Maple- Walnut Workbench

Wow. Too pretty to use…..

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

welcome to lumberjocks

over-the-top bench … way cool

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

SNAP! Those are gorgeous!

Great understanding of using the space under the top.

I can’t wait to see more of your projects.

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

Wow! That is furniture! I would be afraid of scratching it!

-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"

Those are the nicest looking workbenches I have ever seen. I’m with WayneC; they’re too pretty to use! I’d feel like crying if I got a nick in one or spilled glue. The workmanship looks absolutely outstanding, along with beautiful wood.

-- "But godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6

I agree they are to nice to build and glue on. Look more like furniture for the house. Very nice.

-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT

Absolutely beautiful. I love the mix of dark and light woods, and the figured maple on the drawer fronts is fantastic. Again, like everyone says, they’re almost too nice to use. You almost have to intentionally put that first scratch in the top of one, just so you know that you can use them for more than just a showpiece!

-- Jason, Kansas City

Ooooooo :) Awesome.

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

I hate to tell you but those are not work benches. that’s fine furniture.

-- Tom D

Almost too pretty to work on. Almost!

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

Those look better than anything in my house. Beat them well:-)

-- Use the fence Luke

These are absolutely beautiful benches. One of the time honored traditions with carpenters/woodworkers in past generations was advertising their skill with the tool totes that they constructed. The more elaborate and detailed totes reflected the craftmanship that went into the construction and the skill of the owner. I see this same principal in your benches. You could have easily thrown together a workbench made with construction grade material and plywood. It would have been serviceable but nowhere near as detailed and elaborate as these are. They indeed are a reflection of your craftmanship.

Well done. I really appreciated seeing this post.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

“Wow” would be an understatement here…”Holy Cow!” would fit better! Beautiful project here RJ. Now you need some cabinets to match and you’ll have a shop to beat all shops!

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

Looks better than some of my house furniture.

-- Grant...."GO BUCKEYES"

Again, I’d put those in the center of any room in my house and admire them. Real works of art.

-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.

Okay, I’ve been around here a while, and this project definitely takes 1st prize for over-the-top shop furniture! Really beautiful!

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

RJ,

Unsolicited suggestion: Contact a couple of interior designers in your area and offer to sell the workbench combo as fine furniture for inclusion in an expensive “man-cave” or den. I am serious, I think that in your neck of the woods you would find immediate buyers for these pieces. Anyone looking for a unique twist or a bold statement in an expensive, manly area of a home would immediately be drawn to your work.

Congratulations on stunning craftsmanship.

-- Sola Gratia, John

They are almost too pretty to use in a shop. I would be covering them up before I used Them! Thanks for posting.

God Bless
tom

-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa

Yowza! I just pulled a plane off my shelf and dropped a low angle block on my maple workbench. Had it been on one this nice, I might have cut my own throat. Very nice!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Wow, those are incrredible benches. I can’t imagine what your projects look like if this is the kind of work you do on ‘just’ a bench. Welcome to LJs; I really look forward to seeing more of your work.

-- ...it's rennovation time!!!

Dangl. I just got slobber all over my keyboard…

-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...

Like many here, I seriously would be afraid to use these—just gorgeous! Great design and construction!

-- -- Jim E., Oswego, NY. Create, have fun, and work safely!

This is fine furniture!

Beautiful wood grain, finish and craftsmanship. I agree with many your work bench is fine furniture.

Dalec

I’ll pay the shipping to Central Texas…

-- There's no tool like an old tool...

WOW

-- Hutch ...Montana ___ Life is a mystery to live, not a problem to solve! ___

function first, the two piece idea is excellent and being able to reconfigure the benches for multiple purposes is wonderful. in regards to the appearance, I totally agree with Scott Bryan’s comments above…..perhaps I would go a little further, so forgive me if I get a little philosophical here, but I think our tools set the atmosphere for our craft, becoming our mentor or apprentice when we need a second set of hands. You go out to the shop in the morning, turn the light on and your tools and benches are covered in a fine layer of dust and you can almost here them, “sit down and finish your coffee, we’ll wait for ya” As a matter of fact I think my bench can even hear your benches and it’s complaining,” I can’t believe you left that epoxy, you know how hard that is to get off…...and when are you gonna oil the rods on my vise…you don’t love me do you?” ....you know that bench can go on for ever but I would never question it’s passion…or place a value on the inspiration it’s given… I think I’ll get another cup of coffee and try and patch things up.
Great work Rj

-- If knowledge is not shared, it is forgotten.

