The Woodwright's Shop Season 27 Episode 6 French Work Bench, Part 2
- October 6, 2007
In this episode of The Woodwright's Shop, the second part of the French Work Bench series is featured. Host Roy Underhill continues his work on the highly functional and elegant bench, taking viewers through the process of making the front vise and planing stops.
The episode begins with Roy discussing the importance of designing the bench to be versatile and accommodating to various woodworking projects and techniques. He uses this as a basis for explaining how and why he chose the specific dimensions and features of the front vise.
Roy then moves on to constructing the vise from scratch, using traditional techniques such as mortise and tenon joints and wedges. He also demonstrates how to make the vise's traditional wooden screw, which not only adds to the bench's classic aesthetic but is also an affordable and customizable alternative to metal screws.
Next, Roy focuses on adding planing stops to the bench to help support longer boards and prevent them from slipping during planing. He uses the same mortise and tenon joinery as for the vise and shows viewers how to precisely position the stops for maximum effectiveness.
Throughout the episode, Roy also shares his expertise on choosing and working with wood, emphasizing the importance of understanding grain patterns and moisture content for the best results.
As always, Roy's relaxed and humorous teaching style makes the woodworking process enjoyable and accessible for viewers of all skill levels. Those interested in traditional woodworking techniques and functional design will find this episode of The Woodwright's Shop informative and inspiring.
