This 100 Year Old Bench Should Have Fallen Apart

[@HouseholdDog]

The hole at the top of the V is there to stop it splitting. It's an old trick that stops cracking.

[@elijah4606]

This technique is also how cracks are stopped from progressing any further in steel beams for bridges. The end of the crack is identified, then a hole is drilled centered on the end. The hole is supposed to be three times the diameter of the thickness of the web being drilled through. The process removes stress risers and allows the force that started the crack to be carried around the smooth edges of the hole.

[@mailleweaver]

The same thing is used to stop cracks in glass windshields before the crack is filled. I also use this in my chip bags when they tear at the sides. When the tear starts, I just loop it back around and out so the tear can't continue any farther to ruin the whole bag and loose all the chips.

[@konserv]

This trick is also used with a sheet metal to prevent tearing on internal angles.

[@akinma]

Yes, and I would make a guess that the legs narrow downward because that way there is less force pushing the V down and outwards and making it split, when you sit on the bench. Sure, it also looks fancy, but I would guess that comes as a bonus.

[@HouseholdDog]

@@akinma You might be right. You made me think of something else. Is there some benefit to having legs at all? Why not just a solid sheet? Might be a little easier to balance, but is there another reason?

[@drman427]

I am a beginner to woodwork, the main test I have with this bundle kzbin.infoUgkxTNB_zFBSnTo_O1PqfVUwgi7ityw0JlKt is that I think that its hard to settle on a choice of the plan and outline to use as there are a large portion of them there. Nonetheless, I like the simple stride to step directions laid out there.

[@Pootycat8359]

It's a very strong hardwood.

[@Cassandra_Johnson]

That round hole detail on the legs isn't just pretty - it is functional. It removes a stress point and resists splitting (same reason airplane window corners are round), and also lets you be a bit sloppy with your sawing at the intersection.

[@andrewbain-lindsay]

Given how the piece looks pretty price conscious and it's the only time any drilling was done I agree with your second point that it's probably about allowing some slop in the angles

[@alexr7298]

Was about to say the same thing! It's essentially an example of "stop drilling".

[@BrooksMoses]

Oh, that's a good point about the "being sloppy with the sawing", in addition to the stress relief. Getting a cut like that to come out just right without over-cutting is a bit fiddly, compared to drilling a hole and hitting the hole.

[@ccubsfan94]

Also if a wing or control surface cracks, drilling a hole at the end is the fix to stop it. The most notable is the flap cut on the 737

[@KindredAutomotive]

100% agree. I was wondering if he would say that.

[@AllanMacMillan]

That's a neat little bench. The wracking forces would be loading those nails in shear, rather than trying to pull them out, so the design just works with them. My father, who worked as a cabinet maker in the 70s and 80s was born in 1926, so he would have learned his craft from his father around the time this bench was built. He rarely used glue or screws, and used finish nails to hold almost all his projects together. One approach to dealing with the "slippery" nature of the smooth skinny nails is to drive them in at opposing angles. This way to apply a pulling out force to one, is applying shear to the other, so the joint held this way can take more force than you'd expect.

[@gregpreston7301]

I actually use this method with my brad nailer. I can't remember which maker clued me in but of course I learned it on KZbin 😉

[@pashaveres4629]

​@@gregpreston7301 yah, make 'em go every which way

[@Nedw]

Aren't the nails then digging into the wood?

[@BrooksMoses]

Oh, of course. My uncle was close to the same age as your father, and was a finish carpenter in North Carolina at the same time. (The general contractor that he often worked for said he was the best finish carpenter in the state.) Unfortunately I didn't have an opportunity to work with him or learn things from him, so I particularly appreciate learning things like the opposing-angle idea because it feels like a connection to his work.

[@louisvictor3473]

The same principle behind nailing in opposite directions also apply to the mirrored triangles underneath. To sheer one inwards you have to sheer the other outwards, so the force is distributed between then and resisted in opposite directions. It is simple stuff, but powerful stuff.

[@Vikingwerk]

9:34 Rex, as someone who has disassembled hundreds, if not thousands of home-built ‘things’ from that era, (I grew up on ranches in rural MT and TX) almost everything was built with those nails. Cabinets, tables, bookshelves, chairs, trim, workbenches, doors, gates, you name it, I’ve pulled those trim nails out of em. They held surprisingly well. My theory is that the old way of galvanizing nails, with the heavy grey zinc coating, gripped better and resisted rust better than the modern bright version of those nails. I still find paint cans full if the old heavy galvanized nails stashed in old sheds and barns, and I keep em around, because they do seem to hold better than bright nails, and I’m moving away from screws, partially due to your influence, and partially due to personal experience (screws are to brittle, break off to often).

