If I’m to demonstrate C13th woodwork I’ll need a bench. There’s no evidence, as far as I’m aware, that the waist-high joiners’ benches we know today existed in those time. Staked benches, both low and high, certainly did.
Once again Chris Schwarz’s Roman Workbenches and Vires’ Woodworking in Estonia provided some inspiration, measurements and guidance.
I’m not making any great claims to historical accuracy with this. It’s a fairly pragmatic step. People almost certainly sat on low benches and removed small bits of wood from bigger bits of wood. They still do. We’ll get to the interesting stuff (chests and chairs) soon but in the meantime here’s what I built:
The Quiet Workshop 
The bench is looking great — and the video is excellent as well. Thanks for posting that. And what a lathe!
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I know this is a very late comment to this post (I am just getting introduced to your blog and catching up), but that Lathe is very interesting. Can you comment on the brand/model and if still available? I know the Barnes lathes are next to impossible to find at anything less than the price of first born twins, and I am not sure I would like the pedal style, but this looks like a very interesting treadle lathe.
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Thanks for your comment.
The lathe is a Buck. It was written up here before I got hold of it.
I don’t know if any treadle lathe that is still in production. Mine is almost certainly over a hundred years old.
What sort of turning are you planning? You might be better off with a pole lathe. The bed on this lathe is too short for long chair parts.
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