Replies

1. 
   MBerger | Jan 13, 2007 01:02am | #1

   Hi Larry,

   I'm going to let Bob address part two of your question, while I look into part one. I can't seem to figure out why the five-hole pattern is there. It's very consistent so it looks like it has a purpose but I can't figure out what that might be.

   One of our editors built this bench last year so I'll ask him when he's back in the office next week.

   Regards,
   Matt Berger
   Fine Woodworking

2. 
   Bob_Van_Dyke | Jan 15, 2007 05:49am | #2

   Larry- I will take a look at the article in 167 when I get to the school tomorrow- but I cannot imagine why I would use anything other than a PVA glue in a basic situation like this.  I will try to give you a full answer after I have checked the article

   Bob

3. 
   Bob_Van_Dyke | Jan 15, 2007 06:16pm | #3

   Larry

   I have checked out the article- Now I remember which bench it was.

   1. On your first question: I am going to assume that those holes were unintentional and were caused by the center point of the drill bit (either a brad point or spade bit) which was used to rough out the mortice. The point extended beyond the bottom of the mortice. The point of a spade bit is quite long. They were probably exposed after he cut the relief in the bottom of the trestle foot (it looks to be at least a 1/2" relief cut). I would have cut the mortice before doing any shaping of the part.  If you look at the picture there are 5 holes on the right and 8 on the left. Being on the bottom of the foot there was no point in doing anything about them.

   2. As I said last night- I can see no reason not to use standard yellow PVA glue for any of the joinery in this project. I have never had a glue failure using yellow glue and never had a problem with creep (although one edge of a bent lamination using 1/8" laminations has moved enough in 10 years that I can feel the laminations if I run my hand over it). My bench top is still perfectly smooth and straight after about 12 years of use.

   I have had failures using polyurethane glues and have talked to others who have had failures also.

   Also- when I glue up a mortice and tenon using yellow glue I get absolutely no squeeze out, however, the "foaming" action of drying polyurethane glues causes so much squeeze out that I have not used it in years!

   This is a straight forward glue up so you should not need extra open time, but if you are concerned then Titebond "Extend" works perfectly well and gives you the open time you need in any complex glue up

   Let me know how you make out- the bench plan looks excellent and it is one of the best projects you can do.

   Bob

    

4. 
   Mking143 | Jan 15, 2007 07:07pm | #4

   Larry,
   Regarding your question #1, Bob is entirely correct on this. I attended a seminar by Lon a couple of years ago where he talked about that bench, and had the same bench in the shop for the demo. I helped him muscle the thing around to show different joinery detail during the seminar. I asked him about the small holes in the bottom of the blind mortises. He explained that even the pros make mistakes, and that he drilled out the mortises before cutting the relief on the bottom of the feet, thus exposing the holes from the spade bits. Lesson learned? Nope, I made the same mistake while building the same bench. Duh.
   Mike