Introduction (updated with pictures of workbench build progress)

[SSolomon]

I'd like to introduce myself. I've been reading the forum for quite a while, and have finally decided to participate. I'm relatively new to woodworking, and use hand tools almost exclusively (I purchased an old 16-inch Walker Turner bandsaw to help with some of the more laborious work).

I've built a few projects so far, including a humidor, some bookshelves, the shipping crate from the Joiner and Cabinetmaker (it holds my granite surface plate), and a box for my wife, but my most ambitious project is currently a work in progress. I'm building a shaker-style workbench like the one in Scott Landis' Workbench Book. I'm using European Beech for the top, legs, stretchers, etc. and poplar for the back and side panels, drawer fronts and bottoms, and doors. It's been pretty slow going--I'm just taking my time and working on it for fun after work and on weekends.

I've learned a ton from reading everyone's posts, and will probably be asking more questions in the near future. I'll post some pictures of the (limited) progress on my bench this evening.

Regards,

Sean

[joemac]

SSolomon said:

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I've built a few projects so far, including a humidor, some bookshelves, the shipping crate from the Joiner and Cabinetmaker (it holds my granite surface plate), and a box for my wife, but my most ambitious project is currently a work in progress. I'm building a shaker-style workbench like the one in Scott Landis' Workbench Book. I'm using European Beech for the top, legs, stretchers, etc. and poplar for the back and side panels, drawer fronts and bottoms, and doors.
Sean

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Sean, welcome!!

No pictures- it didn't happen.

Joe

[branchacctg]

Welcome to the forum. Lots of great folks with knowledge here (Not me).

[Wilbur Pan]

SSolomon said:

---

I'd like to introduce myself. I've been reading the forum for quite a while, and have finally decided to participate. I'm relatively new to woodworking, and use hand tools almost exclusively (I purchased an old 16-inch Walker Turner bandsaw to help with some of the more laborious work).

---

Welcome, Sean! Always nice to meet another 16” Walker-Turner bandsaw owner.

[Window Guy]

Welcome Sean ........ This is a great place to hang out with a lot of very knowledgable and nice Guy's and Gal's here. I am relatively new with Hand Tool work but have been working wood for over 40 years.

I still have a lot to learn about using Hand Tools but so enjoy it.

Steve

[Jason_D]

Welcome, Sean! I'd love to see any progress pics of the bench build. I'm a confessed bench build junkie.

[TobyC]

Welcome Sean,

Maybe you can teach us a thing or two.

[SSolomon]

Thanks for all the warm welcomes. I look forward to learning a lot from everyone. This is my first attempt at uploading photos, so please forgive me if it doesn't work properly. To start with, here are a few of the projects I mentioned:

This was my very first woodworking project, done while in high school using my dad's cheap contractor table saw and having no clue what I was doing. It's a humidor made of offcuts of mahogany, quilted maple, and cherry. It's lined with spanish cedar.



I went off to college and didn't do any woodworking for a while, but I got married while in law school and thought my wife might not like living with cinder block bookcases, so I built two bookcases of home depot red oak (also with my dad's cheap table saw and a router). Here's one of them--I couldn't get far enough away in the room to get both in the picture:



That project was enough to teach me that I don't like relying on power tools. I thought the router was terrifying to use, and the noise/dust were unpleasant to say the least. I got online and started googling woodworking with hand tools. I ended up on the Lie Nielsen website and thought the tools were beautiful. As I read more about hand tool woodworking I developed this picture in my mind of quietly crafting furniture (and one day guitars/mandolins) in my shop. I bought books and read tons of blogs/forums and decided to get some handtools. As a student I certainly couldn't afford Lie Nielsen, but I got a few things from WaltQ and at local antique shops. My wife was very patient with me while I built my first hand tool project in the living room of our tiny one bedroom apartment. It's the packing box from the Joiner and the Cabinetmaker. I made it to fit my granite surface plate.



I'll follow up this post with pictures of my workbench build.

Regards,

Sean

(I edited this a few times to fool with the pictures - Let me know if they came through properly.)

[Blacky's Boy]

Hey Sean, welcome to the forum!

I like the humidor as well as the packing case for your granite plate

And yes, an electric router can be noisy and terrifying! That's one of the reasons I got into hand tools in the first reason.

[cputnam]

Welcome!

Please take pics and post your progress as you feel comfortable.