This is my rehabbed/recycled Hybrid woodworking bench. Please feel free to share your thoughts, advise and humor. It is appreciated.

So here it is! Looked and listened to some really good woodworkers here on LJ’s like Paul aka Shipwright, and Kiefer. Have to give credit to Paul Sellers and his YouTube video of constructing a woodworkers bench and a more recent one regarding adding bench dogs to your existing bench. Also an excellent video on installing a Jorgenson Woodworking bench vise.
I thought about building one like my hero’s, but I am being true to my Wabi Sabi self in recycling and re-purposing what I have, while learning from my imperfections….LOL!
Another step in becoming a better woodworker.
The first Picture is the bench vise I purchased last year after reading positive and negative reviews on Amazon. I have since learned more about different types and might now choose a different vise. But this one will have to be my workhorse.

I built this bench from the materials that I used building a three section bench attached to the shop wall out of the construction material that was to be a shop floor. ( Before I found water leaking in under the walls of my shop…another long story…grrr) I had set it up to do metal work. Had a big machinist vise and an angle iron edge. Had built it to balance sheet goods when using my old craftsman belt driven table saw. Now have a Grizzly cabinet saw and height is different. It had been a modified tension box and deck type frame construction. So the 2×8’s were glued and screwed to the bottom of the bench top for future bench dog holes. Otherwise the whole bench is anchored together with ceramic coated screws.

This was another inspired innovation. LOL! I rehabbed an office chair and used star nuts for the levelers. I saw Shipwright’s solution and looked at what the costs of bench wheels were at the woodstores. I purchased the castors with the stems, originally for my scroll saw stand. At least 150 pounds and locking hubs for wheels and pivot bearings. Had to run the threading all the way through the castor with WD Forty and a wrench. Mounted the star nuts with s sledge hammer. Drilled holes into the legs and screwed on the castors. Seemed like a great solution.
Until I turned the bench over! The star nuts really could not provide a stable anchor and the bench would rock with the brakes on! A couple taps with my hammer and they were dislodged! Back to the idea board? Oh yeah they made the bench too high.
I had to use a 2×4 laid on its face to provide the difference for me to have the right bench height. As I said back to the idea board. But it is working and I have used it for a couple projects so far.

Not as expected!

Next picture is mounting my “POS” 7 inch Harbor Freight bench vise, bought many years ago. Very sloppy , but I am using it to anchor pieces for planning against bench dogs until I can afford to purchase another one.

Had some ceder fence boards that were sitting in the basement that were long enough to add a nice finish to the construction materials…LOL! They were also the same depth at the Jorgenson vise jaws. Hey I even hand planned the rough sides down to make finished boards. Got that brain storm while sanding and getting coated with saw dust!

Well as I posted earlier in my shop notes blog this was a good idea that failed. I find my shop has gotten smaller with the assembly of all the shop equipment. The mobile bench was a way to set up tools in a work plan. When I have more woodworking time I will revisit the mobility issue. Until then it is now more functional, comfortable, and I found some ash to fit the vise jaws!

As I’ve complained to my friends, I have to get some major maintenance done on my old Victorian, while I am able to climb ladders, hang out windows, and lift commodes to repair broken flanges in upstairs toilets! also to use the window of weather while I can?
Thanks for viewing!

-- Cau Haus Designs, Thomas J. Tieffenbacher

Some Shop Projects

Not a whole lot to show for progrees since the last posting, but I have two functional chores completed toward my goal.
When I constructed my Thein chip separator I had a difficult time, and therefore extended time in cutting the plywood circles. Used my Makita Saber Saw, and then figured out/tuned up my Band Saw with help from some knowledgeable Lumberjocks. My thanks ( again!) for the guidance.
Realized I could cur faster with a circle cutter, and used my sheet metal circle cutter. As I mentioned I cut one hole which dulled the bit. Resorted back to my saber saw.
Marc Adams of the Marc Adams Woodworking School did a two day workshop for the MN Woodworkers Guild. I purchased his set of instructional DVD’s and learned a bunch. Remembered the Router DVD. It has Router Jigs. Replayed it, took some notes, and bought some 1/4 inch acrylic from my local window repair guy.
The jig is et up with 1/2 inch increments starting FROM A 4” RADIUS THROUGH A 16” RADIUS.


