I went with Paul Sellers' bench, built between a couple of summers home from school. Took me a long time to be okay with imperfection, but I'm sitting next to it in my campus housing right now and it exudes joy. I do too, for that matter, when I look at all the stuff on it and think about the over-long list of projects I've got planned.
You're encouraging me to start dovetailing for practice, I've been too nervous and perfectionistic to try yet. I think I will. Thank you, Matthew. Keep woodhackering and sharing your story.
Baer - thanks for commenting - interesting point about being OK with our imperfections - I find that some mistakes that if I don’t get them right they bug me for ever - whilst others mistakes remind me of how I have improved since that particular project - I have come realise that whatever I do that is better than the last time I tried counts as one step towards craftsmenship (but probably never perfection). And delighted that I’ve inspired you to try out dovetails - my efforts there will be worth a future article - go for it - they are not as hard as they seem! Matthew
Nice workbench. I started with Christopher Schwarz workbench books, and built my mostly Roubo style workbench (single top, no split) without a jointer nor a planer, just a bandsaw, hand planes, handsaws, winding sticks and a cordless drill with a good guide. It can be disassembled into a top, two leg assemblies and two rails. But it has removable casters so I can easily move the 330 lb beast around the shop if needed. I love my Benchcrafted vises.
I went with Paul Sellers' bench, built between a couple of summers home from school. Took me a long time to be okay with imperfection, but I'm sitting next to it in my campus housing right now and it exudes joy. I do too, for that matter, when I look at all the stuff on it and think about the over-long list of projects I've got planned.
You're encouraging me to start dovetailing for practice, I've been too nervous and perfectionistic to try yet. I think I will. Thank you, Matthew. Keep woodhackering and sharing your story.
Baer - thanks for commenting - interesting point about being OK with our imperfections - I find that some mistakes that if I don’t get them right they bug me for ever - whilst others mistakes remind me of how I have improved since that particular project - I have come realise that whatever I do that is better than the last time I tried counts as one step towards craftsmenship (but probably never perfection). And delighted that I’ve inspired you to try out dovetails - my efforts there will be worth a future article - go for it - they are not as hard as they seem! Matthew
Nice workbench. I started with Christopher Schwarz workbench books, and built my mostly Roubo style workbench (single top, no split) without a jointer nor a planer, just a bandsaw, hand planes, handsaws, winding sticks and a cordless drill with a good guide. It can be disassembled into a top, two leg assemblies and two rails. But it has removable casters so I can easily move the 330 lb beast around the shop if needed. I love my Benchcrafted vises.
Thanks Russell - those Benchcraft Moxton vices (or vines) look just the thing for workbench number two….
The workbench really is the most important tool for a hand tool woodworker!
By the way, there’s a number of paragraphs repeated twice in the middle of your post.
Thanks Danial - all sorted now