English Garden Bench | S2 E12

Norm constructs a version of an English garden bench using Teak. He uses pegs, mortise and tenon joints to assemble it. He demonstrates how to shape the curved pieces using a band saw, how to use a tenoning jig mounted on a table saw to create tenons, and how to use a drill press to cut angled mortises.
Season: 2 | Episode:
Original Air Date: March 24, 1990
To purchase the measured drawing:
www.newyankee....
Visit our website at: www.newyankee.com
The New Yankee Workshop is a co-production of Morash Associates, Inc. and WGBH Boston.
#NewYankeeWorkshop #NormAbram #woodworking #howto #garden

[@WoodCreations8681]

Nice to see the NYW episodes airing again. I made this bench shortly after it originally aired. It sits on the front patio and still in use. The mortise and tenon joints are still tight and the bottom of the legs show no sign of rot when sitting on cement for nearly 30 years. It's a conformable bench to sit on. Nice work Norm!

[@Mangoshake2021]

What kind of wood ?

[@WoodCreations8681]

I used treated lumber. Kept it simple for my first attempt.

[@jessetitus9908]

I can’t believe I’ve never seen this show. I love that this is on KZbin now

[@jelsner5077]

Seeing Norm in a suit and bowler hat was hysterical 😅🤣😂

[@brettkoeshall2325]

They really need to bring back the New Yankee Workshop.

[@FanOfLiberty1776]

Norm, long ago, set a high standard for woodworking video. I’m thankful these are on KZbin

[@jonhatchcirclejfarms1628]

I fell in love with woodworking by watching Norm Abrams. He has been an inspiration to me for many years. Thank you.

[@Saskinny]

I've never seen Norm Abrams. I used to watch Norm Abram.

[@paulheap1982]

​​@@Saskinnywhen are yiu going to stop being "that guy" though?

[@Saskinny]

@@paulheap1982 That guy?

[@millsvalleycrafts]

Norm ABRAM is great!

[@mj-lp5eb]

As a Brit it was great to see Norm in his British attire complete with top hat and Umbrella!

[@Saskinny]

Yes it was! I laughed until my sides hurt! Laughter truly is like a medicine!

[@warby1814]

British man here...nice to see a bit of old London when it still felt and looked English before it went to shit.

[@oliverdelica2289]

Norm ditching his plaid shirt for an English 3-piece suit is life-changing.

[@large_eddy]

I like to think that he has an outfit for each country he visits

[@danf4616]

Gotta luv the classic "Let's see if these fit together OK..." Of course they are perfect, Norm built it! 👌👌

[@TheWoodFly]

Made 6 of them out of cedar for my parents place. Great inspiration and SO happy to see these back in circulation

[@iancrossley6637]

When the British navy switched from sailing vessels to Metal they stripped off the oak decking and made benched for London. Teak is the premium wood to use now. Glad you are using Plantation grown wood.

[@rodcros]

Over the last two years I have completed two of these benches out of cherry from my woodlot. One of these is a fine winter project. The trickiest part was getting the 12.5 degree slope on the back slats.

[@stalkholm5227]

When I was a kid I thought that Norm's house was filled top to bottom with perfectly made but utterly random furniture. "Honey, I made a bench!" *"That's your seventh bench this month, Norm you have to stop!!!"*

[@r.b.ratieta6111]

Two weeks later: The Abrams are present at Furniture Makers Anonymous, filled with members who can't stop building their own furniture. Anytime someone gives ideas on how to improve someone else's furniture, they're asked to leave.

[@danf4616]

Glad they brought NYW back. Funny, Norm calls the miter saw a "powered miter box." Guess they weren't so common back then...

[@Saskinny]

Nahhhh, they were common. He's just a nerd.

[@mmanut]

The material cost for that Beautiful Project is well worth it‼️ Such a Classic‼️ THANK YOU NORM‼️ Vinny 🇺🇸

[@iancrossley6637]

Have you priced Teak lately?

[@-justin-4077]

Who else clicked this just to see Norm in a suit 🤣

[@jameswortner6135]

Started this project WITH the mortising attachment to my Delta standing drill press. Used white oak living in MA in the early 1990s. VHS tape and measured drawings too. The bench became fire wood after 6 months of frustration and my skill level at the time. Fast forward to 2023 and after watching the video again, using a dedicated mortise with new chisel/drill set, dusting off the measured drawing plans and with 30 years of making saw dust, I am going to attempt this bench again. Plan is to set the bench to overlook the vineyard here in CA and enjoy retirement. Now where to get all that teak???

[@TheWoodFly]

I'm in Norcal with a number of these to look at if you care to

[@wayneh8767]

They early cordless drill with a standard keyed chuck, single speed classic!

[@Saskinny]

Used by a triple speed, OHC, 500 horsepower classic nerd!

[@ket0_t0ne39]

Long ago, built a treat pine version....getting ready to build one from Ash in a couple days....Researching sizes, now

[@Maxid1]

You can still actually get the measured drawing for $10 bucks. The link is in the description.

[@matthewfarmer2520]

Hey Norm !! (Cheers) 😂

[@alpetterson9452]

Classic TV!

[@Saskinny]

Featuring a Classic Nerd Carpenter!

[@alpetterson9452]

@@Saskinny well, there is that!

[@everettamador9870]

I miss old Norman...

