The first half of the ru-vid.comUgkx3ICSK6nSknaL_45CU2NmFSoXjarGMDiJ book is everything about wood: types, tools, finishes, setting up shop etc. The second half is all about doing projects for inside and outside of the home. The color pictures are helpful. After reading a dozen of these types of books, this is probably the best overall (layout, color photos, plans). Only detraction is that many of the projects use a table saw/router/planer, which are usually expensive and take up space, so the plans are less friendly to newcomers and the budget conscious. But I know I can use a drill, circular saw or a jigsaw to make the projects.
to 'Bodge' something in England means to do half a job. That's (partly) because some 'Bodgers' would start marking the parts from green wood, leave them to season, and sell them on to someone else to finish of, doing 'half' the job. Leaned that from a guy using one of these at Jarrow Hall Farm, an Anglo Saxon museum in Jarrow outside Newcastle.
This also connects nicely to the North American usage of 'bodge' for an irregular repair of an electronic device. Specifically, we speak of 'bodge wires' to bypass damaged circuit traces on a PCB or fix design errors on a PCB.
@@nicoxstyle I think the similarity of the words, while probably from the same root, leads to some confusion. The English term "botch" is often derogatory and implies something was messed-up during construction ie a botch-job or just botched (it'll need doing again, properly as it isn't correct). The term "bodge" is less negative and is often applied to a hastily thrown together or maybe a non-professional attempt to fix something (it'll do as it works but it may not be pretty). So similar but subtly different.
@@markzambelli The usage of the two words is the same in Australia. They sometimes get misused, however. I think the easiest way to remember the difference is the (Aussie?) term "Bodge Artist", which is somebody who specialises in really rough repairs. A Bodge Artist would never Botch something! I was termed a Bodge Artist by my friends since I was the master sculptor with "woppie" (bog, mud, car filler, etc). Everyone brought their dented cars to me to fill and sand back, ready for paint. Since the product was expensive, we filled all voids with whatever we could find. Foam, chicken wire, aluminium foil, rocks, it didn't matter.
@@wilcooley I would love to see a treadle lathe! Pole lathes are neat and more simple but my concern with them is that they require more room and do not seem to spin the piece as well. Would there not be a risk of tear out and being more rough?
Got to use a couple of them back in the late 70s and early 80s , Drawing down white oak splits we had done from white oak logs. Also split board shakes for roofing a log cabin . Didn't do alot but enough to know how ( had a full time job of 60 to 80 hrs a wk ) made a handfull of baskets but other family members made Hundreds with all types of materials but one of the main source of ribs was splits shaven down on these shave horses. After several decades , I am still very familiar with this horse, might have to build me one and go for another ride . Frpm the middle of the Smoky Mountains , God speed !
When I made my rustic bench I shaved the legs with a pocket knife. I sat cross-legged on the floor, with the leg wedged between the heels of my boots and my stomach. Worked a treat, plus I felt extra rustic.
I'm about to take my shave horse for a camping trip with the dog ro build a table and chairs. Wish me luck. Thank you for the information, it helps me live the lifestyle I never knew before I wanted so badly.
Love this shavehorse, I can only get free wood from the side of the road.I have an old draw knife already. I was using a bench vise to hold my stock it was not fun. All I needed was this wonderfully simple design to imitate, as it will be adapted a bit for my needs. Thank Rex
Interesting to see that done again... We have a local team (Midlands UK) who work only with wood and make a lot of fencing etc. that requires traditional methods. They make their own saw horses and it was interesting to see the tricks you used to make it even easier to make. Cheers chap!
I've been wanting to build one of these for sometime now. I've been using my workmate in the meantime. I use a heavy diver's belt underneath to help hold it to the floor while I'm pulling on a draw knife. So I've seen several videos on how to build one of these. Then I noticed today that Rex gave it a go. I now no longer have to watch shavehorse videos. That is because Rex rocks. So excited to here you talk about green wood building Rex! Can't wait to see you what you do with that topic. I like not paying for dead trees. ;)
You really inspire me to give wood working projects a go. I'm trying to make a table from a lock piece I found in my local forest and some old construction boards that are lying around at home. I can use my Knock-Off Stanley plane to my heart's content at the moment.
Fantastic Rex. If only I could show the one I made while volunteering. Made with 2*4. I love bodging and all the videos I’ve seen. So far. I’ve made a lot out of wood. Very versatile materials. You show the poor man easily solution. Really great stuff.
