A Modest Bench

[michael_schwartz]

I didn't use the ShopBot for this project but I should have used it to cut the aprons. For some reason I decided to lay them out the old fashioned way and fire up my bandsaw instead, resulting in much labor to fair the arcs. Just another example of how much time the Shopbot can save building furniture, if you use it!

I built this bench for a customers mudroom/garage. It is made from 6/4 vermont ash. Joinery is a hybrid of biscuits and pockets screws. The pocket screws add quite a bit of strength, and eliminate the need to use every clamp you own during assembly. The biscuits contribute a fair bit of strength, aid in alignment, and hold the joints tight when the pocket screws eventually loosen up after a few decades, due to the screw threads cutting into the wood fibers from repeated cycles of wood movement. Each method alone are likely more than strong enough to hold this bench together for many years.

Just don't talk about bisquick joinery or pocket screws on the hobby woodworking forums

Dimmensions are roughly 48"x11.25"x18" off the top of my head.

[myxpykalix]

You might term it a "Modest bench" but it looks like a quality piece of furniture. I'm sure you put as much into this piece as other stuff you make.Nice

[CNYDWW]

Very nice work. I've seen more and more getting into pocket hole screws on some of the forums. I often combine rabbit and dado construction with pocket screws for the combination of results like you have. Jack is getting a taste of that himself. When i do hear from some of the traditional hobbyists that think everything should be made the old way. I ask them if they're willing to pay for all the extra labor? In comparison, the new kid (pocket screws) does a great job and saving labor lets us be more productive as well as keeping our costs down.

Regards
Randy

[michael_schwartz]

I have seen plenty of antique furniture that is screwed and nailed together that is still in use, and entirely functional. I live in a house full of it. Sometimes the joints are still as tight as they ever have been. Chairs are an obvious exception.

Every old piece of furniture I have seen that was doweled together fell apart years ago. That is a joint I can never advocate using since a dowel joint will self destruct due to wood movement. An exception would be joining say two turned spindles end to end where there is actually good glue area, but otherwise they flawed.

Screws are quite useful, especially if combined with solid wood joinery and glue, to make up for their eventual faults. People underestimate biscuits. I own a Domino and contrary to what you would want to think, I prefer my Dewalt bisquick joiner in many situations. Just don't tell the the Festool crowd I said that. Such a remark would start a flame war on most forums.

I still prefer to use traditional joinery where appropriate, or essential for that matter, and incorporate it into much of my work. In most situations for example it doesn't take long to cut a mortise and tenon joint.

I could care less about trying to imitate the "old masters" however. If they were alive today and running a business they would either build the same stuff they did to sell to rich collectors in Boston or they would use production methods. In other words your exceptionally lucky if you can find people to pay you to hand cut dovetails on 24" wide panels for the carcase of an obsolete piece of furniture such as a highboy. There are guys who are successful at this but that isn't an every day thing.

[Brian Harnett]

Nice style and clean lines, I am one of those that prefer to use wood joints over metal fasteners its just a design challenge to me and properly designed they hold forever.

I do use the occasional screw in my mortise and tenon joints on chairs but that is more to hold the joint in place while the glue sets. I am not a purist it is just a preference.

Pocket screws are great for cabinet applications, saves a tremendous amount of time.

This bench here uses through dowels with wedges this type of joint is almost impossible to break and is the simplest for the application on a rustic piece with no square reference points.

[michael_schwartz]

I like the live edge slabs. The challenge is always finding material that will work with what you want to make.

[Brian Harnett]

michael

Just looked at your site, we do a lot of similar work. I am currently designing furniture for a church.

[waynelocke]

I use a lot of nails in my work.

[steve_g]

Wayne:

Thanks for making me laugh! I needed that.

Steve

[CNYDWW]

I use a lot of nails in my work.

Hah, very nice. I do know a few people that would love a bench like that however.

Regards
Randy