Ok, here is the hard work and sweat that needs done – the underside of the top need to be reasonably flat. It is 23 3/8” wide by 9’ 5”long. First up is the scrub plane to get rid of a bit of misalignment from glue up. Here is the last of the scrub plane work.
Next I used my #5 jack plane with a blade that has a bit if crown on it to get things flat. As I worked, I checked my progress across each side and for wind and marked the areas that still needed work with a lumber crayon Here’s the tool and its results.
As I got near the end of the sweat that this job requires, I checked for wind. The poster board on the other end makes it easier to see all of the winding sticks. I’m real pleased with the results but don’t know if this photo really lets you see all three spots in the proper focus. You’ll have to trust me that they are dead on flat across the three of them.
DONE! Here’s picture of the finished underside if the bench. What a relief that’s done but the bad news … I’ll have to the entire thing again when I flip it over. Fortunately, that is going to be after the base is built and the top and base are joined together.
I am happy with it. By the way, I can count. I just decided before gluing the last few boards together that board 10 wasn’t as pretty as board 8 and they got switched.
Next up, milling the pieces for the base and laying out the mortises.
-- Every cloud has a silver lining
8 comments so far
sIKE
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1094 posts in 651 days
posted 261 days ago
I was wondering how wide the glue up ended being. You make me very envious! Keep up the good work.
-- //FC - Round Rock, TX - "Experience is what you get just after you need it"
Karson
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25805 posts in 1298 days
posted 261 days ago
It’s looking great. A fantastic job of the leveling.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
cylis007
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55 posts in 366 days
posted 261 days ago
The top looks great. I am thinking that is a great idea to build the top first. I will have to keep that in mind on my next bench.
-- A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things. There will be sleeping enough in the grave. ~Benjamin Franklin
Scott Bryan
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20740 posts in 719 days
posted 261 days ago
This is looking good to me. I just hope that you and your shop assistant will be able to move this by yourselves. :)
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
martin007
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110 posts in 673 days
posted 261 days ago
great work! (and workout)
looking forward to see it complete
-- Martin, Gatineau, Québec
Damian Penney
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1030 posts in 889 days
posted 261 days ago
Very cool, that’s gonna be a beast of a bench for sure :)
-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso
kenn
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218 posts in 617 days
posted 261 days ago
Scott Bryan, No way that I will be able to move this thing, and not even with the shop assistant shown in my first post. My plan is to slide it onto my table saw, set up the base in the final location, move the existing bench to a “helping location”, slide it onto the existing bench, and then… have my assistant’s boyfriend and my son move the top into postion. Just remember that your daughters may not be as strong as your sons, but they are far more effective in getting young men to do what they want done :)
-- Every cloud has a silver lining
brianinpa
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1365 posts in 620 days
posted 260 days ago
Kenn,
Nice progress. I wish I could have shop assistants. All my sons want to do is spend time with their girlfriends or play video games: mostly time with the girlfriends.
-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.