@@RexKrueger yes it is, well if I can’t show you! I will flesh it’s out with a cunning description. it is 2*4, 2 as long rails for the bed 6-8 ft ,2 cut to form a fixed sliding tenon. Cut at 12-18 inches. Next you need to lap and sandwich the sliding tenons bolt screw and nails are fine for fixing. Remember to use the 4 inch side as the side. and the 2 inch as the top. Set at 90 degrees From the long rails fit the sliding tenons. Once set. you should have 2 legs pointing outward in the Same direction these legs are the sliding tenons. You should see a grove running the length. That good because you can add a sliding seat later. Now for the other bits you will need to make two pairs of legs that are lapped follow the sliding tenons cut 4 lengths at 20in. Take your off cuts cut at 6 inches you will need 8 in total lap them into an 8inch box for the tendon to sliding in and out off. the feet cut at 30 inch. Attach to the bottom of the legs the box section at the top feet at the bottom. Use you preferred method to attach the feet. Assemble the two parts. What you should see is the bench standing before in need of it pedal. From any scrap make the pedal. I used a 24 inch length of 4*2 through the slot. drilling a hole to make a pivot an bolt this all up. Then shaped if required. Add a scrap long enough the make a kick plate. And you are nearly there. now for the adjustable stop which is a notched piece of wood at 10 inches. With the notch cut into the top like bird’s mouth. Then add a 6inch scrap to one side at 90 degrees perpendicular, to prevent rotating movements. It’s should look like a cross upside down.Be as creative as you want here. I drilled holes in the rails at 4 -6 inch spacing depending on your requirements. Then through the the stop. And bolt up. Mine was more like a spoke mule by the Time I was done. Then all the seat is, is a scarp piece of 2*4 with off cut of ply or 6inch board. Fastened together. fitted into the slots left by construction. The idea was the few cuts and the fewest materials. I originally wanted a multi purpose workbench by time I was done it was close to being an 8 in 1. With room for lathe attachment. Not bad for recycled 4*2. The legs are meant to be height adjustable. So will need a peg. it was 60% pallet wood roughly applied. So there you go. Not my design but base off one of the many crafts persons found here on RU-vid.
Can't wait till my copy of the book arrives. It's been delayed till August (British problems I think) but excited to be more guided when trying to do more woodwork!
Mine didn't arrive either, and I'm in Germany ... I guess Amazon screwed up. I had to cancel my order and reorder from the US, where the book apparently is currently sold out ...
so glad you are doing green wood work now! I have loved your channel for a while, but green wood is my passion, so cheers to you!!! Would love to see some spoon carving or bowl carving on your channel!
I totally expected you doing one of these, great job! I designed and build one last year for bowmaking and I really love it. It's one of these with the clamping part in the middle and a fixed head for clamping the workpiece. Back then I only used a chisel, a bit brace and a saw for the woodworking part. Cause I wanted to build one that could have existed in medieval times with tools they could have had 700 years ago (I used modern tools 😉). And the hinge I did from a 3mm metal rod on my little vice on my pc desk 😂. It was very joyful bending the pieces. For everybody planning on building one of these workbenches: DO IT! It's totally worth building and having your own!
It's funny, I have bought all kinds of Mortise & Tenon books & schwag and love their podcast, but I had absolutely no idea they were on RU-vid. Thanks for the heads-up!
You should try using the draw knife with the bevel down. That is the proper way to hold and slicing cuts by pulling on one handle while the other merely guides and adjusts the depth of the cut. With the bevel facing down it quickly becomes apparent that adjusting and maintaining the depth of cut is decidedly a simple matter and your finished work will now display a very smooth glass-like surface.
I have a bunch of green timber that I'm going to use for a shave horse. Been wanting to make one for months nowI finally have a stock of resources. Going to make an english style like this one. I really love using free raw materials. Glad to hear you're going to be doing more green wood working. I still can't decide how long my bench is going to be and if I'll try to split a board out instead of using a log split in half. Hopefully this video gets me motivated to start the project already. It would improve my ability to do so many things. The drawknife and the shavehorse need each other!
my man coming through with the goods!! i just found a draw knife at an old tool sale after about 2 years of looking, and needed a good kick to make a shaving horse. keep up the good content!!
This is amazing. 3:12 Those labels on the band saw are hilarious and quite add to the character of the tool. "Don't die", yeah perfect moto for a power tool (or even a hand tool for that matter).
Thank you so much Rex. I recently picked up a draw knife at a local flea market. I'm not done getting it ready to use but when I do I will need a way to hold the work and this shave-horse will come in very handy.
I've been wanting to make a shavehorse for ages. I just finished my Roman workbench from "Ingenious Mechanics" like in your original workbench video. I'll do the shavehorse modification for it as outlined in that book.
man I hope I get time to build this this winter. I love the idea of two boards and having no waste, such a cool design Rex. Have some axe handles that need thinning and my clamp just doesn't get the job done.
Listen to you on the wood whispers live it was great. I am severely visually impaired from England and I’ve taken up budging. Love listen to this I have made my own shave or‘s. Might be interesting if you look up Harry Rogers on RU-vid doing a shave us and Paul leave the Bodgers way in England. Adjustments to get the hypes you can actually have extra rolls like we do over here in England we have three on the uprights and three adjustments along the bed. Harry is done some great videos, And even on the poll live. But looking forward to listening to more of your RU-vid clips. Thank the wood whisperer for inviting you onto his show love him listening to what he does but also now I found another RU-vidr which I’m going to enjoy listening to.
