Comments on: French Workbench Class – Day 3

By: KC Kevin

KC Kevin — Wed, 25 May 2011 22:29:12 +0000

Hey, I couldn’t have made it thru the Holtzapffel class without Wednesday and the massuese.

By: Fernando

Fernando — Sat, 21 May 2011 20:07:54 +0000

I apologize for my bad English, but I provide a detail in the construction of the French bench.
The video shows the assembly where the legs are perfectly square, and that’s not so much because the front legs, if that should be square, because that is where the screw is mounted, but the hind legs should have a certain inclination, to give him a broader base of support and more stability to the bank.
I have seen many banks work in my life, with this structure, but lately, I think, to simplify are symmetrical and square. The bank has no stability.
Also at the top, there is no preparation for the installation of side screw.
Since it is a school, the work must be done according to the needs of a carpenter.
I have over 40 years in carpentry, and am currently teaching (theory and practice) of carpentry, Spain.
I hope to be helpful with my comment.
Fernando
ea2lw. fernando@gmail.com

By: Christopher Schwarz

Christopher Schwarz — Fri, 20 May 2011 03:46:40 +0000

While Roubo doesn’t talk about the “why” of this joint, I can guess after building a bunch of them.

The joint is easier to make than a twin tenon. The dovetail can be sawn out easily from the front of the benchtop. The mortise has to be bashed out with a mortise chisel. I think it took me about 30 minutes to do a mortise and less than 10 to cut the dovetail socket (working entirely by hand).

The dovetail shape at the front ensures the joint won’t peel off the front of the bench.

This is only a guess, but I think it’s a good one.

By: J. Pierce

J. Pierce — Fri, 20 May 2011 01:47:07 +0000

“They need to be fit into the tops. And the fit needs to be crazy-good because with these ancient workbenches, all of their strength comes from the connection between the legs and the top. So it’s an arduous paring process to make the legs slide home.”

The perfect-tight fit between the legs and top I understand. The one bit I’ve never grasped (although I probably haven’t sat down and thought about it too hard, either) is what the dovetail in the Roubo construction gains you? How would the tenon/dovetail combo be better than a double tenon? There’s probably a real simple answer I’m missing, but at first glance, I’m not sure how the stresses in the bench and vise assembly benefit from the dovetail.

By: chayward

chayward — Thu, 19 May 2011 22:39:17 +0000

Just played a pwm video to my eye-rolling kids… on my phone!

Two thumbs up for YouTube.

By: Mark Singleton

Mark Singleton — Thu, 19 May 2011 20:45:34 +0000

Inspiring as always. Maybe someday I can attend a class or two myself.

OH, and yes, youtube rocks. This was the first video I could see beginning to end….

By: jimmcfarland

jimmcfarland — Thu, 19 May 2011 19:58:05 +0000

Thanks Chris. Your blog makes this darn near as fun and exciting as the world series! Can’t wait for the next update.
Wish I were there if for nothing more than to watch and drink the beer.

By: Shawn Nichols

Shawn Nichols — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:16:19 +0000

Sigh…Youtube is blocked at the office…The first two videos looked awesome. I’ll have to go back to just reading during lunch. This really isn’t a complaint – I know how hard it is to please the masses.

By: robert

robert — Thu, 19 May 2011 11:20:00 +0000

Thanks for the switch to youtube. I could watch the entire clip with out the jumpy starts and stops that your videos usually have; blip is a piece of crap unless you have a T1 line.

By: chayward

chayward — Thu, 19 May 2011 10:48:24 +0000

Thumbs up for the benches.

Second Thumbs up for using youtube. No more #$%@ing blip problems.

Third thumbs up for the music – by Friday it’s gonna be “the flight of the bumblebee”.