It's time for some woodworking fun in the garage. Back in the day, schools taught woodshop and every dad in the neighborhood knew some woodworking skills. Well, the schools are giving up on trades and dad is no longer a reliable go to source for woodworking knowledge. There are sites which specialize in woodworking lore but I hope we can deal with basic subjects here which will help all GJ members understand the useful skills of working with wood.
For me it all began at age two or three. My dad and his buddy were building a walnut desk in the garage but he also had toddler duty. Being a responsible parent of the 1950's, he sat me down just under the jointer outfeed in a pile of walnut shavings. I had a cut off stick and played in the aromatic shavings all afternoon. The smell of freshly cut American walnut is intoxicating and I was hooked. Fast forward many years and I am still making shavings and enjoying wood.
It all begins with a bench and I am lucky to have a European cabinetmaker's bench. My dad was pursuing his garage dream by closing in the carport AND the parking pad. It was there that I spied the bench one day in the mid 1990s. It was piled high with garage type stuff, having never been used for its intended purpose. I caught him in a weak moment--perhaps the guilt of never using the bench helped. Anyway, he helped me load it in my truck. That was quite a feat because the beech top weighs 200+ pounds.
It is an Ulmia woodworkers bench that was made sometime in the 1980s. There is a shoulder vise on the left and an end vise on the right. Square dog holes are evenly spaced for use by the six metal dogs. The top is dead flat.
Flat is important to a woodworker because it provides a reference surface for projects. I use this bench to hold wood for my handplanes.
If you desire to do some serious woodworking, get or make yourself a bench. It does not have to be the fancy euro model. I started with much less and got by. But looking at the attributes of the cabinetmakers bench will help you on your journey. Above all, a woodworkers bench must be sturdy and flat. Attaching a lightweight bench to the wall can help make it sturdy. Using a solid core door can provide you a surprisingly flat surface.
So post pictures of your woodworking benches and bench tips. Help beginners understand bench lore.