[@janjaapvdijk]

My thought was that they hammered them in at an angle as I've seen done in a japanese carpentry video.

[@ThreenaddiesRexMegistus]

You’re 100% right about the heavily galvanised nails - they really do get a bite on the timber. We can still get them here in Australia but most are just the light cadmium flash-coated pins. You know they’re proper when you find them stuck together with zinc. 👍🏻

[@louisvictor3473]

I suspect it is because before that for a similar project people would use similar sized cut nails (if they're using nails, obviously). I am not sure if they were called finishing nails back then already or not, but today you can find "finishing cut nails" on the market. Smaller nails = less work (hand drilling and hammering it in) = cheaper per unit (generally). Lots of interest to pick the smallest size that gets the job done. I won't have equations off hand, but nail holding power doesn't increase neatly with increases thickness, but it does with number of nails (and length, but not applicable here), so you might as well be looking at the same number of nails to get the job done if you used a larger but still reasonable size nail, which would be a waste of energy, time and money.

[@paint4pain]

Its better but its got lead in it. "Hot-dip galvanized" is what that plating is called as opposed to the thinner, shiny "zinc electro-plating". The old 40s stuff is more uniform since they added lead to the zinc bath to make it flow better. No lead in it now but It's still plenty popular in big structural nuts and bolts and stuff like fencing.

[@timothyrobinson8640]

Rex, it might be that the apron DOES serve more than an aesthetic purpose. Depending upon how many nails you have attaching it to the top it might serve to turn it into a truss, preventing the top from deflecting when sat upon and possibly racking the leg and brace joinery. If it was situated against a wall nearly all of the weight of sitting would be on the leading edge and conserving materials and time would necessitate only one apron. Just a thought.

[@ravenbarsrepairs5594]

Done that a number of times myself building bookshelves to prevent sagging.

[@skie6282]

Thats very likely the purpose! A board on edge is very ridgid and hard to snap. Its also on 1 side not the other, the side people sit on, the side that would have more weight. 2 would be best but 1 works fine.

[@markoesterling5257]

Imagine sitting on the bench and wanting to scooch it closer or farther to the table while seated. Get you butt just a bit off the seat, reach between your legs, suddenly the apron makes a LOT of sense.

[@maximillianzorn6085]

Sounds like that philanthropist got... fleeced.

[@DanT10]

I dunno the philanthropist got 40 plus years out of those benches.

[@rdouthwaite]

​@@DanT10 did you see that blur over your head? That was the joke, you missed. 😉

[@jamesjohnson9996]

Sir, you are a gentleman and a scholar. Well done.

[@defenestrated23]

(⌐▨_▨) YEEEEAHHHHHHHH!

[@supergeek1418]

Bah-dum-dump - - - - Ka-tish!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Seriously sweet. I love seeing great little details come to life from the past.

[@RexKrueger]

Thank you!

[@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740]

@@RexKrueger so there's no hidden tennons in the 45⁰ pieces cut on angle n wedged..... I know wrong terms n whatnot. But curiosity has me pondering perhaps the not so obvious.... 🙏🔥⚒️🧙🏼‍♂️

[@TomLeg]

@@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740 I was thinking the same thing ... that there should be little tenons on the braces. But clearly no need if you drive the nails in the right direction to handle the load.

[@sebbes333]

*@Rex Krueger* 5:50 That drill hole is added for functionality, not for looks, it stops the plank from splintering into 2 pieces, along the wooden grains. If it was just a (upside down) V-grove, all the forces would concentrate at the "tip" of the V, but the hole is drilled to "spread out" the forces and remove the corners.

[@jeffeverde1]

My grandfather was a carpenter and cabinetmaker, born in 1903. As a kid, I remember that 8d bright finish nails were his go-to fastener. When I've disassembled some of the things he built, 50 years later, they do not come apart easily. As others have commented, the trick is opposing nail angles. And it doesn't take much - maybe 10º

[@sethsevaroth]

My grandfather was also a carpenter, born in 1918, and he also used 8 penny nails in most of his furniture of which we still have many pieces.

[@pcka12]

The nails rust sealing them into the wood. Anyone who has pulled out as many nails as I have knowns how difficult it can be.

[@jeffeverde1]

@@pcka12 That's true for unfinished outdoor items, but not for interior pieces. In the pieces my grandfather built, it was definitely the cross-angling that provided the strong holding force.

[@pcka12]

@@jeffeverde1 you obviously don't come from the West of England! Everything rusts! I am told that Florida is the same, in fact it is probably only in certain deserts in the centres of continents that corrosion is rare!

[@sathancat]

I never see anyone making videos quite like you. It's amazing how much you can learn by taking the time to inspect various pieces and sharing what you've learned..

