More than a decade ago, Christopher Schwarz built the “Skansen Bench” as an “I Can Do That” project for Popular Woodworking Magazine; this link will take you to it on the PW site. Skansen, located in Stockholm on the island Djurgården, was the first open-air museum in Sweden. The bench itself is modeled after one from the Älvros Farmstead (a group of buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries that are now part of the museum); Chris saw it in the book “Making Swedish Country Furniture & Household Things” (1990, Hartley & Marks)
The Skansen Bench is a sitting bench, and for years was alongside the dining room wall in Chris and Lucy’s former house. I remember dropping my purse on it just about every visit. Upstairs here, it served as a sort of hall table for a while, then as seating.
But since 2010, he’s built quite a few more low benches specifically as workbenches, including the Saalburg bench and Herculaneum bench that are included in “Ingenious Mechanicks.” So you’d think that when he needed a low bench to demonstrate working on them for Colonial Williamsburg’s Working Wood in the 18th Century conference, he’d have one handy.
But no.
So, Chris combined workholding from both of the low benches from “Ingenious Mechanicks” on the Skansen bench. I’m betting he keeps the new-model Skansen in the shop; he’s been using it a lot to shave chair spindles while sitting (that’s what the stepped block insert is for – the one most people in the conference were asking about).
So now you know the sources behind the Swedish Roman low workbench. (If you decide to make one, do check with your home’s other occupants before summarily cutting into a seating bench and liberating it to your shop. We cannot be responsible for the consequences.)
— Fitz
Just bought that book for 1,93€
I particularly like the Sallburg Roman Workbench, but since no one knows the function of those two blocks, I could eliminate them and add the vise from the Skansen Bench as well as the stepped block insert. I own Ingenious Mechanics.
I enjoyed meeting Chris’ cat on the just concluded Colonial Williamsburg conference presentations, and was especially amused that unknown to both of you I think, you were live (audio and sound) for nearly fifteen minutes before the presentation began – all your conversation and schmoozing with Bean. It was great! Having the trust and affection of a cat that I witnessed proves you have to be special people. We are the constant companions of two felines in our home and they are highly entertaining characters who have helped make total pandemic isolation easier.
Chris’ conference presentations were great. I know you have little time for such things, but he should recognize that his relaxed, humorous and informative presence is a rare gift.
Wow. Holy crap. You carry a purse?
Well…sort of. It’s actually a “man bag” https://saddlebackleather.com/leather-tablet-bag
Whew. I was beginning to question my entire belief system.
Saddleback is great stuff.
It’s not truly ready for use until it has had a Cat Scan.
The Wiskansen bench features a beverage holder and a 8” hole in the middle for ice fishing.
Hey, that is a great bench! But it is better if it is gnawed on by a Badger!
I, too, very much enjoyed Chris’s presentations at the CW conference (and the rest of the conference, too, for that matter). While I’m sure that fun ‘n frolics of a completely different order of magnitude would have been there to be had in real life, at least their making a virtual virtue of necessity made it possible to attend also from this side of the puddle without any of the costs in time or money that would have been ensued, had said puddle had to be crossed in order to attend.
Cheers,
Mattias
what kind of hold fast is that ?
A Roman one based on the fresco at Herculaneum. Made by blacksmith Peter Ross from wrought iron. Works great.
I like how relatively simple it looks to make, no upset corner etc… Does the height at the clamping side get in your way, bust your knuckles,? I rarely find I need any more than my wide planing stop which is just used reciprocating saw bade with some holes punched in it screwed down to the bench on top of a couple washers. When running a plow plane I just add a scrap 1×2 against some pegs to keep the work at the front edge of the bench. Running any kind of rabbit plane, sliding filister etc.. really needs a holdfast and a plaining stop, but often the work piece is narrow enough that knuckle busting is a worry.
I was moving some dusty hardwood boards this weekend and discovered a forgotten 5′ x 1′ x 5″ piece of interior wood left over from a custom home construction site (exposed ceiling beam). I’ve never done staked legs, but it feels like it’s time to make such a low bench? Which one do folks like best?
Being a strong subscriber to anachronistic fusions of intercultural workbench approaches, I am currently building the Low&Portable Roman-Moravian Workbench, coincidentally also the first workbench I build. This post helps reinforce my determination to see it through!
What are the steps for in the block insert? How does it work?