# Tony's "New-Fangled" Workbench - Critique Desired



## freixas (Nov 26, 2011)

*NOTE:* Edited on 11/29/11 to correct the images (exploded view missing, some images duplicated or in wrong place).

Hi,

I've dabbled with woodworking for over 30 years, but I am only now starting to learn about fine woodworking techniques, so consider me a beginner. Like a lot of people, my first step is to put together a woodworking shop and the heart of a shop is the workbench. So I went to the library, got a lot of books on building workbenches and put together a design. I'm sure the design has problems and I'd like to see what you more experienced folks think. All critique is welcome.

Credits:


I stole the majority of my ideas from John White and his "New-Fangled" workbench.
The T-track and leg modifications came from David Pruett's "The Folding Rule Show".

Here's an overview of the workbench design:



















The workbench features T-track on all four legs, the two long sides and on the top. The T-track is intended to replace John White's pipe clamps which themselves replaced the traditional bench vises. The top has removable panels. Although I don't need them for the pipe clamps, I liked the idea of using them to create modular extensions to the bench. Here are some images that illustrate the features.










This first image shows how the top T-track can be used to clamp wood in a variety of ways. The "clamps" can be shaped as needed. The biggest problem I see is that these have a lot of height and could could get in the way. In the image above a piece of wood is clamped using shims to reduce the height problem.










Here is the planing beam as suggested by David Pruett. More T-track! The wood is held by planing wedges.










To hold the wood really tight, just add more planing wedges.










In this image, I replaced the middle section of the removable top with a router insert. I drew a crude fence (more T-track!). I know a router fence would be designed differently, but you get the idea.










Finally, here's an exploded view of the whole thing.

Ok, drawing all this is relatively easy. Joining all the pieces into a solid, long-lasting workbench is another story.

I see a lot of bench tops that are assembled with splines, dowels or even metal rods. How necessary is this? The top is supported by four stout pieces of lumber and two endcaps. It seems to me that even the top boards weren't fastened to each other, they are not going anywhere. Well, the top would slide on the supports unless it was attached, but it doesn't seem like the boards that make up the top need more than to be glued together.

I tend to think in terms of screws and bolts for this project, so I'll screw together the top and its perpendicular supports. Any tips? The top is made from lumber 1.5" x 3", the supports are 2.25" thick. Should I screw down from the top (and cover the holes) or up from the bottom? Are there better ways to join these?

The long rails need to be fastened to the legs. I'd put a bolt through the center of their junction, but there's T-track in the way.Suggestions? Also, what's the best way to attach the legs to the base? Any tips on joinery would be great, the simpler the better.

I'd love to have the bench on lockable wheels, but the basemenet floor is not level. Any ideas for getting a level workbench in a basement other than making the table non-movable? That's my current plan and the blocks under the trestle base will be adjusted to make the benchtop level.

A big mystery for me is planning for wood swelling and shrinking. Despite the multi-colored example, I'll probably make the bench mostly out of the same kind of wood so I don't think I'll have to worry about differential shrinking rates.But there are several places where the grain of one piece runs perpendicular to that of another. The worst case is a 6' board perpendicular to a 3' board. How do you attach the pieces together so that they don't warp or break?

Thanks for any tips, general or specific, big or small.


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## Byron (Nov 19, 2011)

At a quick glance the tracks seem like a good idea but they seem a little clumsy and bulky. From my experience of having to clap very obscure pieces not much beats the simplicity and ease of bench dogs and some good vices. If you delve into the world of vices you can find all kinds of amazing features, especially in pattern makers vices. Emmert made some incredible ones like this one










This early style "turtle back" version of the famous Emmert universal vise is in fine working order, with no breaks or repairs. The jaws are 18" wide by 7" deep. The vise can be rotated 360 degrees and locked by means of a lever below the bench. It can also be tilted up 90 degrees to a horizontal position and easily locked anywhere in between by means of another lever below the table. The front jaw can also pivot to clamp tapered stock, such as a table leg by means of a knob on the front of the vise. Two dogs on both the front and rear jaws can be raised to clamp irregular shaped work. Rotating the vise 180 degrees brings into position a small pair of jaws for clamping metal stock. The vise is properly let into the top of the workbench.


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## freixas (Nov 26, 2011)

@Byron: Thanks for your comments!


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## IrreverentJack (Aug 13, 2010)

Tony, What T tracks were you going to use on the side. Are the standard 3/4" robust enough? A lot of possibilities there. Look at leg or machine levelers. Thanks. -Jack


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## tigger959 (Mar 10, 2008)

Looks great. Still trying to decide what benches to build for my new workshop. Is there anyway I can get plans or would you mind if I just print your pictures and create my own?