Used my drill press, band saw, and stationary sander. This slow poke took a day with careful attention so I didn’t have to cut and drill a second time. LOL!
I had mentioned that I have yet to put wheels on the chip separator. That actually went well. Used one fixed wheel and two multidirectional wheels with locks.
I had originally build a garden shed for my snow blowers, lawn mowers, and I had intended to put the dust collector in the building which is about 4 ft from my shop. Realized my Delta is only 1200 cfm, and I had purchase flex 4” with blast gates. This was before I knew how much dust collectors really need to suck.


Went with my original plan and put it in the Garden Shed. I’m in the process of figuring out the connection between the two buildings.

-- Cau Haus Designs, Thomas J. Tieffenbacher

This has been a learning experience in what not to do. LOL! Saw this scroll saw for 75 bucks on Craigslist. Drove to the house down dusty country roads and I blogged earlier about this saw requiring a couple hours of fixing the clamp to see it cut wood! Then I drove home in a snow storm.
The first picture is how the saw looked in January!

The second picture is how the rusted table looked. I got some suggestions from Blackie (Randy) regarding about using apple cider vinegar to remove rust. This large table top would have required a big bucket. I figured out how to soak the table with the vinegar using paper towels and a large heavy duty trash bag. After a couple days it took most of the rust away and then I hand rubbed with cider vinegar and paper towels. Then water rinse , dry and used polishing compound followed by paste wax. Looks pretty good!

The third and fourth pictures are of the over engineered clamping mechanism. I had put the saw back together after greasing the one major bearing. ( Different from later saws which have more bearings and a different style arm and better clamping systems.
When I put the saw back together and attempted to run it up to a non vibrating faster cutting speed the clamping mechanism and blade broke spraying the little parts of this pretty but over complicated clamping system. No spare springs! I ordered them from e replacement parts and got the parts 60 days later! I used the internet to find some pictures of how it is assembled because the shop manual was useless!


The next two pictures 5 &6 show the removal of the o ring holding the bearing in required the purchase of some ring pliers and I purchased some synthetic racing lubricant and needle valve, as it was recommended in a YouTube video in rehabbing a newer scroll saw with many bearings.


I also removed and replaced the bolt that ran all the way through and shared the lower clamp space. It requires tightening and loosening two locking mechanisms but frees up that space for the clamp alone.
Picture 7 is the completed scroll saw.

There is more that I did. I asked the scrollers on LJ’s for suggestions and advise. They haven’t been down this road but made suggestions, which I appreciate. I put wheels on with castors as my shop is getting smaller with new tools and requires set up now. Bought the wrong locking castors. Didn’t lock the pivot bearings. WOBBLE WOBBLE! More cost and time?
What is ironic is it still does not work as I expected. I purchased a Craftsman scroll saw 16 inch on sale with a cast iron table and simple lock mechanism that I saw reviewed on YouTube. ( This is what I might do today after this long detour from my purpose in buying a scroll saw to begin with!
I have no mentor so I am fumbling through. Even on a expensive Excaliber scroll saw there is a large amount of drift when cutting, similar to cutting with a band saw.
Found that out from watching scroll saw cutting basics on YouTube again.
It’s not easy to cut this stuff as it appears when the demonstrators are doing it. Then when the tensioning mechanism is poor it doesn’t help. Well it’s not a big door stop anymore.
Thanks for looking and comments welcome!

-- Cau Haus Designs, Thomas J. Tieffenbacher

Shop Tool Assembly!

I've neglected this blog page for a number of years.  It's March of 2014 and spring is here.  I have been moving forward. 2 steps and one back. LOL!

