Adventures of an Imperfect Man In Search of a Handmade Life
Here are a couple of photos of the one I still think of as the "new horse." It is made up of mostly recycled and scrap wood that I was hoarding for just such a project. More than ten years later, I am still quite happy with the size and design of this one. It … Continue reading My Favorite Working Pony
The art and artifacts from Pompeii have been much on my mind since the major new excavations have been published the past couple years. I was looking at this wall mural and noticed the very Roman workbench in the lower left, complete with bench dogs while the young carpenter whacks away with hammer and chisel. … Continue reading A Workbench from Pompeii
A bit of personal history - I never touched a tool in high school. When I was there, kids were openly placed in two "tracks;" either Academic or General education. I know I wasn't the sharpest student and I generally disliked almost everything about being in school but I was placed among the Academics. In … Continue reading Thoughts Provoked by a Sloyd Workbench Advertisement
Okay dammit. Now I have to make some of these…
While researching “Ingenious Mechanicks” Chris Schwarz and I found many workbenches with face vises and some of them actually had vise nuts.
In the montage above there are selections from paintings from Spain, Italy and what is now present-day Ecuador. As you can see, they range from the basic steering wheel to the curvy hurricane. The nut on the lower left is the shape Chris chose for his Holy Roman/Löffelholz workbench (and he provides the pattern in the book).
My particular favorite is a form that may have originated in Spain and made its way to Spain’s New World colonies: the double-bunny ear. The double-bunny ear provides an easy grip for tighting or loosening the vise.
The top right image is from a 17th-century Spainish painting. The next two vice nuts on the right are late 19th-to-early 20th century from Guatemala and Mexico. The vise nut on the left is of…
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Someday, I'll have one this nice again... Click the image for a much larger version.
I worked on the bench a little more last weekend and have already put it to work over the last few evenings for some small projects. I have found it's usefulness and it is a tool I know I won't regret owning. A second till shelf has been added to store saws, bench hook, etc. … Continue reading Saw Bench Update
I have come across these little benches for quite some time and I find them fascinating. I even started a folder in my image library for them. A quick search around the web finds many of these in auction houses, on Ebay, Craigslist, and elsewhere, generally at exorbitant prices. It appears they generally end their … Continue reading Cobbler’s Workbenches
A Saw horse or a full-size workbench, for Hobbits? Living where I do, without a proper workshop, I have moved to a more portable setup. Along with this, I have pared down by letting go a number of cumbersome tools. However, a flat, solid surface is sorely missed. I find myself working on the seat … Continue reading Weekend Sawbench
Nice and sturdy bench and clamp set-up. From an article in Work magazine July 22, 1889.
A real beauty. Sits like a desk and would be a great workspace for just about any maker.
I think I may have found a portable bench design that works for me and the small bench top I’ve been saving. (Pardon the poor translation; it is a mix of Google translator and my best effort).
The Heiberg Collections – Sogn Folk Museum has a very rich collection of objects related to various crafts. They have a beautiful display of carpenter’s tools that have been displayed to resemble a workshop with workbench and tools. In addition, they have much of this collection in the collection. In this book I came across a workbench that woke my interest. The bench has registration number DHS.3884. The bench is at a height so to sit on, 46 cm high (18 inches) and about 1.5 meters (60 inches) long. In one end there is a vise and the other end there is a screw clamp with crank.
I will start drawing up plans when I get a chance.
De Heibergske Samlinger – Sogn Folkemuseum har ei veldig rik samling av gjenstandar knytt til ulike handverk. Dei har ei flott utstilling av snikkarverktøy som er lagt til rette som ein verkstad med arbeidsbenkar og verktøy. I tillegg har dei mykje av samlinga si i gjenstandsmagasin. I dette magasinet kom eg over ein arbeidsbenk som vekte mi interesse. Benken har registreringsnummer DHS.3884. Benken er i høgd slik at han er til å sitje på, 46 cm høg og ca 1,5 meter lang. I eine enden er det ei baktang og i andre enden er det ei skruklemme med sveiv.
Arbeidsbenken slik han står på magasinet på museet. Foto: Roald Renmælmo
Preindustrial Craftsmanship 