[@Maxid1]

7:39 I probably knew when these episodes were new, but I have that exact chisel set. I've had it for about 40 years. But have to wonder why he didn't use a mortising bit(ok, there it is at 18:38). This was only season 2 so he didn't have the mortising station yet. They may have been still trying to appeal to the home hobbyist, blue collar Joe garage woodworker. That didn't last long. The premise of this old house was to save money by doing the work yourself, that also was abandoned over the years.

[@Maxid1]

A rough sawn teak 4x4 today is about $15/foot. Prices very dramatically.

[@johnslaughter5475]

I think I'd use quarter sawn white oak. It's available at Woodcraft. There's no 12/4, so I'd have to do some glue-up to make the legs and arms. Should be worth it.

[@blakecollie8770]

This the early esposides before he had Porter Cable and Delta power tools

[@zenmaster76]

I got halfway through this episode and thought "This was probably the project that prompted the purchase of the chisel/drill mortising setup for the drill press" and then sure enough it pops up. I'll bet he wished he'd bought it before the first 20 mortices

[@CrimeVid]

You have to be very careful when you buy teak, make sure you are not being sold Iroko instead. Some hardwood dealers are less than scrupulous.

[@Saskinny]

I've noticed that in my area too! We have really deceiful lumber dealers here. I was told the boards I bought were ebony, yet they were OSB painted black! My hardwood lately is soft as balsam. Highway robbery!

[@areareare9953]

That's right kids - back in the old days, you couldn't green screen a location - no. They had to fly him to England and dress him up like that.

[@dougjohnson9718]

Nice bench, but how do you think Norm feels about the teak?

[@Saskinny]

Hopefully better than he felt in that SUIT he was wearing in England. Then again, the used curtains he gets from gay bars to make his shirts don't give me a lot of hope.

[@greencello599]

My grandfather was very surprised when he saw square holes being drilled by the morticer.

[@richarddrum9970]

Isn't' Norm dapper or what??

[@Saskinny]

What. He's most assuredly WHAT.

[@mrpiccolo23]

What/who is Norm dressed as at the start of the episode?

[@MikesTropicalTech]

Maybe an "English Gentleman" or even The Son Of Man: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Son_of_Man

[@TimHeagarty]

They were working on the London TOH episode at the time. They took the opportunity to dress Norm up for fun in the intro to this NYW workshop. That TOH season is pretty good too, lots of views of English construction techniques as well as historic regulations.

[@cardo1111]

Norm is a modern master, great to see these again. I remember enjoying them when they first aired as a young man.

[@alangood8190]

That used to be the traditional and fashionable dress code of men working in the City of London which is the financial capital of Great Britain and Europe.

[@mrpiccolo23]

@@alangood8190 Thank You. Though whether GB is part of Europe is questionable. ;-)

[@Monkey_Snot]

Teak is now $46 per board foot, this bench today would cost over a $1000 to build in 2023 lol.

[@dawn5227]

I cant but help laugh at the bowler hat. Norm looked like he stepped back in time by 100 years. No one was wearing those in England in 1980/90s

[@Saskinny]

I couldn't help but laugh at him too. Long. Loud. And till my sides hurt.

[@richardparsons7012]

I'll just sell off my last ton of gold bullion to buy the teak.

[@Conradlovesjoy]

$61 per board/foot by me.

[@steverone7623]

@@Conradlovesjoy this was probably 1989-1992 prices when Norm built these!

[@SLhx]

English Garden Bench

[@Rich1ab]

Ridiculous!! I have that exact same set of Stanley Professional chisels in the yellow plastic case! I have the six piece set not the four like Norm had…

[@altamiradorable]

Backcutting on a radial saw is a big no no !! Guess he didn't know back then !

[@SLhx]

Éric Vistalli Peter Alves

[@AndrewLumsden]

The definitive woodworking master, but only an American would wear a bowler hat at that angle! 🙄😖

[@Saskinny]

Ummm....no....only an American NERD would wear a bowler hat. At ANY angle. And I thought his SHIRTS were cloth abortions!

[@CrimeVid]

It is nice to see a”carpenter” using carpenter’s chisels, not some overpriced piano tools.

[@eds_perspective]

Piano tools?

[@CrimeVid]

@@eds_perspective Stupid expensive tools that are too pretty to use so they stay indoors on the piano.

[@eds_perspective]

@@CrimeVid Oh, I see. Yeah some woodtubers are ridiculous. I mean I know it's an expensive hobby, but damn.

[@jasonstromberg]

🙄

[@CrimeVid]

Never smear excess glue about with a wet rag,it will show forever, cut it off before it fully hardens. I do not remember the seat supports being so lightly installed.

[@Saskinny]

My wife is good at cutting it off before ir fully hardens.

[@bill90405]

Bowler hats are not worn tilted

[@TheducksOrg]

they are if they are too small or if you've only ever seen someone wear it in a clockwork orange ;)

[@Saskinny]

I would have known that.....had a given a F--K. How about just say, "Bowler hats are not worn....by MEN." Males maybe....but not MEN. Of course, they're worn in England......so there you are. Or Bob's yer uncle, or whatever nonsensical crap they would say.

[@Saskinny]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! WHAT was he wearing?? I thought his plaid cloth abortions he calls shirts were funny!!

[@photobobo]

Should have made the dowels from teak.

[@Saskinny]

I'm sure the Original Nerd Carpenter needs your opinion. I mean look at his SHIRTS?

[@CrimeVid]

Could have used better dowels, birch has a short life outdoors.

[@Monkey_Snot]

$10 for a 33 year old drawings lol. It should be free after three decades.