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4 October 2018 at 8:12 am #552474
Hi Gordon,
With regards gluing the aprons, I was reticent at not using dowels at first, but came to realise that the stress on the upper piceces would be negligible as the bottom lengths had the bolts through them and the worktop and well boards would sit flush and not exert pressure. I’ve been using mine for over four months now, and it’s been disassembled and reassembled to change which room it is in and has survived perfectly. It’s a really super strong design!
For height, I had the same conundrum and decided to play off something I already new. I used my kitchen worktop as a guide essentially. I’m just under 6’ 2” and my kitchen worktop is 37” at the surface. This works for me when chopping veg and cooking so I clamped a board to it and planed it for a while to see how it felt and I wasn’t bent over or reaching so I went with that.
I’d suggest doing something similar, use a known height in your house/garage to gauge it from.
28 May 2018 at 10:36 am #548229Oh my goodness, I got carried away and forgot to post! It’s (almost) finished now, as of mid April it’s been built and in light use, but I’ve yet to soften the corners on the legs etc. and apply a finish. Ive rounded the edges on the worktop and the vice is installed too though. Pic attached.
I’m holding off applying a finish to it yet as I’m tempted to put dog holes in. I May do that today if I get some time.
I did make a mistake when modifying Paul’s measurements to fit the wood i had, so my well board wasn’t wide enough to put rebates on the edges and recess it into the top and apron. Instead it fits between the two flush and I’ve used dowels secured into the exposed face of the bench top through from the apron to ‘pin’ it down instead. Works well as a fudge and gives me spaces to slot my chisel box into and sit my planes in the other side. Pic attached of that too.
It was amazing fun to build this though, and I’ve had fun using it so far! Thanks again to Paul for the amazing videos and thorough drawings/cutting list etc! Has anyone else recently completed theirs?
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You must be logged in to view attached files.9 March 2018 at 11:34 am #493740Haha, don’t mind the dog, she’s got the inconvenienced look down to a fine art! Although I don’t think she’s impressed with the sawdust all over the living room carpet at the moment! Ah well, cleaning is for when I’m finished!
You’re not wrong about it being a marathon, I live on my own so between work, the pooch and daily chores etc. I only get about an hour and a half a day to do anything on this. It’s hard to find a rhythm in such a short time frame but I’m persevering!
I’ve managed to get the legs mortised and one of the four rails’ tenons cut and fitted since my last post. The knifewall tip truly is a great help to keep the visible edges clean (thanks, Paul!). I went a bit gung-ho with the mortising and chopped through a few knots rather than cutting them with a saw as Paul suggests so I bent my 3/4” chisel, lesson definitely learned though so won’t do it again! Luckily it’s a sturdy old Firth cast steel chisel and a gentle teasing with a mallet got it straight again.
Visiting family this weekend so no working on it until I’m home. Pic of the mortises attached though.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.2 March 2018 at 11:34 pm #489009Hi nick, thanks for the reply. Glad to hear someone got on with the same materials with success! I was thinking after I posted this that the stress on that glue joint should be minimal. With the legs spanning both pieces in the recess there shouldn’t be excess pressure on the top piece making that joint vulnerable. I’ll give it a go without dowels and can always add them if I run in to issues.
Roll on tomorrow and more bench fun!
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