Very nice, very nice. I like the modular concept, could serve many functions.
Good work,
Gary

Beautiful work…. thanx for sharing, definitely gives plenty of ideas, and reminds you that a good looking workshop makes working in it just so much more fun… or it could just be me ;)

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Good grief, they’re drop dead gorgeous! Fine furniture for sure. Outstanding work!

-- Bill, Florida

Rj,

That is an amazing set of benches. I like the idea of two smaller benches you can arrange however you want.
Great idea, just made them to beautiful to work on is all.

-- Kevin, Wichita, Kansas

They are beautiful benches. bet they inspire you to do some really top class work – look forward to seeing your future posts.

wow those are some nice benches. very, very impressive! thanks for the post!

Wow! Stunning workbenches. I would be too timid to actually do any work on them, I would just want them in my living room. :)

-- I get payed to play with power tools! What could be better than that?

100%, Completely, Totally, Awesome!!

I love these.

Thanks for showing them.

-- Martin, Kansas

These would have to be at the top end of some great work benches I have seen. Beautiful.

-- Bob

They would just paralyse me. I could no more do wood working on those that I could use a matisse as a drawing board. What where you thinking!

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

Wow! I think you found your calling in life. Those are astounding! Can’t wait to see more. Oh and Welcome to LJ’s.

-- “There is scarcely anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper … and the buyers who consider price only are this man’s lawful prey.” John Ruskin

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee T

-- Mike, Bruce Mississippi = Jack of many trades master of none

I’m speechless. I’ve taken a deep breath. Marvellous

-- Phil in British Columbia

SIMPLY FANTASTIC !! CONGRATULATIONS ON SUCH A STUNNING PROJECT : )

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

Those are awesome, the only thing I’d do is reverse the handles so that you turn the frowns into smiles. It would be nice to have your bench smile at you every time you went to the shop!

Wow, those are incrredible benches.

-- jeanmarc manosque france

Genuine shop furniture gorgeous and done well. Bravo!

always,
J.C.

-- "Imagination is more important than knowledge" -- Albert Einstein

In the living room? NO!!!! Put it in the bedroom. I would want this to be the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing I see at night. And yes, I’ll pay the shipping charges AND the crating charge. One up on ya, Texasgaloot. Let the bidding begin. You up for the fuel surcharge?

Great work, great design, thanks for letting us take a look.

-- Makin' Sawdust!!!

You gonna eat off those? You certainly are not going to pound on them are you. Sheeeesh. Are those virgin goat horns for door knobs?

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

Okay, now if I made a work bench that looked like these I couldnt use them for woodworking. I would just go out to my shop and look at them all the time. Great work!!!!! Very nice and hey they will last a life time plus more.

-- Davesfunwoodworking

I don’t know if I would put these in my shop. They look like furniture for my living room!

Outstanding!

-- Mark, Florida, http://penturner.wordpress.com/

Beautiful work! I love the thought you put into the form and function. Nice to see people think outside the box.

Box what box? :)

-- Chris

By far, the best looking bench, I’ve ever seen!!!! Wonderful job. Great thought process and wood combo. Thanks for joining up and sharing your “baby” with us!!

-- Jimmy

Very nice. I would enjoy working at those every day.

-- Rusty

WOW! I’m not sure what to say, those are absolutely spectacular!!! You’ve done a fantastic job! Oh, and Rj, Welcome aboard!

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †

Great looking bench!

Thanks for the post

Callum

-- For wood working podcasts with a twist check out http://thetimberkid.com/

Ron, everytime i see the bench it just blows me away [still have photos you sent me]
people Ron is a true craftsmen ,unbelievable work he does
Your Indiana Buddy Fritz

If … this … is … what … his … workbenches … look… like

What does his FINE FURNITURE look like?

sigh…

-- John

Fabulous…Just Fabulous...Love the design, the Wood…Spectacular!
I think I would love to see this as a kitchen island…Truly inspirational…I could work on these all day!

