Operation Holtzapffel #8: Building the top

Looking good. The top seemed to take the most work for me. It was a lot of ripping and gluing. I felt good when it was all done :).

-- Mike

I remember building the top on mine. Little by little!

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I just worked with a neighbor and we chose a first coat of the Washcoat and Minwax Mahogany gel stain and a second coat of General Finishes Java gel stain.

Note that we also carefully sanded from 80 – 220 grit. In between coats we vacuumed or blew off the dust. Before the stain we tack clothed.

How did you prep the wood?

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

12” Blade??? What kind of saw is that?

BTW, I have enjoyed watching you build this bench. I am planning on the same style and have learned a lot so far.

-- Chris "I reject your reality and replace it with my own"

I got the saw when I first started woodworking from some guy on Craigslist. Had I known then what I know now I probably never would have bought it but it’s worked out pretty well all in all.

It’s some oddball import from Taiwan. The top is all cast iron, and it came with a Vega fence on it, there is another extension wing for the left hand-side that’s also cast iron that I recently removed for better access. Cost me about $300 I think, and the shop-built rolling base came with it.

It takes two hands to raise the blade or change the angle, the arbor has a bunch of run-out that I counteract with a Veritas blade straightening thing (it’s like a stabilizer plate with setscrews to push the blade a smidge) and the top isn’t exactly flat.. But apart from that it’s great! It also takes a 12” blade but has a 5/8 arbor, suffice to say it has lots of character :)

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

Here comes the top!!! Looks like a lot of work!

Is John in the right post – or is he just losing it? You didn’t dare ask him how you should stain (aaaghh!!) the bench did you? No smileys needed…or would that be smilies?

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Damian, you are a master. Sepia duotone project posts. Dude…

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

It’s great following this journey!

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

Stain it? You crazy Dorje? I’m going the traditional route whereby I paint it and then followup with a few coats of poly.

Glad you like the sepia Doug, figured I’d play around with some camera settings I never get to use :)

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

Thanks for the post Damian.

That top looks like tough work. How long are you making yours?

After you paint and poly that, breaking it in will be some work too. I’m guessing Dorje might be willing to drive down and help put some gouges in it for you. ;-)

-- johnjoiner

I can do that! (break it in!) – Paint and poly? Are you crazy Damien? You should go the more conventional route and wrap it in stainless steel…or you could tack a sheet of plywood on top to protect the good wood…

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Great start on the top, step by step ans then it’s done.

-- Kip Northern Illinois ( If you don't know where your goin any road will take you there) George Harrison