You can't make a bench out of Poplar. 9 years later.... Tool Fool Friday
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- čas přidán 26. 08. 2021
- What you make your woodworking bench out of can be polarizing. Some people advocate for Maple, Southern Yellow Pine, Beech or something exotic like Purple Heart. But who'd every think it a good idea to make one out of a soft, light weight hardwood like Poplar. Well, I did 9 years ago. Here's the well used/reviewed result.
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Man, I build all my benches out of pine (or other actual softwoods). No one needs to give you a hard time over poplar. Good video!
Well said Rex, aspiring woodworkers/ benchbuilders can be led astray into wasted time effort and expense by the beauty parade of furniture grade " look at my beautiful workbench" offerings all too easily found on you tube. Incidentally, many of them are hardly more than video demonstrations of power tool use, and So are worse than useless as vehicles of instruction. This guy's practical insights into what works, his can do self belief and enthusiasm for getting the job done are infectiously inspirational.
Having watched many of your videos, I say you are well qualified to add your 2 cents worth to the debate, and I'm pleased that you have. Both of you in your different styles are effective communicators of what is real and what matters. No fluff, no b s. just sticking with what will get the job done in the most fuss free way. Keep it up guys, thousands of us value your practical and honest advice. Sincere thanks
You know, you throw Rex into one of these videos as well, and you’ve got two great woodworkers with two great heads of hair…it just happens that all of the hair currently only resides on one head! 👩🦲 😂 All seriousness aside 😉, I do enjoy videos by both of you for the practicality, and as the previous reply stated, lack of BS. Keep up the good work guys, and I’ll keep being inspired and attempting to recreate, replicate, copy, clone, fail miserably, etc
There is a lot to say for pine, or softwood benches. They are stickier. So particularly if there aren't vises attached, as with Japanese beams, they serve really well.
"It works and it's cheap!!"
Speaking my language ❤
“It doesn’t move. It doesn’t move!”
Great advice.
I appreciate the great summary of how your bench works for you!
Too many people just hate poplar. I love poplar. I enjoy working it and *gasp* I love the way it looks
It’s just a damn good wood (just like every other wood)
I've always kind of wondered about the whole weight thing when it came to workbenches. If you're planing a board and the effort is pushing it across the floor, isn't that an indication that you need to sharpen your iron? And maybe add a little wax or oil to the sole??? My ash workbench weighs less than 200 lbs and it doesn't move at all when I plane boards.
Great discussion Shawn, thanks for this. I've always thought your bench looked quite nice. And I think others have said it too...you might want something softer that doesn't dent and ding your project boards so badly.
It makes sense to me for a workbench to be made of softer material than what you typically work on.
I hear you. The one downside is grit getting embedded. But you can just plane off the surface if it was ever a problem.
Sean, I have not been watching you lately because I am not interested in turning, but this video was right up my ally of interest. Loved this video. You are so relevant to folks who are not professional woodworkers but still want to engage in the craft and learn new stuff. Never stop teaching us; you are so good at it.
I think the "fine wood working community" is overtly snobbish when it comes to things like this. Yes they know what they are talking about, but having a great hardwood heavy workbench is a LUXURY, not a requirement, being a woodworker does not always involve premium tools, nor does it require a heavy hardwood workbench, though it makes working projects so much easier. I get away with benches made from solid core doors, and 2x4's. Never thought to make so many hole in my bench, I have tons of workarounds, but I don't chase a wood plane over everything I do, I rely on precision table saw cuts!
The cheapest material is whatever fell over in the back yard. At the cottage, I have a bench hewed out of some red oak that toppled over at the beach. I rolled it down to the water, walked it 500 yards to the house frontage. Peaveyed it back up into the yard. Used it as seating for a while, then made it into a bench. The base is two pieces of telephone pole held together with a single stretcher that was tenoned in. The mortises were cut with a chainsaw...
Back in the day, when this stuff actually mattered, nobody was dithering over a wood list wondering what to order.
If you can make a bench that is suitable to work on out of 2x4’s, poplar is awesome.
I love that bench. It’s gorgeous IMO.
I have a poplar bench I made 8 years ago. It is awesome. No need for hardwood, SYP, anything like that. Poplar was cheap, available, and easy to work. 4" thick top, 6x6 legs, it is plenty heavy, plenty stiff, and I don't feel prescious about it when I beat the hell out of it, saw into it, or anything. Poplar is a fine wood for a bench!
