Friday, January 1, 2010

Pre-Fab Base

While searching through a bunch of wood for some material to make a jaw for my front vise, I came across this piece of 12/4 maple. Look whose name was on the bottom.


If I remember correctly I stole this from Ian in a daring armed robbery. He deserves to be stolen from though, because he's so rich, handsome, and successful. I'm a modern day Robin Hood.

The best part of my previous bench was the base, which I'm re-using. I built it from a huge beam of recycled fir that I believe was salvaged from a bridge out by the Bugaboos. If Rane is still lurking on these blogs he might know more. I worked with him at the timber-framing shop, and he worked there long before me. That's where I got the beam, I bought it from my boss. Rane helped me pull nails out of it; spikes actually.

Before:

After:


You can tell I was working in a timber-framing shop at the time, the joinery is all post and beam style. I really like the joint that attaches the stretchers to the legs. I don't know what it's called but it's the best knock down wedged tenon I've ever came across. The wedge won't eventually split the tenon like other types, and the weight of the tenoned piece alone is enough to hold the joint together. I drew a quick sketch below.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Cody - that's a Saga Kama joint. I've used it in the past to join bed rails to headboard/ footboard.

Hope you are well - sorry about your fingers.

Merry Christmas.

Paul G.

Cody said...

Thanks Daddy Gort! Congrats on having a baby.

LORD GODFREY said...

That was from my days of signing all of my offcuts. I don't even remember what that was from. maybe the drawer sides from the sideboard?

The bench looks so sweet. I am really jealous of all you bench makers. The base looks bomb proof and wiggle proof. Mine is on raisers and all wiggly.

It is awesome that you made the wagon vise parts too.

Congrats as well Mr. and Mrs.Gort! "Small parts division", nice!

Cody said...

Don't be so quick to be jealous! I just started planing my bench flat tonight after procrastinating for a week. Good god! I bought a jointer plane just for this bench, and the f'n thing is hard enough to push across the top when the blade isn't even installed. Taking a full width shaving is like pushing my truck across the yard. Sheesh.

Yeah, you bought the 12/4 for your sideboard drawers and I bought a chunk for my tea cabinet drawers. I remember giving Marnie the money at elephants one night and she said something like 'this is going right up my nose!'. Keep an eye on her...