Workbench Customisations
There are a number of additional features that Paul likes to add to his workbench to make it really shine. Have a go and see which ones work for you.
Sofa Server: Episode 3
The combination of the stopped housing with the tenons requires careful layout and cutting. Once the tenons are cut, they can be fitted to the exact width of the mortises.
Sofa Server: Episode 2
The shelf is fitted using a stopped housing dado that incorporates through mortises. Paul goes through the layout, paying special attention to transferring the mortise layout to the outside face. Then the mortise can be chopped and the housing cut and routed to depth.
Trestles: Episode 2
Paul assembles the legs of the trestle. Then the posts are marked out and fixed in place to make a sturdy reliable trestle, using gussets for additional strength and rigidity.
Sofa Server: Episode 1
With the prototype under his belt and the stock prepared, Paul gets to work on the dovetail layout. Once the tails are laid out, the tails are sawn and chopped then transferred to lay out and cut the dovetail recesses.
Trestles: Episode 1
These useful trestles have a myriad of uses. They are made from construction materials, so Paul starts by planing the surfaces to remove surface irregularity. Then the gussets are cut to size and drilled ready for fitting.
Trestles
Trestles can be used to support stock or pieces in a variety of configurations and are simple to make. Paul has used this style of trestles around the shop for years and used them in his workbench project to provide a solid base to work from.
Sofa Server
This sofa server can be used as a stool, table, or as a surface for your laptop, notebook or to eat from. It’s a modern design featuring dovetails, a combined stopped housing dado with through mortises as well as shaped elements.
Wall Shelf: Episode 3
Paul makes and fits some keyhole plates in the same way that he did in the original. He starts with a brass hinge and once shaped, recesses them in place.
Wall Shelf: Episode 2
The joints are cut and seated, so it’s time for the shaping. Paul uses a combination of saws, chisel, spokeshave and rasp and shapes rounds the edges. Once that is scraped and sanded to a smooth finish, it’s ready for assembly.