Nice project 👍 Very good video. All the necessary instructions with a very relatable approach. I could see myself do that all the time. Guess I'm going to make my own shave horse next 😊
Fantastic, Rex! Thanks a lot! 😃 Something I want to make is a mallet from a log! But I didn't find the right log yet... 😂 Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
Great straight forward video Rex. Really enjoyed it. Ordered the plans, just waiting for the rain to stop to get started. Great set of plans...well worth it. Thanks
Very nice! I have a "dumb head" style shaving horse that I built from construction lumber about 4 years ago. It's one of the most used tools I have. You would be surprised how often you end up using it for things NOT related to making chair legs. I make snaths (the wooden part of a scythe) and the dumb head style allows me to move the 5-6 foot long bits of wood in and out from the side better then the bodger style you made. Both styles have their pros and cons, but I like the dumb head style more for what I do. One thing I did was to make the shave horse the same height as my saw bench. (Or in your case your low travelers bench.) This allows you to use the seat area of the shave horse to extend the saw bench when working on really long boards.
@@RexKrueger Yes, the bodger style is easier to build, and the unobstructed clamping surface using the pin helps at times. The dumb head style has a bit more clamping force and side entry for longer sticks. Both styles have their pros and cons. The dumb head style works better for what I do, but the bodger style can be better in a lot of cases as well. Both are good. Maybe it's time to build another so I can have the best of both worlds! :-)
This is the kind of stuff I started watching you for to begin w. Some of your projects this past years seemed to have gotten off in the weeds compared to this kind of simple elegance. I look forward to your green woodworking series. I got a ton of locust ready for a bodger, etc.
I'm on Social Security and I'm 50 years old at this moment in time the best I can do is subscribed to both of you as I start selling product I will join
Just got my first Hardwood, so many of your projects call for hard wood...from tools to wedges... Used your "found wood" idea of logs by the road....down here in the swamp in florida... These massive,heavy logs of live oak, though....it giggles at my corded chainsaw. It Laughs at the tickles I give it with my hatchet..... I think I'm just going to have to take out a loan and get home-store hardwood boards to start trying your projects.
I made one of these that I use to make Hickory or Osage orange bows. Wish I had found your channel before I attempted the build. I would like to see your take on a leatherworkers Stitching horse.
Just a thought , and I don't think it would be too big a bother for you. But a material list in the video description would be awesome. As always your video was excellent!
Today "Bodger" is a pejorative, meaning someone who builds something incorrectly that looks OK today but it likely to cause trouble later. I never knew it was a chair maker and now I am a little sad.
To add to this and its modern use. To bodge something is used in the UK to be a mean make a quick or temporary repair that is known to be not the correct method. As an example, "my exhaust fell off, so I bodged it with a bit of aluminium duct tape". My friend would later look at the repair and say "your exhaust is hanging a bit low. What a bodge job! You are a bodger."
@@RexKrueger Check out for a nice cooperation of Alec Steele with his father. He is a blacksmith, his father works with wood. And they make a chair together :) I used to preffer metal work too, but recently i picked up on wood. Making wooden spoons for a few years now. This year i'm going to refresh mu grandpa's woodwork shop and add a few new things. I started by making a kind of bench/vice stand for spoon and bowls. Not finished yet, still need to drill a few holes for pegs and make wedges to keep the part in place. But thanks to channels like yours, i get my inspiration and a lot of knowledge:) My name translates to english as "Cooper", so i hope to make at least one barrel just to honor my forefathers :D
@@RexKrueger Oh, one more thing... a question. I saw 2 styles of draw knives. One has a straight edge and other is bent like yours. Could you explain the difference? I want to make one and i'm leaning towards a straight edge - it looks a bit more comfortable for my taste.
@@ogi22 Sounds like you are on a similar path I just started. Inherited a bunch of my fathers wood shop tools so decided to try and take woodworking seriously. Got into wooden spoons as it fits with my work/life schedule and is a lot of fun, although my spoons are pretty terrible right now as I learn the knife techniques and how get the shapes/design right (not a very artful person honestly so may need to copy others designs). Each one is a bit better at least. At some point it would be great to make a Windsor chair in the traditional way, and maybe a few other pieces of furniture using all of my dads old tools.
@@ogi22 That was a great series, really loved watching him with his Father. Mr. Steele is just so soft spoken, i hope they will continue doing more of those before Alec comes back to the States.
I’m putting paired rows of peg holes on my Roman work bench. I bet I could make this into an assembly that drops on top of the bench, mates with the pegs, with only the pedal to slot in at the end. Hypothetically quick and easy. It always starts that way though, doesn’t it?
