Sometimes the easier way is the right way.
So, last week I made a trestle for the workshop. It took around an hour including some time spent chatting with the painters and decorators in the cottage.
Then, when there were more folk in the workshop I started on the second trestle. Yeah, we're currently four, make that six hours in on this job. So much for all that "If it takes a man an hour to dig a hole, how long does it take for two men..."
It's a simple construction, knocked together out of 2x4s. Today I was putting the last top rail on and realised that I didn't have a 30" length of 2x4 left in the 'shop so I then worked on making a simple lap joint to put two shorter pieces of scrap together that could then be cut to length. Fixed it to the top of the trestle, just the side plates to pop on to brace everything... and then when I lifted it I managed to rip the damned thing off.
That was my cue to give up for the day, clear up the tools, lock up and head home.
Later, seriously, much later... "Hey, you know what you could have done that'd have made that job a lot quicker? Got off your arse and went into the timber store and CUT A 30" LENGTH OF 2x4 off the freaking stock in there....You. Muppet."
So, yeah, tomorrow, that's what I'll be doing.
Once I get the trestles finished I can use them to hold some 10" boards that need dressing so I can replace the surface on Workbench One, then I can replace the side apron on the bench and fit a new vice. The old vice (a cheapjack PoS crapbasket) dethreaded itself spectacualrly a wek or so back and I'm 'upgrading' to a nice solid twin screw wood workers vice. Pics to follow when THAT job is done.
While I'm trying to restrict myself to only using handtools and 'olde worlde' methods, the electric planer will be coming out for this job! I'm enthusiastic but I'm not an eejit!
Here's Workbench One in operation before the old vice crapped out.
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