Well I started the first step in building the Holtzapffel workbench. I went out last weekend and picked up some Douglas Fir for the bench and started to mill it up. I choose Douglas Fir for a couple reasons. First it was pretty cheap, I only spent about $150 on the lumber. Secondly, its a stable and stiff wood, which is good for a bench. It is also pretty hard for a “softwood”. I also used Douglas Fir on the small bench I built as a sharpening station. I like how it turned out. I think have some strategies for dealing with the tear-out I had on that project.
The big benefit of Douglas Fir was the price, but it is also one of it’s flaws. I did some digging through the lumber pile, but I still have to deal with some knots. I’m hoping I can bury most of them inside the top and legs. I may have to deal some knots on the top (hopefully small ones), but we will have to wait and see. I might also pick up a couple more boards, if I have some big knots to deal with. If they become a problem, I don’t have too much invested in the top.
One of the other benefits I listed, was that it is a stable wood. I think that showed itself when I was ripping the boards down. The top is going to be about 6 feet long. I was expecting to deal with the board pinching during the ripping cut. To my surprise the cut stayed straight and true. I have never seen that when ripping a board that long before. The kerf always seems to close up on me.
I didn’t take pictures of all of the lumber. Below is a sampling of some of the lumber for the stretchers. The smaller pieces were easy to find knot free sections.
This weekend I plan to laminated up the legs and stretchers and start on the base. I’ve rough cut the the pieces for the top, and I’m going to let them dry a little longer in my shop.
-- Mike - http://inquisitivewoodworker.blogspot.com/
12 comments so far
GaryK
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8486 posts in 473 days
posted 260 days ago
Good start. I miss Douglas fir.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
Dorje
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1745 posts in 481 days
posted 260 days ago
That’s great that you’ve started on this! Where did you end up getting the lumber?
Still going to do the wagon vise?
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
Red Headed Merganser
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751 posts in 658 days
posted 260 days ago
Mike,
I’ll be interested in watching your blog, as I’m in the process of deciding what style of bench to build since I left my old bench in my old shop… (doesn’t make for a very productive woodworker, let me tell you).
Keep us in the know!
-- Ethan, http://www.merganserwoodworks.com, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/
rikkor
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7632 posts in 359 days
posted 260 days ago
Great start. Thanks for chronicling the build.
-- Maplewood, MN
Mike Lingenfelter
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390 posts in 599 days
posted 260 days ago
Call me a rebel, I’m still going with the wagon vise. If it doesn’t work out, I think I can patch the top easily and add a quick-release vise without any problems.
I was planning to go to a hand-cut dovetail class this weekend, but it was cancelled yesterday because only only 1.5 people signed up. I know I was the 1, because I prepaid. I’m very said, but now I can work on the bench which makes me feel a little better.
I ended up getting the Douglas Fir at Dunn Lumber over in Lynnwood. The other place I found near my house was too expensive and didn’t have much of a selection.
-- Mike - http://inquisitivewoodworker.blogspot.com/
johnjoiner
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143 posts in 378 days
posted 260 days ago
If they’re on the small side you could look at knots in the bench top as opportunities for unique, unplanned dog holes! ;-)
-- johnjoiner
Karson
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12901 posts in 885 days
posted 260 days ago
Great start Mike Good luck and th build and sorry about the class.
-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
Mike Lingenfelter
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390 posts in 599 days
posted 260 days ago
I hadn’t thought about drilling a knot out for a dog hole. It would need to small, otherwise it could be a pain drilling through a knot. I’ll have to see how that works out.
-- Mike - http://inquisitivewoodworker.blogspot.com/
Thos. Angle
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3236 posts in 447 days
posted 260 days ago
Got’er goin,’ Mike. It’ll be fun to watch.
-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon
jcees
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465 posts in 284 days
posted 260 days ago
If you end up with knots on the face and you want to hide them you might think of using “dutchman” patches or take it a step further and check out the latest issue of Pop Wood magazine for an article titled Perfect Patching.
You picked a great design to follow too. If I weren’t already hip deep in my own design I probably would have opted for the Holtzapffel. I look forward to checking in on your progress.
always,
J.C.
-- "Imagination is more important than knowledge" -- Albert Einstein
Mike Lingenfelter
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390 posts in 599 days
posted 260 days ago
J.C. – I’m not concern about seeing the knots, but planing through them when I have to flatten the top. Your idea of a dutchman might a solution, if I have a large knot. I might just go a little deeper than a normal patch. That way I will have room to flatten the top several times.
Thanks everyone, you have come through with some good ideas.
-- Mike - http://inquisitivewoodworker.blogspot.com/
Dorje
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1745 posts in 481 days
posted 260 days ago
Sorry about the class – too bad he couldn’t have given you a one to one class… (or would that be one to one and a half?)
That would’ve been great. I’m glad you have your hands full this weekend with the bench though!
We’ll be looking out for the next post in the series…
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA