LumberJocks
DAILY DEALS Rockler 3-Pc. Roundover/Beading Bit Set at Rockler  |  DeWalt Gauge Narrow Crown Stapler at Tool King

My Woodworking Bench from Salvage materials

Project by Karson posted 470 days ago 4636 views 5 times favorited 64 comments Add to Favorites Watch

I made this bench about 2 years ago and then it was covered up by “Stuff”. I had invited Lee Jesberger to come to the Mason Dixon Woodworkers Club Picnic on July 20, 2008 and so I decided to clean up the shop a little. (I still left enough “Stuff” around to be able to find it later.)

The first item that I uncovered was the bench. Therefore this post. And of course since it was made from Recycled materials I needed it to be entered in the Summer LumberJocks contest.

The legs, stretchers, aprons were all made from some Maple that I picked up in St Louis over 30 years ago. That in it’s self should qualify as recycled. But I ran across this maple. (Newspaper or driving by I don’t know).

I found the wood in a salvage yard. The company was a demolition company and they got the contract to tear down the remnants of a warehouse, factory that had caught fire. The brick building was being knocked down with a crane and the materials being removed with a bulldozer.

Down in the basement they discovered around 2 Million Bd Ft of Hard Rock Maple. Most of the wood was 10 quarter thick, random widths and random length. So I was loading about 27 CU FT of wood in my van every so often. That’s about 3’ X 3’ X 3’. I was paying 5 cents a bd ft for the wood. That was about 324 Bd ft in a load and it cost me about $16.00.

The wood had brick and stone and moter pieces embedded in the wood. I used a body grinder that I put a wire wheel the go over the surface of the wood before running it through my planer.

I made children’s toys with the wood, that I sold at Craft Fairs.

After many trips of doing this I finally asked to site manager what he would charge if I took a whole pile. The pile i selected had about 20,000 BD FT. He said 2 cents a bd ft. So I bought it.

I’ve got about 100 BD Ft left after moving twice and all of the toys.

No one knows the true story, but it was thought that the factory made either 1) Bowling Pins or 2) Ladies High Heels for a shoe Mfg. I just know that there was a lot of wood going to waste sitting uncovered in an outdoors yard.

The entire frame, legs were made from that maple. The legs are 2 1/4” thick by 4” wide. The Apron is 2 1/4 X 7” wide. The base is 2 X 4”. The legs are mortise and Tenoned into the base and the apron is M&T into the legs.

The stretcher is 2 X 7”. There is one at the front and the back. They are bolted to the legs.

The top is another story.

It is a piece of a bowling alley. It is the maple section that is used as your entry into the bowling lane. I originally picked up three pieces 4+ ft wide and 10+ ft long. They were tearing out a bowling alley on my way home from work and I stopped by and picked up a few pieces. The wood was gotten for making my kitchen cabinet counter top for the kitchen i was making for my wife in NJ.

Click for details

Bowling Alleys are not glued. They are tongue and grooved and then have hardened nails shot through the groove.

I used a nail cutting blade in a skill saw and would cut about 1” for the first cut. Then I’d drop it about 1/2” and cut through the nails and then lower it to the full depth of the saw and do the last cut as deep as it would go. I would use a ZipSaw to separate the two pieces. I would always cut through the middle of one of the boards and then I would peal that board off, Use a muffler cutting blade on an air grinder and cut the pieces of nails off to the surface of the groove. I now had a nice smooth surface to put on additional strips of wood to give me the final width.

On the making of this top I wanted to put bench dog holes and I knew that I’d hit nails some where down the run of holes so additional strips of wood were glued on so that I’d would not hit any nails.

The bench is 97” long, 30” wide and 37” high. The top is 2 1/4” thick maple, 1 1/8” wide strips. Not glued, just nailed together.

The vise on the left is an clone of an Emmert Patternmakers Vise, and on the right a ShopFox quick release 7” vise. The breadboards are Macacubba from Central America, with a tenon on the bench top and the mortise in the Breadboard. Pegs are driven through the breadboard and through the tenon to hold it in place. The top has about 44 BD FT of wood and just sits on square pegs on top of the legs into square holes on one side of the top and a rectangle mortise on the other side. This allows the top to move. There is no finish on the top.

