Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Jun 17, 2010 03:07pm | #1

   The hardboard strip, it is actually a strip of plywood, has the raised back ledge attached to it.  The ledge piece is approximately 1" by 1" by the length of the beam.  The ledge prevents the stock resting on the beam from sliding off of the back edge.  The ledge is positioned on the strip so that it is directly in line with the front of the bench.  Also mounted on the left end of the strip is a wedge shaped piece that matches the planing wedge attached to the front edge of of the bench top.  Like the ledge strip, the wedge also helps to hold the work piece in place when it is resting on the beam.  

   The whole assembly just rests on the beam with open ended notches in either end of the strip that loosely fit around the two pipes that the beam rides on.  The strip is made this way so that it can be removed from the beam which allows you, when the strip and ledge is removed, to slide the beam all the way up until it is touching the underside of the bench top which is useful when planing narrow strips of wood.

   John W.

1. 
   swenson | Jun 18, 2010 02:23am | #2

   NF bench question

   Thanks for the reply.

   I have everything you mentioned without the plywood strip.  The ledge has the lower planing wedge attached directly to it, it lines up perfectly with the upper wedge and the front edge of the bench.  It can be removed for planing narrow boards and rides up and down on its own open ended notches that match the open ended notches on the beam below.  When removed the beam sits flush with the underside of the bench.  The wedge/ledge combo also has the line level attached th its back edge for keeping everything plumb.

   I could never understand why the plywood was needed when you could screw the wedge directly to the ledge.

   I have several benches and assembly tables but I love this bench so much that I have moved all my hand tools over to the wall where the NF bench sits.

   Thanks for sharing this great tool with us.