What's On Your Workbench?

[Big B.]

I know this is a what's ON your workbench thread but how about the actual workbench? Too meta?

I've always wanted an actual woodworking bench/bass setup bench. My local lumber yard had some beautiful and clean European Beech. I bought 8/4" thickness and milled everything down to 1 3/4".

The bench vice is from Rockler. It has a smooth action and tight grip. I'll probably add some storage cabinets underneath at some point but for the moment it's finished. Now, to start slowing destroying it...

 

[Big B.]

I thought you guys might appreciate my newest acquisition. A 25 lb. Red Mallee Burl.

Found this beauty at Carltons Rare Woods and Veneers in Atlanta, Georgia. It's just big enough to get a full one-piece bass top and at 2 1/2" thick I should be able to get four 1/2" thick tops. If you dont know Richard, he has one of the most interesting little wood shops you'll ever come across. He almost exclusively deals in exotics and his shop is basically wood heaven. Just a few shots from the basement.

Speaking of treasure, some gorgeous swamp ash slabs. 2 1/8" thick, 14-18" wide.

If you're ever in Atlanta do yourself a favor and stop by. Anyway, enough distractions. Back to the build-off!

 

[TerribleTim68]

Holy crap Big B! That's amazing!

I am curious though, because I've heard horror stories. Isn't burl brittle as all get out? What's the trick to slicing off a 1/2" slab and not destroying it before it becomes a top?

 

[Big B.]

Holy crap Big B! That's amazing!

I am curious though, because I've heard horror stories. Isn't burl brittle as all get out? What's the trick to slicing off a 1/2" slab and not destroying it before it becomes a top?

This all just depends on the type of burl and how stable it is. Most of the horror stories come from buckeye burl which is both extremely soft and prone to crumbling apart. I wont touch the stuff no matter how pretty it is but the other burls I've used had no issues. This stuff is hard and heavy and shouldnt need anything more than epoxy to fill the small cracks.

 

[Axstar]

^ yet another example of why I will never buy another Fender. Next owner dies early, son finds it and thinks "hey a 60's Fender!", not knowing the plastic TR hole is a giveaway, etcetera ad nauseum. They are so easy to counterfeit, at this point they're a joke.

You just have to know what you are looking at, which is the same for buying any expensive item really.

 

[Beej]

You just have to know what you are looking at, which is the same for buying any expensive item really.

I suppose so, but strikes me as an odd defense for counterfeiting.

 

[Axstar]

I suppose so, but strikes me as an odd defense for counterfeiting.

I've taken the original Fender decal off my Fender Bass and stuck another Fender decal on there. No forged serial numbers, no cheeky pencil marks on the heel. Wind your shaging neck in already.

 

[Beej]

I've taken the original Fender decal off my Fender Bass and stuck another Fender decal on there. No forged serial numbers, no cheeky pencil marks on the heel. Wind your shagging neck in already.

That's an interesting response. If you don't have a problem with counterfeiting / forgery / fakes and don't think changing labels is a big deal, then why would my opinion strike a chord? I didn't mean to offend; I think you may have inferred more than I implied.

 

[eddododo]

I’m having a really hard time dealing emotionally with this f***-up

Obviously it’s because I’m so new at all this, but man I’m having a real hard time not throwing stuff across the shop

 

[TerribleTim68]

Not sure exactly what happened, hard to understand the context. there's bound to be a way out tho. Deep breathes first.

 

[rojo412]

I’m having a really hard time dealing emotionally with this f***-up

Obviously it’s because I’m so new at all this, but man I’m having a real hard time not throwing stuff across the shop

Trust me when I tell you, throwing stuff never helps. Yelling is way more effective and less damage. It won't fix anything, but it won't break anything else.

A while back, I was building a bass that was destined to be really fancy: curly birdseye maple top and back, really resonant, chambered mahogany core with walnut accent layer.
I rough cut the body, attached the template securely, and started to follow the edges with a pattern bit to cut the shape. As I went around the horn, there was a loud BANG and the whole thing jumped out of my hands.
It tore the bejesus out of the entire upper horn. Fanned out the wood, cracked it really bad, it was absolute heartbreak (the top alone was $75 in wood).

I quickly super glued it and clamped it together, it was the only thing I could think to do at the time:

Needless to say, I was ready to throw all kinds of stuff. And I'm pretty sure the volume I shouted at the time, as well as the number of times I said the abbreviated title of a 1991 Van Halen album would have made Richard Pryor tell me to take it down a notch.

But it's wood. And wood can be fixed in so many ways.

Granted, this project got shelved. And I had to modify my plans a bit and shorten the horn. But it didn't turn out terrible:

If anything, my advice is: just scream it out. Throwing stuff is pointless.

And yeah, feel free to ask advice on repair here. Plenty of great people can help out.

 

[eddododo]

Trust me when I tell you, throwing stuff never helps. Yelling is way more effective and less damage. It won't fix anything, but it won't break anything else.

A while back, I was building a bass that was destined to be really fancy: curly birdseye maple top and back, really resonant, chambered mahogany core with walnut accent layer.
I rough cut the body, attached the template securely, and started to follow the edges with a pattern bit to cut the shape. As I went around the horn, there was a loud BANG and the whole thing jumped out of my hands.
It tore the bejesus out of the entire upper horn. Fanned out the wood, cracked it really bad, it was absolute heartbreak (the top alone was $75 in wood).

I quickly super glued it and clamped it together, it was the only thing I could think to do at the time:

View attachment 3723803
View attachment 3723804

View attachment 3723805

Needless to say, I was ready to throw all kinds of stuff. And I'm pretty sure the volume I shouted at the time, as well as the number of times I said the abbreviated title of a 1991 Van Halen album would have made Richard Pryor tell me to take it down a notch.