[@gregpreston7301]

PS ...thank you for taking time out of you trip to Connecticut to create content for us.

[@RexKrueger]

Content creation is a disease. I never visit anyone without bringing a camera.

[@ThreenaddiesRexMegistus]

We had a five-board bench that was around years before I was born and well into my 20’s. It finally surrendered to rot. I built another a few years ago and it’s incredibly useful. The side ledge provides support for the top despite it being 1” thick and indirectly reduces stress on the angle braces by reducing flex. The hole at the apex of the V cutout prevents splitting by distributing stress more evenly.

[@louisvictor3473]

Was it painted? Some people don't like painting wood too much, but a good coat of paint will shoo rot away longer even with low maintenance.

[@ryanjohnson3615]

Side ledge also will keep the top from warping or twisting over time. This guy missed a lot. I don't think the bench is as praiseworthy as he thinks. Imagine using one of the actual component boards as a backer in preventing the drill bit blow out... -or not just taking another light plane swipe to remove the ridge left from a nick in the blade.

[@ThreenaddiesRexMegistus]

Yep, it was an industrial green typical of the day and I might have painted it again when it was already old. It did pretty well outside in all weathers for 30-something years. It was probably matai or rimu which wasn’t expensive in the 1950s. Likely my older brother’s school woodwork project - they used to teach boys that up until the 1970’s here as a matter of course. Girls went to home economics and baked cakes. I built my new one out of pine 19mm (3/4”) as it’s nearly impossible to get full 1” board now. Also with full-length sides as was the original. Triangle gussets in the middle of each end. Not overly impressed with the one featured in the video either.

[@louisvictor3473]

Really nice insights, Rex! There are four points I think also deserve some mention. First, the very geometry. Triangles are the strongest shape. mirrored like this, they are more than the sum of parts (deforming one requires deforming both, forces are distributed). Those round holes are not just decorative, they prevent splitting as the negative space distributes force according to shape - wedge vs round, the winner is clear. That durable thick paint layer most certainly did wonders to keep moisture out and so control wood movement. Might even do more, but can't tell from here. Lastly, the narrowing of the leg boards + cut out, makes it move less. Smaller feet and same force = higher pressure = less slipping around= less damage from wiggling (at least when it is kept outdoors on soil as it helps dig into it deeper, literally planting it a bit deeper, I am actually not sure how it goes on solid surfaces). Whether the details were added consciously or just copying "how you do it", the mere fact they bothered to include it even for a simple outdoor bench speaks well of the craftsperson either way.

[@ABaumstumpf]

having the legs angled inwards makes it easy to set it up right next to up to a wall: walls normally were not exactly straight. Like this it is not the legs but the top that touch the wall, so when sitting down it does not rock around.

[@elisabetk2595]

Also, baseboards.

[@byronwatkins2565]

If you want nails to stick, use seasoned lumber. Tree sap acts like a lubricant and allows nails to slip. Also, orient the nails so the corners cut the grain. These frayed tendrils stick to nails like a gecko sticks to walls. And, joints that fit are far more durable regardless of how they are bound.

[@timsampson5229]

Great to see you using plastic crates as supports. I have three plastic milk crates that I inherited with the first house I bought in 1978 - and I still use them today as supports, step-ups, low benches and now my grandchildren use them to stand up at my workbench when we're doing woodwork together!

[@DuxLindy]

think it's another case of really skilled guys working with what they have and compromising where they need to. we often see the opposite today; it's not hard to find poorly designed/constructed furniture done by fabricators trying to cover their shortcomings with now widely available, fancy tools and skipping the basics.

[@milkywayan2232]

Hello. Early 70s. Southern Lehigh middle school. Center Valley Pennsylvania. Mr. Baker woodshop teacher. Both shelf unitS I built that year were put together with glue and eight penny finish nails. One of them, 66 inches tall, 48 inches wide, 12 inches deep (I may have used three-quarter inch by 11 1/2 inch shelving board) With two doors on the front is still in my mothers kitchen. The bench at your folks place; I think that skirt board is for carrying, as well as hanging for storage. Imagine having to carry two of those benches into the barn when your picnic gets rained out. You carry them using that piece as a handle. I’ve come across simple handles like that fashioned out of wood on various farms. I have adopted its use for gates and barn doors myself. I agree with comment about the hole At the top of the cuts for the legs. It is to prevent

[@mikeanderson6881]

The way you deliver these videos is a lot like the bench - it looks simple, but it's really well put together by someone who really knows what he's doing, and with an eye for style ;-) This is some of the best content on KZbin.

