I completed construction of a traditional sawbench this weekend based on a plan from Chris Schwarz in the new “Popular Woodworking Hand Tool Essentials” book. I made the bench out of scrap construction grade 2×10 material with plywood braces. I drilled a hole in the top for my Gramercy Tools holdfast. It was a quick and easy project (except for cutting my thumb on my flush-cup handsaw while cutting the hardwood pegs…just because the saw is a hand tool does not mean that it is not really sharp!)
I like the design and utility of the bench. Its primary feature is that it is 20″ high, a very good height for using traditional western saws. Not too high, not too short. The “V” in one end of the top allows a thin workpiece to be supported on both side of a cut.
I will be using this bench to experiment with a couple of old Disston saws that I recently purchased on eBay. Eventually, I want to learn to sharpen hand saws, but that is a project for later.
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About mattsanf
Matthew Sanfilippo is currently Executive Director of PSII (Pennsylvania Smart Infrastructure Incubator) and the CenSCIR (Center for Sensed Critical Infrastructure), Associate Director of ICES (Institute for Complex Engineered Systems), and Associate Director of PITA (Pennsylvania Infrastructure Technology Alliance) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).
Prior to CMU, Matthew was Director of Applied Technology for Michael Baker Corporation, a large engineering and energy services firm. Matt managed a technology consulting division for Baker including Geographic Information System (GIS), software and web development, multimedia, virtual reality (VR), visualization, Global Positioning System (GPS), mapping and surveying services.
Before joining Baker, Matt was an Innovation Director for Redleaf Group, a Venture Capital/Operating Company focused on Information Security, Supply Chain, Network and Mobility Solutions. While at Redleaf, Matt managed technical due diligence for seed-stage investments and coordinated relationships between Redleaf and their partner companies after investment.
Prior to Redleaf, Matt was CIO of GZA GeoEnvironmental Technologies, a Boston-based engineering firm, and operations manager for their Internet start-up division that focused on web-technologies for health and safety and manufacturing metrics.
Matt is current board member and past Chairman of the Board for the Botanic Garden of Western Pennsylvania, a board member of the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation (PHLF), and a former member of the Information Sciences and Technology Advisory Board for the Pennsylvania State University Beaver. Matt is also a former Vice President of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Association of Internet Professionals and former Vice President of the Board of Trustees for Baker Combined Charity of Pennsylvania.
Hi Matt,
Have you had a chance to use this? What do you think now that it has been in the shop for a while? And do you think one is enough?
Cheers!
Hi Karl,
I have used it and I like it a lot. It is a strong design and can take a beating.
I think that one is enough. I use a different design (folding) for saw-horses to save space, and reserve this for cutting, etc.
Matt
Thanks. I’d been planning to build one of these in the near future.
BTW: I’m back to blogging after an extended absence. Thanks for having me listed in your interesting sites!
Thanks Matt. I’m planning to build one of these in the near future.
BTW: I’m back to blogging after an extended break (mostly because the shop was in such bad shape). Thanks for having my on your list of interesting sites!