Historic French Work Benches

In the 7 months I have lived in France, I have seen some amazing examples of traditional French carpenters’ work benches. They are full of tool marks, tool trays, attachments, vices, dog-holes, studded plane stops, nicks gouges patches, etc… Some are almost pristine, some covered in 100+ years of marqueterie glue, and some rotted – full of worm holes.  One some you will see the standard “French” leg vice and others have a parallel top vise – also don’t know what to call it – is a southern French/Basque sort of thing.  I asked a local “old guy” here and he said was a “thing” here.  That is the direct translation 🙂

Almost all the benches I see here are slab benches and a number are slab benched with a thick dadoed plank bolted to the front edge to provide square dog holes.

As a man who appreciates such things, as a joiner in the process of building my own bench, and as a tourist in a foreign land I have been busy with my camera. 🙂 Below is a data-dump of some of the better benches and details that I have seen so far.  I will update as I see more in the “wild.”

 

Side note: I bought a couple and am having the gassed (wood worms are serious here!) and will be bringing them back to the US when we rotate back in a couple of years – one for the house and one for the shop (tall oak slab for dovetail cutting) and IF there is any room in the container I may bring back a couple more – just because my wife hasn’t said no :-).

 

French Work Benches 2014 (5)

French Work-Bench 2014 (3)

French Work-Bench 2014 (1)

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French Work Benches 2014 (21)

French Work Benches 2014 (1)

French Work Benches 2014 (2)

French Work Benches 2014 (3)

French Work Benches 2014 (4)

French Work Benches 2014 (6)

French Work Benches 2014 (7)

French Work Benches 2014 (8)

French Work Benches 2014 (9)

French Work Benches 2014 (10)

French Work Benches 2014 (13)

French Work Benches 2014 (12)

French Work Benches 2014 (11)

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French Work Benches 2014 (14)

French Work Benches 2014 (15)

French Work Benches 2014 (16)

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French Work Benches 2014 (17)

French Work Benches 2014 (18)

French Work Benches 2014 (19)

French Work-Bench 2014 (2)

French Work-Bench 2014 (3)

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3 Comments

    1. Thanks Scott.

      Oak, Beech and Walnut as far as I can tell. Most were oak. There was one that might have been elm, but I am not a dendrologist. Ash maybe as well??

      Beech and Oak used to be all over the place here, but most of it is imported from Eastern Europe now. Very affordable. I just priced out the lumber for a 8’X24″x34″ bench with a 5″ think top and for lumber and delivery it was about $650. I WISH I could get it at those prices in the states!

      ~Matt

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