James Grebe R.P.T. from St. Louis pianoman@inlink.com "Only my best is good enough" ---------- > From: drgrebe <drgrebe@inlink.com> > To: pianoman@inlink.com > Subject: Bench Construction Pt. II > Date: Tuesday, December 02, 1997 5:16 PM > > The next step involves making the rails to the bench. I build benches > with the bottom board fitting in a rabbit inset in the bottom of the rails > and also the bottom floating in a dado cut into the inward sides of the > rails. The best way to size the rails, whether hardwood plywood or solid > wood, is to cut the widths, ripping them all at the same time with the same > rip setting. My rails are all 2 & 3/4". The lengths are 25 & 3/8" and 9 & > 7/8". Likewise cut each dimension to length at the same time. Of course > the thickness remains 3/4" > If you are going to use metal corner brackets proceed as follows. Cut a > kerf into each inside rail 1/16" wide and as deep as the flange of the > corner bracket you are using. The kind I use gets the cut 1 & 1/4" from > each end and about 3/8" deep. I use a fine tooth circular saw blade that I > keep just for this purpose. If the bottom is going to be in a rabbit in > the rail cut a rabbit in the bottom of the rail 3/16" high and about 3/8" > into the thickness of the rail. The idea is to have the bottom level with > the bottom surface of the plywood bottom. I normally use 3/16" Luan > plywood for the bottom but occasionally use 3/8" birch plywood if I want a > particularly strong bench. The rabbit must be cut up accordingly. If you > use plywood for the rail, now is the time to glue on your edge banding on > the top surface of the rails and trim to fit. > If you choose not to use metal corner brackets the way I attach everything > is like this. I have my router mounted horizontally in a fixture. I use > the same 1/4" router bit as working with the top. I mark in my fixture > where I want the mortise to start and stop and with several passes get the > mortise 1/2" deep by about 1 & 1/2" long. This is done in the center of > the thickness and in the middle of the width. Again 1/4" Masonite will be > used as a floating blind tenon. Do this on all the 8 ends of the rails. > Using metal corner brackets has the advantage of being able to take the > bench apart for finishing as compared to finishing the main carcass as a > whole. Using brackets takes longer but saves time in finishing where > mortising saves time in construction but takes more time and trouble in > finishing. As you construct each piece take notes on your own measurements > and settings. I have a chalkboard I write these dimension I am shooting for > and what I wind up with. I lose paper notes. Also it is a good idea to > write down what tools you used to do each operation. I find that I shoot > for a standard size but hardly ever come out exactly to my own > measurements. It does give you some variety. If you know you are going to > build a number of benches do all your ripping to size all at one time. > Likewise the other operations also. That is the easiest way to get > uniformity in sizes. > The metal corner brackets I use come from Woodworkers Supply. I attach > them with Square drive #8 X 3/4" pan head screws I get from Mc Feeleys, > another mail order house specializing in Robertson head type screws. With > the square drive you can really drive them tight. I place the brackets > along the slot I cut from the end and use an 1/8" bit at a slight angle > towards the end of the rail. The bracket should be in a place where the > bench leg bolt will be 3/4" from the top surface of the rails. I use a > marking square locating one first and then using the square to place the > other brackets in the same position from the top of the rail. Be careful > not to drill all the way through. > If you want to have the bottom float, cut a dado up about 3'8' inch from > the bottom of the rail 1/4" wide and 3/8" deep for the 3/16" stock and > 7/16" and 3/8" deep if you intend to use the 3/8" stock. It should have a > sloppy fit for when you get finish on the pieces it will be a snug fit. > Having this floating bottom board adds a certain amount of class to the > bench and helps in demonstrating your quality of construction to your > client. If you build this type of bottom there is no fear of it ever being > pushed out by too much junk inside the bench. Well, almost. > > > > > > > Dr. Dolores P. Grebe > Chiropractic Physician & > drgrebe@inlink.com > " /
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