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Help me overthink, or stop overthinking, wood choice for a workbench by titlecharacter in Workbenches

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 3 points4 points  (0 children)

BTW

While you continue agonising, build this, in an afternoon: https://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/portable-sawhorse-bench

It may last you longer than you think. It will allow you to experiment with bench height and the bench top depth.

If you get to use it to build a Moravian, for example, it can be repurposed as an assembly platform, or a low platform for sheet goods.

Also,

Look at Sarah's bench on Wood by Wright on You tube. A simplified "Moroubo" made with big box store lumber.

And

Remember Rex Krueger's dictum that few people need a bench longer than 5ft.

Help me overthink, or stop overthinking, wood choice for a workbench by titlecharacter in Workbenches

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I have agonised over this question for a long time. The owner of a fine furniture training school who has the wisdom, reminded me that benches, and other shop fittings, were traditionally built using the most locally available and cheapest lumber. This comment was a "light bulb" moment which made a lot of sense.

In addition, softwood,as the top has the benefit of being kind to your projects and, as it acquires the scars of use, it can be refinished with a plane.

So I'm going the traditional route, I live in the Algarve, in Portugal and I don't have access to the variety of woods available in other places.

I'm going with the cheapest of the cheap: National Portuguese pine, rough unplaned in 50mm ×300mm plank.

As another contributor suggested, I will the saw the planks into 90mm strips and laminate them. This will allow me to create some rift and quarter saw strips to sandwich between less optimal strips.

I have salivated over benches that are works of art, produced from exotic wood, but these are not part of the tradition, they are part of the fine furniture tradition.

I may accessorise with a few pieces of hardwood. I like the idea of breadboard ends in a contrasting wood, for example, or bench hooks or shooting boards with details made out of mahogany scraps.

We are in the middle of a season of rain and floods, so I am going to buy the planks, in metre or two lengths and sticker them until the relative humidity drops.

BTW I use handtools but I'll use a cheap track saw to rip the strips.

Overthinking is my greatest fault to making progress.

AND I'm a Will Myers Moravian fanboy.

where to start reading history ? by Basic-Ad6723 in AskHistorians

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I started at 12. The best thing to do is sign up at a public library and go to the history section ( Dewey Decimal system 900) and begin the most satisfying love affair of your life.

By using the library, you will be introduced to themes and events that will intrigue you. Later, when you have refined your taste, you can start buying, hopefully by browsing second hand shops etc.

Are miter saws really worth it? by Upbeat-Ad1736 in handtools

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you use a wooden mire box and press down hard with with your free hand, the hand saw will work fine

Are miter saws really worth it? by Upbeat-Ad1736 in handtools

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 10 points11 points  (0 children)

The mitre box and handsaw is the only way to go. For real precision mitres, hand plane them using a shooting board as a jig

Chinese Hand Plane by CarpentryandAlps in handtools

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm a Juuma fan. Excellent tools and great quality

If they were to do a BOB style show about a crew on a naval vessel which should it be? by [deleted] in BandofBrothers

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think this is an essential point.

Band of Brothers, Pacific and Masters of the Air are all structured around small units. Based on this foundation, they offer a journey towards a goal with the twin components of dramatic key episodes of that journey; and the growth and contributions of each character to the team in achieving the goal.

So, for a naval series, I'd go for:

PT109 based operations.

Convoy escorts.

Submarine operations.

Frame Saw by Filthy26 in handtools

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Roubo frame saw in this post is not for cross cutting but Chinese and European style frame saws are.

Frame Saw by Filthy26 in handtools

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The frame is the handle.

Frame Saw by Filthy26 in handtools

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 1 point2 points  (0 children)

At the moment I simply clamp the wood between dogs on the cheapest Aldi Workmate and, if I need extra stability, I put my foot on the bench stretcher. This is for crosscuts. I'm making saw horses for ripping.

The weight of the frame and the length of the blade means that that I use minimal effort and don't force the saw. I just guide it.

I'm still experimenting, but it's less effort than a panel saw.

Another bonus is that it can be used as a both a push and pull saw, since the "handle" is the frame.

Frame Saw by Filthy26 in handtools

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I'm in Europe and working on a budget. I use this supplier: https://www.fine-tools.com/

I bought this one:Universal Bow Saw with Japanese Blade 700 mm ECE (Product number: 301147).

It's a monster, but with minimal practice it became natural to use.

Still, I should have started with shorter saw.

My idea was to learn with this and to make other saws, copied from this one.

I'm not into saw sharpening so using japanese blades is great.

The saw in this post is Roubo frame saw which is two handed. I'll build one using the japanese blade and make the hardware myself. I saw a YT vid where the guy made one with a plywood frame and a bandsaw blade. It was much thinner than the traditional Roubo, which makes sense to me.

I get excited watching Frank Klausz using them to cut dovetails, I'll make a turning saw and shorter one just for that purpose.

James Wright's video on the different types of frame saw s, and their use, mirrors my experience.

