SHOP NOTES WORK BENCH
The death of an old piano (okay, I killed it) makes way for the new life of a hefty stand-up work bench
2014
This was the second project I tried to tackle from Shop Notes magazine. The first thing you notice in that magazine is that they don’t skimp on materials; I do. Because I just work with what I can find, their end result is a ton more polished than mine. I did end up salvaging a bunch of pretty hefty wood from an old piano. I bypassed the end vices as well.
All that remains of a once crappy piano.
This table top is made by sandwiching layers of glued up, beefy sheets of wood. I used plywood and wheat board.
Using a flush-trim router bit, you can get all the layers perfectly even.
On the inside of the legs, this little detail hides the grooves needed to set the end pieces.
Sometimes, you gotta get a bit creative with the clamps.
Glue City
Made this little jigga to get even bench dogs all around the outside. You crazy for this one.
This piece on the end is glued just to give it that stout and clad look, but it may be the only cosmetic element.
There was a bit of math needed to line up the legs with the male side from under the top.
Bar clamps would make this part a cinch … I didn’t have long enough ones.