I have used a folding bench, based on one of Roy Underhill's, that appears in
his first or second book, for fifteen years or better.  It is mostly of Douglas
fir.  Its size was based on the formal convention that it fit in the back of a
Datsun stationwagon along with my tool box which was built to sit between the
wheel wells.  Its materials; especially the top, was defined by the Eisenhower
era 4x12 garage door header off cut that I found in the garage of where I was
living at the time.  It has a crochit hook and a series of dog holes, with a
wooden retractible bench stop. The bench is short and lower than most would like
on the necessity of the aforementioned space available. The length of the bench
defines the height, since the legs must fold flush beneath it.   Since I'm only
5' 6" and I used it often to demonstrate with children this was not a terrible
hardship.   While the station wagon is, I'm sure, long since been reduced to
scrap and returned to the land of its birth, both the bench and the tool chest
continue to serve.  They and I are, however much the worse for wear and are in
sore need of replacement. If I was to build this bench again and I may, I would
build it with the legs a bit heavier and the top a bit longer. I think that if
you take a look at this bench of Roy's, you can modify it to your needs and to
your desired period appearance.

Yrs aye, Stiofan.

--- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, "Dave Ordway" <dabugler@...> wrote:
>
> Greetings,
>
> I've been kicking around the idea of making a woodworking bench that is
collapsible or disassembles to bring to demos and faires.  I'd like it to
resemble something period but be as functional as a folding Workmate.  It will
mainly be used as a clamping table for sawing, chiseling, and planing.  I have
some ideas but thought I would throw it out to the group to see if anyone has
any ideas or experiences.  Material wise;  it would have to be stable and sturdy
but hopefully not weigh a hundred pounds (for example Oak).  Any thoughts?
>
> Lagerstein
>

Lagerstein wrote:

> I've been kicking around the idea of making a woodworking bench that is
collapsible or disassembles to bring to demos and faires.  I'd like it to
resemble something period but be as functional as a folding Workmate.  It will
mainly be used as a clamping table for sawing, chiseling, and planing.  I have
some ideas but thought I would throw it out to the group to see if anyone has
any ideas or experiences.  Material wise;  it would have to be stable and sturdy
but hopefully not weigh a hundred pounds (for example Oak).  Any thoughts?

There are some pictures of my portable workbench in the files section:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/medievalsawdust/photos/album/628969802/pic/list

and

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/medievalsawdust/photos/album/1199335119/pic/list

as well as some write-ups on it in the messages section. If you use
"workbench" as the search term, you should be able to find them.

I don't know where you're located, but the bench itself will make an
appearance at Estrella War, if you happen to be in the neighborhood then.

Johann von Drachenfels
West Kingdom

----- Original Message -----

From: John LaTorre

To: medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2012 1:20 PM

Subject: [MedievalSawdust] Re: Portable Workbench

 

Lagerstein wrote:

> I've been kicking around the idea of making a woodworking bench that is collapsible or disassembles to bring to demos and faires. I'd like it to resemble something period but be as functional as a folding Workmate. It will mainly be used as a clamping table for sawing, chiseling, and planing. I have some ideas but thought I would throw it out to the group to see if anyone has any ideas or experiences. Material wise; it would have to be stable and sturdy but hopefully not weigh a hundred pounds (for example Oak). Any thoughts?

There are some pictures of my portable workbench in the files section:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/medievalsawdust/photos/album/628969802/pic/list

and

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/medievalsawdust/photos/album/1199335119/pic/list

as well as some write-ups on it in the messages section. If you use
"workbench" as the search term, you should be able to find them.

I don't know where you're located, but the bench itself will make an
appearance at Estrella War, if you happen to be in the neighborhood then.

Johann von Drachenfels
West Kingdom

Vises existed in the late period (and earlier for all I know, but these examples
are from the late period):

http://www.nuernberger-hausbuecher.de/75-Amb-2-317b-15-v
http://www.nuernberger-hausbuecher.de/75-Amb-2-317b-34-r

But they aren't integrated into the bench in the same way as that style of
bench.