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## freixas (Nov 26, 2011)

@IrreverentJack: Re: T-track robustness-I don't have a clue if t he 3/4" is robust enough. That's what you guys are for!  David Pruett, a professional woodworker used T-track in his design. I'll have to review his videos to see if he says what size he uses. Re: levelers-thanks for the pointer! Now if I could only combine the levelers with wheels…

@tigger959: I don't mind if you use my design to build the bench. I don't even mind giving you the Sketchup model or putting up images with dimensions. The only thing is: this is an untested design made by a beginner. Are you sure you want it before it's been reviewed? If you are an experienced woodworker, though, you'd probably find all the problems and know what to do. Send me private message with your email and I can send you the model or just the dimension images. Eventually, I'll put this up in the Google Warehouse if it seems like a reasonable design.


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## tigger959 (Mar 10, 2008)

I don't know how to send a private message. Help


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## freixas (Nov 26, 2011)

@tigger959: Click on my name to get to my profile page. On the left, you'll see a link that says "Send a message." Use that.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

You are obviously a T-track guy, and I've never used them or aspired to use them, so we're on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to holding boards or panels to be worked on edges, faces and ends. The front mounted tracks, for example, seem very klunky to me. And top-mounted track will constantly fill with detrius from projects. They're only as strong as the screw that hold them down, as well.

That's not to say your design is bad, To the contrary, you've obviously thought about it a great deal. Like an engineer, I would say. Kudos to you! But I'd suggest also, before jumping in, that you review the elegant simplicity of a sliding deadman, crochet and leg vise along the front of your bench, and an end vise with hold downs on the top of your bench. There are lots of examples here on LJs, mine being one of them.

I don't want you to think I'm endorsing my way. Far from it, do what you wish because it's your bench. I debated a couple of days before writing this post, but because you stated the library was your primary source, I've opined that the books there may not be current. Which means no discussion of 21st century workbenches (flexible, like yours, but also traditionally grounded) or Roubo benches that fully support hand and power tool use with very simple workholding methods (face vise, end vise, wagon vise, etc.)

Bottom line, good luck!


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## Kindlingmaker (Sep 29, 2008)

I think the perfect bench is one we build after using a few dozen others. A work bench should feel like a good pair of shoes, comfortable, durable and from days start to its end you are glad to have them. 
One thing about your design that sends up a red flad is the wedge claps on the side of your bench. Could they damage the crisp edges of clamped wood?


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## freixas (Nov 26, 2011)

@Smitty_Cabinetshop:

Thanks for your info and I'm sorry you felt a reluctance to post. I appreciate all comments and will probably learn the most from those who find flaws with the design.

I haven't used T-track much (did I mention I was a beginner?) so I appreciate hearing from those who have experience. They just seem so … flexible. For instance, I was wondering how I might clamp a board for sawing and looked for T-track clamps. It looks like there's a lot of stuff available.

Having the top tracks clogged with gunk is definitely a problem.

As for the strength of the T-track … well, they're already using for clamping. I guess the question is how much force do they need to withstand? In other words, what kinds of construction techniques would put a high degree of stress on the tracks? Real-world experience with T-track failure would be great-I'm just guessing.

And yes, I am engineer-a software engineer. Good catch!

I took a look at your projects and the Roubo workbench. It looked familiar-it's in one of the books I referenced (and with construction plans!). There are a lot of good ideas there. The dog holes and hold fasts function similar to my top T-tracks. The leg vise and the sliding deadman function like the planing beam but the planing beam doesn't have a big piece of metal in the way (the clamp screw).

I won't take credit for the good parts of the design. John White came up with the planing beam. The T-track there is a bit of a problem because if you put a heavy piece of wood on it and start applying a downward force, it seems like there's a good chance it'll slip. John White used pipe clamps.

Anyway, a lot to think about. Thanks for your input!


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## freixas (Nov 26, 2011)

@Kindlingmaker:

Yes, if I were to build this workbench, I'm sure I'd learn a lot for version 2, 3 and beyond.

As for the red flag: John White uses the wedge clamps. Another version is in Christopher Schwarz's book. In fact, look at Smitty_Cabinetshop's Roubo workbench. There, it's called a crouchet. David Pruett mentions lining his with leather. Anyway, I didn't invent these things and they appear to be used without problems.


