Split Top Bench #2: Planed, Squared and Tenoned

Well it was a productive weekend.

First I got the lumber for the legs eight 2×6’s they were pretty nice so I didn’t plane them, something in retrospect I wish I had, I just glued them and clamped them in two stacks of four.

I then got the top unclamped, everything held together well. One thing I wanted to make sure was that the top was nice and flat so once again I pulled out my surface planner and slowly started evening the top and bottom. Once that happened they were still just over 3 inches thick and did I mention heavy I figure each side of the top must weigh 40-60 lbs, either that or I am getting weak.

Anyway looked good nice and smooth enough, don’t think I am going to sand the top a little roughness will help grip the work, and quite frankly its a workbench not a dinning table.

Once everything was flat the top was flat I decided to get it squared up got everything marked and pulled out my new Diston and started sawing. I will tell you now that in the last couple months I have gone on a hand saw frenzy and decided I would be doing all the cutting and squaring using my various handsaws.

So I got started with my newer Diston and got started after several minutes I decided to give one of the other Distons a try so I grabbed a older D8 and I must say what a change. After closer inspection the newer Diston was marked crosscut but looks to have been resharpened to a rip cut. The older D8 was a beauty, it cut incredible nice fast and straight, and it also has a great handle it fits my hand perfectly so it is a joy to use.

So after repeating that a couple times I got all the ends nice and square, I was pretty happy with how it came out considering this is basically the first time I have every cut something like this by hand.

After they were all done I stacked them to check the finished product. I look to be about 1/16 -1/32 off between the two, not to shabby.

Well after a couple hours my arm was pretty sore, so I decided to call it a night.

Next morning feeling rejuvenated I started on the legs, I planned them square and cut them to size.

So then I got started on making the tenons for the legs I got to use my rip saw and I can now say that I do not like ripping stock. I don’t no why it seemed to be sooo much more effort to rip the ends for the tenons rather then crosscutting the shoulder cuts. Anyway after much effort and profanity i got them all done.

Sorry didn’t take any pics of this process I just kind of spaced out and got it done.

Here is the final product I ended up with, looks to me to be a nice strong foundation for the bench.

Carlos
Tired
Rookie Woodworker