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269783 Robert Brazile <r.brazile@g...> 2020‑01‑24 Re: Stanley 55 dating and restoring
On Fri, Jan 24, 2020 at 1:59 PM Paul Gardner  wrote:

> Wow Robert,  what a wonderful bench build and cozy/inviting looking shop
> space as well.  I really enjoyed the self guided tour. (nice shop radio as
> well)  Thanks for sharing this.
>

You're very welcome! It occurred to me as I read this thread that I should
have shared it a long time ago. Just been out of the OLDTOOLS habit for too
long, I guess. I still drop in and read fairly regularly, but not as
obsessively as I once did. Trying to get back into the habit.


> In terms of worrying about dryness, I'm with Schwarz as well but with one
> important caveat.   I used the same joinery you did when connecting the
> legs to the bench top.  My mistake was I left too much time between cutting
> the joints out and banging them it and it that time the wood twisted a bit
> and the alignment was off.  I have four witnesses (of the Flea Bag variety)
> now with premature hearing loss that were required to help drive it home.
> It's against all natural inclinations of a galoot but this is one area
> where you can't afford to dilly dally.
>

That is an excellent point. I mentioned his video in my last reply; in that
video, I believe he warns against exactly this problem, and I took it very
much to heart. The other thing he emphasizes is the care in which you get
the frame clamped up as close as you can to square before you do any
marking. The tension between taking the time fo fuss with the clamps (that
stuff wasn't very square, I can tell you) and worrying about everything
going all Chubby Checker on me was the cause of some serious worrying. And
things did move a bit during that time.

I made it work anyway, either by butchery of the mortises (mostly invisible
now, thank god) or by brute force in a similar fashion to your description.
I confess I did enjoy the see-saw lifting the ends of the bench and letting
them drop to fully seat the legs; it was satisfying and ultimately
effective, but as you say: a bit loud. I wore ear protection, as I already
have issues in that direction...

Robert Brazile
Arlington, Mass.

Recent Bios FAQ