You hit every major point. My workbench is made of mostly Kentucky white pine. It was stamped as such. It is mostly clear and came from irrigation pallets. It is a second incarnation utilizing some parts from my original hardwood bench. Six foot by two foot. It is built on wooden wagon wheels that are fourteen inch and eight inches in diameter. It is full of drawers for my tools. It weighs about a ton with my tools stored inside. My dog holes are three quarters of an inch by three inches. My dogs are made of blocks and also allow me to use bar clamps as well. As far as it being a softwood bench that is holding up well, is versatile and mobile.
Greetings from the high plains of Texas.
I've been enjoying woodworking for about 12 years now. If I had waited to be able to afford a maple bench I'd still not be woodworking. It is the practical and affordable approach you often bring that keeps me tuned in and watching and learning from this channel. I made my bench out of construction 2x lumber, although the same bench in covid times would likely cost the same as maple! The 2x bench continues to meet all my needs, to my surprise. And I have found a real advantage, the bench, softer than my hard wood projects, always yields to the hardwood, dented bench, protected work piece.Its easy to flatten etc etc. And I believe poplar would make a great bench!
You're a great teacher! I appreciate the knowledge shared and look forward to building my own workbench shortly after we move.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge! Said it before and say it again: you are a hell of a teacher!!!
Hearing your hand slap on the top over and over, sounds like concrete. lol
Wortheffort is always practical, rational, reasonable, and intellectual woodworking. Love this video.
That's a beautiful bench, it's aged well. Benches made out of beech/maple/walnut with Bubinga accents and contrasting purple heart dovetails, yeah they're beautiful, but as you said, it's an effing workbench. Make the bench as cheap as you can, build a small cubby in the bottom and fill it with 59 cent brick pavers from home depot, it'll never move.. Rob Cosman has a beautifully stunning workbench, envied by everyone, he also has plans for a cheap mdf one. I would probably never make one out of mdf, but as good as yours "looks", if I could find a good deal on poplar, then I would absolutely make one out of it...
It's not furniture, it's a tool. Heck, I built mine out of Doug Fir for the base, 4 layers of 3/4" particle board for the top and wrapped it with poplar. I can work all day without it moving and it suits my needs great. All in, with a face vice, maybe $250.
Popular really gets a bum rap sometimes other than for things such as paint grade face frames for cabinets. I built an entire kitchen with poplar that was not painted but stained and it turned out beautiful. I picked through the wood at my lumber yard and bought the most figured poplar I could find. Absolutely stunning. What makes it even sweeter is I saved around $600 on the cost of the kitchen over using other hardwoods.
I built rex Kruger's English joiners bench and it's a lot lighter than your bench. That said, my bench doesn't move. I was shocked at how solid it is. So I'm not surprised that your bench is just as solid if not more.
Poplar is a really underrated wood
Good news :) Just got ahold of a stand of about 100 Poplar trees. Will be milling drying and building a Poplar bench :) Cant beat the price, and it looks damn good. Thanks for the nudge of confidence.
What I like about you is that you think of the purpose of what you build. Not just follow common practice without questioning . You build very practical things and your presentation appeals to me a lot 😁👍. Thank you!
Also, as a long-time viewer, I know you've moved shops and that bench many times. Would have been a lot harder if your bench weighed a ton.
I added that saw holder to my bench after seeing yours.
Our native local hardwoods are paper birch and aspen poplar. This is awesome advice and debunk the so called negatives of poplar.
Once again, you show how it isnt the tool that makes the woodworker!! Great job!!
I appreciate your no nonsense style and bench
2005 hurricane Wilma roared through south Florida taking many many trees. I milled up some Black olive and set it garage to dry. 16 years later, that wood turned into the start of my workbench (legs, stretchers). Still waiting to find more Block Olive for the top. You inspire me. Thank you.
Good message! Thank you!
As long as you use it and enjoy what your doing on it dose it truly make a big difference.
A bit late but I can only imagine the nightmares these snobs have about Peter Follansbee bench.
Love your channel and your teachings, thank you.
I love it! Great bench.
You said,... "Use what you've got" !! I reply... Amen to that, as that's how it works here in the Philippines, as there's not a hardware store on every corner here... LOL...
