64.The Bench

[@michaelemancipator8573]

Missed your content - glad to see it back!

[@gjbmunc]

Hey, thanks!

[@haroldschultz5864]

Oh this video is perfect timing . I'm in the process of trying to draw up plans for my permanent bench . You've given me plenty of things to consider sir . So glad you've started another series of shows as I thoroughly enjoy them . Thank you Mister Blackburn and blessings to you .

[@gjbmunc]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ralphpezda6523]

Mr. Blackburn: your tail vise lead screw needs grease. Many, many years ago one of my grandfathers gave me a very small tin of "wooden wagon wheel bearing grease." Yep, old time wooden wagons had wheel bearings made of wood. The grease was firmer than the greases we have today and amber colored translucent like jello. I packed a small amount of it behind the fiber points block on my old Harley to keep it from wearing down and slowly closing the gap. It soaked into the fibers and worked like a charm. Where you might find it today or what it is called or named I have no idea. Incidentally, petroleum based greases are simply very viscous oil(s). I thought about modern greases potentially swelling the wood fibers rendering your vise inoperable, but I never read or heard that wooden wagon wheel bearing grease did that. You will have to look, but I know there are a few such wheel makers out there today. Find one and ask him, I suppose, or try a few small test spots and see what happens. I would be happy to send you some---- if I could find it, but I had only a very small amount in an old very small tin .1A cyclindrical fuse container that holds 5 spare fuses for old radios and the like, in essence not nearly as much as you need. (I'm sure it's around here somewhere.) Sorry about that.

[@gjbmunc]

grease sounds good but my problem was actually too much humidity.

[@pettere8429]

A machinist's straight edge is a bit of a luxury item. You can make a wooden straight edge, straight to the thickness of the finest shaving you can take, by jointing three edges on separate boards tightly together until there is no light showing through the seam anywhere.

[@gjbmunc]

The machinist's straight edge may indeed be a bit of a luxury item if all you use it for is levelling the bench....

[@ihosvaniarregoitia]

Greetings from Mexico, you are a teacher for me where I am always learning from your videos

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks so much!

[@MCsCreations]

It's great to see you back, Graham! Thanks for another lesson! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@gjbmunc]

My pleasure!

[@dannywilsher4165]

I thoroughly enjoy your videos. I need to build a work bench. I've always worked on makeshift benches. Saw horses or folding plastic tables.

[@gjbmunc]

Cool, thanks. Go for it.

[@johnford7847]

A great overview, sir. I've owned your book for several years now and agree that it's a valuable resource. Thank you for sharing.

[@gjbmunc]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jackofalltradesmasterofnon8069]

Gonna look forward to this series love watching I’ll school craftsman do their magic just admire the skill and dedication Could I be a cheeky chap and ask how big is your workshop

[@gjbmunc]

Never big enough - roughly 20 x 20.

[@jackofalltradesmasterofnon8069]

@@gjbmunc a fair old size better than my 3 foot by 5 foot shed/cell I am going to buy a shed just for my woodworking shenanigans lol just seeing what best size to get

[@BakerVS]

So glad to see you're back, I hope you had some nice holidays! Thanks for your videos, I look forward to more.

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks so much!

[@richarde7432]

I am looking forward to your take on work holding methods. I do like simple hold fasts because they are a very fast way to work.

[@gjbmunc]

Coming soon!

[@johnwillis3596]

Bench height is a subject of endless discussion, but at the end of the day it’s personal preference and what works best for the individual woodworker. You mentioned your tail vice for work holding. I have to say I am not a great fan of them and have used a holdfast and ‘doe’s foot’ batten successfully for many years. Perhaps you could do a video on making and using one.

[@gjbmunc]

Well said! Doe's foot can be very useful.

[@danielgeng2306]

Thanks Graham, great information and I bought the book:)

[@gjbmunc]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@danielgeng2306]

@@gjbmunc I have no doubt I will sir!

[@PeanutsDadForever]

Thanks for this information, very helpful. 🇦🇺👴🏻

[@gjbmunc]

My pleasure!

[@pukinpaja1974]

Thanks to video! Greetings from Finland! ❄️☃️🎅🏻👍🏻🇫🇮

[@gjbmunc]

Thank you too!

[@bearshield7138]

Thank you for putting so much detain into these about you are doing and why your do it that way.

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks so much!

[@B.A.Bassangler]

Thanks for another enjoyable video. Great tips, and LOVE the intro music. I always turn up my Hi-Fi.

[@gjbmunc]

Glad you like them!

[@Robin-rr2ue]

Useful features on a bench. You could also make do with a simple bench hook and planing stop.

[@gjbmunc]

Of course, if 'making do' is all you're interested in!

[@DraganIlich-r1s]

Thank you Sir.🎉

[@gjbmunc]

Most welcome

[@andrewmcgillivray1881]

well done graham! i also use a very small vise from ulmia (no longer on the market but there are many copies) to hold smaller workpieces. it fits perfectly in both tail and face vices. keep up the good work!

[@gjbmunc]

I'll do an episode on side snipes and snipe bills - they're in the same family but not quite the same as side rabbets.

[@thomashverring9484]

Great video as always, Graham! And to those who haven't read it yet, I can highly recommend the book!

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks for that!

[@richardwilliamswilliams]

Good afternoon from Copperhill Tn.

[@gjbmunc]

Hello there!

[@donovancampbell7785]

That was a wonderful video. Thank you very much.:)

[@gjbmunc]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@JamesSmith-su3oz]

So happy that you are back. Yes how high the bench is very important to the user and I think you explained the best way to find it. Oh, and HI from jackson, TN.

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks, and hi!

[@dougdavidson175]

Thanks for all you do sir.

[@gjbmunc]

My pleasure!