The drawer cabinet underneath is just a box that was made to sit on the stretchers. It is not attached. It is not recycled wood.

The wood is 3/4” birch Plywood, with 6 drawers of varying depths.

The drawers are veneered with Waterfall Bubinga Veneer and the bead edging on the drawers is Grandillo. The top and bottom drawers on the right are mirror image matched on the veneer and the left drawers are mirror imaged with the right drawers. There is a space above the cabinet that allows the bench dogs to go through the wood surface. I also store my 16” saw blades for my table saw on the top and my cast iron honing plates that I use with diamond paste for sharpening.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †


64 comments so far

View PurpLev's profile

PurpLev

2675 posts in 526 days


posted 470 days ago

That is one Prutty Top!!!

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

View tenontim's profile

tenontim

1319 posts in 622 days


posted 470 days ago

Nice bench, Karson. Where’s the ball return?

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

View Richard Williams's profile

Richard Williams

140 posts in 670 days


posted 470 days ago

Wow you are good. Too bad we are not next door neighbors I would become your apprentice. I can do simple things but my expertise is not in wood. In fact as I am fast approaching 65 in about a little more than a week on the 6th, I still don’t know what I am really good at. :) I’ve been very busy on a project working in collaboration with our local University here in Las Vegas. I know I have not been around much but this project is a humanitarian one that grabbed my interest right away. Should take a few more months. Take care and how have you been feeling? God Bless All.

-- Rich, Nevada,

View ChicoWoodnut's profile

ChicoWoodnut

894 posts in 693 days


posted 470 days ago

So what happened to the othe 1.9 million bd ft of maple?

-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net

View Bradford's profile

Bradford

783 posts in 701 days


posted 470 days ago

I vote for this bench to be best use of recycled wood as the cornerstone tool for all other projects starting point. Wow, what a bench. This is a tool after my own wooden heart. Thanks for this post. I just got a woody.

-- so much wood, so little time. Bradford.

View Karson's profile

Karson

25271 posts in 1278 days


posted 470 days ago

Richard. I’m feeling great. Just getting started on my second set of kitchen cabinets for my wife. (Blogs to follow).

Tim I knew I forgot something. Dang now I’ll have to tear it apart and add the enhancement. You can bet that won’t happen again.

Lev Thanks for the comment.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View Karson's profile

Karson

25271 posts in 1278 days


posted 470 days ago

Scott I wish I knew what happened to the other wood. Of course this lot also had 16 X 16” beams that would today be great to cut up with a woodmizer and give some great wood.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View depictureboy's profile

depictureboy

300 posts in 520 days


posted 470 days ago

Karson that is absolutely beautiful…I can’t wait till the day when I can build my bench…thanks for sharing.

-- If you can't build it, code it. If you can't code it, build it. But always ALWAYS take a picture.

View sIKE's profile

sIKE

1093 posts in 632 days


posted 470 days ago

I love the waterfall Bubinga! The bench looks great!

-- //FC - Round Rock, TX - "Experience is what you get just after you need it"

View daveintexas's profile

daveintexas

338 posts in 754 days


posted 470 days ago

That is a wonderful looking workbench, and well thought out.
I should have known there would be veneer involved if Lee Jesberger was around. lol

thanks for sharing

-- MISSION FURNITURE-My mission is to build furniture

View gizmodyne's profile

gizmodyne

1659 posts in 968 days


posted 470 days ago

Awesome bench. Way to recycle. Love the veneer. We might need a new shop inspection if you are going to start cleaning.

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

View trifern's profile

trifern

7890 posts in 645 days


posted 470 days ago

I would struggle getting any work done on this bench. I would simply stare and admire those drawer fronts. Thank you for sharing.