[@Dther99]

I've been trying to figure out how to build a garden bench for the backyard, and given lumber prices here in Australia, how to do it in as little lumber as possible... And here you are answering that question! Thanks, Rex! edit 2 weeks later: I DID IT I MADE MY FIRST ACTUAL PIECE OF FURNITURE LAST WEEK! it's not square and the clinched nails aren't... properly clinched, but it holds my hefty weight and it's a place to sit while I'm in the shed! Can't wait until I make a piece of furniture that can be seen in the sun without giving my eyes tetanus!

[@Dther99]

@Jay Khan Oh, definitely! All of my wood at the moment is reclaimed pallet wood. What's your approach to making larger boards? I don't have enough clamps/workholding in general, so gluing up unfortunately isn't on the cards right now. As I type this, I realised that this might be a good excuse for me to try and figure out the sliding dovetail...

[@absalomdraconis]

​@@Dther99 : You can also take some skinny stuff, put a layer down on plastic sheeting, apply glue, put another layer of skinny stuff down at an angle, cover with more plastic, and weigh down with assorted bags of simple water or sand. Might not be perfect, but it's quite usable.

[@Dther99]

@@absalomdraconis Ohhh yeah, like really thick plywood? That's smart. I don't know how that will hold up as it moves, but I might give that a shot next time i need a thick, wide slab. For anyone who might be curious: I made my first five board bench, my first piece of actual, usable furniture, last week! I bit the bullet and made the boards by running "parallel" battens across and held it with some badly clinched nails. Nothing's square and the clinches are so ugly and not-embedded that I might get tetanus just looking at it, but they're all tucked away on the underside, and a bench is a bench! I have seat inside the shed now! A similar bench made using screws and actual care (I crammed making the entire thing into a single weekend) might even be worthy of being seen in the sun!

[@jeremyturner2873]

I remember watching the carpenters knocking these together quickly at breaktime during construction of my parents' house. Of course they had circular saws and framing nailers so it took literally seconds.

[@pirakoXX]

Rex, your enthusiasm, knowledge, and storytelling skills... wow!! You make it so easy to see the people and places you talk about. Thank you so so much!!

[@coRnflEks]

As a mechanical engineer, I can say that the apron isnt only decorative. Yes, the board plently strong, but the apron it there to avoid flex. The additional flex would likely jiggle the nails out over time. Those holes are a very typical thing to do on sheet steel, to avoid peak forces producing propogating cracks. Also in mechanical engineering, interference fits (using friction) is superior to mechanical fitment. In other words, if the nails are strong enough, they will do a better job than screws. On screws, you have two modes of operation: the screws and the head. On nails, both sides use static friction which is symmetric and equally strong. More you know!

[@Pootycat8359]

Obviously. They prevent the top from bending. And those "spindly" braces form TRIANGLES, the strongest geometric shape there is. Those holes aren't decorative. They're certainly for reducing stress concentrations, which could cause the wood to split. This person is obviously neither a carpenter nor engineer.

[@deezynar]

The legs angling inward put the diagonal braces in compression, which is heaven for the nails that hold the braces on. I have a 50 year old, 5 board foot stool that is held together by finishing nails. It gets real world use all the time and it's now ready for a rebuild. I will remove the original nails and replace them with finishing screws. I'll also add some blocks to the underside just for my state of mind since it doesn't need them.

[@rustyshackleford3978]

I think the single apron may just be to make it easier for one person to carry the bench. Standing on the opposite side and reaching over, your hand has something to wrap around, instead of grasping a horizontal edge.

[@rex8255]

So, basically, the herder did the shearing, and the farmer got fleeced... Wouldn't the hole at the top of the apex assist in preventing splitting?

[@snesguy9176]

Probably. I've seen that done with many materials where you drill the end of a crack to keep it from spreading. Especially in metal, they'll drill it before welding the crack. Releasing stress in the metal or w/e.

[@daylen577]

I don't know if you gave it any special attention, but the audio is much better in this video than some of the recent ones! Great content as always 🙂

[@robertberger8642]

Great video, thanks for making it! And, I’m very glad you’re going to make it yourself. Two points, though. First, that apron absolutely is providing stiffness. Proof: when you make yours, make it without the apron. Then sit on it. With a friend. Bounce a little. Then, add the apron and test it again. You’ll find that it absolutely does make the bench noticeably stiffer. Second, those round holes in the legs are not purely decorative. They help prevent crack formation and growth from those cuts’ vertices.

[@gregpreston7301]

Really fun and interesting information Rex. I'm looking forward to the build video. A couple question/observations... The hole bored ontonthe legs may also serve a structural purpose. That being to help prevent the legs from splitting at that point of intersection. I recall seeing this detail on a couple other builds. Also, the top appears to be a single board of over a foot in width. Will you try to find such a board for your build or will we have to join two together. Finally, your insight and observations in these forensic videos are really intriguing (except the shearing story, lol) and have me looking at yard sale and garage finds in a whole new way. It's really fun to try to find the story behind the history. Thanx. As always I appreciate all you do.

