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This workbench is my 60-th birthday present (Today September 14, 2015). I worked all through the summer to build it. Now that I know what I am doing I think I could build it in 3 or 4 weeks if I had no distractions, all the lumber, and the hardware.

  1. Front view
  2. End view
  3. Made some shavings.
  4. Holes
  5. Bondo pose

The top measures 8'.5 to 9' long and is made of a center 15" by 4" slab on each side of the slab two (true) ash 2" by 4" have been laminated, making it 23" wide in total. It is Ash with Cherry ends. The face vice is Spalted maple. The leg vise and deadman are cherry. The legs, shelf and short stretchers are ash. (Some spalted Ash and a couple pieces of Oak.) The short stretchers are attached to the legs via draw-bores. The long stretchers are made of birch and attached to the legs using 1/2" bolts, that can be removed for transport. The Top sits on the legs via blind mortise and tenons. I am very happy with the design and construction. It breaks down so that it can be moved and is rock solid when assembled.

Recommendations for the beginner.
  1. Don't do as I did. First learn how to use all your hand tools long before having a real bench as fellow LJ Mosquito did.
  2. Don't try to make it out of one slab as I originally tried to do, unless you really know what to look for.
  3. I think buying pre-dimensioned lumber is the way to go on this project.

Acknowledgments. There have been so many LJs who have been patiently answering my questions I am sure to miss and offend someone. So I'll just say Thank you…. you know who you are. It has been a great learning experience.

Now I have to dust off my 55 and catch up in Mos's class.

Addendum.
While building I had a dog hole/hold fast hole epiphany just as I was about start drilling lots of holes.

Wait until you need them. That way there won't be holes everywhere

Then I found the Chris Schwarz Lost art press article on holdfast hole theory.

I thought he gave excellent reasons for these holes so I drilled 7 of them. Also when you look at the picture in Roubo's book you will see there are not all that many holes. So my plan is to drill dog holes when and where I need them when the need arises.

Some assembly photos. (Added July 9, 2017)

Top sits on tenons, its massive weight hold it in place.



Short stretchers and legs are a single unit joined by draw bore mortice and tenon joints.



Long stretchers are attached via bolts:





Note the wide slot to accommodate the wrench and the use of the magnet to hold the nut while threading it into the bolt.

Gallery

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Don W and Mos please me merciful and do not send me a blue rug.
 

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Great job, and great tool storage right by the bench. I had forgotten about the blue hair girl, but your version is pretty funny.

When you say: "Don't try to make it out of slab as I did, unless you really know what to look for.", can you explain more? Sorry I didn't follow the workbench thread.
 

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That's a super looking bench. I'm thinking you should go for the blue wig.
 

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Happy birthday, Don! Great present you have gifted yourself. How much do you figure it weighs? Thanks for sharing.
 

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Great job, and great tool storage right by the bench. I had forgotten about the blue hair girl, but your version is pretty funny.

When you say: "Don't try to make it out of slab as I did, unless you really know what to look for.", can you explain more? Sorry I didn t follow the workbench thread.

- Tim
Well I think I choose badly. The slab was not as dry as I thought. It was cupped and had a lot of wind in it.
It ended up a lot thinner then I wanted. I gave up and gave it a router sled scrub and even so still had to do final flattening with the number 8 and smoothing with the 4 1/2. I left it uneven on the bottom to keep as much mass as possible. But this may also be a mistake. It hard to clamp in a waste board to avoid tear out when drilling holes.
So I think many many problems are avoided my glueing up 2 by 4s. You do have to to d lots of glue ups. but you can do two 12" or 3 8" wide mini-slabs and use a lunch box planer to even them up. Glue the mini-slabs together and have a lot less twist and cupping problems.
 

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Just really glad you were a great sport and included a bondo. Which I have yet to do…

Edit: maybe after I go buy a selfie stick :)
 

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Just really glad you were a great sport and included a bondo. Which I have yet to do…

Edit: maybe after I go buy a selfie stick :)

- TheFridge
Buy one? You got a work shop, go make one. LOL

My wife who took the photo is still laughing at me.
 

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No doubt that is one big ash bench. I have no doubt you will enjoy it for years to come.
 

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Happy Birthday Don and congrats on making a fine bench!
 

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Outstanding work, Don! Looks solid and huge.
Happy B-Day to you!

Hmmm, your pose resembles my fav…



- terryR
Don - awesome, and your pose is probably the most faithful representation of the above classic.
 

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That is one monster of a Bench! Well done, hope mine looks as nice if I ever get it done! Like the idea of drilling the dog holes as you need the think I will do the same!
 

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Outstanding work, Don! Looks solid and huge.
Happy B-Day to you!

Hmmm, your pose resembles my fav…



- terryR

Don - awesome, and your pose is probably the most faithful representation of the above classic.

- ColonelTravis
Where is that pic from? I'm lost.
 

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Great job, Don. Now go whack the bench with a hammer and make a chisel mark or two so that it's no longer new and you can use it without fear of marking it up.

Fridge, that pic is from the Workbench Smackdown thread and is what started the "Bondo pose" tradition when bondogaposis finished his bench and posed a pic mocking the blue haired girl. The original post of that pic by Big Red is on this page. I don't know that anyone has asked where he found it.

http://lumberjocks.com/replies/on/1586054/page/71
 

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Its a beautiful looking bench… almost too nice to put stuff on. Very nicely done.
 

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Indeed. I think my wife wants to move it to the house for a dinning table.
 

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Most excellent Bench!
To say I'm jealous, naaa.
 

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Don, one small tip on dog holes…I was also unsure where to place them, so have a few that I'd like to move soon.

If I could start over, I would make sure the holes nearer the edge line up with those closer to the center…



Note the 3 holes near the camera.

It's easier to use these later to hold shop made appliances if they are a consistent distance apart from each other. mine are off by just enough that my stops don't fit everywhere. frustrating since better planning would have solved my current issues.

my 2 centavos…
 

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Thanks Terry I'll keep it in mind. (I think I'll include my above discussion on holes into the project proper. In case someone stumbles onto this project in the future. But today I need work.)
 

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A day late but, a great looking bench for your bd Don. Thanks also for the pose :)
 
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