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

View Napaman's profile

Napaman

3409 posts in 955 days


posted 470 days ago

amazing…

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

9496 posts in 866 days


posted 470 days ago

Very cool bench. I used an old bowling alley for mine also, except I took all the nails out re-surfaced all the wood and glued it back together.

Looks like we both have a lot of the same stuff. Heavy Duty aluminum foil, boxes of nitril gloves and a box of reguar latex gloves, and even a set of red earmuffs!

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

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

7459 posts in 1096 days


posted 470 days ago

That wood was quite a score, Karson! And the benchnis beautiful! I love that bubinga veneer. I have a bit myself just waiting for the right project(s).

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

View ChicoWoodnut's profile

ChicoWoodnut

894 posts in 693 days


posted 470 days ago

Ahhh I see.

Nice that you could salvage a pile and turn it into somthing nice.

-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net

View Texasgaloot's profile

Texasgaloot

467 posts in 578 days


posted 470 days ago

Looks like you had quite a strike. Glad you could frame it out this way, with wood to spare, without splitting hairs. Thanks for the bowl down memory lane.

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

View Dadoo's profile

Dadoo

1724 posts in 868 days


posted 470 days ago

Real nice project Karson!

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

View DAN 's profile

DAN

6396 posts in 861 days


posted 470 days ago

looks like that table will last a couple hundred years. truely fine

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

View Woodhacker's profile

Woodhacker

1145 posts in 601 days


posted 470 days ago

Great looking bench Karson. I love the water fall bubinga. I recently bougtht some and am waiting for just the right inspiration and project.

Thanks for showing this.

-- Martin, Kansas

View Douglas Bordner's profile

Douglas Bordner

3415 posts in 942 days


posted 470 days ago

If there is wood to be salvaged you can bet Karson will be on it like a duck on a junebug. That is one splendid bench. Good luck in the contest.

“The wood was gotten for making my kitchen cabinet counter top for the kitchen i was making for my wife in NJ.”
Does your wife in Delaware know about your wife in New Jersey? =^}

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

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

11338 posts in 752 days


posted 470 days ago

That bench would have to retail for about $4500.00. Gorgeous!

View Karson's profile

Karson

25271 posts in 1278 days


posted 470 days ago

No Douglas and I’d appreciate it you don’t tell her.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View SteveKorz's profile

SteveKorz

2030 posts in 592 days


posted 470 days ago

Karson, that is a very nice bench! I really like the Bubinga

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

View Lee A. Jesberger's profile

Lee A. Jesberger

3709 posts in 857 days


posted 470 days ago

What Karson failed to mention is the handles are diamonds. Anything less would be uncivilized. lol

If you guys could see the stash of wood Karson has, it would bring tears to your eyes. I cried the whole way home.

And the bench looks even better in real life.

Great job Karson.

Lee

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

View Douglas Bordner's profile

Douglas Bordner

3415 posts in 942 days


posted 470 days ago

Mum’s the word, Pal.

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

View Grumpy's profile

Grumpy

14852 posts in 729 days


posted 470 days ago

Top story Karson. I like the bench.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

View MsDebbieP's profile (online now)

MsDebbieP

14090 posts in 1038 days


posted 470 days ago

the story is as amazing as the bench itself!
well done

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View TheGravedigger's profile

TheGravedigger

211 posts in 902 days


posted 470 days ago

Wonderful stuff, Karson. That’s going to be tough to top as a recycle project. Plus, there’s nothing like the satisfaction of making toys for kids.

-- Robert from Raymond, MS. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is therefore not a practice, but a habit." - Aristotle

View cobbler's profile

cobbler

242 posts in 668 days


posted 470 days ago

Great bench. Great story also.
This will surely be #1 or #2.
Thanks for sharing.

-- ''Carry on my wayward son''

View Karson's profile

Karson

25271 posts in 1278 days


posted 469 days ago

I appreciate the comments guys. And Lee I offered you some wood and you didn’t take it. Well maybe that was under my breath that I offered it.

Lee did point out the Diamond drawer pulls. I didn’t mention them because I didn’t want anyone showing up to rip them off.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View Gary's profile

Gary

437 posts in 1202 days


posted 469 days ago

Karson,
That’s a great story, a great bench, and an even greater use of recycled material.
Fantastic!

-- Gary, Florida

View teenagewoodworker's profile

teenagewoodworker

2470 posts in 646 days


posted 469 days ago

real nice bench you’ve got there! great way to recycle all that wood too!

View SPalm's profile

SPalm

921 posts in 760 days


posted 469 days ago

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:
When I grow up I want to be just like Karson.

Nice job, and good finds,
Steve

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

View Blake's profile

Blake

2715 posts in 752 days


posted 469 days ago

Geez Karson, This is gorgeous! Great project.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

View jeanmarc's profile

jeanmarc

1750 posts in 594 days


posted 469 days ago

Nice bench, Karson.

-- jeanmarc manosque france

View thetimberkid's profile

thetimberkid

1944 posts in 581 days


posted 469 days ago

Wow, great job!

Thanks for the post

Callum

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

View relic's profile

relic

342 posts in 814 days


posted 469 days ago

It has to say something when the wood out shines the diamonds. That bench is really nice.

-- Andy Stark

View Karson's profile

Karson

25271 posts in 1278 days


posted 469 days ago

Again I appreciate the fine and caring comments.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View jerryw's profile

jerryw

96 posts in 794 days


posted 469 days ago

your wookbench is worth a furtune. i bought fas hard maple yesterday for $2.90 bf.

-- jerryw-wva.

View FRITZ's profile

FRITZ

77 posts in 477 days


posted 469 days ago

Very nice bench,bubinga is my favorite
Thanks Fritz

View Bob A in NJ's profile

Bob A in NJ

519 posts in 877 days


posted 469 days ago

Karson

Wow, very nice and very cool looking bench, I love it.

Bob

-- Bob A in NJ

View Karson's profile

Karson

25271 posts in 1278 days


posted 469 days ago

Thanks Bob.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View miles125's profile

miles125

1413 posts in 883 days


posted 468 days ago

Great bench Karson!

-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""

View Dick, & Barb Cain's profile

Dick, & Barb Cain

6989 posts in 1177 days


posted 468 days ago

No one can beat this one!

You must have the best of all noses for sniffing out great lumber deals.

Good Luck Karson!

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

View daltxguy's profile

daltxguy

541 posts in 792 days


posted 467 days ago

I’m going to drive by our 1 bowling alley every day from now on – you never know cause I doubt anyone here has 2m bd ft of maple hidden away. Great story, great use of some fine recycled wood

-- Steve, New Zealand, www.steveracz.com

View Karson's profile

Karson

25271 posts in 1278 days


posted 467 days ago

Steve:

I got a phone call from a guy at the office one day saying that a bowling alley about 1 mile away was taking out one line because it was a bad lane. He told me so I could go and get it. At the time I had thought I had enough bowling alleys. So I didn’t do it.

But here in Delaware A bowling Alley went out of business and so I kept my eyes on what was going to be done to the building. I then saw some construction activity. I went by and they stated that the cost to take out the alleys was higher than building a new floor over them. So that was what they did.

I failed to ask them if I could cut out a couple of sections for no charge.

Maybe I’ll be smarter next time.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View YorkshireStewart's profile

YorkshireStewart

779 posts in 779 days


posted 467 days ago

A great example of recycling Karson. I just hope you can keep all that ‘stuff’ off the top now!:-)

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

View Karson's profile

Karson

25271 posts in 1278 days


posted 467 days ago

Stewart.

It’s full of patterns for the new cabinets and parts lists. But I guess that’s good. At least I’m using it and not storing stuff.

This is a before picture.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View woodworm's profile

woodworm

7823 posts in 468 days


posted 461 days ago

Thanks for your views on the TS 2500ci.
Take care of your beautiful workbench. The drawers shd be in my bedroom if I ever can afford to build.

-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.