But it's wood. And wood can be fixed in so many ways.

Granted, this project got shelved. And I had to modify my plans a bit and shorten the horn. But it didn't turn out terrible:

View attachment 3723806
View attachment 3723807
If anything, my advice is: just scream it out. Throwing stuff is pointless.

And yeah, feel free to ask advice on repair here. Plenty of great people can help out.

thanks for that... it’s like.. I know it’s just part of the whole thing, but I felt like such a dumbass because I walked right into it.

Basically I was planing/flattening the bottom panel for a pedal board, and up to that point I couldn’t believe how well it was going. The little sapele square was a fix to lengthen an oak scrap into a board, all of that oak glued up into a panel worked the best of any time I’ve done that to date.
My router planing fixture was working phenomenally, and I really just went too hard for too long; I think what happened was the bit worked its way loose from the chuck. It suddenly dug in then jumped with a bang. This honestly could have been dangerous or at least damaged more than my workpiece...

Anyway I think it’s pretty trashed, I may just cut my losses and find a better solution.

 

[TerribleTim68]

... The little sapele square was a fix to lengthen an oak scrap into a board...

So you already had a patch piece in there to create a chunk of wood big enough to use, right?
So how about using a router, then some chisels to make the hole into a square and glue in another small patch? You could even think up a way to make the squares into a feature, like some cool shape or something.

Just thinking out loud.

 

[Scoops]

I'm now past the point of foul language and throwing things. I've a couple times though.

I've done too many "Doh's" and have now realized that it wasted negative energy, it's just best to move on.

But I get the emotional aspect. Expierenced it just a couple months ago

 

[Fat Freddy]

I’m having a really hard time dealing emotionally with this f***-up

Obviously it’s because I’m so new at all this, but man I’m having a real hard time not throwing stuff across the shop
View attachment 3723706

Oooh....You didn't wanna do that!...

 

[rojo412]

My router planing fixture was working phenomenally, and I really just went too hard for too long; I think what happened was the bit worked its way loose from the chuck. It suddenly dug in then jumped with a bang. This honestly could have been dangerous or at least damaged more than my workpiece...

That is a mistake that tends to teach a good and hopefully permanent lesson.

I chucked up a 3/4" x 1" pattern bit into my table once, turned it on, and in a couple seconds, that bit flew out of the table and across the room. A hefty chunk of razor-sharp steel, spinning somewhere in the 30,000 rpm range, flying across the basement is a scary enough thought when it isn't actually within range to hit a piece of one's own flesh... let alone within inches.
Hell, a razor sharp, hefty chunk of steel, spinning at 30,000 rpm is scary enough when it's properly secured!

Needless to say, I triple check the collet tightness every time now.
Damn routers, being so helpful AND so dangerous.

 

[JIO]

That is a mistake that tends to teach a good and hopefully permanent lesson.

I chucked up a 3/4" x 1" pattern bit into my table once, turned it on, and in a couple seconds, that bit flew out of the table and across the room. A hefty chunk of razor-sharp steel, spinning somewhere in the 30,000 rpm range, flying across the basement is a scary enough thought when it isn't actually within range to hit a piece of one's own flesh... let alone within inches.
Hell, a razor sharp, hefty chunk of steel, spinning at 30,000 rpm is scary enough when it's properly secured!

Needless to say, I triple check the collet tightness every time now.
Damn routers, being so helpful AND so dangerous.

Agree - a router is as you summarized. Follow the rules accordingly/seriously and it is a valuable tool.

 

[mtdkingstonheir]

I thought you guys might appreciate my newest acquisition. A 25 lb. Red Mallee Burl.

View attachment 3721288

View attachment 3721289


Found this beauty at Carltons Rare Woods and Veneers in Atlanta, Georgia. It's just big enough to get a full one-piece bass top and at 2 1/2" thick I should be able to get four 1/2" thick tops. If you dont know Richard, he has one of the most interesting little wood shops you'll ever come across. He almost exclusively deals in exotics and his shop is basically wood heaven. Just a few shots from the basement.

View attachment 3721299

View attachment 3721300

View attachment 3721311

View attachment 3721313

Speaking of treasure, some gorgeous swamp ash slabs. 2 1/8" thick, 14-18" wide.

View attachment 3721314

If you're ever in Atlanta do yourself a favor and stop by. Anyway, enough distractions. Back to the build-off!

Holy smokes, that's an incredible burl slab. Looks like a great shop to find unique wood.

 

[Jisch]

I thought you guys might appreciate my newest acquisition. A 25 lb. Red Mallee Burl.

View attachment 3721288

View attachment 3721289


Found this beauty at Carltons Rare Woods and Veneers in Atlanta, Georgia. It's just big enough to get a full one-piece bass top and at 2 1/2" thick I should be able to get four 1/2" thick tops. If you dont know Richard, he has one of the most interesting little wood shops you'll ever come across. He almost exclusively deals in exotics and his shop is basically wood heaven. Just a few shots from the basement.

View attachment 3721299

View attachment 3721300

View attachment 3721311

View attachment 3721313

Speaking of treasure, some gorgeous swamp ash slabs. 2 1/8" thick, 14-18" wide.

View attachment 3721314

If you're ever in Atlanta do yourself a favor and stop by. Anyway, enough distractions. Back to the build-off!

If you don't mind sharing, what does a burl like that cost? I've seen whole burls sold by the pound, but I imagine once it's cut it's probably not sold that way.

 

[James Willie]

This is my favorite thread ever...
I may go back and read it again.
Thanks