<![CDATA[David Stephenson Bespoke Furniture. Handmade in Hampshire since 2009 - Blog]]>Sat, 11 Apr 2026 21:53:11 +0100Weebly<![CDATA[Latest workbench!]]>Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:57:04 GMThttps://www.stephenson-furniture.co.uk/blog/latest-workbenchMaynard with his completed #threedayrouboworkbench 😃

Measuring 86cm high, 150cm long and 60cm deep made from southern yellow pine (frame and shelf) and beech (top, vice chop and gapstop), vice hardware is a combination of Veritas screw and Benchcrafted crisscross 14 and a lovely rounded vice chop profile with some great grain pattern!

Monty was very excited to give the finished workbench a good check over as usual 👀

https://www.stephenson-furniture.co.uk/three-day-build-a-roubo-workbench-project.html

#rouboworkbench #woodworking #splittoprouboworkbench #frenchworkbench #workshopdog #sprockerspaniel
]]><![CDATA[Emmaus Hampshire the return of the Companions]]>Sat, 09 Nov 2024 13:46:27 GMThttps://www.stephenson-furniture.co.uk/blog/emmaus-hampshire-the-return-of-the-companionsMonty and I were joined by Tim & Phil from Emmaus Hampshire for another of their special workshop skills two-day courses, designed to up-skill the companions before they are fully let loose in Emmaus’ workshop in Winchester. Here they are with their completed ash cutlers stools!

Find out more about Emmaus by clicking on their social media account or the website address below:
https://emmaus.org.uk/hampshire/
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]]><![CDATA[May’s Mini Roubo Workbench]]>Sun, 09 Jun 2024 07:17:17 GMThttps://www.stephenson-furniture.co.uk/blog/mays-mini-roubo-workbenchPeter with his completed mini Roubo workbench built last week and now making its way over to Belgium 🇧🇪 😃

Measuring 95cm high, 75cm long and 60cm across, vice hardware is a combination of Veritas screw and Benchcrafted crisscross 14. This bench also incorporates some timber brought back from Indonesia by Peter’s father, the wood came from packing cases and was recycled into a workbench around 60 years ago, Peter was very keen to carry on the memory of his father with the new workbench.

Of course Monty was very eager to give it his paw of approval 🐾

https://www.stephenson-furniture.co.uk/three-day-build-a-chair-makers-workbench-mini-roubo-workbench.html

#threedayrouboworkbench #chairmakersworkbench #splittoproubo
]]><![CDATA[April’s Three Day Roubo… another left handed bench!]]>Thu, 16 May 2024 11:53:18 GMThttps://www.stephenson-furniture.co.uk/blog/aprils-three-day-roubo-another-left-handed-benchAndy with his completed #threedayrouboworkbench built at the end of April 😎

It’s the 2nd left-handed workbench this year! Measuring 80cm high, 150cm long and 60cm deep made from pine (frame and shelf) and beech (top, vice chop and gapstop), vice hardware is a combination of Veritas screw and Benchcrafted crisscross 14.

Monty was very excited to give the finished workbench a good check over 🐶
If you would like to find out more about the 5 workbench variants currently available click here…
]]><![CDATA[March’s Three Day Roubo Workbench]]>Tue, 02 Apr 2024 14:21:28 GMThttps://www.stephenson-furniture.co.uk/blog/marchs-three-day-roubo-workbenchAdam with his completed #threedayrouboworkbench tweaked to fit perfectly in his workspace 👌

It’s 90cm high, 135cm long and 60cm deep made from pine (frame and shelf) and beech (top, vice chop and gapstop), vice hardware is a combination of Veritas screw and Benchcrafted crisscross 14.

Shelf inspector Monty was of course on hand to help 🐶

Find out more about 3 day Roubo courses
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]]><![CDATA[First workbench of 2024!]]>Sat, 23 Mar 2024 12:03:48 GMThttps://www.stephenson-furniture.co.uk/blog/first-workbench-of-2024Andrew with his completed workbench 😎

This is the first #threedayrouboworkbench of 2024 and the very first left handed workbench to leave the workshop!

It’s 86cm high, 150cm long and 60cm deep made from pine (frame and shelf) and beech (top, vice chop and gapstop), vice hardware is a combination of Veritas screw and Benchcrafted crisscross 14.

Monty the shelf inspector was of course on hand to help 🐶

https://www.stephenson-furniture.co.uk/three-day-build-a-roubo-workbench-project.html
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]]><![CDATA[2022]]>Sun, 15 Jan 2023 13:24:06 GMThttps://www.stephenson-furniture.co.uk/blog/2022
Happy New Year!!


Here are some photos of the record 127 people who came to join me in the workshop during 2022.
It was a very busy year with lots of stools, chopping boards, joints, tables and workbenches leaving the workshop.

I enjoyed continuing to work with my City & Guilds student, helping him achieve his LVL 1 carpentry & joinery diploma. Continuing to deliver courses for Emmaus Hampshire was also a highlight 😃

With 3 new projects being introduced early this year let’s hope 2023 brings as much learning success to the workshop as 2022! Happy woodworking everyone.
]]><![CDATA[June 2022 in pictures ?]]>Wed, 27 Jul 2022 08:45:12 GMThttps://www.stephenson-furniture.co.uk/blog/june-2022-in-picturesClasses and commissions that I remembered to photograph from June 2022!
]]><![CDATA[New student’s first projects!]]>Fri, 27 May 2022 08:01:20 GMThttps://www.stephenson-furniture.co.uk/blog/new-students-first-projectsI’ve recently been joined by a second young person in the workshop, and this week he finished his first two projects: a mallet and an octagonal cheese board!

These are fun little projects to get him familiar with hand tools such as the hand plane and marking out tools including marking gauges, compass and squares.

Monty has been giving him a hand with the final touches 🐶
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]]><![CDATA[Tool of the Month May 2022]]>Thu, 19 May 2022 20:30:20 GMThttps://www.stephenson-furniture.co.uk/blog/tool-of-the-month-may-2022The router plane seems to be having a bit of a popularity surge lately with prices of older models climbing as a result. Over the last few years my old Stanley 71 1/2 (on the left) has become a firm favourite with students attending my joints courses, several have gone off and added a router plane to their own tool kits as a result 😅

Last year I treated myself to a new Lie-Nielsen no71 (on the right) as with all LN tools it’s beautifully made and works perfectly, it’s a little more user friendly too 😁

What do router planes do? They are used for leveling and making parallel recesses such has housing joints, hinge recesses, tenon cheeks and halving joints.


#handtoolthursday
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Vintage Stanley no 71 1/2 and Lie-Nielsen no 71 router planes.
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