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

I wonder why you omitted the most significant feature of the "New Fangled" bench out of your design; the pipe clamps used for work holding? You even left the center channel where they mount. Do you plan to add them later?

I liked the ideas of the "New Fangled Workbench", but was about 3/4 of the way through building mine before I ran across the article about it in FWW. Also discovered the "Roubo Bench" after I was into my build, but was able to incorporate some of it's features, like having the face of the legs flush with the edge of the top. Never regretted that.

And both of those benches feature the planing wedges which I also incorporated. I'm not too sure you can hold one of those wedges tight enough with a "T" track however. Mine is embedded into the top with a 6×6 x 1-1/2" thick tennon. That might have been overkill, but I'm not worried about it lossening up.

I built my bench about 18 months ago. Still working on it. Biggest mistake I made was to put a crappy vise on the end to serve as an end vise. Just bought a duplicate of the quick release vise I have for the front vise to use on the end. I know I'll like that.

I think would find it annoying to have to go to the end of the bench and slide my clamps into slots every time I want to clamp something or change my configuration. Maybe you are a t-slot kind of person, and that's fine, just sayin I'm not too sure about all that aluminum on the surface of a bench.


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## freixas (Nov 26, 2011)

@crank49:

Thanks for the comments. As for the pipe clamps, no important reason for leaving them out. I just didn't like the way they looked. And I didn't like the idea of having to remove a lot of stuff to clamp something on the top. The question is whether the T-track can adequately replace the pipe clamps.

Now I want to build this just to find out!


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## HamS (Nov 10, 2011)

I am not sure this counts as a new fangled bench or not, but I have been using this bench for ten years.

There are no vises on it, but I use a bench hook a lot and the top is 2" thick and four inches of overhang. I designed it that way specifically to use screw clamps to hold things. I often will clamp one of the screw clamps to the top and clamp the piece in screw clamp. It is also an adjustable height bench so I can match it precisely to the table saw and it serves as an outfeed table as well. The top is melamine chipboard glued to 1×6 white wood boards. I am getting the itch to make a different bench and my new plan is something inbetween this simplicity and a classical bench. Now if I could keep the junk off it and put things away …

The important thing is I have a flat area to work on and it is comfortable for me. Make sure yours is comfortable for you.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

You did address a couple of other reference books, and that's good. That you've considered is all that matters - the bench is yours and only you can ensure it addresses your needs.

With the revisions to the graphics, specifically the graphic above that this title refers to - "a piece of wood is clamped using shims to reduce the height problem", I have a question. Is it your intent to work around all four sides of your bench? Because if you're intending to handplane that board, it's too far away to address with strength. And I'm not sure it would hold if you'd plane cross-grain on that board. Regarding sawing, is that with a circular saw? I would suggest sawing length or ripping material on at benchtop height is not a confidence builder unless it's coping or dovetail saw work.

The bench should support the ways you work, and the tools you use. Handwork (traversing hardwood boards, for example) will put the most stress on your t-track system.


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## freixas (Nov 26, 2011)

@HamS:

Thanks for your info. By "new fangled workbench", I am specifically referring to a workbench designed by John White.

Can you tell me more about how you made it height-adjustable?

@Smitty_Cabinetshop:

Good observation on the handplaning of the board. That's been bothering me, too. Let's see, with a typical workbench, you'd use an end-clamp and a bench dog to hold the board in place, right? Also, I'm thinking that an end-clamp (or John White's pipe clamps) use screws to apply a horizontal tightening force.

I'm also thinking that the planing beam will slip if you put a heavy board on it. Well, this is exactly why I put up the design.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

I'd use this for edges and faces of boards (recently added, woot!):

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/56018

Not visualizing the 'end clamp,' but we might be referring to the same thing ultimately (I've not seen the John White design).

Want to hold it tight enough to work and keep every edge clear of the plane's possible track. It just seems to be so straighforward (and fast) to set up, work, clean up and move on vs. the tracks. But I'll hush on them now, I promise… 

Think hard on the advantages of a simple leg vise. I've used it to hold boards for coping (dovetail work) and planing (long boards across the flush front of the bench, shorter boards entirely held by the leg vise). Again, so straightforward. Heck, I use it *all the time*.


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## freixas (Nov 26, 2011)

@Smitty_Cabinetshop:

Correction: My "end clamp" I meant "end vise".

Ok, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. The question I've been waiting for someone to ask is: what are you going to use this for? The answer is that I really don't know yet, but I find myself more interested in creating experimental and oddball designs than in creating any traditional furniture. Thus, this workbench. I do want it to work, though.

