In this extract from Pocket Hole Joinery, Mark Edmundson makes a blanket bench with a handy shelf.
The tops of benches always seem to accumulate stuff, so adding a shelf below this blanket bench should help to alleviate that problem. Adding the shelf also hides some pocket holes, so it’s a win-win as far as furniture details go. The benchtop planks are the biggest pieces required at 53⁄4in wide and 38in long, but the rest of the pieces are either narrow or short. The machining is basic, and it’s possible to build this bench with just a tablesaw, jigsaw, and pocket screw jig. A chopsaw or sliding crosscut sled to cut multiple parts to the same length would be helpful to ensure tight joints but is not essential. Overall, this is a very simple project for the beginning woodworker that illustrates how versatile pocket hole joinery can be.
Stock preparation
All the material on the bench is 3⁄4in thick. You can mill your own boards, of course, but it’s easier to purchase S4S – surfaced four sides – planks from the lumberyard and avoid joining and planing. The wide widths are all 53⁄4in, the skirt and lower slats are 23⁄4in, and the narrow strips on the top are 11⁄2in wide. This project requires no glue, biscuits, or dowels – just pocket screws. To further simplify construction, I used only the right- angle jig, two face clamps, and a couple of small bar clamps for assembly.
There are several ways to spice up this bench. I used contrasting wood for the skirt and lower shelf; other combinations might be matching wood for the top and shelf and a different wood for the ends and skirts. Cut all the parts to length, but note that the lower shelf stock and skirts will initially be cut at 32in and then later trimmed to 311⁄2in. Label which faces will be out, front, back, right and left on all the parts, and then sand away the machine marks on the surfaces that will be visible. To make edge-joining the ends, lower shelf, and benchtop easier, bevel the corners at the edge joints with a block plane or sanding pad first, which negates the need to sand the joint flush after pocket screwing.
Materials
| Quantity | Part | Actual size | Construction notes |
| 4 | Bench ends | 3⁄4 x 53⁄4 x 171⁄4in | Black walnut |
| 2 | Benchtop | 3⁄4 x 53⁄4 x 38in | Black walnut |
| 2 | Benchtop centre strip | 3⁄4 x 11⁄2 x 163⁄4in | Black walnut |
| 4 | Shelf slats | 3⁄4 x 23⁄4 x 32in | Alder |
| 2 | Skirts | 3⁄4 x 23⁄4 x 32in | Alder |
Bench and skirt detail
Assembling the bench ends
The bench ends, which are made up of two 53⁄4in by 171⁄4in pieces, get two sets of pocket holes. The first group of four holes joins the two end boards together. On the back 53⁄4in boards, measure down from the top along the inside edge 3⁄4in and 21⁄4in, and mark for the top pocket screws – see the drawing above. From the bottom, measure up 21⁄2in and 31⁄2in, and mark for the bottom set of pocket screws. The next group of holes attaches the bench ends to the benchtop and is located along the top inside edge.
Measure over 11⁄4in in from both edges on the inside face on all four and mark for the pocket hole. Drill the pocket holes in the end stock. Use the right-angle jig to hold the front 53⁄4in end piece with the center edge up and the inside facing out. Place the back end piece on top, flush up the top edge, and hold with the face clamp. Drive two pocket screws into the top pair of holes. Then move the right-angle jig to the top edge and repeat for the bottom pair of holes. Assemble the opposite end in the same manner.
Curves cut into the bottom edge of each bench end are a subtle design touch – and echo the curves cut in the skirt. Measure in 21⁄2in from each side and make a mark on the bottom edge. Using a try square, draw a line 1in up from the bottom edge between the 21⁄2in marks. Use a roll of tape or similar rounded object to trace the curve between the 21⁄2in mark and the 1in line. Cut out the curves and clean up the edges with a file or sander.
Assembling the lower shelf
Three of the four 23⁄4in lower shelf slats receive pocket holes for assembly – the front slat does not get drilled for assembly, but it will get drilled at either end after the shelf is cut to length. Make marks on the underside of the no.2, no.3, and no.4 slats at 21⁄2in, 9in, 16in, 23in, and 291⁄2in – see the drawing on page 8. Drill pocket holes at the marks. Next, take the front slat – the one without any pocket holes – and clamp it to the right-angle jig so that the bottom faces out. Place the no.2 slat on top of the front slat, flush up the end, and hold tight with the face clamp at the opposite end of the right-angle jig. The ends don’t need to be perfect since the shelf will be cut to 311⁄2in after it is assembled.
Starting at the end, drive a pocket screw and then move the clamp to the next hole and repeat. Do not drive the last pocket screw located in front of the right-angle jig yet. Set the no.3 slat on top and repeat the drilling procedure, then set the no.4 slat on top and repeat. Move the right-angle jig to the middle, and drive the pocket holes that were skipped at the end.
to the center and drive the last screw on each slat
Assembling the benchtop
The benchtop is composed of two 53⁄4in by 38in planks and two 11⁄2in by 163⁄4in center strips, all of which are 3⁄4in thick. The space between the center strips not only provides a handhold for carrying the bench but also allows you to slip the face clamp in between the slats to hold it tight when driving the center pocket screws. The pocket holes, located on the two 38in planks, must be within reach of the face clamps so the holes can be secured during assembly and not interfere with the pocket screws on the ends that attach the top. On the underside of the 38in boards, mark for pocket holes on the inside edge at 11⁄2in, 41⁄2in, 13in, 151⁄2in, 22 1⁄2in, 25in, 331⁄2in, and 361⁄2in. Drill out all the pocket holes.