[@RexKrueger]

Thank you! I haven't a prayer of finding wood that wide, so I've bought 1" poplar. Common and similar enough to yellow pine. I'll be jointing 3 pieces to get the width. It's not ideal, but it's a good example for folks who actually want to build it.

[@gregpreston7301]

Cool. I may be using local Larch/Tamarack when I get around to the build. I will probably use it as an unfinished outdoor piece and latch weather's well and resists insects and decay. Looking forward to it.

[@Exgrmbl]

@@gregpreston7301 You see this kind of hole at 2 intersecting lines regularly in metalworking, it's for the same purpose, to avoid areas where stresses could concentrate and cracks would occur.

[@dwightl5863]

@@ExgrmblI have seen a few of this style benches and agree with the purpose of the hole where the legs meet. I’ve seen it on either KZbin, in a woodworking magazine or plan at some point. Truly thought Rex would have known that.

[@perrymoser3014]

​@@gregpreston7301 be ready to sharpen a lot, tamarack has a high mineral content (silicon iirc) and is known around here(SE WA) to dull blades pretty fast

[@StodOneR]

In Serbia there is this stool you can see everywhere , a 3 legged stool , there's always variations in how it looks but it is so bare bone and simple , 3 holes and 3 legs pushed through the holes . Most of the time it has bark left on it or just general shape of the log and the legs. Just looks very natural and never gave it a second thought before you mentioned something being plain but there is a lot of detail if you look deeper .

[@elisabetk2595]

Look for one of the old videos on this channel, where he builds a stool similar to that with just an axe, a hammer, and I think an auger?

[@StodOneR]

@@elisabetk2595 I found what I think you were reffering too , yeah that's almost like what I see here everywhere , "cow milking stool" but it has half circle seat and it can sometimes have arm rest and some decorations and what not. Here we call it "Tronozac" or "Stolovaca" .

[@strongjohn10956]

I love these analytical videos of vintage/antique pieces. Brads and finish nails were the first wire nails available in the 19th century. Wire common nails with fully-formed heads become available in the last quarter of the 19th century, and pretty much replace cut nails in most applications by the First World War.

[@smxaviermelendez9210]

Furniture forensics is one of my favorite things you cover in videos. Great job as always!

[@theeddorian]

Interesting and enlightening. I've created a bench design for my granddaughters that uses four boards. The two leg boards flare out toward the base, and have the v-cut in the bottom. When I was testing variations in how to build the bench, I ultimately added those auger holes at the apex because the legs tended to split upward from the "v" notch. I speculated that the hole might relieve or distribute some stress and reduce the tendency to split. That does seem to have worked. But, what strikes me is that the taper in the legs you describe would reduce that splitting tendency. The upper ends are fastened to the seat board and have no degree of freedom of motion, unlike the lower ends. I use an auger to make the holes at the apex, but I check to see when the lead screw starts to come through and turn the board over and complete the hole from the other face. Perfectly clean holes result, with no breakout damage. I think that supports your quick, efficient work suspicion,

[@Rig0r_M0rtis]

Heh my parents had a similiar bench, a little longer but cruder with only 3 boards. I could swear it was the thick layers of paint that held it together.

[@Mike-vn7ys]

I am going to disagree with you on a couple of items you mentioned. The auger hole is used the same as a metal worker would place it as it spreads out the center stress of the v to stop cracking and giving any stress a wider stress relief. If you have a piece of metal and you see a crack in it, and it is not critical, drill a hole at the end of the crack and it should stop it from cracking further. While the bench top board is thick and may not bend for a couple of years maybe, the skirt board will offer a lot support which is maybe why the bench has lasted so long. It is also a decoration to the bench.

[@extremetea]

Great video. My 1st but I'm starting a binge after comment. I've got a slightly different take on 3 details of construction Rex said were primarily stylistic: The inward cant of the legs puts the braces under compression insuring that the nailed ends don't pull right out. The round hole prevents the sharp cut of the v from splitting down the length of the leg. Lastly that's a calf comfort board on the front. Kids and short legged will love it. (It stops early because your feet hit the legs and can't swing back far enough to hurt that far out.) The parts were all doing multiple jobs and doing it with style too? Y'know I'm pretty good at everything i do but those old dudes are scary hard to keep up with.

[@garethbaus5471]

I have made a decent number of things using finish nails, the trick with them is to always use them in shear. Even a small diameter nail shank has decent shear strength and you don't have to have much friction to risist a shear load so that is pretty much as much strength as you are going to get.