My workspace is minimal. I need a solid, flat surface. I need something I can re-purpose as, say, a router table. I've never actually needed a vise for anything-but that may change, so I thought I'd try for something that could be expanded as needed. I like the idea of removing things that aren't being used (not easy with a vise). Being able to use the workbench for table saw outfeed would be a real boon. Being able to roll it around would be a plus.

By the way, for non-believers of the T-track planing beam, watch http://blip.tv/the-folding-rule/the-folding-rule-show-episode-45-694915. I would advise starting up the video and then pausing it. Let it load completely while you do something else. There's a long boring part about gluing leather to the planing wedges that you'll probably want to skip. Go to about 8:40 to see the T-track and wedges at work. Right after that, David Pruett shows another T-track attachment-a light that can be positioned anywhere along the bench. At 11:54, there's more about the T-track on the leg. David does this stuff for a living, so I'm guessing it works.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

Your design and aspirations sound like wonderful pursuits, I wish you much inspiration and success with your bench(es) and builds. Keep us posted!


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## freixas (Nov 26, 2011)

Here are some references for people using T-track on workbenches.

Jan Goris added T-track to a Roubo workbench to create movable crochets.There's no vertical T-track-he uses a sliding deadman to support the workpiece.

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/workbenches/the-quadra-crochet-robo-roubo

Steve Branam created a portable workbench surface for student use. It includes movable crochets on T-track and T-track stops on the surface.

http://www.closegrain.com/2010/11/mastering-craft.html

A workbench with T-track on top:

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/vice-mount-bench-dogs-8215/#post231885

Robert Reedy's workbench with T-track on top.

http://www.bobsplans.com/BobsPlans/GarageWorkbench/GarageWorkbenchPlans.htm


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## freixas (Nov 26, 2011)

I just posted a revised design at http://lumberjocks.com/topics/32410


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## Straightlines (Mar 20, 2013)

Tony, how did that build go? Did you finish it and put it to the test? An update would be greatly appreciated. Since I sought out this post, I clearly am interested in your ideas and see great opportunities there; for instance, I really like Festool's CMT table system, other than its ridiculous price, and see the tracks as a way to move toward a bench with modular features and to likewise gain inspiration from Festool's MFT tables with their perimeter tracks and consumable MDF tops. For instance, the combo T-track/miter gauge tracks offer up the ability to slide and adjust holders/jigs for use w/ bench mounted power tools, which seems to be something you're planning.

No disrespect, but my 1st impression of the concept was that I like it, but the T-track system will limit you to working on mostly flat and rather thin materials, such as plywood. Something as basic as a 4×4 will likely exceed the strength capacities of the tracks and their fasteners, so tear-out and deformation of the track lips will be more likely due to the longer lever arm of very long bolts. While I am a big fan of new technologies like the T-tracks, I also see lots of value in the traditional methods too, so I am likely to us a combo of the tracks and dog holes. It strikes me that dogs offer the capacity and strength needed for heavy, thick materials, and as others have opined, the track system may not offer enough strength for surfacing boards flat on the bench top.

Something you might find more useful than the drop-in router module shown in your drawings is a very robust, nicely sized, and use specific knock-down router table I saw on Fine Woodworking: FWW Knockdown Router Table


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## freixas (Nov 26, 2011)

Hi, straightlines,

Thanks for writing. I am a slow worker-or, at least, I am slow at getting to any specific project. The workbench was redesigned. Check the link just above your entry. I started on that design a while back and just have the top assembled, I've started working on flattening the top. It's all very interesting since I don't have a lot of tools and consider myself a beginner. We learn by making mistakes, so I must be learning a whole lot!

Take a look at the other design and see what you think. As for the router drop-in, I've also seen a design for adding a router table to my RIDGID table saw and I might take that route because the table functions as a table saw extension. We'll see. At the rate I work, it may be another year before I'm done.


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## Straightlines (Mar 20, 2013)

Hi Tony,

I checked out the revised design, and I will be the odd-man-out here and note that I like the use of T-tracks on a Roubo style bench; I Goog'd "t-track on workbench" and plowed through the many photos and articles that came up, and came to the conclusion that a Franken-bench is my preference-the offspring of the Festool MFT & a Roubo that has t-track on the legs.

I understand that you're looking to gain maximum flexibility from your small space, but some cautionary matter of note on the idea of dropping your benchtop tools into a unitized port on your workbench are:

A) A 3/4" plate (or manhole cover) is going to be pretty flimsy, and will unfortunately different properties, for the benchtop tools and especially so for the bench when used in bench mode, unless you make those plates out of the same thickness and material as the rest of the bench top.

