John:

I recently drove to Newton to speak with you at the Fine Woodworking Lie-Nielson event. Unfortunately, I was informed you’re no longer there.  A friend and I are currently building the NF workbench with some unbelievable framing lumber I picked up in Trenton, NJ (Russian hemlock that is virtually knotless and straight as an arrow, looks like freshly jointed stock and good and dry, where do they get this stuff).  We were anxious to talk with you regarding the design and see your bench.  We have taken a few liberties with the design:  hand mortise and tenon on the well cross pieces, rabbets 3/8 by 3/4 on the top to hold the MDF pieces in the well, double stretchers on the legs with a shallow tool shelf between the stretchers, and bed bolts on the trestle legs and stretchers.  We really were looking forward to talking with you so among other things we could thank you for the design and pick your brain for any ideas that you had evolved since the original publication and update.

John Seybert

P.S. Did enjoy John Economacki; his tools are fascinating and the inverted pull saw joinery machine intrigued me; not sure if the equip. would add much to my work but it looks like a lot of fun to use.

I’d welcome any and all comments from you; great work on the NF workbench design.