Quick Question, new with hand tools

[Zhent]

Hi everyone,

I'm just setting out on woodworking, and I've decided to focus on hand tools for now, since my budget and space don't really allow for all the power tools that I'd like. I have a few contractor-style power tools but nothing major - no drill press, jointer, planer, or anything else that seems incredibly useful the more I read.

Since I also have no workbench at the moment, I figured that would be the first step. I picked up a bunch of boards for the top and I'm trying to start laminating them for a solid, heavy surface while I figure out the design of the actual bench. How do I fix this:



The clamp in this photo is holding just enough to keep the boards together on the far side - the two on the right are pretty well put together, but the one on the left is way out at the close end. I think I have to plane from about halfway down all the way to the far end, to try and bring that down to the level of this corner - is that right?

Thanks!

[paarker]

Did you try clamping the boards all the way along the length? It might be enough to close that up. The tool to fix this would be a jointer. Using hand tools to fix this you would want some kind of hand plane but I don't know which one.

[Phil S.]

I suspect you can just put a clamp across the planks and pull them together during glue up rather than plane off a bunch of wood.  2X material should flex that much.  If I was doing it I'd glue them so the curve of one board opposes that of the next, like so ()()() rather than add the curves together like so )))))).  If you glue up sections that will be joined together, say 4-6 pieces of 2X material, you may need to true the faces because something that thick won't flex and you won't be able to pull the joints together with clamps.  Another approach would be to glue up a core of as many planks as you can glue given the open time for the glue you use and then add a plank or two to each side until you reach the width you want.  Those look like 2X6's - may be overkill for thickness for a bench - 2X4's should be plenty.  I'd also suggest having a pretty good idea of your design before you put a lot of time and materials into the top and possibly  end up with something that's not going to work for you.

[Zhent]

Thanks to both! I definitely wish I had a jointer, unfortunately all I'm working with now is a #5 Stanley hand plane.

I do plan on gluing up 3 or 4 boards at once, letting them get good and set, then doing one final glue-up at the end when I have all the mini-sections pre-glued.

They are 2x6 - when I picked them up it was more of a last-minute opportunity [a friend had a rental truck for another hour before his rental was due]. I know they may be overkill but I didn't want to get them all home and then realize they weren't going to be very useful.

I'm working on a plan now - just waiting on a couple of books from Amazon. Since I don't have a lot of opportunities to actually do a lot of work, by the time I get 2 or 3 of these units glued up I should have a good idea of what my next step will be!

[YSU65]

Since you are making a top, how about just using screws?  You only don't want them to show on the edges.  Be careful on placement in case you and to drill holes for bench dogs.  You can also use glue and screws, just remove the screws after the glue sets.

[daddo]

If you glue them up on a flat surface, just flip it over and now the top is more flat.

Ripping each one on a table saw on one side will give you a flat corner on each and equal width.

2x6 is going to be very Heavy- get help.!

[fredhargis]

Are you gluing them edge to edge, or face to face? Either way, I don't think you have to do anything.

[Zhent]

Face to face, as shown. I'm trying to avoid as many knots as possible in the top of the work surface once it is complete.

Thanks!

[cputnam]

I'm unable to see the pic you posted, but here are some thoughts.

1) - get all of the boards for the top lined so that they will all plane in the same direction without tearout
2) - try to get 1 edge jointed and then lay that edge on some angle iron with the angle pointing up. If the boards are properly jointed, the jointed edges will sit flat and true on the angle iron
3) - try to get enough clamps to cover the length of your bench top @ about 1 clamp / 6"
4) - Once you have the top glued up, flip it over and let it rest on the sawhorses. Then make it as flat as you can with that # 5
5) - Now you have a flat reference top with which to make your base.
6) - if your base to top connection requires mortise and tenon joinery (or anything fussy) you will want to make the underside of the bench top reasonably flat.

You do have the means to properly hone that # 5, don't you?

[Zhent]

Sorry, fixed the photo for now - I can never seem to figure them out for sharing / links / etc.