The beard horse is a workbench used in green woodworking to hold wood in place while the user works. It can be adjusted to hold objects of different sizes and can be made from lumber or green wood. Traditional carpenters used it to prepare logs for further work, while modern craftsmen use it for a variety of woodworking tasks.
The beard horse is one of the most important tools used in green woodworking. During greenwood processing, craftsmen transform the logs into lumber, furniture, or other goods. The beard horse acts as a simple vice to hold the wood in place while the user works. This special workbench got its name from the way users straddle the workbench as they would a horse. It is also shaped rather like a horse, with the vice mechanism resembling a horse’s head.
A standard beardhorse looks like a simple wooden bench and is about the height of a chair or bench. A sloping shelf runs along one end of the bench, and a wooden crossbar connects the bench to the top of the shelf. The underside of the crossbar mechanism acts as a footrest for the user as they sit at the bench. When the craftsman presses his feet into the footrest, the top of the crossbar locks onto the wooden object like a vise.
Users can easily adjust the Beard Horse to hold objects of various sizes by simply changing the pressure on the footrest. Some benches also feature pegs to adjust the height of the slanted shelf to accommodate different types of items. While store-bought beard horses are available, many woodworkers naturally choose to make their models out of lumber or green wood.
While the average Beardhorse may be adapted to handle different types of wood, some workers may require a specialized Beardhorse when working with larger objects. The Black Forest style of this workbench features a second bench above the first. This second bench allows the user to work with large pieces of wood and also creates additional leverage to hold the object more securely in place.
Traditional carpenters used beard horses to shave freshly cut logs. This may involve removing the bark to prepare the trunk for further work or cutting and shaping the wood to form an object. These workers often used a drawing knife to extract the bark or wood chips from the wood.
Craftsmen today use a variety of tools when working on a bearded horse. They can rely on traditional drawing knives and modern power tools. Some use these benches for woodturning or carving sculptures, furniture and other items. Finally, the beard horse can be used to prepare unseasoned lumber for further finishing on a wood lathe.
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