[@mr.bennett108]

Has the bench always been painted? There are only a few reasons I've ever seen finishing nails pull out. I mean, if they didn't have SOME grip, why would we use them, on facia boards and trims? The first reason is the stress pattern. If an item twists and rakes much, it wears the hole out and it slips (which is true of all wire nails). The other is that the wood was unfinished. The swelling and drying causes the hole to waller out and it gets slippery. If it was painted, and the nails were located such that they're only taking sheer stresses, not torquing or stretching/compressing, then I could see a robust finishing nail lasting for a good long time. I've also heard of a very old technique used on finshing nails, and I have 100% done this to GREAT effect, and that's barbing the nail. Drive the nail part-way down, then hit it at an angle on the side of the nail with a sharp hatchet. It'll create barbs like a fish hook that'll help it grip. It compromises the strength of the nail...but that can be made up by using another nail haha

[@norm5785]

Thank you for sharing this bench with us today. Everyone stay warm, safe, happy and healthy. From Henrico County Virginia

[@GhaleonEB]

Of all the woodworking content I watch, I'm most excited for this new series. The mix of design study, construction forensics and history lesson is wonderful. And it feels...important? I'm really glad you are doing this.

[@markbernier8434]

I see this as a one board bench. You said the top was five feet and I will surmise the builder started with a 10 footer that was fresh from the mill. He cut it in half, then dressed the edges of the top to straight. Then from the remainder cut a strip the width of the diagonal braces which is likely exactly the width of the apron, (That is structural btw, see what happens without) The leg holes are to prevent splitting and the taper is both to look good and be stable but also to clean up the edges. As other's have noted, I would bet no nail in this is at 90 degrees to anything. That is where you should start your project, with a single rough cut board.

[@michaelcarman4672]

Glad you're doing a build video on this, Rex - I was just wondering if you'd talk more about the specific joinery in here. Great video as always.

[@RexKrueger]

There's not much to say about the joints until I build it. It's all nails. I'm not really sure how it works, but it's clearly not rocket science. Once I bang it together, I'll see.

[@louisvictor3473]

​@@RexKrueger You say that, but maybe they used finishing nails from NASA! 😱

[@Dragon_With_Matches]

I love these furniture forensics videos! It’s so interesting learning the history of real life furniture pieces that people like us (normal people, not high falutin rich folks) would have made and used. Thanks!!!

[@philiptenenzaph6128]

I absolutely love these videos. I recently inherited a dresser from my grandparents and was able to ascertain so much about it it just from previous furniture forensics videos. Thanks for the incredibly interesting info, Rex!

[@JimCGames]

My father made a similar bench. We had a large family of 8 kids. We had it for years. He made it sometime in the mid 60s. Ours didn’t have the auger hole at the apex of the support cuts and neither was there any boards horizontally on the face or back. I don’t recall specifically, but I don’t believe he used finished nails and I’m sure he didn’t use glue (I’ve never seen him use wood glue and I’m not sure wood glue was widely used in those years). We had that for many, many years when we were growing up and it not only served as additional seating for our large family, but from time to time was even used as a saw horse to put some wood on that was being cut. Thanks for the memories.

[@eloscuro704]

Speaking of that original 5 board bench, I made a modern equivalent - except it is a 4 board bench. Using plywood, all I did was cut a top, 2 sides and a wide stringer that was mounted in the center instead of the sides. Fastened them with drywall screws (though angled correctly, wire nails should work too) and painted with milk paint. 20 years going, and they are as sturdy as the day I made them.

[@andrewkrahn2629]

An excellent video! I think this is my favorite series. A small nit to pick: the faux Edwardian daybed/chaise video isn't in the forensics playlist.

[@seanseoltoir]

Or maybe the original builder was not expecting / needing it to last that long and was just using what was on hand... My (future) wife needed a small step stool around 40 years ago when we were in college... I didn't have much in the way of tools available there, but I hacked together something that I figured would just be temporary using butt joints, screws, and glue... Surprisingly, the thing is still around and rock solid... I was surprised that it hasn't racked in all these years since there have been plenty of side loads on it... I think the reason is that I put 1x2 trim pieces around the horizontal step section and then also added them to the sides of the legs, thus resisting the tendency of the joint to rack... Sometimes, temporary fixes end up being permanent... :)

[@wayneswonderarium]

It's only temporary unless it works 😅

[@Arariel3]

I love that you adapted your opinion regarding the nails.

[@paulbowes5586]

I enjoyed your analysis of this piece. Thanks for the content.

[@chrislewis6050]

I think that front 'apron' might be a handle, so it can easily be carried with one hand. Great video.

[@milkywayan2232]

I feel kind of silly I had not read your post before I put mine up. I’ve got to get a handle on this posting stuff

[@chrislewis6050]

@@milkywayan2232 They fly by. Repetition doesn't hurt. !)