[@GC-jh1uf]

Terrific video, Graham. Most of it I know and do but you had a few tips that were new to me. Much thanks.

[@gjbmunc]

Glad it was helpful!

[@yomismosoyelregalo2266]

I'm reading that book right now. It's just great!

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks!

[@ianpearse4480]

Happy New Year. I have a viceless bench and find I don't miss them much at all. That said I do have a bench mule and various clamping jigs. Nice share.

[@gjbmunc]

Happy new year to you too!

[@iyamjc1258]

Reading through that book now. All very interesting. Somewhat new to this and learning. Thanks.

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks so much!

[@memilanuk]

Huh... never thought of using a holdfast from a block of wood in one of the vises. Might have to give that a try!🤔

[@gjbmunc]

Good luck!

[@memilanuk]

@@gjbmunc no concerns about hammering on the hold fast & block while in the vise? Seems like I've usually seen it advised to avoid that in, at least in general terms.

[@PartyOf8Please]

Your tail vise is on the struggle bus! Wood-on-wood in the humid winter, eh?

[@gjbmunc]

Exactly!

[@PartyOf8Please]

@@gjbmunc It’ll get better soon, and then summer heat and humidity will sink in 🤦🏻We can’t get away from it, can we??

[@nicocortez102]

Really enjoyed this video. Great job.

[@gjbmunc]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lecadrebicycles]

Thank you for the great content Graham!!

[@gjbmunc]

My pleasure!

[@OZheathen]

Great stuff

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks!

[@michaelshelnutt3534]

Nicely done.

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks!

[@murrayglick8524]

Your videos are great. This video describes mostly vises. Can you please make comments on Wedge Holding methods too? Thank you..

[@gjbmunc]

Sure I will

[@ChiefTiff]

A Stanley Fatmax spirit level (or equivalent) makes an adequate straight edge. Additionally the aluminium will leave marks on wood; so if I’m flattening boards or jointing edges I simply rub the level against the wood and the resulting grey/black marks indicate the high spots.

[@gjbmunc]

Good idea!

[@MASI_forging]

Another great video 😄😄

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks again!

[@joegiotta7580]

How/why would you use a holdfast to secure a piece of wood to plane it with a shooting board?

[@gjbmunc]

Depends where you position the shooting board and how big the workpiece...

[@joegiotta7580]

⁠@@gjbmuncI’m confused. The way you showed it in the video the plane wouldn’t be able to shoot the board. The holdfast would be in the way. Can you clear that up?

[@joegiotta7580]

No answer?@@gjbmunc

[@GS.Design.Australia]

Thank you Sir

[@gjbmunc]

Most welcome

[@abebeaku8369]

Its obvious Graham is not using tail vise all that much 😊

[@gjbmunc]

Tail vise swelled up because of all the rain around here.

[@KOutOfMyYard]

I am surprised that you did not talk about the bench till…

[@gjbmunc]

Ah yes, the tool well - together with its cleanout ramp! Never enough tme to mention everything. Thanks anyway!

[@HWCism]

Again,thank you

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks so much!

[@BakerVS]

Question: bench height is obviously also a personal preference, but what would you say about fellow woodworker Paul Sellers's suggestion of getting a 38" high bench, for a 5'10" person? It's a fair bit higher than your suggestion. (I have two benches btw, a Swiss Ulmia equivalent like yours that's fairly low, and a diy English style bench that's a bit higher. I can only use the latter right now, but I like them both for different things. One is better for planing, the other is better fir joinery.)

[@gjbmunc]

Two benches sounds great. I respect Paul greatly, but we learnt in slightly different parts of England!

[@lanetatom2701]

Perfect. What wood did you use?

[@richarde7432]

My bench is made from 2 x4 construction lumber. It works fine. Any wood will last a lifetime for a bench.

[@gjbmunc]

The bech is primarily hard Scandinavian maple.

[@gjbmunc]

O course, it's just that hardwood lasts longer and is less

[@richarde7432]

@@gjbmunc No doubt that hardwood makes a nice bench.

[@מעייןהמלבלבתחייםםםם]

My most important tool is ny working bench. I built an English joinery bench. All made of pine. Because i am using dog hols it is very "flexible bench" . first I use a crochet and hold fast to hold long boards to the apron of the bench and later i built a leg vise.

[@gjbmunc]

Sounds good!

[@corwind3888]

What's up at 8:27?

[@gjbmunc]

Example of using holdfast.

[@gordoncrates3508]

Could do with some wax on that tail vice

[@gjbmunc]

It's the humidity this winter in New York.

[@mm9773]

These rules like the “flat hand” rule or the knuckle rule don’t work for me at all: a bench that low gives me back pain within minutes. I find a higher bench a lot more convenient and ergonomic: a good 4 inches above the wrist or so. A good way to put this to the test is to plane two pieces of wood that are different in height: see which is more convenient. Some people argue that a bench for planing should be relatively low in order to be able to push down on the workpiece, but you hardly need any force pushing down when planing; I can see where the idea is coming from, but it’s just not true - unless your plane iron is completely dull and you’re practically biting chunks out of the wood. I don’t seem to be the only one: Paul Sellers claims that most of his students are happier with a taller workbench. Just fyi. So at the very least I would say that everybody needs to figure out the best height for themself, and I really don’t think people should be scared of going against those rules of thumb.

[@gjbmunc]

Of course, we're all different, I'm just trying to give some rational guidelines.

[@dannix1353]

I realize that you were not actually checking the flatness of the bench, but the subscribers should see you using the correct edge of the straight edge. The edge with the bevel (chamfer) on it is the straight edge that you should be using.

[@gjbmunc]

Of course, but I was hoping the label on the straightedge would be readable.