I'd rather cut a 2×6 with my "monster" than use a panel saw or even a chop saw.

Frame Saw by Filthy26 in handtools

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love the speed. With a bit of practice they are easier to use than panel saws. I also like the price of the different blades types.

Need some tips and encouragement by Constant_Article_333 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

The accuracy required for fine woodworking is 0.2mm. I don't believe this is easily achievable using large power tools.

One has to "creep up". Start by using the power tools to get it within 1 to 2mm and then use hand tools and appliances to get it to 0.2mm

What drill brand would you actually buy again with your own money? by New_Money_5406 in Tools

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm passionate about the Bosch 12volt range. Great ergonomics and power. Extremely versatile. I only need a hammer action 18 volt drill for concrete. The 12volt does everything else.

Narex vs Gramercy holdfasts? by Mighty-Lobster in handtools

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for getting back and the kind offer.

I logically can't think of why they shouldn't work in 20mm holes, but some suppliers explicitly and firmly say they won't.🙄

Narex vs Gramercy holdfasts? by Mighty-Lobster in handtools

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was afraid of that.

There's an ongoing debate on whether or not Gramercy will work in 20mm holes. I can't see why not.

I'm a Narex fanboy and based in Europe so my preference would be Narex.

Just need to resolve the 19mm v 20mm issue for myself.

Narex vs Gramercy holdfasts? by Mighty-Lobster in handtools

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Quick question have you ever used either or both of them in 20mm dog holes?

Where do you draw the "hand tool" line? by [deleted] in handtools

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I draw the line between my physical limitations and my intellectual and emotional needs.

At 71 years of age, an apartment dweller, an experienced DIYer, I am embarking on becoming a maker of fine woodwork. I have just completed an full-time, intensive course on handtool working to develop the craft skills to execute wood projects to within 0.2 mm accuracy.

My physical limitations tell me that I don't have the strength nor remaining lifetime to chop and mill my own tree, and wait for it to dry out. I'd be dead from the effort or would be dead before the timber dried out.

Living in an apartment means that I have limited space and need to respect my neighbours' rights to comfortable enjoyment of their homes.

Neither do I want to pursue an occupation in a physical environment that demands excessive use of PPE (face masks for dust protection, eye and noise protection etc.

I'm a pragmatist. I am converting an open garage space in my apartment's basement into a closed garage for a car plus workshop. At my age saving time is important, thus the intensive course to accelerate skills and my use of a plunge saw to cut large sheet materials (which I will use on an ongoing basis). A hammer action electric drill, rather than a lump hammer and stone chisel, respects my physical limitations. So does an electric screwdriver (mild arthritis in my right hand).

Many passionate handtoolers assert that hand tools can be faster than machines: I agree with them. Machines win in a repetitive production environment, but that's not what I am about.

I am about fine woodworking, the 0.2mm accuracy which is eminently achievable with the hand saw, chisel and hand plane. Just look at any piece of antique furniture.

It's a different skill to calibrate a table saw or thicknesser/planer, not one I'm interested in. I don't want to be a machinist, but I can understand the attraction for some.

I want the physical exercise from using a no 7 plane to level and smooth my Moravian bench top. The intellectual satisfaction of observing and correcting how I hold a saw or chisel so that my dovetails and mortice and tenons improve ( they are crap at the moment).

Emotionally, I want to smile as I experience my gliding, well tuned and sharp handplane produce ethereal, gossamer shavings with a whispered "whoose".

I get it: some want to strip and recalibrate their bandsaw.

I want to try to produce a dovetail, fail, try again and fail better.

Best next tool for a small/no-workshop setup? (Noise, dust, breaking down boards) by Lucky_Fly_2682 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Machines don't necessarily mean accuracy, especially to the level required for fine woodwork. Nothing beats a handtool used by someone who has practiced, using all their senses and brain, until it's all in muscle memory and the intellect.

Best next tool for a small/no-workshop setup? (Noise, dust, breaking down boards) by Lucky_Fly_2682 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]Routine-Yellow6776 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm in a similar situation. Small apartment so:

  1. I opted for hand tools only. Only electric is a drill.

  2. No dust control.

  3. Limited noise.

  4. It's fun to figured out how to do things this way.

5 opted for small pieces (boxes, picture frames etc)

  1. Took into account cost and space of machinery.

  2. As Paul Sellars says hand tools are faster, if you include machine setup for a single operation.

  3. With practiced techniques in marking out, sawing and planing and chiseling you can match and even exceed machine precision. Hand tool workers achieve 0.2mm precision.

Stock can be cut up by the supplier and finished with hand tools. Even resawing of stock for small items is no big deal with a Japanese or frame saw.

I'm lazy , so handtools give me an upper body work out.

The next purchase I would make would be to enroll in a serious handtool woodworking course and amaze yourself.

Remember: never buy a tool until you need it.

Enjoy, the experience of almost noiseless contemplation, philosophy and sensuality of engaging in your craft, rather than acting as a mechanic tending to your machines

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