[@watching999]

So much to learn from older furniture. Maybe the lumber from older growth trees also helped wither nails holding.

[@jguil4d]

I love your Furniture Forensics series, but I have a small bone to pick with your analysis here. You describe this as something built in the early 40s, “probably just in the post-war era.” Now, by that I assume you mean WW2, which ran (for the USA) from very late 1941 through mid-late 1945. So the post-war era begins, at earliest, September 1945, which is pretty solidly mid-40s.

[@jackw9034]

Love how you ,"geek out," on the forensics. Was very surprised to see that they used finish nails.

[@Tonicwine999]

I love how humble and honest Rex is, even to the point where he has to mention that the nails used goes against his advice and I especially liked the part where he said that he wasn’t sure if he’d measure up to the prison craftsmen. The fame has never went to Rex’s head - he is as consistent as his shavings 😋. Brilliant.

[@austin2842]

That front apron board combined with the angle supports is definitely adding strength and stability. The slightly-angled legs surprises me though.

[@byronservies4043]

I love this series. Not least because the limited ... everything ... give me hope for my projects.

[@1988dgs]

Great dive into what would be an overlooked piece. Cut nails are hugely expensive here so recently found horse shoe nails, great alternative

[@ron.v]

I built a pair of similar benches in the 1970s for my wife and I and our 8 children to sit around the dining table. I only used 4 boards. One on top and two "V" shaped legs like the bench in the video. The 4th board was nailed centered on the underside of the seat and at right angles to the seat and the legs. The benches were still strong and sturdy when we sold the house 33 years later.

[@martinschulman1751]

Rex- Bravo to you for dissecting the underlying fabrication of the bench. Your comments bring the handymen and carpenters of my youth back from deep memory. They worked with few tools, left their product rough and were able provide years and years of good use. Straight saw cuts, quick chamfers and get it all together with nails. Not hundreds of dollars of fancy tools, all done by hand and with basic plans coming off the top of their heads. Keep it going.

[@jsaurman]

1:36 Since the war ended in August 1945, there is no way that it could be from the early 1940's *AND* be from the post-war era, since the post war era didn't start until the late 1940's. Pedantic, yes, I know. I was a history major and we obsess about these sorts of things, sorry.

[@michealfigueroa6325]

Please let me assure you that finnish nails are up to most wood work projects I've been using finnish nails in wood work for more than 60 years I like to use them when I do not want the nail head to clutter the work surface 4 penny to 10 penny they work great in basic but well designed furnture. TY 4sharing

[@jj_vinet]

How tight is the lumbers growth rings? Tight lumber drying around 8 penny nails for better hold? 🤷‍♂️

[@martinrwolfe]

As the legs are angled slightly inwards there is no tension on the nails holding the legs and braces. Infact the only time the nails holding the legs on will be under tension is when you lift the bench up by the seat.

[@1988dgs]

The legs are narrower at the bottom than the top, not closer together

[@unknownorigin5153]

First time seeing your channel, don't know anything about furniture but I love and just binged all your furniture forensics videos lol. I love how knowledgeable you are :)

[@cryxia]

I've always thought this - if you were to make the joints here with dowel instead of nails and no glue, you'd layout the dowels in a very particular way for maximum strength. The next logical step up from dowels would be steel rods and a nail is exactly that, a steel rod. The same techniques should be transferable here as well.

[@OldManSilencer]

I really love furniture forensics of all the things you do this is my favorite humanizing history is fun, the details and tidbits are fun, everything about it is great. thank you for making this one and this semi regular series.

[@andyc972]

Thanks Rex, these are always interesting, it's easy sometimes to over analyse the build/design process, but it's fun to consider the possibilities. I know I'm guilty of spending more time planning than building, sometimes we've just got to get on with it and knock something together ! If it's lasted this long it works !

[@deang9061]

That 3/4" hole is also a strain relief to prevent the board from splitting on the grain line strait up from the point

[@freshcoatpaintingmore9951]

We used wire nails in woodshop in the 90's and my stuff is still together. I think once the steel gets alittle rust built up around it, it doesn't slip out.

[@marvinostman522]

Nice detective work and humility.

[@Carveaholic]

I work at a steel mill in Cleveland Ohio. That looks just like what we call a mill bench. The wood peckers come in to build a scaffold or something so maintenance can complete a task and end up getting asked to make furniture so the workers can have more comfortable breaks. The biggest differences i see between this and ours are no apron, the gussets on the inside are solid, and there's a hole cut in the middle to use as a handle. That's a rock solid kill bench and will last for eternity.

[@allenwalters8812]

I think the hole they drilled is a relief. It stops the board from splitting from the apex of the triangle.

