bjorn rettig Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 I'm done. And I'm really happy. This was one of the best projects I have done. I absolutely enjoyed it. If you dream it, you can build it! Without the videos I know I would have never completed it. I feel giddy with excitement thinking about how much I learned. Tomorrow I will go to the Marc Adams school of woodworking and have a class with Michael Fortune - and Christopher Schwarz will be there building a workbench with another class. I wanted to be done before that and I made it. Not I can turn my attention back to my regular woodworking. thank you! --bjorn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Thats a beauty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevmc Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Thats a really awesome bench. I am almost done. just need to finish the shelf and gap stop and do the final flattening. I was really excited that when i mounted the top, I just took a few swipes on two of the tendon shoulders and a little off the bottom of one of the slabs and ended up with a nearly flat bench. I just need to take a bit off the back slab and a little more off the corner of the back slab where it seems to have cupped upward a bit. This was a really awesome project and I learned so much, especially hand tool skills. I am excited about moving on to the next guild project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Kevin and Bjorn, congrats to you both!! Excellent benches!! Be sure to send a final photo to Marc for upload on the Guild site. Kev, is that Padauk for you accent wood? (null) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allencrane Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Great work, Bjorn! Do you have a complete rundown of the woods that you used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Lyde Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Congratulations guys!! I'm done with mine as well, well for now anyway. I travel for work and I'm gone now for at least a month or more sot he last few details will have to wait. All I need to do is flatten the top a little and put on a finish. I'm really pleased with the way it all turned out and so excited to start on another project and use my new bench. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjorn rettig Posted April 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Great work, Bjorn! Do you have a complete rundown of the woods that you used? Thank you! My main wood was Douglas Fir from old floor boards. This came from a 1905 factory building that was taken down a few years ago. The dog hole strip is hard maple. the bench dogs are mystery wood. No idea, some dense hardwood (was part of a pallet) the end cap is curly maple the leg vise is African Mahogany and walnut for the parallel guide the dead man is walnut and just for fun I added a strip of walnut to the gap stop. that's pretty much it. I selected the wood by what I had around. I happened to have a large hard maple board for the dog strip, also had the curly maple, and the walnut in the shop. The only wood I specifically bought was the Mahogany for the leg vise, but I was looking for a piece of wood fitting the size, rather than for species. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopcat Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Likewise What a great idea for a project and thanks to Marc for all of the techniques we have all learn along the way. What's next I wonder? Oh and Venus says Twit-twoooo to Marc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevmc Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Kevin and Bjorn, congrats to you both!! Excellent benches!! Be sure to send a final photo to Marc for upload on the Guild site. Kev, is that Padauk for you accent wood? (null) Vik, yes it's paduak. I really like the wood and it's not that expensive for being an exotic. It works pretty easily but there can be some reversing grains and tear out against the grain. Copycat and Steve nice benches too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Slack Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Great work y'all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewoodwhisperer Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Great work everyone!! Well done! Be sure you send me your pictures for the Guild gallery. Also, you don't want to miss your chance at the giveaway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinto Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Wow, peeps... I'm tremendously jealous of all of your skills. One day... one day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HavenTom Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Massive Respect Y'all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFPtrader Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Wow! Nice job guys. All the benches look great. I've fallen behind the eight ball here. My granddaughter started day school twice a week and picked up a nasty virus, Naturally she was very gracious about sharing it with the rest of us. We've been down for the count this past week and the Roubo is getting lonely in the shop. Hopefully tomorrow I can crank things up again and get it done soon. I love all the personal touches everyone added to their bench. It's like adding your signature to the project. Great job all, and enjoy the fruits of all the hard work. Art K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodcanuck Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 You guys have done an awesome job on your benches. It's beginning to make me feel guilty...gives me a good kick in the butt to get out and make some more progress on my bench too. Gotta say, this has been the most interactive build I've seen. A lot of good camraderie and sense of community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allencrane Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 Stupid question time...how do you attach photos here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 Stupid question time...how do you attach photos here? Use the button "use more options" That will open a bunch of buttons that you can use to imbed or attached photos. If it is an url, you can use the one up above that is on the left of the <>, or if it is a photo on your computer and sized correctly, the "Attach Files" below. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allencrane Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 I finally made it across the finish line! Thank you Marc - no way would I have been able to do as good a job without your videos, and Aaron's plans were indeed masterful. I also learned a lot from the guild community. In fact, the sliding deadman and leg vise designs were inspired by Vic's art deco details - I guess you could say I'm quoting from his design. Overall, I modified the design slightly, with a single slab top, and more massive legs/mortises, and round dog holes. The dual end caps gave me a chance to add another set of condor tails for symmetry, while the slab top allowed the end caps to run the entire width of the bench. The top and base are soft maple. While I was milling, I noticed 2 distinct color variations, so I altered them in the top, giving it that "giant's chopping block" look and feel. I carried this effect into the sliding deadman, laminating it up like a cutting board. I also wanted to give it some authentic Texas details, so the leg vise, parallel guide, roller brackets, end caps, pin handle, and sliding dog block are all mesquite burl, while the shelf is red oak. Heck, I even gave the leg vise its own "belt buckle"! I was really pleased with how everything went together, and at the end, I still can't believe "I made that!" Cheers! Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 You definitely made it your own, Allen. Beautiful use of your materials! Thank you for the compliment! I'm honored. (null) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allencrane Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 Thanks Vic! It really came together - but I'm more of an orchestrator than an original composer. I just brought together my favorite pieces of the Guild build, Chris Schwarz's nouveau Roubo (I actually compared each piece of the BC and Schwarz designs and chose the more massive route - hence Schwarz's 6" square legs/mortises and slab top, and Marc's stretchers [along with his overall precision at every step]), and your art deco elements in the vise and deadman - which ended up working really well with everything. The one thing I added that was original was a thicker parallel guide - approximately 1 1/8" thick. It just seems to "fit" better with the overall design. I'm sure the other size is fine, but it just looks flimsy next to the rest of the bench. I also ended up finishing with Marc's suggested Tried and True polymerized Varnish oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted April 14, 2012 Report Share Posted April 14, 2012 Well, you did very well. It's one of my favorites, so far. I really love your wood choice and layout. It's quite beautiful! (null) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Lyde Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 I am out of town for an extended amount of time and really didn't have time to take any good pics of my bench before I left home. I had my son-in-law take some good pics for me today. For those with a sharp eye you will notice the dogs are installed backwards, why he did that I have no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 That's a beauty, Steve. I like the figured maple...I'm doing that, too. Is there a story behind the color choice on the shelf? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barron Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 I have finished as well. This was a great build. A little intimidating at first, but Marc's videos and on occasional emailed help got me through it. Its pretty much follows the plans. Primary wood is red oak, with a strip of hard maple in each slap (one for the dog holes), hard maple for the leg vise runner, and soft maple for the chop and deadman. I am really pleased with the results as is my wife (who has been very supportive from start to finish). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Lyde Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 Eric1978, yes there is a reason for the painted shelf, two actually. I was out of solid wood so I made the shelf from plywood and the second reason is some of the other cabinetry in my garage has the same color on the ends of the cabinets with clear maple doors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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