# An Anarchist Workbench

Inspired by the book [Anarchists Workbench](https://lostartpress.com/products/the-anarchists-workbench) by Christopher Schwarz  
You can download the excellent book as a free pdf from his website.

- Build from leftover pieces of Douglas Fir and some Spruce
- LxWxH 175x62x90 cm
- Weight aprox. 90 kg
- Repurposed inherited very old Beech legvise with a steel and cast iron spindle
- 19 mm dogholes and Gramercy holdfasts
- Pop up mortised planing stop (ebay)
- Glued with aprox. 2.3 kg PVA type 3

Download CAD drawing: [workbench.pdf](drawing/workbench.pdf)  

<p><img src="images/PXL_20241123_110154118.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241123_110215576.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>

## Construction  

Build alsmost exclusivly with handtools. Just used an electric drill and drillpress for the holes, a circular saw for sawing off the benchtop ends and ripping the lumber lengthwise and a electric sander.  
- Stanley nr 4 and 5
- Gyokucho Ryoba japanese pull saw

### Preparing Stock
Glued and doweled pieces together for the benchtop.  
<p><img src="images/PXL_20240922_133627686.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
Everything handplaned straigth, flat and true.  
<p><img src="images/PXL_20240922_133613964.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>


### Replacing broken Stanley Nr 5 Handle
Made new handles from Meranti hardwood, the plastic ones cracked.   
<p><img src="images/PXL_20240831_101541440.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20240903_153242335.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>


### Benchtop glue up
Each beam connected to the next with 5 throughhole 12mm Beech dowels.  
First the centre 3 beams.
Then adding a beam on both sides at a time.  
So 4 glue ups.
Clamping with F-clamps, ratchet straps and construction screws later replaced by dowels.  
Glued with PVA type 3.  
<p><img src="images/PXL_20240922_172002980.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20240927_132834207.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20240928_093143253.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>

### Flatten benchtop with handplanes
<p><img src="images/PXL_20240928_134256824.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20240928_130024104.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20240929_183600145.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>

### Legs and stretchers
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241014_154601786.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241015_084727951.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241016_095014365.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>

### Benchtop mortise
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241020_121359507.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241020_124457476.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241020_151738436.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>

### Assembly
All mortise and tenon joints glued with PVA and drawbored with 12mm Beech dowels.  
My lovely partner helped with glueing and assembly because i wanted to do it quickly before the glue started curing.  
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241018_173745496.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241025_134323129.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241025_183551912.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241025_183613050.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>

### Legvise
Resawed and planed old beech legvise.  
Jaw lined with leather, glued with contact cement.  
Handle made of Ash broomstick. Holesawed beech knobs and sanded them on the drillpress.  
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241011_150904137.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241111_105849679.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241123_110244935.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>

### Finishing
Some gaps en tears filled with epoxy.  

Finished with homemade Danish Oil.  
2 Coats applied with cotton rags.  
My partner helped with the finishing.  

1/3 Boiled linseed oil  
1/3 Spar varnish (bootlak)  
1/3 White spirit (terpentine)  
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241118_091743242.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241118_091629211.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241118_091649520.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>

### Accesories
Clamps and benchdogs, 19mm dogholes, Gramercy holdfasts
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241123_110228591.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>
Pop up morticed planing stop from Ebay.  
<p><img src="images/PXL_20241123_110258859.jpg" height=auto width=75%></P>