Beech posts

[jamesd]

I've been milling a bit of Beech today and wondered is it any good for making posts?

I've milled up a few 4x4's today for a work bench i'm going to make when i get round to it, will they be OK or will they move a lot as they dry?

 

Cheers, James.

[agg221]

Posts for indoor use will be great. Beech is short grained so properly stacked it seasons well. Don't use it outside though as it has no decay resistance.

 

Alec

[muttley9050]

As Alec says brilliant for bench legs inside. Rubbish for bench legs outside.

Definitely worth protecting from insect attack though.

[rem284]

beech outside is no good. Oak is the answer 3"X 3" will last about 50 years. Well creosoted Scots pine will last about 25 years.

[jamesd]

Cheers for the replies guys just a couple more questions though.

It will only used indoors so should work well then, what could i use to protect against insects though? i was thinking about varnishing it when constructed with something not sure what though?

Will it be Ok to use the wood relatively Green? the tree has been down for a year and the stem has been kept in an open barn (where I am milling it up at the moment).

 

Thanks for the advice, i appreciate it!

[Wendelspanswick]

Varish protects wood from the elements, to protect wood from insect and fungal attack you need to use a wood preserver.

Something like this:

Lumberjack Triple Action Wood Treatment - Toolstation

It's clear and soaks in so once it's dry it doesn't look any different if you want the natural look.

Using the timber green is not ideal as it will move and shrink as it drys so chances are whatever you make will warp badly unless it's restrained.

Edited February 2, 2016 by Wendelspanswick

[agg221]

I would protect with Wykabor - yes you can work out what it is and make up your own cheaper but if you buy the powder it isn't that bad and it's a lot easier. If you go this way, apply it asap and let it move through the wood while still green.

 

Ideally you would season the wood before use but it's going to take a while to air dry a 4x4 - 2yrs+ so if you want to use it earlier, I would use timber framing construction methods which are designed to work with green timber and fix the top planks down in a way which allows them to be tightened up as they shrink.

 

Alec

[jamesd]

I would protect with Wykabor - yes you can work out what it is and make up your own cheaper but if you buy the powder it isn't that bad and it's a lot easier. If you go this way, apply it asap and let it move through the wood while still green.

 

Ideally you would season the wood before use but it's going to take a while to air dry a 4x4 - 2yrs+ so if you want to use it earlier, I would use timber framing construction methods which are designed to work with green timber and fix the top planks down in a way which allows them to be tightened up as they shrink.

 

Alec

 

Thanks again for the reply.

Do you know where the best place to buy wykabor?

 

As for the construction of the workbench I was going to use pegged mortice and tenons.

The top I was going to laminate a load of 3x2 Beech lengths and maybe one or two oak lengths (for some sort of pattern on the top)

and then use a mortice and tenon to fit this to the frame.

 

This is basically what my design will be:

Workbench Build – FINISHED! | rybo

perhaps without the leg vice though.

 

Are there any other joints i could use to minimize any movement?

The bench will be 6foot long, I was going to have six legs (i.e two in the middle) will four be enough? I'm not sure how strong Beech is compared to Oak.

 

Any advice is much appreciated!

[Wendelspanswick]

I wouldn't bother with 6 legs unless your floor is mirror flat, otherwise it will always be rocking.

[Aunt Maud]

You need to get this brilliant book and make the Roubo bench (one on the cover)

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Workbenches-Design-Construction-Popular-Woodworking/dp/1558708405]Workbenches: From Design And Theory To Construction And Use (Popular Woodworking): Christopher Schwarz: 9781558708402: Amazon.com: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51cbVD9GUDL.@@AMEPARAM@@51cbVD9GUDL[/ame]

 

Instead of solid legs, I made mine by laminating 3no. 2" x 6" together with the middle laminate left long to produce the tennon. That way you only need to dry 2" sections and your tennon shoulders are cut with the bench saw and are nice and flat. Mine's 10' long and is a weighty beasty.

 

It's a lovely bench and I made mine from Southern Yellow Pine and a second one out of Douglas.

 

A Beech one would be excellent, but you need dry timber for the top, otherwise the laminates will split apart if you use his design for the leg frames.

 

All the fittings from Veritas, like the vice screw, dogs and hold fasts are available from Axminster Power Tools.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Aunt Maud