Alternatively you could go really simple and make a portable four-legged with
some dog holes, as in these examples:

http://thomasguild.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html

-James


On Nov 7, 2012, at 1:35 PM, "Dave Ordway" <dabugler@...> wrote:

> 
>
> Thanks everyone who's provided input so far.  I found this interesting table
top on the web and by modifying the dimensions and attaching detachable legs it
might fit the bill.  Thoughts, too Colonial looking?
>
> Lagerstein
>
>
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/workbenches/schwarz-workbenches/the-modern-mil\
kmans-workbench
>
> Johann, I reside on the East coast U.S.  Not SCA and don't know where Estrella
is.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: John LaTorre
> To: medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2012 1:20 PM
> Subject: [MedievalSawdust] Re: Portable Workbench
>
>
> Lagerstein wrote:
>
> > I've been kicking around the idea of making a woodworking bench that is
collapsible or disassembles to bring to demos and faires. I'd like it to
resemble something period but be as functional as a folding Workmate. It will
mainly be used as a clamping table for sawing, chiseling, and planing. I have
some ideas but thought I would throw it out to the group to see if anyone has
any ideas or experiences. Material wise; it would have to be stable and sturdy
but hopefully not weigh a hundred pounds (for example Oak). Any thoughts?
>
> There are some pictures of my portable workbench in the files section:
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/medievalsawdust/photos/album/628969802/pic/list
>
> and
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/medievalsawdust/photos/album/1199335119/pic/list
>
> as well as some write-ups on it in the messages section. If you use
> "workbench" as the search term, you should be able to find them.
>
> I don't know where you're located, but the bench itself will make an
> appearance at Estrella War, if you happen to be in the neighborhood then.
>
> Johann von Drachenfels
> West Kingdom
>
>
>
>

Hi everyone. My name is Maestra Antonia di Lorenzo, and I hail from the fair
kingdom of Lochac. My persona is a 14th century Italian court artist. I am
looking forward to learning lots from this site.

My main interest is medieval panel painting in egg tempera and the technical
aspects of paints, glues and varnishes, but I have dabbled in many other areas
pertaining to court artistry including designing and building a small
fire-breathing dragon automaton. Currently I am extending my work into making
the panels and other things to be painted using more traditional techniques (ie
less use of power tools and modern glues) and am building up a tool chest of
medieval style tools to use for this. I've recently joined the Australian hand
tool preservation society to learn more about making and looking after older
style tools.

I have a blog where I show off my projects, and on the site are downloadable
versions of the documentation for my A&S projects, workshop notes on topics such
as egg tempera painting, working with gesso and glue making, and the medieval
trivia column I write for our baronial newsletter. There is also a 6-minute
video on YouTube showing the dragon and how it works. The links for these two
are:

http://mymedievallife.wordpress.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuebMIlPrUI

Antonia

I have just added 6 pictures of my just-completed flat-packing replica-4-poster
bed to the Album "Matthewe Baker -2012 additions to Camp". Enjoy, and perhaps be
inspired.

Do you have larger versions of the photos?  I'd like to make a packable bench
like you've made, but the photos show up the size of postage stamps.  Thanks-
from what I can tell, beautiful detail on your work.

--- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, "Julian Wilson" <lhjw66576@...> wrote:
>
> I have just added 6 pictures of my just-completed flat-packing
replica-4-poster bed to the Album "Matthewe Baker -2012 additions to Camp".
Enjoy, and perhaps be inspired.
>

Good morning all,

I wanted to share the photos of a tool I just completed. In the Photo section
you will find pics of my No Cost Shave Horse.

Why did I make a shave horse? 2 reasons why, first I wanted to make one. Second
I just found my spoke shave and draw knife and was trying to use a workmate
bench and found it to tall to work at comfortably.

The shave horse was made using material I found in my back yard and in my shop.
In reality it did cost my something for the material but, I had the hardware
leftover from pervious projects. the lumber also came from the scrap pile. So no
additional cost.

I used these two web sites for reference.
www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/how-make-shave-horse
,www.newagrarian.com/2011/07/18/the-thirty-dollar-shaving- (this link is not
complete). Using these sites as a guidelines I was able to come up with what you
see.

I hope you enjoy it.

Iain Griffen

I just hate it when people ruin a perfectly good tool through ignorance or
impatience.  A shame.  Good luck.  Are you a goo sharpener yourself or do you
know some one who is a blade maker or cutlerer?  They might have some valid
suggestions on rehabilitation of the blade.

--- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, "gavinkilkenny" <dukegavin@...> wrote:
>
>  I got lucky and won a wetherby draw knife auction at a very modest price.
>
> Then it arrived and I got a good look at it... Why would someone grind a tool
when they don't know how?  The bad job of grinding this blade, done quite
recently judging by how bright and shiny the scratches are still, is making it
much more difficult to get this sharpened- at least I'm betting it wouldn't have
been worse had they not put it to the grinder...
>
> It's a slender,almost delicate tool.  I expect intended for carving work, more
than hogging off a bunch of wood.  I've got some projects in mind for it if I
can get it tuned up.
>
> Oh yeah, whoever ground it also through a back bevel on there.  Unevenly and
probably more than it ought to be...
>
> But, it's a new toy and I will have fun with it.
>

Good afternoon all,

I have a spoke shave with a curved blade and it is dull.  Question: is there
anyone in Atenveldt that sharpen it? I also have one with a stright blade am are
able to hone it.

Now with a draw knife is it better to hone the edge or to grind it?

Thanks for your help
Iain Griffen

What grit(s)of paper would you suggest.  The blade is convex, instead of pulling
a curl it chips and clogs the assembly.

Iain (John)

--- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, "Peter Ellison" <pellison@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> Grinding is for re-shaping or taking a chip out of a blade.� If the
> shape is good then stones or your  favorite method will put a good edge
> back on.� It takes me a moderate amount of time to sharpen the draw
> knife, but patience pays off.
>
> I'm assuming the curved spoke
> shave is one that is U shaped and the inside of the U is what needs the
> sharpening.� Wrapping wet dry sand paper (scary sharp method) around
> a dowel will get a "shaped" stone.� It will take patience
> but you can bring it back to sharp.
>
> Peter
>
>
> >
> Good afternoon all,
> >
> > I have a spoke shave with a
> curved blade and it is dull.  Question: is
> > there anyone in
> Atenveldt that sharpen it? I also have one with a stright
> > blade
> am are able to hone it.
> >
> > Now with a draw knife is it
> better to hone the edge or to grind it?
> >
> > Thanks for
> your help
> > Iain Griffen
> >
> >
>

I have just added 3 pictures of a just-completed 4-person Gothic-carved table
and two benches, - to the Album "Matthewe Baker's items for Camp".
I used antique pine boards salvaged from the loft of a 17th Century Jersey
farmhouse which has recently been converted into several Residential Units. The
boards had been stored under the eaves,covered with oiled canvas which was so
fragile it broke-up when we found the stack of timber while clearing the
loft-space to begin the conversion work; luckily, I was in the loft at the time,
measuring-up for new rafters and purlins to be fitted to the original A-frames.
One of our labourers was about to consign the old timber to the Site's rubbish
skip [you Americans call these dumpsters, I think?] Thankfully, I noticed, and
told him to load the material into my Van to take back to my workshop, for
examination and [hopefully] re-cycling. [ I love to re-cycle really-old timber
when any "sound" stuff comes my way from historic-property renovations - and my
island has a very big reservoir of 16th.C.,17th C., and 18th C. farmhouses and
barns, and merchant's houses]. The timber was fine, once I cleaned the dust off
it, and did some surface sanding;  - so I set-it aside in my special-storage
racks; - and waited for inspiration to happen for a suitable project to begin to
use it. The timber colour is carefully copied from an authentic Tudor-period
item of Pine furniture on display at the Ch�teau de Suscinio, Vannes, Brittany -
which I have visited several times because it's only 2hrs drive from our nearest
French ferry-port of St. Malo.

This is a truly beautiful set you have made.  Thank you for the photos.

--- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, "Julian Wilson" <lhjw66576@...> wrote:
>
>  I have just added 3 pictures of a just-completed 4-person Gothic-carved table
and two benches, - to the Album "Matthewe Baker's items for Camp".
> I used antique pine boards salvaged from the loft of a 17th Century Jersey
farmhouse which has recently been converted into several Residential Units. The
boards had been stored under the eaves,covered with oiled canvas which was so
fragile it broke-up when we found the stack of timber while clearing the
loft-space to begin the conversion work; luckily, I was in the loft at the time,
measuring-up for new rafters and purlins to be fitted to the original A-frames.
One of our labourers was about to consign the old timber to the Site's rubbish
skip [you Americans call these dumpsters, I think?] Thankfully, I noticed, and
told him to load the material into my Van to take back to my workshop, for
examination and [hopefully] re-cycling. [ I love to re-cycle really-old timber
when any "sound" stuff comes my way from historic-property renovations - and my
island has a very big reservoir of 16th.C.,17th C., and 18th C. farmhouses and
barns, and merchant's houses]. The timber was fine, once I cleaned the dust off
it, and did some surface sanding;  - so I set-it aside in my special-storage
racks; - and waited for inspiration to happen for a suitable project to begin to
use it. The timber colour is carefully copied from an authentic Tudor-period
item of Pine furniture on display at the Ch�teau de Suscinio, Vannes, Brittany -
which I have visited several times because it's only 2hrs drive from our nearest
French ferry-port of St. Malo.
>

ugh.  Mine has some hammer marks on the back as well, but those I can live with
more easily than the irregularities on the cutting edge.

Agreed on the valuation issue.  Scanning Ebay it's amazing the range, with some
people demanding heavy premiums for items that are genuinely half a step from
the dung heap!.

--- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, Jim Hart <conalohairt@...> wrote:
>
> I saw one at an antique show that someone had used like a splitting froe...
>
> MULTIPLE times by the look of the thing.
>
> They used a steel hammer to beat on the back of the blade.
>
> The guy wanted $40 for it... I offered 25$ only because it had folding
> handles...
>
> He looked insulted ( I hate tool collectors, they have convinced everyone
> that old tools are
> made from solid gold )
>
>
>
>
> On Sun, Nov 11, 2012 at 2:56 PM, Diane <dianerzebet@...> wrote:
>
> > **
> >
> >
> > I just hate it when people ruin a perfectly good tool through ignorance or
> > impatience. A shame. Good luck. Are you a goo sharpener yourself or do you
> > know some one who is a blade maker or cutlerer? They might have some valid
> > suggestions on rehabilitation of the blade.
> >
> > --- In medievalsawdust@yahoogroups.com, "gavinkilkenny" <dukegavin@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > I got lucky and won a wetherby draw knife auction at a very modest price.
> > >
> > > Then it arrived and I got a good look at it... Why would someone grind a
> > tool when they don't know how? The bad job of grinding this blade, done
> > quite recently judging by how bright and shiny the scratches are still, is
> > making it much more difficult to get this sharpened- at least I'm betting
> > it wouldn't have been worse had they not put it to the grinder...
> > >
> > > It's a slender,almost delicate tool. I expect intended for carving work,
> > more than hogging off a bunch of wood. I've got some projects in mind for
> > it if I can get it tuned up.
> > >
> > > Oh yeah, whoever ground it also through a back bevel on there. Unevenly
> > and probably more than it ought to be...
> > >
> > > But, it's a new toy and I will have fun with it.
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Jim Hart
>   Conal OhAirt
>
> Aude Aliquid Digmun - *dare something worthy*
>

Hi;
I have done this. I also have 2 smaller comercially made screw boxes.
I found/find that I have a problem with the finished screws. when you make a
screw box with the tap that you will use to make that nuts, the screw is to
tight in the nut. Metal bolts and nuts are not Exactly the same size. the nut is
made a tiny bit big and the bolt is made a tiny bit smaller. otherwise the
friction would be too great and ruin the assembly.
I have solved this by carving the larger screws. and chasing the smaller ones.
or another solution would be to make certain that the nut is bone dry when you
make it and the screw is slightly green when you make it.

K
Oh and when you calculate pitch and screw size, Always go from the greater
diameter. it just works easier.
also change the angle between threads to 90 degrees for larger threads.
historically, very few screwboxes seem to have been made. they do show up
occasionally, Heron (also called Hero)illustrated one over 2000 years ago.
however most of the evidence I've seen seems to indicate that most screws were
made by "chasing" or carving methods.

see: Roy Underhill, woodwright's aprentice
also scanning thru posted pictures here i saw a nice one with removeable legs.
K