howdy,
I have been a professional woodworker for 10 years and as silly as it might sound I have never had a traditional workbench. I have always gotten by with a simple top on some old kitchen cabinets.
Anyways, it’s time for something new. The question is, do I build or do I buy? Do I want a tail vise or a twin feed end vise? I have a patternmakers vise, should I get a face vise that would be more durable, or is that getting to cluttered?
I love the looks of a traditional bench so a plywood and hardboard bench(as pratical as they might be) is not what i am looking for. I do everything from casework to small carvings and have plenty of space for a large bench.
Any of the wonderful insight so often displayed in this forum would be much appreiciated.
thank you, Dave
Replies
Dave I to am in the same boat you are in. I have decided to build but I have to figure what I will be using it for and what will best suit my needs. I have asked around like you are here and what it all boils down to is what works for you. Mine is going to be big and heavy. It will be fairly high off the floor because of my height and this will make it more comfortable to work at with hand tools. The smaller detail stuff I am still working on.
Scott C. Frankland
Newfoundland Wood Worker
I agree with the "you build it" -
I just cannot do the $1000 + price for a bench designed for someone else doing some other kind of work.
Two books come to mind- Sam Allen's "Build a Workbench" and Scott Landis' "Workbench"
both are clearly written (unlike anything I write) and cover the whole bench market with several plans for several types of benches.
I'm going with a 39" tall x 84" wide x 22" deep - all maple and the wrap around front vise and a 18" long tail vise and full length dogrun. The front vise depth works out to be 36" and I have the leg set and stretchers made. I'll have to wait for a lull in the customer work before I can move on with the rest.
Robert
Don'y buy one, build one. You are a woodworker.
I recently built a bench that is eight feet long, 30 inches deep and just the right height for my build. (This is determined by measuring from the floor to your elbow. Your bench top should be from 4 - 8 inches below your bent elbow.) I used bargain (ugly) maple for the legs and strechers and ash (another bargain) for the top. I purchased a front vise screw and a tail vise screw from Veritas. The whole bench comes apart if I (and a helper) ever need to move it. It weighs about 300 pounds and including all hardware cost about a dollar a pound.
I've never seen one in the commercial market exactly like mine, but the ones that are close cost arouns 1200.00 and would require modification.
I'm a furniture maker, by the way, so I was able to build the bench to fit the way I work.
Good luck, and enjoy the process.
JTait
I really like the idea of building. Like always it seems to come down to time. I ordered Scott Landis' workbench book (actually the 3 book set) this morning. It is reassuring to here that it can be built without breaking the bank.
I could probably save a little more by using a pile of hickory that I have on hand. I just wonder if it is a good material for a bench. It seems the material of choice is beech or maple.
Seeing how this is my busiest time of year, I think finding the time and the shop space to build is my biggest obstacle. I just can't stand another day at my tired old, worn out bench.
thanks for the input, Dave
Buy one. I've never seen any saving in cost by taking on the building of a bench. Add up the materials. Add up your time. Add up the workshop overhead, and all of a sudden you have a $6,000 bench.
On the other hand, build one, if you've got the time, money to buy the materials, no significant overhead, and no clients that want what you make yesterday. Slainte.http://www.RichardJonesFurniture.com
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled