# John White's new-fangled workbench



## benomatic42 (Oct 21, 2007)

*rough cut framing lumber*

The sketchup plans for the bench originally came to me from Jeff, and I modified the dimensions to make the final bench 8' long x 28" deep x 34" tall (although I rough cut the leg pieces a bit longer, since I'm debating whether to bring up the height an inch or so).










Finally getting started on this thing. All I have to show for it so far is a stack of rough cut SPF (can't find Douglas Fir around here):










The back table top will be made from glued up cherry shorts which I got for cheap. That's what I hope to be cutting this weekend:


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

benomatic42 said:


> *rough cut framing lumber*
> 
> The sketchup plans for the bench originally came to me from Jeff, and I modified the dimensions to make the final bench 8' long x 28" deep x 34" tall (although I rough cut the leg pieces a bit longer, since I'm debating whether to bring up the height an inch or so).
> 
> ...


It looks like your going to have a pretty nice bench.


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## Dorje (Jun 17, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *rough cut framing lumber*
> 
> The sketchup plans for the bench originally came to me from Jeff, and I modified the dimensions to make the final bench 8' long x 28" deep x 34" tall (although I rough cut the leg pieces a bit longer, since I'm debating whether to bring up the height an inch or so).
> 
> ...


This should be fun to follow!


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## mot (May 8, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *rough cut framing lumber*
> 
> The sketchup plans for the bench originally came to me from Jeff, and I modified the dimensions to make the final bench 8' long x 28" deep x 34" tall (although I rough cut the leg pieces a bit longer, since I'm debating whether to bring up the height an inch or so).
> 
> ...


I love bench blogs….looking forward to seeing your progress!


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## cajunpen (Apr 9, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *rough cut framing lumber*
> 
> The sketchup plans for the bench originally came to me from Jeff, and I modified the dimensions to make the final bench 8' long x 28" deep x 34" tall (although I rough cut the leg pieces a bit longer, since I'm debating whether to bring up the height an inch or so).
> 
> ...


Looks like another great workbench is in the making. Should be an interesting blog and build, fun to follow.


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## sawdustroad (Jan 18, 2008)

benomatic42 said:


> *rough cut framing lumber*
> 
> The sketchup plans for the bench originally came to me from Jeff, and I modified the dimensions to make the final bench 8' long x 28" deep x 34" tall (although I rough cut the leg pieces a bit longer, since I'm debating whether to bring up the height an inch or so).
> 
> ...


Thanks for posting the sketchup drawing. I can't believe I missed it in my hours of mining for plans of such a popular bench design. 
-Alan - www.sawdustroad.com


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *rough cut framing lumber*
> 
> The sketchup plans for the bench originally came to me from Jeff, and I modified the dimensions to make the final bench 8' long x 28" deep x 34" tall (although I rough cut the leg pieces a bit longer, since I'm debating whether to bring up the height an inch or so).
> 
> ...


*
I love that New Fangled workbench that John White made.  Here is the Video!

*
I will be making one'em one of these days… for sure!

I have all of the Pipe Clamp ends…

I'm going to make mine only 60" long…

I just have to figure out the lumber & pipe I need… then, of course, BUY IT!

I think it is SO COOL!
... and very flexible!
... and economical too!


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## benomatic42 (Oct 21, 2007)

*Cuz I'm a blonde... yeah, yeah, ... yeah!*

Put in another couple evenings this week. All of the SPF is width/thickness dimensioned, and most of it is length cut as well. Was assembling the legs tonight, and revisited my towhead youth with this manuever:










Luckily it was easily recovered:










Eventually, I finished assembling the legs, cutting and drilling the end stretcher and end pipe-holding pieces and cutting all of the 8 foot pieces. After I drill the pipe and screw holdes in the 8 footers, I can assemble everything to look like a bench (except for the back 12" bench top…)


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## Caliper (Mar 12, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Cuz I'm a blonde... yeah, yeah, ... yeah!*
> 
> Put in another couple evenings this week. All of the SPF is width/thickness dimensioned, and most of it is length cut as well. Was assembling the legs tonight, and revisited my towhead youth with this manuever:
> 
> ...


Hey, Ben. Lookin' good! It's funny that we both did a goof when making the legs… I look forward to the next installment.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Cuz I'm a blonde... yeah, yeah, ... yeah!*
> 
> Put in another couple evenings this week. All of the SPF is width/thickness dimensioned, and most of it is length cut as well. Was assembling the legs tonight, and revisited my towhead youth with this manuever:
> 
> ...


I didn't even know what you were talking about until I saw the picture where you had to take your workmate apart. That's hilarious! We've all done it. Good start.


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## cajunpen (Apr 9, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Cuz I'm a blonde... yeah, yeah, ... yeah!*
> 
> Put in another couple evenings this week. All of the SPF is width/thickness dimensioned, and most of it is length cut as well. Was assembling the legs tonight, and revisited my towhead youth with this manuever:
> 
> ...


Looks like you are well on your way to an outstanding bench.


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## Russel (Aug 13, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Cuz I'm a blonde... yeah, yeah, ... yeah!*
> 
> Put in another couple evenings this week. All of the SPF is width/thickness dimensioned, and most of it is length cut as well. Was assembling the legs tonight, and revisited my towhead youth with this manuever:
> 
> ...


I'm sure we've all had what my father calls bone-head moments, I know I have. Sometimes you just have to make sacrifices for progress.


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## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Cuz I'm a blonde... yeah, yeah, ... yeah!*
> 
> Put in another couple evenings this week. All of the SPF is width/thickness dimensioned, and most of it is length cut as well. Was assembling the legs tonight, and revisited my towhead youth with this manuever:
> 
> ...


Took me a second also. That is funny. At least it you could recover.
Otherwise, nice job. Looks like a fine bench.


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## benomatic42 (Oct 21, 2007)

*everything but the pipes and tabletop is together*

Here she be:



















I have the pipe already cut (just not in the picture), and ready to be installed. The top frame piece is not screwed in place yet, since I need the top before I can do so. At that time, the fixed vertical and horizontal pipe pieces will get put into place.

Had my share of mistakes to make this take longer than it should. Lessons from this weekend:


Draw out everything in sketchup. My cherry back benchtop will have to be 1-5/8" inches, because I tried to get the face-clamping pipe holes as high as possible, thinking that it would be more stable. I accounted for the height of the other pipes, but not the back benchtop width. (This meant re-milling 4 pieces to new width.)


Writing orientation and notes on the wood is good. Reading your notes *before* cutting is better.


Printing out the plans is better than trying to avoiding walking across the driveway in the blizzard, and going by memory.

In any case, no real harm done to anything but my pride. I have some extra pipe holes on 2 pieces, and few extra drill holes in some others, but it's already solid, and just needs a top for the back.


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## Caliper (Mar 12, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *everything but the pipes and tabletop is together*
> 
> Here she be:
> 
> ...


Looking good, ben. What did you decide to go with for fastening the top to the rest of the structure?

Wow, I wish I had enough room in my shop to make mine that long. I agree, notes are good. I can't do without them.


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## benomatic42 (Oct 21, 2007)

*Everything but the trim?*

Well, this baby has already been put to use. It's actually been in this condition for 2 weeks, but I hadn't gotten around to snapping the pics.



















It's functionally done, although there are 4 small things I will be doing before calling it done:

1. Drill the speed-pin holes in the face-clamp bars (was planning to do it tonight, until I realized I don't have a large enough bit for drilling metal).

2. Add a planing hook. That should take all of 15 minutes.

3. Cut a few appropriately sized blocks for clamp guards on both clamp setups.

4. Add another stretcher at the same height, so that I can throw a couple tool totes below (mainly planning to store my planes there). I have the stretcher already thicknessed and ripped to width, just need to cut to length, drill/cut the relief out and install it.

Finally, in the spring, I will plane/scrape/sand it down and apply 2 coats of BLO to it. Until then, I've only done a bit of nominal scraping to smooth the surface, as is obvious in this pic of the staggered cherry top:










Once I finish those, it goes from blog to project 

-b


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## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Everything but the trim?*
> 
> Well, this baby has already been put to use. It's actually been in this condition for 2 weeks, but I hadn't gotten around to snapping the pics.
> 
> ...


Looks good to me. Great job!


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

benomatic42 said:


> *Everything but the trim?*
> 
> Well, this baby has already been put to use. It's actually been in this condition for 2 weeks, but I hadn't gotten around to snapping the pics.
> 
> ...


Great looking bench.


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## sbryan55 (Dec 8, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Everything but the trim?*
> 
> Well, this baby has already been put to use. It's actually been in this condition for 2 weeks, but I hadn't gotten around to snapping the pics.
> 
> ...


That is a nice looking bench. I am glad to see some sawdust on the floor as well. A shop should look like it is being used.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Everything but the trim?*
> 
> Well, this baby has already been put to use. It's actually been in this condition for 2 weeks, but I hadn't gotten around to snapping the pics.
> 
> ...


looking great!!


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## gad5264 (Sep 13, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Everything but the trim?*
> 
> Well, this baby has already been put to use. It's actually been in this condition for 2 weeks, but I hadn't gotten around to snapping the pics.
> 
> ...


Ben, that is sweet looking.


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## Mario (Apr 23, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Everything but the trim?*
> 
> Well, this baby has already been put to use. It's actually been in this condition for 2 weeks, but I hadn't gotten around to snapping the pics.
> 
> ...


That is a very cool design.


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Everything but the trim?*
> 
> Well, this baby has already been put to use. It's actually been in this condition for 2 weeks, but I hadn't gotten around to snapping the pics.
> 
> ...


Nice and sturdy bench. Great job.


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## Taigert (Nov 20, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Everything but the trim?*
> 
> Well, this baby has already been put to use. It's actually been in this condition for 2 weeks, but I hadn't gotten around to snapping the pics.
> 
> ...


I like the set up of the New Fangled Bench, I have been planning on building one myself. I like the use of the Cherry, nice touch
You'll have to keep us posted on how you like working on the new bench.


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## Lakey (Jan 27, 2008)

benomatic42 said:


> *Everything but the trim?*
> 
> Well, this baby has already been put to use. It's actually been in this condition for 2 weeks, but I hadn't gotten around to snapping the pics.
> 
> ...


Ben, how do you like using this bench?

-Lakey


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## motthunter (Dec 31, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Everything but the trim?*
> 
> Well, this baby has already been put to use. It's actually been in this condition for 2 weeks, but I hadn't gotten around to snapping the pics.
> 
> ...


really cool. I like the design.


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## benomatic42 (Oct 21, 2007)

benomatic42 said:


> *Everything but the trim?*
> 
> Well, this baby has already been put to use. It's actually been in this condition for 2 weeks, but I hadn't gotten around to snapping the pics.
> 
> ...


Lakey,

So far, it's been a pleasure to use. My biggest problem is keeping my junk off of it, but that has nothing to do with its design. Thus far I haven't done enough hand work to really appraise its function, but I've liked it so far.

-b


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