The good old saw bench

Whenever I talk about my saw bench, they tell me if what I mean by that is a bench saw better known as a table saw. I tell them that no, I still use those wooden benches carpenters and woodworkers have been using for millennia, long before any kind of power tool existed.

We now have got everything, there is little things one can't do without the wide array of tools that we have at our disposal, we have a special tool for joints, the mitre saw bench, table saw benches and even circular bench saws to cut accurate straight edges.

But not so long ago, everything that we had was the saw bench and the saw (handsaw to avoid confusion), and with just that the woodworker had to use his ingenuity to make all kinds of cuts, back then woodwork was much more than a pastime for old men, it was a craft people devoted their lives to, in order to master it.

Many people can't use the handsaw any more, other than to make small cuts, but for the most time it is left in the toolbox, I wouldn't be surprised if a woodworker didn't even owned one. Few people can do a straight cut with the handsaw, even with a good, solid saw bench.

But making a saw bench is a task of itself, you just can't go buy one at your local Home Depot, you have to make it yourself, specifically tailored to your dimensions, so that you can work comfortably, if it is too tall or too short you will struggle to cut as you would like.

The primary use of the saw bench now is probably just to make rips and crosscuts, but every now and then I like to leave my Delta Unisaw aside and use my brain and creativity to make some creation using just my saw bench, handsaw and a hammer, it takes ages, but is fun and is a great challenge.

I hope the good old saw bench does no die, and ends up being just a museum exhibit, long live the saw bench.