Clamp the back 53⁄4in board to the right-angle jig at one end. To reach the holes with the drill, the surface must be close to the edge of the workbench; otherwise, the edge of the bench will get in the way of the drill. Place the 11⁄2in center strip on top of the 53⁄4in board, flushing up the end. Set the face clamp over the second, 41⁄2in pocket hole and drive a screw. Continue down the edge, securing the first strip.
Then attach the second strip, again flushing up the end. There should be a 41⁄2in gap between the two strips. Attach the second strip with pocket screws, using the face clamp to hold it secure. Next, place the front 53⁄4in board on top of the strips. At the opposite end of the right-angle jig, hold tight with the face clamp and drive the first pair of screws. Slip the face clamp in between the gap between the strips and drive screws into the next pair of holes. Reposition the clamp onto the other strip and drive the screws. Remove the face clamp and slide the right-angle jig to the opposite end. Clamp and drive the screws that were located in front of the right-angle jig.
Prepping the shelf and skirt
The lower shelf and skirt material need to be cut to 311⁄2in to ensure that the ends of the shelf meet squarely with the bench ends. Set a stop block to cut the shelf at 313⁄4in. After this first cut, set the stop block to cut the shelf at 311⁄2in and trim the other end of the shelf. Cut the skirt material at the same time to 311⁄2in. On the underneath side of the shelf are four pocket holes on either end located in the center of each 23⁄4in shelf slat; drill these now.
On the inside face of the skirts, drill pocket holes at both ends. Measure down from the top edge7⁄8in and 21⁄4in and mark for pocket holes. Along the top inside edge of the skirts are three pocket holes to attach the skirt to the top. Measure over 4in, 153⁄4in, and 271⁄2in, and mark for the pocket holes. The skirts have a gentle curve on the bottom edge that needs to be laid out and cut. Starting with one of the skirts, measure over 3in on both ends, and draw a 45-degree mark at least 1⁄2in long. With a square, mark the point at which the 45-degree mark is 1⁄4in above the bottom edge.
At the center of the skirt, make a mark 1⁄2in up from the bottom edge. Clamp a small scrap of wood at that 1⁄2in mark. Take a strip of knot-free wood, 1⁄8in thick or so, and place it on top of the skirt behind the small piece of wood. Since the narrow strip would be hard to clamp, hold it in place with a tape measure or similar weighted object, and force one end of the strip over the 1⁄4in and 45-degree intersections. Do the same thing at the opposite end. Lightly trace the curve, being careful not to push the batten strip out of fair. Cut the curve and round over the edges with a file and sanding block on both stretchers. Repeat for the second skirt.
Assembling the bench
Set the benchtop face down on the work surface. The benchtop overhangs the base ends by 21⁄2in on either side. To help locate the bench end, clamp a 21⁄2in-wide scrap of wood to the end of the top so that the edges are flush. Check with a square, and shift the scrap so that it is square with the front edge. With a tape measure, mark the center of the bench in front of the 21⁄2in spacer. Place the end piece so that the center joint is directly above the center mark on the bench. Mark the front edge of the bench end where it meets the benchtop – 3⁄4in in from the front edge of the top.
Clamp the right-angle jig to the inside of the bench end and then to the benchtop. Drive the first pocket screw in the end and then remove the right-angle jig and drive the remaining screws into the benchtop. The end should be tight against the 21⁄2in spacer when driving the screws. Remove the 21⁄2in spacer.
The skirt steps in from the front edge of the top 1in. To help locate the skirt, rip a 1in strip of wood on the tablesaw and then clamp it flush with the front edge of the top. Slide the skirt into place and clamp it to the bench. Set both screws into the bench end, driving the pocket hole closest to the benchtop first. Then drive the end screw from the skirt into the benchtop. Move the 1in spacer in front of the center pocket hole in the skirt and drive the screw into the benchtop, then move the spacer down again to drive the last pocket screw. Repeat this procedure for attaching the opposite skirt to the bench end.
Now you can attach the other end. Measure and mark the benchtop to center the bench end in the same manner as before. Place the end against the skirts and clamp the 21⁄2in spacer tight behind it to keep the end from being pushed out when driving the pocket screws. Carefully drive the lower pocket screw from the skirt into the end on both sides. Drive the upper pocket screws from the skirt into the end, and finish by driving the pocket screws from the end into the benchtop.
Installing the lower shelf
I used 23⁄4in offcuts from the shelf strips plus pieces of 9in by 93⁄4in plywood to make a spacer jig to install the lower shelf. The jig needs to be in two parts so that the shelf does not get scratched when you remove the spacers. Place the plywood pieces with the 93⁄4in length going up and down against the bench ends. Set the 23⁄4in strips on top of the plywood pieces.
Center the shelf on the ends by lining up the middle seam on the shelf with the middle seam on the ends. Since this seam will be hidden by the right-angle jig, make a mark on the underside of the shelf and the bench end to record the location of the shelf at the front edge. Attach the right-angle jig to the end and the shelf with face clamps so that the first pocket hole is visible. Make sure that the shelf didn’t shift by checking the marks at the front.
Drive the first pocket screw, then remove the jig and drive the remaining screws. Repeat this procedure at the other end. To fi nish my bench, I applied four coats of Daly’s® ProFin™ satin oil with a rag.