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Woodworking Magazine Weblog

Take a Video Tour of the Holtzapffel Workbench
Posted 6/2/2007 in All Weblog Posts | Workbenches



While we were shooting the cover image for the next issue of Woodworking Magazine, our Photographer Al Parrish and Senior Editor Glen Huey came up with a great idea: Let’s shoot some video of the bench that shows off its cooler features.

So we did.

I pulled on a stinky old shirt that was coiled below my desk (good thing the video isn’t scratch ‘n’ sniff) and tapped out a script. Managing Editor Megan Fitzpatrick was in charge of make-up (there wasn’t any). And Senior Editor Robert Lang was Best Boy (he drank coffee and watched).

Glen shot the video and edited it the same night (he’s a workhorse, like all the willing slaves who work here). And here it is. A couple notes: The bench is 34" high. Really. It’s I who am freakishly tall. The bench is not too low. In fact, low benches really help with handplaning because you use your leg muscles more.

Check it out here. And look for more videos in the coming weeks on the topics covered in the next issue of Woodworking Magazine, which goes on sale on July 24.

— Christopher Schwarz

  Comments [20]
6/2/2007 10:45:20 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Got a channel loading bar (looks like a flash movie pre-loader?) but no video ensued in the window. I'm using Firefox browser and have most of the video plugins.
It's a lovely idea but...
Martin |mxhart2AT NOSPAMgoogle dot ca
6/3/2007 1:07:43 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Chris,
I had no problem with the video (I am currently using the browser by the boys from Redmond) which I feel was very informative and a lot of fun to watch. Yes, you do look freakishly tall next to the bench, but as you mention, you are freakishly tall.
It's a great teaser for the bench, the magazine and your book on benches. I will be looking forward to seeing the next installment of your 'video blog'.
All the best,
Michael
Michael Rogen |mikerogenAT NOSPAMoptonline dot net
6/3/2007 11:02:40 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Chris,
My IE did not open the video either. great teaser!
Hope to see it soon.
Dave
David Jeske |daveAT NOSPAMbluesprucetoolworks dot com
6/3/2007 11:19:54 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Hmmmm. I've alerted the technical people to see what the problem is. I don't believe the player requires any odd plug-in that I know of. It works well in both IE and Firefox (haven't checked Safari).

We'll get an answer Monday and see if we can tweak some settings.

Sorry for the problem.

Chris
Christopher Schwarz |chris dot schwarzAT NOSPAMfwpubs dot com
6/3/2007 12:00:34 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
I had to wait a bit for the video to play. I think it has to load 100% before it starts -- no caching. This is good because you don't get stops & starts. But, it's bad if you're impatient or have a slow connection. ;-)

regards,
Dave

PS I thought the video was very informative and very cool. The only bad thing about the video? It was too short. lol
dave brown |ydb1mdAT NOSPAMgmail dot com
6/3/2007 4:12:53 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Good video. Keep them coming.

Wish it was around when I made my Tage Frid bench 25 years ago. Maybe I need another bench now?

P.S. I don't think you are freakishly tall :-)

Never confuse normal with average!

(P.P.S. No problem with Firefox here)
Keith Mealy |pwblog dot 20 dot kmealyAT NOSPAMspamgourmet dot com
6/3/2007 5:44:44 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
For those of you having trouble viewing the video, make sure you pick "woodworking tips" from the left column...and then "the Holtzapffel bench" sub category. You'll also see another sub-category called "Refinishing Floors".

I initially thought it would just play automatically when I opened the link and hit "Play"...and I sat there for a bit...and sat there...went and made myself a coffee...then sat there...and THEN had an epiphany. DOH! I guess I really need to catch up on my sleep...

Louis Bois |mr dot punchinelloAT NOSPAMgmail dot com
6/3/2007 5:54:13 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Great video. Just the bench I've been looking for. I've been drooling over Mike Dunbar's double screw vise for years. What source do you have for the screws? What size are they?

Thanks,
Dave
Dave Reedy |dave dot reedyAT NOSPAMge dot com
6/3/2007 9:05:36 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Just a word

BRAVO!
P.M |pmassabieAT NOSPAMsympatico dot ca
6/4/2007 6:39:37 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Louis,

I've been looking for wooden screws too. All I can say is "good luck." The man that made Mike Dunbar's has stopped making wooden screws.

I'm talking to companies that make book binding presses to see if I can purchase just the wooden screws. No luck yet.

