The New Workbench Top

In 2004 as a student of the Furniture Institute of Mass I needed a bench and only had 5 days to draw and make the bench. The size of the bench at the time was 32 inches wide and 5 feet long. The bench served me perfectly, but I wanted something longer and a tail vise. 

Long ago I thought I would always make my bench, but I quickly realized there are makers out there who can make them quicker and priced well. So I ended up buying a new bench top that will last me the rest of my life. 

I might still make the bench wider to fulfill my dream of making it in the European style bench on one edge and a Roubo style bench on the other edge. Essentially I will be making myself a smaller version of the Patrick Edwards bench. But for now this will serve me well. 

The bench top is made from Rock Maple and in dimension is 4 inches thick, 7 feet long, and 32 inches wide. The tail vise hardware comes from Lie-Nielsen Tool Works. Lets just say this bench top weighs a ton and I love it. 

Many thanks to my two friends Jasper and Brian for helping move the top and for helping me install the tail vise. 

New Book! Crafting Excellence: The Furniture of Nathan Lumbard and His Circle

    I'm happy to share that another book on a great maker named Nathan Lombard is going to hit the market shortly. Pre-order your copy from Amazon ( < Click).

   

    When the inscription “Made by Nathan Lumbard Apl 20th 1800” was found in the late 1980s on a chest of drawers, the identity of an unknown craftsman suddenly surfaced. Crafting Excellenceintroduces the striking achievements of cabinetmaker Nathan Lumbard (1777−1847) and a small group of craftsmen associated with him. Working initially in the village of Sturbridge, Massachusetts, these artisans fashioned an array of objects that rank among the most colorful and creative of Federal America. Recent scholarship has revealed Lumbard’s connection with the cabinetmaker Oliver Wight, from whom he likely learned his trade and gained an understanding of neoclassicism. Careful study of objects linked to Lumbard, Wight, and nearby artisans has produced a framework for identifying their work. The discovery of Lumbard’s name three decades ago led the authors on a pioneering journey, culminating in this handsome volume, an insightful contribution to American furniture history.