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Matthew Cianci
Visit my blog:
The
Saw Blog |
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I’ve been in the shop
every day this week moving from one side of the
basement to the other and condensing and organizing
in the process. Its been great to get rid of a lot
of clutter and unused tools and make my shop more
efficient and functional.
I mentioned a little
while ago about my plans for this week, as I’m on
vacation, and that I was going to be building a new
Roubo bench using some reclaimed timbers. In
the last few days however, I realized I don’t really
need another work bench, but what I do need is a
nice, massive saw bench. Don’t get me wrong, I love
my current saw bench, ala Chris Schwartz, but I need
something bigger, heavier and more stable. |
So, I devised (in my warped mind) a
super saw bench using the 6 x 8 white oak timbers I referred to
above. This new, super bench would be kind of a cross between a
Japanese planing bench and a traditional western saw bench like
I already have. The idea is it will be made with a top just like
my Roubo so that I can use holdfasts and secure boards for heavy
ripping. I’m thinking the top should be about 3 to 4 inches
thick and about 20 to 24 inches high.
The first step in making this Super
Saw Bench is ripping the 6 x 8 oak beam into two 4 x 6 slabs.
These two pieces will then make the top of the bench.
Now, I know what you’re thinking….
’This guy isn’t crazy or stupid enough to try and rip an 8 foot
long, 6 inch thick white oak beam with a hand saw, is he?!?!?!’
The answer, of course, is yes, I am
that crazy and stupid.
Here is the ominous beam in
question… trestled up on my saw bench and ubiquitous
Workmate…(you can also see my new shop layout)…
The first step in ripping this
beast is marking the cut line, and since this oak has spent a
good part of its life outside, its darkened and will need to be
planed to remove the darkened skin and create a light background
for my pencil mark. For this, I use my trusty Stanley #6 to
roughly plane it down to fresh wood (Patrick Leach be damned, my
#6 is the MOST useful plane in my shop!)
Planing at this height is
surprisingly very comfortable (don’t I look like I’m having
fun?)
The wood is much brighter now, and I mark out the cut line in
the middle of the beam with a carpenter’s pencil. I make a
series of hash marks 4 inches in from the edge and then connect
them with a straight edge. You can use a panel gauge, marking
gauge or other as well.
Now that the beam is marked, to
start, I use my trusty Disston #7 (24 inches, 6ppi rip) to saw
in the vertical kerf line on the end grain of the timber. The
fine pitch of the #7 will help more easily cut the end grain
here than a 4 or 5 point saw. This kerfed in vertical line will
help me start the cut square as the saw will follow the kerf…
You can see the pith of the tree on
the right side of the kerf as well. Once I finish the rip, I’ll
evaluate if that half of the board is salvageable or not.