View DAN 's profile

DAN

6396 posts in 861 days


posted 461 days ago

another look and I’m still impressed. good one. oil that baby up !

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

View Karson's profile

Karson

25271 posts in 1278 days


posted 461 days ago

Thanks Dan and Woodworm.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View Michael Brailsford's profile

Michael Brailsford

212 posts in 472 days


posted 460 days ago

It just goes to show if you keep your eyes open you can find great wood cheap. Beautiful work

-- Michael A. Brailsford

View Grumpy's profile

Grumpy

14852 posts in 729 days


posted 460 days ago

Good luck in the contest Karson.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

View Napaman's profile

Napaman

3409 posts in 955 days


posted 460 days ago

diamonds??? wow…i am in the wrong line of work…

GREAT BENCH>>..,good luck in the contest…

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

View RobS's profile

RobS

1231 posts in 1184 days


posted 459 days ago

So… now all your projects are “right up your alley”?? or is that right up on your alley…?

A perfect score. great work.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

View jinxedjohn's profile

jinxedjohn

3 posts in 509 days


posted 456 days ago

Now, the storing picture is what it would look like around my house if my wife had anything to do with it!!! That woman makes me look really organized!

Congratulations on your beautiful project! It is simply amazing and some very beautiful wood too!

-- John

View john's profile

john

1160 posts in 1259 days


posted 456 days ago

Very nice job karson and congrats to you on your entry .It couldn,t happen to a nicer guy .

-- John in Belgrave http://www.extremebirdhouse.com ....http://community.webshots.com/user/cranbrook2

View jeanmarc's profile

jeanmarc

1750 posts in 594 days


posted 456 days ago

congratulations for the second places very beautiful work

-- jeanmarc manosque france

View vmullins's profile

vmullins

4 posts in 948 days


posted 453 days ago

Karson,

I have a bouwling alley in my town, Cleveland MS that is getting ready to close. Any tips on how to get the floor up. It jst so happens that I have just finished my new shop and I have been looking around for just the right bench to build. I think your beautiful design would suit my needs just fine

-- Virgil Mullins

View Devin St. Clair's profile

Devin St. Clair

10 posts in 374 days


posted 337 days ago

Nice work bench! I like the contrasting woods and stains. I am just getting started and I have yet to make my work bench, so I’m excited about trying all my ideas. Your bench reminded me I want a pocket under the bench top for quick storage. I may use from these old (sloppy made) cabinets and “work bench” in my 58 year old house (Our first house!). But I’m going to put all the wood through a friends plainer and jointer first to get good fits and surfaces.

-- Devin

View Tony Friendly's profile

Tony Friendly

15 posts in 339 days


posted 325 days ago

Karson,

You do beautiful work and have a terrifc talent, but it appears your life is a mess. (LOL) If your life was organized, you would be famous.

-- Tony Friendly, FriendlyFixer

View HIsurferMoe's profile

HIsurferMoe

25 posts in 295 days


posted 292 days ago

thats not a workbench…thats an executive work bench…very beautiful….one mans trash is another mans treasure…good job

-- SurferMoefoe

View grizzman's profile

grizzman

454 posts in 181 days


posted 161 days ago

KARSON, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT YOUR PROJECTS AND JUST AMAZED AT THE STORY OF THE MAPLE, AND YOUR WORK BENCH IS JUST BEAUTIFUL, YOU CERTAINLY WOULD BE A GOOD TEACHER FOR ALL THE KNOWLAGE YOU HAVE AND THE PROJECTS YOU’VE DONE, IM SURE GLAD WE CAN SEE YOUR WORK AND HEAR YOUR STORYS HERE AT LJ…..YOUR AN INSPIRATION…THANKS…GRIZZMAN

-- The Grizzone

You must be signed in to post the comments.

  • View all advertisers
  • Advertise with us

DISCLAIMER: Any posts on LJ are posted by individuals acting in their own right and do not necessarily reflect the views of LJ. LJ will not be held liable for the actions of any user.

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

HomeRefurbers.com

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

GardenTenders.com :: gardening showcase