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I came across a clip from Paul Sellers where he says it’s not about applying downward pressure and that sharp tools make the work easier. That’s absolutely true. Sharp tools should always be the starting point, and relying on force to compensate for dull edges is poor practice.

But there is another side to this that often gets overlooked.

Low workbenches allow you to use your legs and core to help drive the plane through the wood, rather than relying only on your arms. This makes longer strokes more efficient and helps reduce fatigue over time, especially during heavier stock removal.

Historically, this makes sense. Earlier wooden planes were generally taller and suited a different grip and stance. When metal planes, such as those from Stanley, became common, they sat lower in the hand and required less effort to push. At the same time, work began to shift toward more controlled, finer bench work, which led to higher bench heights becoming more common.

So a low bench is not a mistake or bad habit. It is simply a different approach, built around full body mechanics and efficiency for certain types of work.

This is not about saying one method is right or wrong. It is about understanding that different tools, bench heights, and techniques evolved together, and each has its place depending on the task.

This is a very old video and one of the most in depth I have seen to date. As always, there is a lot of misinformation online, along with sloppy use of tools, especially hand tools. Much of this comes from people who present themselves as teachers but simply make things up as they go.

This is why it is always best to source information from books or other credible sources, preferably older books and older videos like this one. There is a prophetic saying that one of the signs of end times will be fewer scholars and many speakers. Clearly, we are living in such times, where many people speak online about various subjects, while those with real knowledge are drowned out by the noise of loud voices and their followers.

flushed

The epoxy planes easy and clean but it is kind like planing cherry. I'm not going nutso on cleaning the bottom at all. It is flat and straight in all directions and that is all that really matters. 

hmm.....

I'm going to install a couple of anti drawer tippy things. I have them on my desk and I'll put them on Miles. The drawer tips downward a little and it is a wee bit floppy so this will cure that. However, I can't put them centered on the drawer because I have table top clips in the way. Instead I'll position about 1/3 of the way in from the drawer edge.

reinforcing the top rail

Found a bunch of #12 two inch screws for the rail screw job. I had ordered some #8 by 2 1/2" screws but now I think they would have been too small for this.

Yankee screw driver

I was surprised by how well this screwdriver handled the #12 screws. I had no hiccups driving them 99.9% of the way and no headaches locking it and driving them flush. I like using these Yankee drivers - I have 4 of them - for driving screws. Unlike using a cordless drill, it is almost impossible to over drive or strip the head of a screw with them.

underside of the top rail

I only put one screw in the center divider along with one each at each end. Feel a lot better about the table top clips not failing due to the rail going south.

checking

Since I had the base on the top, I checked that my overhang  was consistent all the way around. I checked each and every position for the table top clips. One to make sure that they fit and two, that I would be able to screw them down. The drawer guide assembly wasn't interfering with any of them. 

boring work

Routed a 45° chamfer all the way around and now I'm sanding the end grain smooth with the sanding sticks starting with 100 grit.

cherry ain't easy

The 100 and later 120 grit sanding sticks were making poor progress on smoothing the end grain. Decided to try a card scraper and it worked. I was not expecting it to work as well as it did on end grain. In spite of it working much better than the sanding stick, it still took a lot of time and calories to smooth the end grain.

sigh

Sanded the top starting with 100 and ending with 200. This spot has a couple of indentations that came from ?????? I tried to scrape them away but nada. I thought I was  done with the top but it ain't so boys and girls.

test piece

I am using 3/4 pine for the drawer tilt thing (drawer tilt rail?). I cut a slot centered on each end for a #0 biscuit. Did a test piece to make sure I figured out how far down from the top of the rail the mating biscuit slot had to be. Got it on the first try.

done

The biscuit is just to hold the rail in place. I drove one screw in at each end to secure it. No glue, just an one inch #6 screw and a #0 biscuit.

hmm......

underside of the top

Sanded the underside with 100 grit and stopped there. Branded and initialed it. This has a check mark in the done column.

better pic

I didn't notice this after I was done sanding so it happened between then and when it shook hands with me. Tried sanding it with 220 and nada. Plan #2 is try steaming it out with my shop iron.

done

Continue to be impressed with the paint job with the smooth finish roller. I think I'm done, I didn't see any holidays .

drawers

No streaks from a paint brush and it looks pebbled now but after it dries it will be as smooth as a state zero sea.

