Chestnut workbench in the making.

[747mopar]

I tore down an old barn to make room for my new garage, after looking into selling the Chestnut and getting low balled I decided it would be a cool project to use it. Here's a few pictures of what I started with, the truck load is new white oak for the top.

 

[747mopar]

Here's the tops nearly complete. 4 pieces of 3"X6"X10' White Oak glued with 1/2" all thread bolting them together with the nuts well resessed. We recently got a 24" planer but my word were they a handful to work!! Thank goodness for dad's adjustable height workstations on casters cause I wasn't carying these things at likely 200+lbs each.

 

[Baller]

This looks interesting. What style bench are you going to build.

 

[Car Nut]

I miss woodworking.

 

[747mopar]

Here's where this project has proven to be fun lol. In my first post you can see an 8x8 where I'm sawing the nail filled face off, then planing the rot off... patching rot that didn't clean up. All I can say is I'm glad we keep our dull blades cause the nails are eating them up! Last 2 pictures are a couple legs that were to pretty to toss so they got patched up.

Loving this grain!

 

[747mopar]

This looks interesting. What style bench are you going to build.

Don't know what you'd call it? It will be loaded with drawers, cabinets, vise, anvils, etc 24" wide and 20ft long.

 

[747mopar]

This is where I'm at now, rough frame pretty much done. The leg frames are all mortise and tendons with 5/8" oak pins drove threw then the rest is just set in a dado cut then glued and screwed... might chisel the screw plug holes square for an antique look? Only 2 leg frames got boards since they're the only ones exposed, the rest got 1/2" deep dado's in the inside so I can add plywood walls making drawer slides easier to install and to keep the cabinets separated. Also all of the plywood adds tremendous strength.

Oh yeah, I allowed for a toe kick.

 

[Car Nut]

Beautiful wood!

 

[Car Nut]

Looks like you’re using polyurethane glue.

 

[747mopar]

Looks like you’re using polyurethane glue.

I used tight bond wood glue on most but did use some poly on the boards that tie it together. Main reason was all of the splits in the wood, I felt it would do a better job where the runny glue would seep away into the cracks? We'll see but I've found it to be extremely strong just a real mess to wash off. The other thing I was thinking about was all the hammering this thing will see, poly has give where other wood glues either hold or break?? Experimenting I guess.

 

[Car Nut]

Are you going to stain it or just clear it?

 

[oldbee]

Looks strong enuf for the new lathe(?) to sit on,lol.

 

[kiwigtx]

That looks really good so far 747....keep it up. Definitely a very solid looking bench.

 

[747mopar]

Are you going to stain it or just clear it?

Definitely getting stained, I'll play around on some scrap but thinking maybe English Chestnut or Brown Mahogany? The base will likely get lacqer and the top will just get saturated with Linseed oil.

 

[Glenwood]

Looking good! I've been building upper cabinets for the shop. It's nice to get the saws busy after a few years of welding on the 64.

 

[gkent]

So finish it and put it for sale as a kitchen island and you'll get way more than if you sell it as a workbench !!

 

[FU64RY]

I tore down an old barn to make room for my new garage, after looking into selling the Chestnut and getting low balled I decided it would be a cool project to use it. Here's a few pictures of what I started with, the truck load is new white oak for the top. View attachment 573238 View attachment 573244 View attachment 573248

Chestnut is worth a lot until you try and sell it.
I took up part of the floor in my barn 15 boards, 19" X 12' X 5/4" to put in a new floor for my wood working shop.
I still have them because everybody low balled me. So much for value of Chestnut.

 

[big_shmoop]

My God...that's awesome. Great work. I envy those of you with such good woodworking skills. It's one of those things I keep telling myself I want to learn, but always get sidetracked.

 

[dla4567]

That’s very cool, looking forward to the finished product.
The only thing I can build out of wood is a fire.

 

[GetX'd]

Very sweet work 747. You have a lot of skills. It looks like your tool bench behind your work area is also made of wood. Looks,like a nice tool cabinet.