Nicholson Bench

[minnehahas]

Finally finished ( well almost ) a Nicholson Bench. This is my first real bench. Learned quite a bit about hand tools. Flattening the top taught me to let the hand plane do the work you just need to move it in the right direction. Its interesting moving more towards hand tools. At first I seemed to want to fight them but after a while I started to get the hang of it.

Couple of deviations. I couldn't stand all that empty space behind the front apron so I made my bench 27.5 inches deep and used the middle part to put in some tool storage. 5 Box containing, marking, measuring, and planes ( 3 block, rabbet skew, small plow, large shoulder, router ). These turned out to be very functional. Also poor a saw storage area on the back right side for Dovetails saws, and carcass saws, Will probably add a few as I move forward. Large shelf underneath for bench accessories I need to build yet ( i.e. Bench Hooks and Shooting Boards ). The more I move towards hand tools the more I like working with wood. Go figure.

SYP for the bench, except for some Walnut highlights here and there. Threw a couple of coats of Waterlox on it to just protect it a bit from stupid stuff I do constantly.

Used 3 Evans Wood Screws. Two for the face vise and one for the wagon vise. Face vise has 18.5" between the screws and 5 inches on either side. Wagon vise can easily hold a 2 X 12 with room to spare. I made some mistakes along the way but none proved fatal. Actually started out doing Schwarz's design and changed midway ( Schwarz has an tendency to angle everything and I don't think it really adds any functionality. Made me nuts ). Made for a few missing holes on the front apron but oh well. Sturdy, heavy, and very useable.

 

[smallboat]

very nice.

I've been wantin gto ad tool storage to the surface of my bench.(no where near this nice, but its a truss with a lot of interior volume)
I think you just pushed me over the edge.
The contrasting storage covers are sweet.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Great looking bench, Gary. I'm a fan of SYP for benches, but a lot of people are hesitant to use it. I think it is tougher than they think. I like the center storage compartments.

 

[redknife]

Looks great.

 

[tarheelz]

Stealing some ideas off of this...

 

[Graywolf]

Love the bench, I like the ideas you have on the storage. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Hmerkle]

Agree.
I love the bench!

Gary, it looks like the top is only ~2 inches thick, is that right?
I got that idea from the picture looking down the length of the bench.

If yes, a question for everyone - how effective is this versus a glued-up 2" or 4" or grater thickness top?

(BTW - no criticism here - my current bnch top is dimensional lumber and I have been contemplating ripping and gluing up a top - seeing this I am questioning all the work for potentially no gain?!)

 

[minnehahas]

No criticism taken. The whole idea behind the Nicholson benches is a large torsion box. The torsion box has the structural strength to keep anything from sagging. There are also stretchers inside width wise to handle the load across the middle. That is also why you add some strips under dog holes so the holdfasts will work correctly. Basically a different approach than a Roubo type with the laminated strips. Its solid as a rock. When you think about 2X12 spanning 6 feet with very little active/dead load weight you get the drift. I like the Nicholson because it was a simpler build for new guys like me and I just like the wide aprons. Once I had the legs and aprons on I used the aprons with the holdfast to hold the 2X12s for the top while I jointed them by hand.


Thx for taking an interest.


Gary

 

[KenOfCary]

Greater than 4" can be a problem for some holddowns. Mine started out 5" thick solid Maple and is now around 4-1/2" thick. The Gramercy Holddowns don't work worth a hoot, but I've found some that were hand-made by a blacksmith for me that work just fine.

I'd stick with something 2-3" in a glued up top. It will give you less problems with holddowns and the tail vise depending on what you use there.

 

[madad1]

Great job Gary! I built my first bench 30+ years ago from plans out of Tage Frid's book. It's time to build a different one, probably similar to yours. I think we all agree that the bench is your most used tool.

 

[Hmerkle]

Greater than 4" can be a problem for some holddowns. Mine started out 5" thick solid Maple and is now around 4-1/2" thick. The Gramercy Holddowns don't work worth a hoot, but I've found some that were hand-made by a blacksmith for me that work just fine.

I'd stick with something 2-3" in a glued up top. It will give you less problems with holddowns and the tail vise depending on what you use there.

Sorry Ken,
I don't understand why a thicker bench would not work with any hold-down... just can envision it...

 

[smallboat]

Just a guess but I would think the greater depth would result in the post being at a more vertical angle.
At some point it will be straight enough that it won't wedge in the hole.

 

[KenOfCary]

Exactly, it wedges in the hole by cocking itself at an angle and too long a hole doesn't allow enough off-vertical so the wedge doesn't happen. Thinner holddowns are actually the answer and the ones that I had made by a Blacksmith are thinner than the Gramercy's (they're also prettier, but that is not the point.) I sold my Gramercy holddowns as they just wouldn't bite enough to stay put, even after scuffing them up with sandpaper.

I also had to make a recess for my wagon vise hardware to work. (Vise is the Benchcrafted one.)

 

[zapdafish]

very nice :thumbs_up

 

[Trent Mason]

Beautiful looking bench! :thumbs_up:thumbs_up

 

[Gotcha6]

Enjoying looking at this bench. I have plans to put a 'neander' workshop in my basement with only hand tools. I'll keep the power tools out in the big shop with the dust. A bench like that would certainly be nice. Good job.

 

[W Burton]

That is a good looking bench. Congratulations! I know how much work that can take -- I am in the middle of building a new workbench myself. I like the way you have taken the basic design and improved on it for your specific needs. Great job!