I now have a new (old) cabinet saw that I purchased from a cabinet builder.  I got the beast home and off my truck myself.   It was a well used 3 HP Grizzly that has been discontinued.

I purchased the Heavy duty Shop Fox dolly, and this woosie guy got it on the dolly!

It has been working well.

I also have been blogging about my other shop equipment that I have finally assembled on Lumber Jocks  and I will start doing that here.

In May/June of 2013 I decided to organize (somewhat) and start using vertical space. I built  shelving from 1/2 inch plywood I had aging over many years.  Felt good to be a little more organized. I'm using it every shopday.

This is my Delta Lunchbox Planer, purchased many years ago, and recently cleaned up for use. I is discontinued.

I finally assembled my 7 inch Harbor Freight  Joiner/Planer  that they no longer carry.  Bad assembly instructions and I can't replace any parts.  But it has been aligned adjusted and used.

 Next is my Drill Press which is not made under it's own name anymore, and is now three times the price. LOL!

 This is how I engineered assembling the head onto the post.

 I was determined!  I pulled the parts for my Delta 1.5 hp dust collector (now too small for my needs) and found rusted areas in the metal body that I cleaned and painted and have now assembled...oh yeah it's superseded by a more expensive one.

Will add more of the tools I have been refurbishing later, have to go to the shop and rehab a Delta 18 inch c arm scroll saw which is.... yep. Discontinued!

Frankenbench the monster that lives!

Making mistakes as I build my bench. My intent was to make a work/storage area that would hold my compound miter saw, provide support for a sheet of plywood when cutting on the saw, and a strong surface to pound on while standing or sitting, and to hold my vices.  Oh yeah it covers the cat door going out of my little barn/shop. And helps redirect the cold Minnesota air when open.

 

Had problems with the height of my compound miter deck and the outfeed surface of the bench deck. Measured many times, cut as precise as I could, had to compensate for the pitches in my concrete floor. Attached it to the wall and put studs in to transfer load to concrete.  I am using materials for framing that I had not used for creepers on the concrete floor. Many twists and turns? Decided not to put the wooden floor in my shop leaving the pitched concrete, so many sheets of tongue and groove fir plywood to use up.

 

Well..I have problems with twisted 2x4's I think my outfeed bench might be too heavy, and attempting to have it straight and level as well as at same height. LOL

 

Thought I was spot on accurate. Sigh.....nope.  Stepped back to look at Frankenstein, and he is too high for the table saw!!!

 

The framing is done. Cut some of the plywood for bench top. And I am going to have to figure a way to get me up a few inches off  the concrete floor.  Yes you can laugh.  Hey I didn't srew it up for a client, and yes, if I am asked, that is just how I planned it. My wife named it Frankenbench.

Getting Past Winter

Would love to be in the shop. Where am I?  Shoveling, plowing, and plowing mounds of Minnesota snow,  We had as much snow fall in northern Illinois. It just got warm enough to melt.  Weather seems to be universally bad this winter.  Doesn't make me feel better that I am not alone.  LOL

Saw a post on Lumberjocks by Autumn, It has a series of pictures/a tutorial.  Really nice work.  Eventually I might get some nifty stuff going, but for now still shoveling. 

Later

Why Woodbutchering?

The first time I heard the name it was in the title of a great book called the Woodbutchers Art of handmade houses. It was about people who have built their own houses on the land.  Not conventional houses but artfully cobbled together unique homes by everyday people.  Recently while looking for information on James Krenov a maker of subtle, charachter dominant studio furniture, I found that the name Woodbutcher is used by a writer.

To me, woodbutchering is a term for what I do which is neither professional, which I would hope to develope into, or even what I will call acceptable. LOL

If you are reading this, welcome. You probably have your own definition. Like to hear them.

Anyway it is the first day of a new year!  I'm having my 1st cup of coffee, of several to get started. And looking forward to the woodbutchers journey.

More coming as I get it together, whenever that is....LOL