B) I too have a very small shop, and I can assure you that that little bit of bench you are making is really going to need to be flat and unobstructed because it is the heart of your shop; it is THE place where you will bring your workpieces every time after working them with your other tools, so it will be quite important to reserve its top foro your work, not your tools. As you get going on projects, you will find that you need to jump back and forth between work stations and having to swap modules in and out of your bench, of all places, whilst in the middle of actually working is a real PIA. A basic rule of architectural thumb is that there is never enough horizontal space. There are many combo tools out there that claim to be the cat's meow at solving a variety of needs, but what those tool sellers fail to tell us is that those tools are masters of variety, but not of any of their individual functions-in other words, they do nothing well-they suck and land in the garbage.

As gently as I can say it, I suggest you rethink your strategy. For instance, here's a pict of a roll-about tool base/caddy that a web friend (hope you don't mind Mark!) created for exactly what you're hoping to accomplish, and his can be repositioned wherever it's needed, and then shoved into a closet, under the stairs, off in a corner, or outside….










The great thing about my friend's solution is that he not only gets to keep those individual tools permanently out/accessible, but he gets much needed storage beneath it all. If the roll about isn't your ticket, then use your idea but in a counter top that's somewhere else in your shop, preferably along a sidewall. This solution would give you a parking place underneath for all those planked bench top tools.

C) About that router table in the TS thing: The link I sent in my last post shows a wonderful 24" x 48" router table whose front edge is supported by adjustable legs and the rear edge gets clamped to the side table of your TS or workbench or side counter or …. The dirty secret about the TS side table router tops is that by using the TS' rip fence (seems like such a good idea) the user gives up having any dust collection capabilities or jointing options-in other words, you really need to build or buy a real router table fence along w/ the table insert. Then that top is still much narrower than a regular router table's, which is much narrower than the Fine Woodworking knockdown router table. Lastly, the TS side table option automatically prevents you from moving back and forth between the RT and the TS w/o resetting one or the other of these 2 core tools. Again the bulk of your time will go to farting around w/ tool setups rather than wood working.

D) Lastly, here's a link to a great slab bench top solution, and it happens to be a knockdown workbench w/ lots of storage. I like: Aaron's Garage Shop Blog Knock-down Workbench

I know what you're going thru, 'cuz I'm doing the same thing right now and have tried out many of the ideas you're rolling around, but some had to get tossed. When my shop is done, it will likely be less than 15' x 20'. To solve the biggest space challenge, I decided to sell my TS and replaced it w/ a fantastically strong and accurate vintage radial arm saw which will happily get installed along a sidewall with the rest of my big tools. This arrangement will spare me from buying a jointer or molding cutter, will allow all the power tools to be installed to the same work surface height and thereby share in-feed and out-feed surfaces, and the 10' x 10' space needed for the TS will become available as flexi-space for assembly, finishing, bench work, or working on my kid's bicycle.

Keep us all posted, and as others have said, despite my many comments, make the bench yours!


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## freixas (Nov 26, 2011)

Thanks for all the ideas. I will keep them in mind.

The new design is flexible. I can add more T-track if I want. I can fill in the center hole if I change my mind. I can't really design the workbench that's right for me before designing (or using) the workbench that's wrong for me. I'm not too worried about getting it wrong the first time (or even the second or third time…). But I appreciate all the suggestions. Thanks!


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## Straightlines (Mar 20, 2013)

Right you are! You are delving into a great journey, one that you must muddle thru yourself. Alas, that doesn't mean that we other fools who've trod that path won't interject from the sidelines. Clearly, you've thought about it a lot and done a lot of research, so you'll get close to right and have to massage it from there.


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## Straightlines (Mar 20, 2013)

Freixas, I need to thank you for turning me on to Pruett's design and White's FWW bench, I will build my bench like those, but likely w/ the LVL planks as in Aaron's GarageShop blog because they are perfectly flat, incredibly strong, and dimensionally stable.

In your OP, you asked why threaded rods were used in the top, and how the climatic effects on the wood are mysterious to you. The threaded rods serve 2 purposes: 1) they act as clamps during glue-up and 2) they remain permanently installed and control those shrink/swell cycles that rightly concern you and tend to cause the laminations to split apart. If you laminate your own top, don't worry about the top surface not being perfectly flush during glue-up, because you will need to go back after the glue dries to plane and sand the top surface perfectly flat and smooth.


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