I didn't know that you have a poplar workbench. I was considering building one like that, so it's good to know that it works just fine from actual experience.
Great video, thanks!!
Man I really love your videos!! Thank you!!
Thanks for sharing.
Totally agree!
Too many people over think and over engineer they're bench's , mine is the most simple thing in my shop but it has served me well for many years
Loved the video, and would like to see more.
I love this video. ❤️
I also love this channel. 👍
Thanks for sharing your many years of real world experience and a good honest Assesemt of whats really needed in a workbench.
nice rant...love it
Enjoy your video's i am on disability and can't afford alot of expensive woods so i use what ever i can get free and don't care what people say about what kind of wood to use. I enjoy making sawdust so. You do you and I'll do me. Thanks
Like the information on your bench a few pointers I will try on mine.
awesome video thanks for sharing
We woodworkers tend to obsess about a few things a tad too much, and I believe the workbench is one of those. Yes, a great hardwood Roubo bench with a one--piece 16/4 hardwood slab top is beautiful and functional and will serve you and your children and even your great-grandchildren, but you don’t NEED that to do very good woodworking. My first woodworking bench was and is a simple Nicholson style pine bench I built in a single weekend several years ago, that I intended to keep only until I built something better. But I found the same thing you did: it just plain WORKS. I’ve completed all my projects since then on this bench and not one person has said to me that they could tell I built my furniture on a “cheap” softwood bench. I expect I’ll get around to building that Roubo one of these years, but then again, I may not. I’m very glad to see that your poplar bench has served you so well all these years. I’m sure it will continue to do so for many more years yet.
Nice bench Shawn! Like you said it’s a bench to beat on. Does not matter what 🪵 you choose! Thanks for the vids lately. 🤘🏼
Love the rant on workbench Sensibility!
All very good points well-stated! As well as you stated as my woodworking evolved as did my methodology of using my workbench!
One man's method or wallet is not another mans, why do we always think the grass is greener on the other side! It's not the chisel its the person using it that makes the difference!
That was enlightening! I'm off to build mine out of very ordinary surplus plywood.
See my video on build your first bench.
I got my white oak bench top second hand for free scrapped from an old cow fence
1. Thanks for time and knowledge you invest for the woodworking community.
2. You just confirmed my choice in wood for my Nicholson/English workbench. I'd rather my bench got beat up than my projects.
3. Holdfasts and dogholes rule! But of course to each there own method of working.
The nicely crafted work benches were advertisements of the craftsman's skill, just like a very detailed and complicated tool chest. Really nice hardwoods, especially stable woods were ideal for showcasing skill and materials. That perfectly reasonable decision has gradually been lost to myths. It's the same with whether you have a tool well on a bench or not. If you work on both sides of a bench a tool well is a nuisance, but if your bench stays up a against an unfinished stud wall, the well catches things accidentally bumped off the back edge. Instead of crawling around with the black widows, you can fish it out of the well.
In most cases back 100 years the workbenches did not belong to the craftsman, the belonged to the shop. The craftsman didn’t earn enough to own a bench and would only own the tools and tool chest. Gave them the power to change shops at moments notice. Kinda like auto mechanics today. They own the tools but not the lifts.
@@wortheffort You have to look back farther than a century. By then craftsman made furniture was already being displaced by factory made. Even Stickley was essentially factory made. Another century earlier and you see the spectacular benches made by the Shaker craftsmen for instance. Craftsman-made gear, tools, chests, and even benches were visual evidence of skill and quality that could be expected from the craftsman or shop. I'm not disagreeing about the fact that the wood "specifications" are - mmh - exaggerated. I simply am saying that the modern justifications are mythological rather justifed by engineering, as your bench demonstrates. It's neither too soft nor too light. My grandfather's was a built-in English style of Douglas fir and the furniture he built on it is remarkable. It is included in a Presbyterian church in California listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Thanks
I really like the dog holes with the dowels as a way to hold your work. I have "Basic Mobile Workbench" (plans from Steve Ramsey) that I've been adapting to using hand tools. I've been thinking about dog holes. Seeing how you use yours gave me the solution that I needed. Keep the great work!
