Well it’s done. Or at least the construction of the bench as designed is done. I still have to bore some holes for the new Crucible Tools™ holdfasts that I’ve ordered. I’ll wait to do that when I have them in hand as they are quite large and the bench is too narrow for a conventional layout of the holes. I am also contemplating how best to install the iron planing stop, but these are add-ons to the basic design.

Overall, I’m pleased with the bench so far.  The proof is in how it functions down the road. The height is about 33″, or right to the first knuckle on my hand with a relaxed bent arm.  About 2″ lower than my main workbench but better suited to hand tool wood working.

The bench might seem narrow but the actual working surface of most benches is far less than their whole surface.  If I look over at my main bench, I see all sorts of tools and glue and finish pots and scraps that take up most of the horizontal space.  The tool tray on the Moravian bench should help to manage the clutter and I’m looking forward to seeing how it works.

The bench knocks down or sets up in about two minutes, and the tusk tenon joinery of the legs is incredibly stiff and strong.  This allows an otherwise immovable bench to be knocked down and moved easily by one person.

I’m hoping that our local neighborhood wood shop will be able to support the building of a number of these benches, so that we are able to hire professional instructors in hand tool skills and techniques.