The archives of FWW has 2 great articles on bench builds, one by Garrett Hack, and another by Chris Gochnour. Gochnour’s bench seems simpler to build, and may be just as robust and functional. I’m wondering if anyone has build any of these two benches, and can provide any feedback?
Thanks,
Rafi
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Replies
Of the two you listed, the bench built by Garrett Hack would be my choice.
I prefer a bench that does not have the legs integrated into the top. A sturdy trestle base is a good foundation for many options of top.
JMHO
Back in ‘08, FWW published an article entitled “The Best Workbenches”, and claimed that they’d published more than two dozen articles on workbenches, including many with freely available plans. https://www.finewoodworking.com/2008/06/26/the-best-workbenches
Back in the Reagan era, FWW published an article about Frank Klausz’s workbench and its design/construction.
https://www.finewoodworking.com/1985/08/01/a-classic-bench
There are those who swear by Lon Schleining’s “Essential Workbench”:
https://www.finewoodworking.com/2004/01/01/the-essential-workbench
Here in the forum and elsewhere you’ll find discussion/description of the old-style Roubo workbench (with and without a split top), Chris Schwarz’s “Anarchist’s Workbench” (he devoted an entire book to describing his own progress through building various types and styles of benches, with the aforementioned being the acme of benches, or so he thinks.
I would suggest starting with something relatively simple and inexpensive that seems to fit the style of work you want to do, learn positives and negatives, and then (perhaps) move on to your “real”, “final” bench. Which may or may not prove to be the One Bench to Rule Them All.
Best of luck!
P.S. It occurs to me that I may have misinterpreted your aim. Perhaps you’ve already waded through all the “others” and have narrowed it down to those two? If so, I can only share this: I happen to know an accomplished woodworker who recently built a bench with a nephew of his. They built Gochnour’s. I’m impressed by it, and they—especially the 18-yr-old nephew—love it.
Thanks for your insightful response. I did sift through the others, and have been using a Harbor Freight one for 10 years. I like the style these 2 benches offer. As my skills have grown immensely from when I started, it's time for the real thing now.
Sounds like you've already gone down the path I'd recommend!
That said, I can't provide much more illumination on the matter, as you can see from my earlier post.
FWIW, I recently built a close-to-the-plan version of the Anarchist's Workbench, straight from the book mentioned by myself and John_C2. It really does have oodles of information about different kinds of benches, but even then, it can't cover all the possibilities out there. I don't recall him mentioning Gochnour's, for instance, but that is almost certainly because it's basically a current variation on a common theme. Gochnour's bench does feature a tail vise, and Schwarz writes at fair length about different versions of vises, including those used as tail vises, broadly speaking, so you might find that helpful. After reading that section, I chose to put the Benchcrafted wagon vise-style of tail vise in my bench. Turned out not to be as hard as I thought it would be.
Anyway, best of luck to you, and I hope you are eventually thrilled with your new bench!
Read Chris Schwarz's "The Anarchist's Workbench." It's the most comprehensive breakdown of different workbench types, with plans for several. And the pdf is free.
Thanks! That'll be awesome info!
Here's a workbench by Jay Bates. Simple, sturdy, rock-solid. I built a variation on this theme. You could alter the leg to table integration to accommodate your skill level and preference. Add a vise, or not...up to you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg5qjed7u-k
This is a lot like mine, a variation on Schwarz’s “two day workbench”. The legs and stretchers are half lapped 4x4’s fastened by big fat lag screws and bolts. The top is glued together “rotated” 2x4’s (edges are the top). It’s not elegant and the top is hacked up, but it’s solid, with zero shifting or racking.
Sorry OP, this doesn’t get to your question at all. I’m interested though. Good luck and please post back when you’re done!
Here is my experience,
I did not look at what benches you are looking at, but I have built 2 workbenches, one trestle style legs and the other a "roubo" style where the legs are integrated into the top. I will never go back to the trestle style. I seem to have more options with work holding and ways to clamp anything to the side/top/ends of the "Roubo" style. My trestle style is still around and has turned into a bench to do mechanic/small engine repair type stuff As for what I do build, I have built bookshelves (as wide as 6 foot and have been as tall as 7ft), kitchen cabinets, little trinkets and wood turning. That includes plywood sides to solid wood panels, and the various frame and panel type sides. Tools I use vary from the router to a pull-style dovetail saw.
My opinion, I would advise do not go buy some fancy hardwood such as oak or beech or walnut (of course it will be beautiful, but what will happen when you put that first ding from a hammer or chisel in it? just go find the "best" 2x12's construction lumber you can find (It really doesn't matter whether its doug fir/yellow pine/white pine). It was the most economical way of building it, (maybe not right at this time in our lovely pandemic ridden supply problems). Remember, you are going to beating on this thing. My trestle workbench was 2x6's and 2x4's white pine from Lowes. My Roubo was yellow pine 2x12's from a local lumberyard. At the time I spent more on the vises than I did for the wood...
Which ever way you go, have fun, build it. It doesn't have to look the prettiest it just has to function... Good luck...
I think the first bench article FW did was the Tage Frid bench, complete with exhaustive drawings and how-to-build tips. This was from the black-and-white days of the magazine.
My 2 pennies' worth - Make the bench top height equal to your wrist with hands at your side.
Not either of the two you listed above but there's another bench by Jon Leppo from the FWW March 2003 issue. I built this one to fit me as I wanted more storage under the bench for chisels and such. It's still going strong today and will out last me.
I built my workbench 40 years ago and it has served me well since then, I built it heavy from 16/4 maple slabs and used the largest vises I could find. It is held together mainly by 4, 1/2 inch tie rods that pull together the two sides of the pedestal base into a half sliding dovetails that allows for seasonal wood movement and acts as bracing.
The Scott Landis book is excellent.
You definitely need a better workbench. IMO the big decision is clamping methods, not style.
I started with a section of bowling alley lane and built a beast of a bench.
But my main ww’ing bench is a Scandinavian. Way, way back the first video I ever purchased was “Make a Dovetail Drawer” with Frank Klausz. In it, he basically demonstrated the bench and I fell in love with it. The shoulder vise isn’t for everyone, you could substitute either a twin screw or built in Moxon.
For me, the most important thing was mobility. Made my own on wheels so I can move it anywhere in my shop i.e. garage. It also doubles as an assembly table. Also, made it with in inlaid MDF top so I can replace it as it gets damaged.
Those both good, I’d recommend reading Chris Schwarz book on benches too regardless of which you build. Look into the Moravian workbench too. Easy build, knocks down, relatively cheaper, and looks like a load of fun to build. The guy who gave it’s re-emergence (Will Meyers) has a step by step video series with detailed plans and plenty of other resources on the specific ‘how’s’ of building it (link at bottom of this).
Good luck and be safe -SMEAC
https://woodandshop.com/moravianworkbench/
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