Popular Woodworking 2003-12 № 138, страница 38
24-HOUR Workbench Most woodworkers need a workbench that is sturdy, inexpensive and doesn't take a month of Sundays to build. This is that bench. Whenever we leave beginning woodworkers to work alone in the shop, it's a fair bet that when we return to check on them, they're working on the shop's floor. We have at least five workbenches in our shop - not counting the assembly tables - but the new people always seem to prefer the wide expanse of the concrete floor more than the benches. Of course, I shouldn't talk. When I started woodworking I had my grandfather's fully outfitted bench. But my first few projects were built on the floor of our back porch, my assemblies propped up on a couple of 4x4s. I can't for the life of me remember why I chose the floor instead of the bench. Since those early years, I've built a few workbenches. And I've been striving to make each one more versatile, solid, inexpensive and quick to build than the last. I think I've finally got it. To test my theory, Associate Editor Kara Gebhart and I built this bench with a $180 budget and just 24 hours of working time in the shop. That $180 includes the wood, the vise and the hardware. And that 24 hours includes everything, too, even the two hours we spent picking out the wood and sawing it to rough length on a dolly in the parking lot The real beauty of this bench (besides getting you off the floor) is that it can be completed using tools you likely already have in your shop. For this project, your must-have tools are a table saw, a drill press, a corded drill and some basic hand tools. If you have a jointer and planer, the project will go faster because you can easily dress your lumber to size and eliminate any bowing or warping. But don't be afraid to work with the lumber as it comes from the lumberyard. Just make sure you buy the straightest pieces you can. Start With the Rough Stuff Time: 0:00 to 5:06 In a nutshell, here's how the bench goes together: The top is made of four pieces of Baltic birch plywood that are laminated together with a pine "skirt" glued around the edge. On the bench's pine base, the end rails are joined to the legs using pegged mortise-and-tenon joints. The end assemblies attach to the front and back rails using an unglued mortise-and-tenon joint with big bench bolts - it's quite similar to a bed in construction. When we first went to the lumberyard, it seemed like a good idea to buy 4x4 posts for the legs. But when we got there (and of The Home Depot. (But once again, I was working on the ground. Oh, drat.) by Christopher Schwarz & Kara Gebhart Comments or questions? Contact Chris at 513-531-2690 ext. 1407 or chris.schwarz@fwpubs.com. Contact Kara at 513-531-2690 ext. 1348 or kara.gebhart@fwpubs.com. later called around to other nearby lumberyards) we discovered that the only 4x4s avail- 72 Popular Woodworking December 2003 |
