Cut to the chase. They had some 8/4 Beech on sale for just under $5 USD a BF, so it needs glue up, for $ 7 USD a BF I can handle that. Just under $400 USD I have my base plus some spendles and legs from the cutoffs. I've broken the Beech down and will start glue up of the legs and stretchers this afternoon. If work and honey dos do not interfere too much I should have a new bench in a couple or three weeks.
The chair drying between coats of paint with the bench parts in the background:
The chair will need at least two more coats of red, that's the bad news, the good is milk paint dries almost as fast as it is applied.
The stretcher and leg glue ups will take a couple of days to complete. I do not have room or clamps to do 'em all at one time. BTW, my bench building days may be ending soon. Wrestling bench sized timber kicks my butt anymore, I ain't as strong as I once was. That said, I expect I have at least one or two more benches in me and I want to replace my butt ugly shave horse with a nice one that will break down for easy transport.
ken
Glad to see you are painting the chair. As for wrestling timbers, I have my chopsaw on a mobile base with wings and I back in the pickup then slide the timbers off onto it to be broken down. Works for me.
ReplyDeleteIt always surprises me that beech is so inexpensive and I don't understand why. Another very inexpensive wood in good supply is soft or bigleaf maple, which is native to Oregon. Last time I bought it, it was $3.50 a board foot. It's an excellent secondary wood.
Andy,
ReplyDeleteThanks, The paint brings all the woods together and I think fits vernacular style better than oil. I started with real milk paint (what is pictured) but MsBubba didn't like it so the last couple of coats will be GF's "Milk" paint. Not the same but close.
I will usually break down as much as I can off the tailgate but there are always a some that need ripping as well as cross cutting. Ibuprofen is my friend.
My woodstore got in a large stock of European Beech several years ago. I seem to be the only one buying it. I made my English/French bench from the Beech when it first showed up and parts of two other benches. This latest build will be close to 100% Beech. Go figure, it is a great wood to work. Soft Maple in these parts is almost as expensive as the Hard stuff.
ken
You probably don't need it, but Will Meyers has a new blog:
ReplyDeletehttps://eclecticmechanicals.com/2018/08/01/moravian-workbench-plans-free/
and
https://eclecticmechanicals.com/2018/10/28/ratcheting-parallel-guide/
this one also has the angled leg vise.
Sylvain
Sylvain,
ReplyDeleteI saw that the other day, Meyers is a hoot to watch and has amazing skills to share. I expect his site will be one I follow.
I thought about doing the ratcheting guide but I think I will stick with the pin for now. I could be wrong but I expect it is a better solution for those that hate the pin than the crisscross. Definitely simpler and usually simple is better.
ken