Lost Art Press

Bench Building: A Team Sport

Posted on by Lost Art Press

Last night I dragged myself home after five days of building 16 workbenches at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking. All of the benches turned out fantastic for two reasons:

1. Wonderful (yet inexpensive) material. We used Horizon Wood Product’s Roubo “bench bundles.” For just $650 per bench, we got some amazing 12/4 and 8/4 ash for the bench. It was all cut to manageable lengths, perfectly dry and clear. Out of the 16 benches, we had only two small, tight knots.

Another testament to the quality of the wood: Due to a mistake I made, I ordered 15 bench bundles for 16 students. We still were able to squeeze out a perfect 16th bench from the material supplied. Without a doubt, I will use Horizon again. The service was outstanding. Pete Terbovich, who handles the bench kits there, is great to deal with.

2. Teamwork. At some bench classes it’s difficult to get students to work together on everyone’s benches, hauling tops around, milling material that is not for their bench, assisting with layouts and goodness knows what. Not this class. These were special students.

I’m back on the road next week – I leave Tuesday for The Woodwright’s School, where I’m teaching a class in the Dutch Tool Chest and filming two more episodes on Roy Underhill’s Show “The Woodwright’s Shop.”

So if I haven’t answered your recent e-mail….

— Christopher Schwarz

P.S. Day 1 and Day 2 of the bench-building class are covered on my blog at Popular Woodworking Magazine. The music is from freemusicarchive.org and is by the Freak Fandango Orchestra.

Power Bench

Posted on by fitz

powerBench

I recently found myself in immediate need of a couple of simple benches. So, I sat down and sketched up the quasi-Shaker-esque bench that you see here, sizing it so all of the parts could be cut from one 1″ × 12″ × 6′ and one 1″ × 3″ × 6′. I then headed down to Lowe’s for some “select pine.” While constructing the benches it occurred to me that, apart from a pencil and tape measure, I had used no hand tools of any kind. At that point, I got out a block plane to break all of the sharp edges. (I know what you’re thinking: I should have used a trim router with a chamfer bit. Maybe next time.)

So here’s to all the naysayers out there: See, it really is possible to make decent-looking stuff using only power tools.

– Steve Schafer

 

‘New English Workshop’ reviews ‘Campaign Furniture’

Posted on by Lost Art Press

CF3_IMG_8577Paul Mayon of the New English Workshop blog posted a quite generous review this week of my latest book, “Campaign Furniture.”

It is such a nice review that I am compelled to point out that we never solicit reviews here at Lost Art Press. And we don’t send out unsolicited review copies of our books to seek a kind word. We just sell books.

You can read the full review via this link. Or, if you prefer a blurb, try this one on:

“Whether you intend to make any campaign furniture or not, once you have read this book you will begin to see campaign furniture in a whole new light. The style is abundant, influential, robust in the extreme, looks great in almost any setting, modular and is relatively easy for less skilled woodworkers to make. Once you realise this you will probably find yourself asking ‘Why don’t I have any campaign furniture in my home?’ ”

Thank you, Paul.

— Christopher Schwarz

Surrey Larcenies &c.

Posted on by fitz

stolen_saw300. Edward Turner was indicted for stealing, on the 4th of November, 1 saw, value 1l. 7s., the goods of William Beal, and that he had been before convicted of felony.

William Beal. I am a sawyer, and live at Mr. Langton’s timber-yard, Narrow-wall. I lost a saw, on the 4th of November, from that yard—I was at work with it all that evening—I left it under the roof of the sawpit—I returned the next morning, as soon as it was light, and missed it— I found it at the pawnbroker’s—I do not know the prisoner—this is the saw—it cost me 29s. when new.

Henry Garrod. I live at No. 51, Charlotte-terrace, Lambeth. On the 4th of November, I took this saw in pledge from the prisoner, in the name of James Turner—I am sure it was James.

William Turner. I was standing before Mr. Hickinbotham’s shop, on the 4th of November, and saw the prisoner take the saw to pawn—I am no relation of his.

Stephen Warley, (police-constable L 121.) I took the prisoner into custody, and produce the saw.

William Driver. I am a cooper, and was a constable. I produce a certificate of the prisoner’s former conviction, which I got from Mr. Lawson’s, the clerk of the peace for Surrey—the prisoner is the man (read.)

Prisoner’s Defence. I pledged the saw and a copper glue-pot—on the 6th I went to get it out, and I had not got sufficient money—this is the ticket he gave me—he put a wrong name on my ticket—I had not sufficient money to get the things out, and left some articles for them— this is the hand-writing on the ticket.

GUILTY. Aged 22.—Transported for Fourteen Years.

Taken in short-hand by Henry Buckler.

Central Criminal Court. Minutes of Evidence Vol. III – 1836

—Jeff Burks