My Workshop

(click on the thumbnails for bigger pictures)

My workbench is made from maple with the top being made from 3" laminated strips. I added a couple of walnut strips for decorative effect, but these do not show in the picture. The bench is from 'The Workbench Book' by Scott Landis and is the Ian Kirby design. There are a couple of planing stops, a vise and not much else. The weight of the planes on a shelf across the stretchers gives it some ballast, although I have not had any problems with it moving. (Yes that is a Leigh dovetail jig under the bench - purchased before I decided to use hand-tools !).

I have upgraded the bench by adding a couple of drawers. The drawer at the top holds chisels, squares, etc.. The bottom drawer holds all of my metal bench planes and keeps them close at hand.

I made this toolbox from cherry. I originally started to follow a plan that was in 'American Woodworker' but modified it as I went along and ended up with a toolbox that bore little resemblance to the original plan. I decided to make the drawer fronts from lacewood. They don't contrast with the cherry as much as I would have liked but should look better as the cherry darkens with age. The center drawers were made from a different piece of lacewood - darker and much more dense than the others. All of the dovetails were hand cut and came out pretty good. The top compartment houses my 18th century wooden planes (all English).

This is a shot of my pegboard that contains 'just in' saws and such that are awaiting tune-up and restoration. Underneath it (and covered in junk) is my first workbench that I made from an old door and pressure treated 4 x 4's. It served well for a couple of years but I am glad that I built my new one.

My 7 year old son likes to be in the workshop with me, so I made him his own bench and gave him some tools so that he can do his own thing.

More English woodies - on the left, an almost complete half-set of H&R's by Gardner of Bristol, various odds and sods and a set of side-beads. The shelf is beginning to sag - I'll have to build another one. I collect planes made in Manchester (England) - if you have any for sale, let me know (dave@dpharris.com).