I love my bench, it took months accumulating the wood to build and weighs a ton.
However, since discovering Mike Abbott, I am drawn to a different space. I made a Lumber Horse. It was too limited in use and too large, so recycled. On reading ‘Ingenious Mechanicks’. I discovered the low Roman bench.
The oldest bench design ever seemed to fit my current minimalism. No vice and it’s a seat, could sharpening become a pleasure again?
Fundamentally the bench should be nearly knee high and 12 or so inches wide. Like a bench, whatever feels comfortable. In Chris’s book he describes making these benches with splayed legs. For me this represents a mathematical and practical nightmare. Not to mention the loss of clampiable legs. As someone who has never made a dovetail in anger, it was over complicated in the leg department. So it was back to Messier Roubo, but smaller. All my substantive kit has to fit on or in my 150cm bench/tent. So the 8ft plus models described weren’t going toward for me. Also Chris has access to oak slabs etc. I have access to skips.
Rescued door liners together with previously salvaged 4x2 timber, the makings of my bench. There was insufficient liners to do a vertical lamination, my preference for strength. Horizontal lamination in three parts that could be planed and jointed to make the slab (top). Once glued up and ready to fit, the daunting task became apparent. I always used gap based tenon joints. Use 2x4 and leave a 4 inch gap to fit each leg.
Robin Gates’ saw horse came to mind. Essentially I was making an inflated version of the same. A 4x2 notch was dug for each leg, (With a laminated short bit on the inside to take the weight.) Once more or less squared. The legs were strengthened with cross stretchers and a central stretcher.. I turbo screwed it all together to check fit and comfort. Once happy, the turbo screws were replaced with 19mm dowel. I also ran dowel through the slab , I am a believer in dowel reinforced joints. Designer chairs may split but it would take an elephant to destroy my joints or laminates. Brutal but effective.
Once assembled and doweled, I sat triumphantly. Of course one leg was short, quell surprise. Fitting a pad to even things out was straightforward. Whilst inverted the feet were chamfered and strengthened with CA glue and nails for wear reduction.
No rocking! All that remains is squaring up the slab, ( I was over enthusiastic with the electric planer.) Then cut dovetails, square slots and mortises. Having swerved complex leg hole boring, I was now faced with precision joinery. I am not a precise kind of chap.Turning my four legged plank into a replica ancient Swiss army knife for woodwork is the next task and I promise to share all.
Making a bench is personal, governed by constraints unique to you, but with a little thought, it’s creation is totally achievable. If you can’t wait and so buy the necessary wood, Rex Krueger has an excellent tutorial on making a low bench on his YouTube Channel, ‘Wood work for Humans’. For comprehensive understanding, Chris Schwarz’s book ‘Ingenious Mechanicks’ is totally go to.
Otherwise, just have a crack, use skip wood. It don’t work? who cares. You can make a bench that’s perfect for you.
