Show us Your Bench #11- Derrick Harper
featured, Fly Tying Desks & Tying Areas — By Kevin Hospodar on September 22, 2011 9:45 amI built this in High School shop for my senior year project. It’s made entirely of furniture grade white knotty pine. The doors included solid brass hinges and screws which have antiqued nicely over the years and the varnish has continues to turn a rich yellow tinted gloss as the years tick by. Subsequently I’ve produced four more of these for friends whom over the years have commissioned me to build them their own. It has been a added relationship assistant as well. As with most tying benches they tend to get a bit messy and disorganized at times. I’m not sure about you, but this drives my misses nuts. Simple solution, close the doors and she rants and raves to guests when they remark on what a nice piece of furniture it is in the house.
It was modeled from a imitation low-cost “Wooten Patent” desk style produced in the late 1890′s through 1940′s by the Springhill furniture company of New Hampshire. I happened upon one when I was being forced to go antique shopping with my grandmother and mother once in my early teens. I revisited the store a couple years later in hopes of referencing it my piece, it was to my surprise still sitting in the back of the store awaiting someone to place a bit of elbow grease and faith into it’s restoration… It was, to it’s credit a bit more detailed and “fancy” but it allowed for some basic measurements and pictures which lead to my version seen here. As i submit these images and give it time to think about it, I find it hard to believe it’s nearing twenty years old now. And a not so pleasant accompany thought, I’m nearing twenty years older since it’s creation… It continues to be a wonderful companion filled with memories that seems to been a constant in my travels through my time here.
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26 Comments
Wow. I am your long lost nephew. Please put me in your will for the fly tying bench – I will take advance delivery (in advance of your demise, that is).
Great job – like the way it closes up and how you have designed the storage and work areas.
WOW
this is a nice bench and a great idea, one thing about this bench is that you could build it in just about any size you need.. keep the innovative ideas flowing.
Absolutly beautiflu work! Do you have the plans?
Awesome shop project! It is hard to believe you have empty shelves though. I know I would have them full. You are obviously a superb craftsman if you did that kind of work in high school. Excellent!
exquisit form and function. We’ve lost too many HS shop classes obviously.
A beautiful and functional piece of furniture!!
I too would like to have a set of plans and would be willing to pay a nominal fee for them.
what a great bench,I also have a writing desk i am using for tying,for the same tidy reasons, master in our own castle,I dont think so.
What a rip-snorta
and it also keeps your memories as well
you can not go wrong
Now that is a nice bench. I wouldn’t mind a set of plan’s,for something like that. And I do think I know a guy from my local fly shop that could build it.
What an inspiration, makes me want to get back in the garage and start doing stuff again. Start back on the cane rods project. If you have any plans out there it would be much appreciated.
Cheers.
That’s a beautiful fly tying desk…
Wow just absolutely Wow!!!!!!!!
Very fine piece of craftmanship.
Are there any plans available for this wonderful piece?
love it! just what i need!
damn now thats what a tying bench should be like well thought out and organised wouldnt mind trying a project like that myself do you have the plans available
Holy Cow, that is magnificant!!
It has all been said! Very Nice work.
That is phenomenal. I’m going to try to copy it, if you don’t mind.
Great Looking bench…Would appreciate having access to set of plans…are they available?
Nice, but I have way to much crap “stuff” to go in it.
You should be real proud of what you built. It is a work of art…
All I built in high school wood shop was a foot stool.
If you ever decide to distribute plans for this let me know.
Great job!
5 stars!
The bench is incredible. I have been looking for a replica of a Wooton desk that I could modify for my own ‘modern’ office equipment. Would you be willing to sell your plans or to make a modified version for sale?
Thats awesome! Could you give me the plans so i coold make it in my shop?