-- Joni Hamari, Cave Creek, Az www.CustomSculpture.com

Thats a nice looking workbench.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

Thats a beautiful bench! I would be scared to work on it.

-- Dennis Zongker

Wow… what did you finish the top with?

Do really mean to use this beautiful bench as a workbench?
What was your wife’s reaction when she saw it in your workshop?

-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.

Rj: ??How could you put that work bench in the shop it should be in the kitchen. Thats by far the nicest kitchen table I have ever seen. You could use the vise as a grape press.

-- another tip from cooperedpatterns

mighty fine, indeed

-- Thos. Angle

BEAUTIFUL workbench for the kitchen, living room, dining room, home office, anywhere it won’t get damaged! Your workmanship is superb. Can I place my order?

-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe

Hi, wow, I can’t believe I missed these. I thought I had nice benches. These are more like showcases. If you bring them to a craft or trade show you can book enough business to do woodworking full time.

Well done sir.

-- Bob A in NJ

Hi RJ – mighty fine lookin benches, no doubt. I had a question though. Do you still like the wide drawers? I’m planning to install drawers under my workbench top and had planned to build three rows of drawers, two drawers per row. The drawers would be about 1.75 feet wide or so, each. You have four rows with one drawer per row. They look to be 2.5 to 3 feet wide. Did you use metal drawer sliders or is it wood on wood construction. If it is wood on wood please share your construction method. I had planned to cut 1/4 inch dados and use an inch wide strips of hardboard to let the drawers rest and slide on. Pretty low tech. The idea is from a ww’ing magazine showing shop improvement plans, I think Wood. Thanks!

-- david roberts, houston area, "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but that has never been a problem for me."

Thanks David I used accuride sliders and I really like having the wider drawers insted of two drawers side by side- I put dividers in them if needed. Two drawers create more wasted space = drawer sides etc. take up more space. This is just my opinion though some people like having two.
Hope this helped!

-- Rj's Woodworks,San Jose & Weed Ca,

like a brand new pair of white sneakers, scuff those up quick! add a ding, then you won’t have to worry about ruining them.

Wow, talk about inspiration in the shop!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

Hi Ron;

I don’t know how I missed these. This is an excellent first impressions for your clients, as they walk into your shop.

Your work here, as always, is remarkable!

Superb!

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

In-FREAKING-credible! I’m going to burn my pine and maple workbench now… firewood… mere firewood… by comparison! What a craftsman you are, sir! I salute you!

-- Adventure? Heh! Excitement? Heh! A Woodworker craves not these things!

Would you mind revealing the secret to the technique to create the drawer fronts? Thanks.

Very Special! Thanks for sharing

-- spanky46 -- Never enough clamps...Never enough tools...Never enough time.

Awesome work, I didn’t know China put out such great looking stuff. LOL, glad your my friend, so I can tease you. These are beautiful, and anyone would be proud to own these.

-- Dan Wiggins

Incredible Benches….I love the empty space between the top and Drawers box..trully a couple of heirloom pieces!

-- Francisco Luna, San Francisco Bay Area.

inspired me to get right out in the shop.

I just saw this! WOW! Are you actully going to work on it? If it were mine it would be proudly in my living room!

-- Never board, always knotty, lots of growth rings

You owe me a new keyboard,this one is absolutely covered in drool!!!
Outstanding benches,you have taken the fact that Walnut & Maple contrast each other perfectly to the Nth degree.
Beautiful.

-- "Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible." ~ Frank Zappa

WOW!!! Amazing work benches… PLEASE DON’T USE THEM! Trade me for my crappy, ugly, workable benches… I will treat these biscuits like they should be, behind a glass case for all to see… LOL
Simply amazing work here, but I really must ask that you take good care of them and when your ready to give them away, keep me in mind… Love the contrasting woods… ok, I’ll shut up now I think enough has been said… keep up the good (GREAT) work RJ

Wonderful. Inspiration in the shop is more important than most realize. Thank you for showing these off.