What's On Your Work Bench?

[PostalTom]

Thanks John.  It's nice to be recognized for my greatest talent.  

[Thad]

On 5/17/2019 at 9:08 PM, John Morris said:

What's on my bench? Our dog.

Those pesky apprentises get into everything!

[John Morris]

Nothing!

[Gunny]

3 hours ago, John Morris said:

Nothing!

John, I am a bit worried.  A clean shop is a sure sign of a sick mind.  See a doctor.  At the very least BEFORE you take a picture throw some man dust around and at least give us the hint sawdust was made at some point.

 

[John Morris]

Just now, Woodbutcherbynight said:

John, I am a bit worried.  A clean shop is a sure sign of a sick mind.  See a doctor.  At the very least BEFORE you take a picture throw some man dust around and at least give us the hint sawdust was made at some point.

 

You don't see the mess behind the photographer!

[Al B]

That is one awesome workbench !

[John Morris]

1 hour ago, Al B said:

That is one awesome workbench !

Al, there is a ton of history behind that ol workbench. Last summer I was called upon to pick up many things from a deceased gentleman's work shop, among the things I left with was that workbench.

His name was Jim Ecklar, a WWII and Korean War Navy Veteran, after the wars he returned to San Diego and began teaching High School shop classes throughout the 50's,60's,70's and 80's, he retired out of La Jolla High School in San Diego, he was an incredibly talented craftsman. He did everything, from watch making, rock hounding, metal smith, jewelry, woodworking, leather, and from what I saw he mastered them all.

An older couple that lived across the alley from the Ecklar's, and have known the Ecklar's since they moved in across from them in the early 70's, knew me since I was a toddler, their son and me were best buddies. When Mr. Ecklar died, last year, his spouse (also a retired school teacher) asked my friends if they knew of anyone who would like to have Jim's tools and workbench along with some slab lumber etc. They called me first and I accepted, humbly.

 

I came home with a U-haul load of things, all in all I gave about two thirds of it away to people who needed the items and much of it went to a woodworking school just across the town from me. There was a band saw I put up on Craigslist for giveaway, it was an old machine in need of restoration, and guess who came to pick it up? A young Sailor just starting out his own workshop! How fitting! My own dad ended up with a homemade three wheel band saw, that Mr. Ecklar fabricated beautifully. Oh ya, he was machinist too, sheesh! He did it all.

 

I have many of Jim's hand tools, though I have not used most of them yet, but I will eventually as I get my shop squared away and things stored where they belong.

But yes Al, that bench is one awesome bench, that Jim Ecklar (WWII and Korea War Navy Veteran) built himself some 40 years ago according to Mrs. Ecklar. And I am very proud to work on it. I can feel the energy emulating from that ol bench.

Thanks Al

[PostalTom]

John, that is a wonderful story.  Sounds like the workbench is haunted, but in a good way.  You should say hello to Mr. Ecklar whenever you walk into your shop, just to voice your obvious respect for the gentleman.

[John Morris]

1 hour ago, PostalTom said:

John, that is a wonderful story.  Sounds like the workbench is haunted, but in a good way.  You should say hello to Mr. Ecklar whenever you walk into your shop, just to voice your obvious respect for the gentleman.

Thanks Tom, I was and am honored, I hope he is looking down from time to time and seeing his bench put to good use, and respected. It's a well built bench with solid joinery and solid every where on the bench top. No bounce back at all, I can work anywhere on that bench and feel a solid registration against my tools. I was chopping mortises for my chair on top of the middle edge of the bench and it was a solid as the concrete floor she sits on. He knew what he was doing.

I met his widow, she walked me through everything the day I arrived, we got along very well. She told me the story of his life, I asked a million questions about Jim, and she loved answering them all. She showed me all the furniture and crafts he made around the home. As far as woodworking goes it appears he loved chip-carving and he loved building Danish Modern throughout the home, which is very fitting of his time line at his highest active peak in woodworking. His work was impeccable.

 

Often, if I don't have any thing to work on within the realm of wood, I'll take my lap top out to the shop away from the family ruckus, and just set at the bench and surf TPW and other woodworking educational sites, and enjoy the peace of studying woodworking subjects while sitting at Jim Ecklar's bench. You know I just happened to think, Jim was a shop teacher, around the time period I received this bench I've had this insatiable appetite to dig in and learn about the historical aspects of woodworking, from the hammer to the chisel, where they came from, how invented etc, how the Mortise and Tenon were invented, their heritage, the Adze, and the people in woodworking such as Sam Maloof, Krenov, Nakashima, Wegner, Frid and many more. Do you suppose ol Jim has anything to do with that? He was an educator after all!

Take care folks!

 

[Gene Howe]

From what you've related about Jim, it's obvious that he was definitely not a one dimensional man. I'll bet his students are, today, very appreciative of his tutalege. 

[Thad]

SWMBO took me to a yard sale today and I found a nice hatchet (it's a Plumb).  I just couldn't say no to this $3 beauty.  Looks like someone decided that "refreshing" the edge would help it sell.

 

 

Edited June 2, 2019 by Thad

[Old Coasty]

I guess it's time to show my new Workbench after my latest move designed in Hell.  My wife says it's in there somewhere.

[John Morris]

35 minutes ago, Old Coasty said:

My wife says it's in there somewhere.

Made my day, hey, it's in there, really!

[Artie]

Last weekends project, and tomorrows to finish.

[skiler]

Great work Artie!

[Gunny]

9 hours ago, Artie said:

tomorrows to finish

That is about how I would say as well, maybe tomorrow, maybe the tomorrow after that, or maybe next weeks tomorrow...

[Al B]

Tomorrow never comes, because tomorrow becomes today. I just put things off till later.

[Al B]

Artie, it looks like the scroll saw and router got a little use. 

[Artie]

I gave out two of them today, they were well received, and I’m gonna add another one to the list tomorrow. Let’s be honest they are simple pieces of woodworking, but they are fun for me to make, and as gifts they were well liked. I picked up a piece of cherry at Woodcrafts, intending to use it on the Ringmaster when I got some practice on it, but I got the idea to make a heart for a special couple I know, and it grew from there (I’m kinda like that, bounce around from various projects, guessing I may not be alone in this  )

[Cal]

7 hours ago, Artie said:

Let’s be honest they are simple pieces of woodworking

Those look great Artie.

Even the simplest of projects can give you a chance to try a new technique, new tool, new finishing schedule or what have you.  Sometimes we get into a rut, but I do like to try and learn something with each project.

Before it is too late, I would suggest getting a small memo memo book.  The wire bound type you might carry in a shirt pocket.  With each project I date and describe the finishing schedule l used.  At some future date you might want to repair the finish, replicate it on another project, or avoid some mistake you made!  Some people might do this on a computer, I prefer the notepad

Edited June 30, 2019 by Cal