I built a Moravian Workbench out of Douglas fir, its a softer wood but it's working great. Made a vice from redwood, not the best choice either but it works👍
I'm pretty sure fir is as hard as poplar if not harder. Its what my bench is and its fantastic
@@dylanneely91 fir/pine, from northern latitudes with a cooler shorter growing season, can be quite hard and heavy as the growth rings are thinner and packed more tightly, and seems to have a higher resin content which may contribute to greater longevity. Worth searching out at the lumber yard if you want those qualities in your timber at the usual softwood prices. It planes to a good finish and takes wood oils very nicely. I have built a couple of doors with it. No complaints.
Doug fir 2x4 has been fine for me. poplar would be fine too. I'm slowly working on a bench from some huge culled timbers, probably doug fir, I bought from a local sawmill auction. That'll work fine too. Whatever you have that you can get a solid flat top on will be fine.
Well said! Hell, I'd kill for bench like yours. Mine is made from re-used 2x4. Small ugly and beat to hell but it served me well for 15 years, made some mice furniture on it.
poplar is a big improvement over the doug fir i have. Mine wont last 150 years, probably wont last 15, but thats fine.
Youre 100% right about the weight issues - they don’t exist except in BS contrived situations.
I made my workbench out of douglas fir, and it's sturdy and stable.
To quote Christopher Schwartz in one of his books he wrote a poem to benches, the crux of which is, "...if you make it from pine, it will be fine."
Great video, thanks Shawn. I'd rather dent my workbench than the item I'm working on. Mine's from poplar and I'm very happy with it
I agree Adam. I made my workbench from oak and have to be careful all the time about denting work pieces. It also causes rebound when using chisels.
Softer wood benches are actually far better to work on as they tend to absorb a lot more vibration. My bench is spruce and I dont see any durability issues at all. Gonna make the next one out of old growth Douglas fir. I've see people line the edges with hardwood, but I dont think it's super needed, although will definitely give the bench a bit more strength.
Thank you!! You just saved me a bunch of money. I'm building an outdoor bench with treated lumber and I was researching what vices to get. Not many are weather proof. The Bench Pup and a few wooden dogs are all I really need. Store them in the house in a tool box and take them out when I need them. No expensive vices or other bench hardware to buy. Thanks
Excellent!
Outdoor bench gang represent! I also have the same hardware!
I also made an all wood twinscrew vise for it too out of poplar and birch dowels, just in case metal threaded rods and nuts start to rust in the rainy season despite a tarp over the bench. Just bring in the threaded dowels and other jaw when it does :D
2:43 Yeah, I build mine out of whatever I had on hand... best of all is I never feel guilty for damaging it when I work on it. Mine was build with 2 3/4 inch plywood plates on top... if the top layer would get too damaged... I would just take it off and cut another to size, attaching that and continue to use it.
Allot people on CZcams here... make showcase Workbenches... seemingly to never be used for serious messy work.
I used a workbench made from hemlock for over twenty years. I finally made a very nice beech bench, but the old hemlock bench worked fine. I don't really see a big down side to a softer wood in a workbench other than the dog holes can get worn larger with use.
And, if they do...drill them out, glue in hardwood dowels and re-drill them
I’I’ve been a subscriber for a long time now, yea, I’m older, but just started in wood turning. I’ve actually just finally purchased the last component to my “room” for wood turning which was the big dust collector. I’m just now beginning, but I love your videos! I’m learning lots, even before I have establish a workroom in my 2 bedroom house! Yes, being single, I can take the second bedroom and now it’s a 12ft+14ft wood turning room! Only single people have this luxury! Lolol,,, but the dust collection is that key, can you do a video on the dust collection, in a tight room, or in any situation? Love your videos!!!
Really like your thought process.
I liked the beginner workbench. Do you have a video on this one?
Poplar? You used better wood than I did, Shawn. I used Douglas Fir for the top and construction pine for the base and it works just fine. Mortise and tenons like yours plus large dovetails on the cross braces. As long as it does what we need, the material isn't that important... unless you are a woodworking snob... which I most certainly am not.
I make my tops out of laminated SYP dimensional lumber. Works great and is cheap. Heavy enough too.
More small boxes, shelves, turned cups, and how you finishing your projects. Turning acrylic pens and stuff. You’ve probably covered those things but I have to go back and watch everything again soon. All in time, thank you.
None of those are tools.