[@WilliamMoneyhun]

Rex, sometimes I build stuff and think about a Rex Kruger of the future inspecting my handicraft (or lack thereof) and marveling at the amount of scrap materials that went into my effort.

[@olivier2553]

It is possible that the hole on the legs also serves to prevent wood from cracking at the top of the angle.

[@Liquifly]

Yes. It is a common method to hinder crack propagation in all kinds of materials.

[@freeNode5]

that hole at the top of the triangle serves a purpose. It helps keep unexpected stress on the board from causing it to split up from the tip of the triangle

[@steveconlon8936]

Excellent, Rex. I love FF and I love your presentation & willingness to be wrong! Thanks!!

[@---cr8nw]

The legs are angled in at the bottom to give it more stability. If the legs came down at perfect 90 degree angles, it would be very easy for them to spread and to pull the nails out of the braces and continue spreading. Applying weight with the legs angled inward forces them to TOWARDS the braces, not away from them.

[@DroneBeeStrike]

Since i'm not a full timer, on small projects like this I often use "leftover" nails. sometimes they are pretty old. it's possible the nails are even older than the bench, and probable that they are much higher quality than what's currently available.

[@athmostafa2462]

Amazing how you look and find such old furniture here and there to show us how it's made?!!!!! Now waiting to make one like it !!!!! Interesting .

[@tbear2797]

Fun video. As usual your presentation is great. The holes at the top of the “V” on the legs is not just ornamentation, it is a “stress reducer”. If there was not a hole there, the board making up the leg would tend to split upward from the apex of the angle. The hole prevents the stress from concentrating, thus reducing the likely hood that the board will split.

[@MortimerSugarloaf]

Heck yeah, man. FURNITURE FORENSICS!

[@hamburger512]

I feel silly that a bench got me to subscribe but now I need to see how these are made so I can make some haha

[@MCsCreations]

Really beautiful piece indeed, Rex! 😃 I liked the 5 board bench you showed! I'm definitely going to try to make one! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@Tipi_Dan]

Instant "save" video. I fully intend to build one like this. Thank you for the exposition.

[@michaelcima5772]

One reason for having the 3/4” hole at the top of the V is to prevent propagation of a crack. The V concentrates stress at the top of the notch. The hole prevents such a high stress that it would fracture the wood. Try it. It really works.

[@rubidot]

I don't think I've come across your videos before. This was lovely, and I want to see your build of this bench.

[@dwwoodbuilds]

Love this series!! Really looking forward to the bench build and what is learned!

[@HippoXXL]

I could watch this kind of Videos for hours! Thank You! Greetings from Germany, Marcus

[@__-fm5qv]

The thing that impresses me the most is the lack of rot ngl. We have a wooden bench in our garden, that in the summer is out in the open on the grass, in the winter its covered up on the patio (its more sheltered there and its less likely to get wet). But even still one of legs has rotted a full 3 inches off the bottom, and thats with having its paint re-applied roughly every 2 years. Granted, this is the UK and it is outside all of the time but still.

[@supergeek1418]

😅 Those holes at the apex of the boot-jack notches aren't for decoration - they prevent stress-riser cracks from propagating up the leg board (plus they do look good).

[@johntailing5283]

What a great vid, , , just love this stuff, , , exactly the kind of kit I want to be building myself, practical,solid, and stable! and not a two week project in the workshop. . . . For me, these things are more of an heirloom piece than jewellery boxes and the like, practical, solid day to day usage pieces that help create memories around the house and family. I could bleat for hours about the design practicality- small ground contact area, less damage, damp, rot etc.- “design “ holes to stop boards splitting, just soooo good, And the forensics, , , , , just as good as it gets 👍 Great job Rex, more of these please!

[@ianpearse4480]

Olde timey woodworkers are so cool. Surprises all over the place. Cheers Rex.

[@ChrisHornberger]

The combination of (relatively) soft pine, any decent nail's shearing strength, and (expected) direction of movement means that those finishing nails can be (even slightly) buried in the wood and the soft pine will swell around the top minimizing the need for a larger nail head and still do the job just fine. I applaud the use of them rather than some silly railroad spike-sized behemoths that would have likely loosened up and backed out long ago because they weren't as well captured by the wood. $.02

[@Jonathan_Strange]

Great analysis and background info on the piece Rex. Really enjoyed it.

[@thatguythatdoesstuff5899]

"If you have a sheep farm, dont go on vacation during shearing season" sounds like one of those old sayings. I love it.

[@KeithOlson]

FWIW, if you figure out how a joint can be rotated/pulled to come apart, then drive in your fasteners so they *AREN'T* tangential/parallel to the curve/line of force, they will naturally resist pulling out, even if they are relatively smooth.

[@johnstobbscpa8081]

God Bless you Rex! I love your honesty. Thank you.