Dave
dave brown |ydb1mdAT NOSPAMgmail dot com
6/4/2007 10:05:26 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Chris,

Thanks for the demo. It's great to see the bench in action - next best thing to a test drive. These short video clips are very effective. Hopefully we'll see more soon.

Looking forward to the next issue of Woodworking Magazine. Would it be silly to buy both the online AND the print versions?

Best Regards,
Alex Moseley
Alex Moseley |alex_moseleyAT NOSPAMyahoo dot com
6/5/2007 10:47:52 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Sweet! I'd be afraid to use such a beauty. Like putting a roof rack on a Bentley...
Rob Gilbert |rjg108AT NOSPAMyahoo dot com
6/5/2007 10:58:14 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Chris,
I have made wooden screws for myself using the bandsaw and an angled jig to give the depth and pitch, then you carve. The tap part is a little harder, I made the screw from wood and laid in a piece of bandsaw blade, filed the teeth on it and away you go. It would be nice to buy them ready made, is there a strong enough market? If I set up to make 100 screws would they all sell? How much do they sell for? In other words is this a viable enterprise or a how to article?
Nice bench, how many tries was it to get to this one?
Mike
Mike Siemsen |mikeAT NOSPAMgreenlakeclock dot com
6/5/2007 8:14:30 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
That's a beefy, versatile bench. Do you use SYP again?
Swanz |swanzguyAT NOSPAMmsn dot com
6/6/2007 8:21:00 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Nope. Not pine.

I know, I know. Blasphemy!

The top is ash. The base is hard maple. It's what I had in the rack.

Chris
Christopher Schwarz |chris dot schwarzAT NOSPAMfwpubs dot com
6/7/2007 5:41:17 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Very neat! Thank you for the video.

(I was also confused and thought it took forever to load, until I realized I had to select the video)
Mattias Jonsson |nospamAT NOSPAMemail dot com
7/12/2007 9:22:08 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Chris - I saw your bench and chatted with you when you were at Sindelar's tool meet. I have the tail vise and I'm in the process of milling a bunch of maple to duplicate this bench, at least in part..

While I really like the wooden screws, I'm going to go with steel bench screws instead (they're more readily available), and wanted to ask how much of a problem you have with racking in a vertical plane with your screws mounted that low. Given the difference in diameter between your 2" screws and the 1 1/4" screws I'll be using, I fear the racking will be even more of a problem.

Comments or suggestions?
Steve Sawyer |ssawyerAT NOSPAMstephensawyer dot com
7/20/2007 8:58:27 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Stephen,

Higher bench screws will allow you to hold narrower stuff with ease. That's true. But I use the end vise to hold narrow stuff with even greater ease. So I think that problem is a red herring (if you have an end vise).

Hope this helps.
Christopher Schwarz |chris dot schwarzAT NOSPAMfwpubs dot com
8/1/2007 1:48:39 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Chris:

I've been extremely interested in the Holtzapffel workbench. I was all set to build the Roubo bench, but I think the Holtzapffel will be a better fit for my work style.

A couple of questions.

Top size: The Roubo bench was 8' long and the Holtzapffel is 6'. Any comments on an 8' bench vs. a 6'? Any particular reason for the change (other than the wood you had hanging arond to build the bench)?

Legs and stretchers: The Holtzapffel legs are much smaller than the Roubo bench (3.5 x 5 vs. 5x5) which requires smaller (e.g. thinner) stretchers. Just wondering the reasoning behind the smaller sizes.

Keep up the good work! Woodworking is by far and away my most favorite maggazine. I'm totally bummed that there are few stores that carry it in the seattle area and they are a long ways away from where I live.

Jeff
Jeff Ranck |jranckAT NOSPAMhotmail dot com
8/1/2007 3:44:34 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Jeff,

Both benches work quite well. I have the Roubo at work and the Holtzapffel at home (so I don't have to choose). And thank goodness because it's a tough choice.

On the top size: I like long benches. But you need to give yourself some room for your hand planes to take off and land (2' left and right). A 6' bench is the smallest bench I like to work on. An 8' bench is nice. Bigger ones are like luxury cars in my book.

On legs and stretchers: The Roubo's legs are scaled to the size of the bench. Big legs for a big bench. Same goes for the stretchers. An 8'-long Holtzapffel would need beefier components.

And thanks for the kind words. I know we're not available everywhere, but you can always order issues directly from us. We ship fast.

http://www.fwmagazines.com/category/woodworking-magazine

Kind regards,

Chris
Christopher Schwarz |chris dot schwarzAT NOSPAMfwpubs dot com
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