green ends are in! What wood you using? Okiedokie, time for my daily dumb question. What does green ends on the boards mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonD Posted February 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2015 The green is just the color of the sealer used on the end grain during the drying process I think. Unless you don't need to do that for kiln drying at which point I imagine it's just a way to easily identify the wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.