@@wortheffort I'm the tool then :/
i built an english style bench out of 2x6 and it is just fine .
Poplar is the poor man's cherry. I've always used it!
Mine is very similiar, but I have a tail vice, its super nice for clamping things down for face work. Also, you can pry my leg vice from my cold dead hands.
Your bench looks great ... and well used which proves it has held up just fine. I would like to have a smaller bench like that.
I have a "table saw" table that is 5' x 12'. I got it from a friend with a cabinet shop. He built it with conventions lumber with a plywood top that he covered with laminate (Formica) It has held up for over 20 years, and is very smooth. Of course, it doesn't have any dog-holes in it but we can screw stop blocks to it when we need to.
I am going to be moving in to a smaller shop area and won't have room for my 5'12 table so I may want to build one similar to yours
Just a thought, to make a bench like yours and save some $$$ - would it be possible/acceptable to build it from construction lumber except for the runs with the dog-holes and use a slightly harder wood for those two runs to keep the holes from wallowing out so easily?
I can't see why not.
Thanks for this video, Shawn. Do you have plans or a video to make one similar to this one?
I have 4" of maple over 8 feet on my bench top. But when it came time to do the base, the price had spiked from 2 to 10 so I made the base of poplar, and there is no way to tell the difference. Not the same as your top being made of poplar, but it is a good wood.
Theres a lot of people who poo-poo other peoples benches...... "it has to be hard Maple to work as a bench" 🤔 mine is only 5ft long and 4inches thick of MDF, with a pine M&T base...... it doesnt move one bit when planing or resawing. I've always admired your bench Shawn, the "know it all's" will always have somethin to say about these type of things tho....... F em 🤷♂️🤣
Hell... if someone like Paul Sellers can make one out of strips of Baltic birch plywood laminated together, and be completely satisfied with it, about the only thing that I would not use for a bench is Balsa wood... lol.
I want my workbench to be functional, not pretty or for bragging rights.
Thanks for the video!
How about 100% black Gabon ebony workbench? :D
Joking aside, it looks like a really good bench. Rock on.
What size wooden screw box you use for making your Mixon vise screws
Imo softer woods are better for a bench anyway. You want a tiny bit of give so it's not so harsh to pound on.
My bench is built from yellow pine and is heavy enough that I’ve never had it move when I didn’t want it to
When are you posting the pen production video
I really like your little tool tray. Did you size the gaps in it for specific tools or just find one that fits saws/chisels etc?
Anyone who says you can't build a bench out of white pine, (or poplar ) turn around and RUN away, they can NOT be trusted!!
Poplar is slightly harder then beech, I think, and beech has been used for ages! And poplar looks great!!
I mean if it's not racking or sliding it's fine right?
Have you had any issues with the hold downs opening up the dog holes to wide? Keep up the good work!
Mine is made of Hickory. Yikes! I have a collection of router bits and lag bolts that where broken in the process, along with dulled and damaged cutters and blades.
I made my work bench out of LVL off cuts I had to do a little dumpster diving to get them but well worth it am I too cheep
One more thing how tall was the bread face on your wonder dog
How did you keep it from racking?
As stated in video the shoulders of tenons do that.
I have made my bench with fir, it fit my budget and I find it does not move.
If it moves simple solution , just it down with angle iron and some bolts and anchor bolts . It's not hard
not many woodworkers also metal work. kinda pick your hobby and dive.
I do woodworking as a hobby, also I’m learning on my own and CZcams videos. What would be an inexpensive wood to make my first workbench? (That I know I’ll mess up)
Southern yellow pine makes a great workbench
🤣 Uhm .... maybe poplar?
(I could be wrong) 🤪
@@HopeStreetWoodworks I’m doing woodworking to workout my PTSD, After retirement I moved home to Puerto Rico and the woods are hard to find. Home Depot is around the island but they don’t bring all the supplies here. I’ll see if they have it, thanks 😊
Plenty of videos out there on using construction grade lumber..2x6’s……..Stumpy Nubs has a good one
@@k9six185 thank you 🙏
Any one who say's your bench sucks, is a sphincter boy.
First!
i prefer softwood for workbenches, there's always way to lock a bench down to make it sturdier, But dropping a delicate box or detail thingy on the bench that im working on and it makes a dent in the PROJECT rather than the bench? meh then i rather go softies.