Friday, July 13, 2018

The Game Is On

I've started the new shop sized Moravian workbench. This morning I ordered the vise screw kit from Lake Erie Toolworks. They said to expect four weeks for delivery. I hope it is a little quicker if all goes well and the base wood is delivered next week I should be ready for the screw within the four weeks.

I went to the woodstore looking for slab wood. With the exception of Poplar, European Beech is the cheapest hardwood in the store. Go figure. I have no problem with it, Beech makes a great slab, I just wish I could get it 12/4. Of course after wrestling almost 70 BF of 8/4 beech into the bed of the truck and out again in +38*C temps I may have been happy it wasn't 12/4.

Here are the Beech boards ready to cut into 100mmX2150mm boards for slab glue up. Even at the reduced size they are heavy suckers.


If the Ash can't be delivered by next week, I think there is enough 12/4 White Oak in the woodstore stock for the base. Only problem is it would almost double the cost of the base.

It is getting harder and harder for this OF to work with bench timbers without help. I've not a clue how I'm going to address it other than working smarter because I would hate to stop building benches. Getting old sucks.

ken




4 comments:

  1. Can't find beech (domestic or imported) in anything beyond 4/4 in my area. I'm leaning more and more towards beech for the top. I'll have to broaden the search and go south to look. Maybe I should make the top like H O Studley did for his bench?

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  2. Ralph,

    I don't know why Beech is so cheap here but I'm not complaining. My main bench, legs, stretchers, and slab is all Beach and it makes a very good solid and heavy bench.

    My last three benches have Beech slabs. I really like beech for the slab, it is hard enough to not mark and dent easily but not so hard as to mark or dent what you are working on. It is also a good tone, light enough but not too light. Just a almost perfect slab wood.

    ken

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  3. Anonymous9:57 AM

    White oak would make a nice base wood as well if ash didn't show up. All good problems for a lifetime bench.
    Sincerely,
    Joe

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  4. Joe,

    Yep it would, but not much difference between it and Ash other than almost twice the cost. The good/bad news is looking at my work schedule for the next couple of weeks I'm most likely to not be in a hurry for the base wood.

    Then I run up against the Sept. Oregon trip, I'd like to finish before Oregon and if everything falls into place I will but any hiccup and it will be Oct. before the bench is done.

    It is what it is, like you said mostly good problems to have.

    ken

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