Steamed the hiccup on the top and it didn't go smoothly. I accidentally spilled water on the top so I had to flood and wet the entire top. I'll be sanding it again in the AM but I think I managed to get the indentation raised. I'll find out in the AM how well that went.

Didn't get any pics of the initial fiasco but I was optimistic about how the iron did steaming the indentation. 

accidental woodworker 

fitting the drawers....

The left side drawer in/out guides are square to the front. However, the right side ain't so boys and girls. On the flip side of the coin, the guides are parallel front to back. I pried off the right guide and used the drawer to set it again. Sure glad I only nailed them.

almost

This was the fit of the left drawer after planing the top and bottom edges flush all the way around.

done

Fitting the left drawer was painless. I had to go back and trim the sides twice before the drawer slid in/out effortlessly. No binding or hesitation pushing it in or pulling it out.

done

Both drawers work the same. I didn't go nutso trying to get a piston fit - I care more about how smoothly the drawers work in/out.

right hand drawer

Dry clamped the drawer guide and then I fitted the drawer. I got the left drawer in/out guides screwed down. No glue, just screws, so anyone coming behind me can effect any necessary repairs/replacements.

super glue

Decided not to nail the drawer guides first before screwing them. Instead I put a couple of dabs of super glue at each end. Clamped them lightly to help the super glue cook and set quicker.

drawer stops

I glued the stops in place and let them set for an hour. After that I added two screws to each of them.

hmm......

Both the drawer fronts are slightly proud of the front rail. I marked them with a pencil and planed them within a frog hair of being flush.

done

The right hand drawer guide is screwed off and nothing shifted. The drawer still slid in/out easily and without any hiccups.

hmm.....

There isn't much left to do on the desk. I put stops at the front so the drawer can't inadvertently be pulled out and play the bounce test with Mr Floor. All that is left to do is finish the top, attach it, sand endlessly, and slap on 5-7 coats of shellac.

speaking of the top

I like the overall look of this desk. It is clean and simple. Glad that I didn't go for a bank of vertical drawers on the right side. The tedious part of applying the finish is just around the corner.

one more hump

I doubt that this would be noticed but I expended the calories and flattened it. It took me less than an hour to do that. Used 3 hand planes, the Stanley #80 & #112, and finally my random orbit sander with grits from 100 to 220 to finish the top.

passed with flying colors

Wiped down the top with alcohol and nothing popped out. No plane tracks, chatter marks, rough squirrely grain showed up.

choices

A 45 chamfer or a table top thumbnail, which one wins the Kewpie doll? I really liked the thumbnail profile a lot but in the end I'll be using the 45 bit. The round over of the thumbnail bit doesn't fit in with the overall look of the desk. The overall look of the desk is rectilinear with squared off edges galore.

hmm......

The divider gave up the ship. Four of the corner blocks let loose. Glued it back together and let cook in situ.

pull out stop

No need to go nutso on this. Unless someone goes Cro magnon, it should last as long as the desk does.

hmm.......

The top of the front rail flexes a lot. Too much to ignore. The top of the rail will be under the strain of holding the top down to it and it needs some help. I am thinking of putting a couple of 2 1/2" screws into the center divider and the two ends to stiffen it up. 

hmm.....

This is the underside of the top and I thought I had filled this in already. All I had done was to stuff the knot hole with cherry shavings.

done

Filled it in with epoxy. I didn't bother to dye it black because it is the underside. This will keep bits of the knot from loosening and falling out down the line.

accidental woodworker