The Woodshop Shed

Split Top Saw Bench

Furnished content.
(from Lumberjocks.com)


Hello All,
I have often thought that a low, solid bench would be very useful in the shop, so I looked at a lot of images and came up with a design I liked. The original plan was to attach the tops to the legs with box joints, but since I have wanted to learn how to hand cut dovetails, I decided that now was the time.Learning in 5/4 hard maple was not the most logical decision since it is so unforgiving, but I practiced 7 or 8 joints in 3/4 poplar until I started feeling comfortable. I tried several techniques, and ended up cutting the tails first on the tablesaw and finishing with a chisel. The pins were cut in the traditional way with a hand saw. My first attempts were with my Japanese saw, but I wasn't getting the results I liked and I ordered Rob Cosman's dovetail saw. What a difference! Easy to start, cuts quickly, easier for me to keep a straight cut. The joints aren't perfect, but I'm on my way.I finished with my new favorite finish, Osmo Polyx. It's easy to apply once you learn to go lightly, feels great to the touch, and doesn't yellow maple like many finishes.I know that many of you might think it a waste of time to put so much effort into a piece of shop furniture, but I view every project i build as a learning opportunity and I learned a lot on this build. Thanks for looking!

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