Replies

1. 
   EdHarrow | Nov 16, 2004 06:41am | #1

   Hey, come on, don't be shy, somebody must have seen this article, or have it safe within their archieves. 

1. 
   JsHerbel | Nov 16, 2004 07:45pm | #2

   Okay, I'm not shy.

   I kinda' have the workbench that John White made. I took my 4' x 8' welded tubular steel bench and added some of the features he had. I don't recall at this point what his bench looked like, but here is what I added from his ideas, slightly modified as I recall.

   I made a support that rides the 8' length of the bench. It rides on vertical pipe clamps and can be raised and lowered. It's for edge jointing boards, planing panels, etc. I really don't know how I got along without it. I also made a pipe clamp vice that can be placed at any point along the 8' length in intermittent holes. The vice, in conjunction with the support is good for holding a piece on end to work on dovetails, etc.

   For a tail vice, I also have a pipe clamp vice. I drilled holes in the top of the wood faced vice that hold 1/2" copper plumbing nipples or tees. On the bench, I also use the copper fittings for bench stops which won't damage blades so bad if accidently hit. The fittings fit very snug in the holes that a drilled and the friction fit lets me raise and lower the fittings easily depending on how thick my workpiece is.

   Now on the other side of my monster sized workbench, I have an import copy of a Emmerit (sp?) patternmaker's vice which is terrific to have. On the money a person saves on the rest of the bench, I think they can justify the purchase.

   Everything that I got from the John White article works great and I couldn't be happier with it.

2. 
   SoCalDon | Nov 17, 2004 12:47am | #3

   Dear Ed,

   Sorry I didn't reply sooner. I built the workbench John White wrote about  in "New Fangled Workbench". I am still using it today as my main bench. I built it pretty much as it was described but later added bench dog holes down both long sides for the handtool work I do. I also added a Wilton quick release bench vice on one side.

   My favorite feature of the bench is the planing beam which I use all the time. I was somewhat disappointed by the short bench clamps that install crosswise as they are inconvenient to keep from turning while tightening. One the other hand, I love the long clamps running down the center of the bench. They make large glue ups easier. I also managed to build a router table top for a section which allows my PC 690's body to fit between the bar clamp rails. It makes for one large router table!

   Be aware that John left out some of the dimensions which have to be derived. All in all, I like the bench and would definitely recommend it as a first bench especially for some one who uses handtools.