Attention woodworkers. I’m interested in your workbenches. If you have built your own workbench, tell us about it, and if possible give us some pictures. What do you like best about it, and what would you have done differently if you were to make it again?
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Replies
I built my worbench back in the late '70's from Carlye Lynch's plans. I followed the plans pretty much as written.All made of solid hard maple,vise hardware from Woodcraft supply (back when they were in Woburn,Mass.) At the time the only jointer I had was a 14 inch Dunlap jack plane. With that I made my first Krenov style plane,an 18 incher, which I used to joint the 10/4 hard maple for the top. Bragging a bit here, but you ain't gonna find a machine jointed top better than this one. What would I do different: I might possibly eliminate the tool tray. It seems to be nothing more than a catch-all and I think I would try and do something about the arrangement of the dog holes to eliminate some of the cranking of the end vise. Other than that I'm pleased as punch with my bench. I treat it as one of my finest tools. I've never ever sawed,drilled or chopped on it without protection( you could say that I've practised safe woodworking with it all these years).
Hey Ken,
Woodcraft is still in Woburn, MA...it is the only store still owned by the company, as well as the orginal store(so I'm told)....with a great staff that is anxious to increase a customers knowledge..
Talking bout benches, I made mine last year and have been very pleased. I intend to make at least two more as my needs change. The base will more than likely migrate to the new bench when I rebuild. One mistake I made ...I put a good size draw under the top to hold measuring and marking tools....three dog holes allow chips and sawdust to fall into the draw..sigh!
BG,
A trick for keeping the wood chips out of the bench drawer - glue (or even tape) empty 35mm film canisters to the bottom of the bench under each dog hole. If the canisters are too short, use some empty plastic medication bottles (pharmacy prescription bottles).Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.
jackie,
Thanks, that is one of those thing you just forget to try and solve. I'll try the tape and move to the containers if needed.
The bench is all made of birch that I sawed several years ago and have air dried down to 12%MC. The only other wood used is Bloodwood and it was used to dowel my mortise and tenon joints and to make the handles on the doors. The base is built with 2 3/8" birch mortised and tenoned together. The corner tenons were half lapped to provide a greater glueing surface. The center section is also half lapped but the center rail acts as a key that locks the two side rails together. One section contains drawers that were built to hold certain items (top drawer is chisels and measuring devices, second is for hand planes that are used just about for everything, third is air tools, bottom is power tools). The drawers are full extension and are designed to take about 200Lbs and still work. I did this for edge jointing larger timbers using a vise on one end and a drawer on the other end to support the work. The other section has a door on both sides of the bench with a adjustable shelf for storing what ever needs to be stored. The six legs all have adjustable feet for leveling the bench on uneven floors. The two ends and the back of the section with the drawers have a 1" thick raised panel while the center and bottoms of both sections just have a 1" panel. The top measures 31"x61"x2½" is built out of birch heartwood. I through bolted the top with ½" grade 5 plate steel rods to help with the alining of the top section and to help keep the top a little flatter. This has worked on the last couple of tops I have made will have to wait and see with this one. The top will receive the 24" Vertias double screw vise and a large front vise once I am sure that the top is not going to move any more.
Scott C. Frankland
I don't have a photo, but here is the scaled drawing of a bench I made this winter [bench] The screws on the twin leg vises are steel, the top is maple, and the front strip and legs/vises are white oak. The only major difference between the drawing and actual bench is that there is no cross brace between the front and back legs. With the weight and 6" sqare legs, it turned out to be unnecessary....
If you don't have it already, Scott Landis' The Workbench Book is a good read; the Roubo in the book was the general model. Not having access to a seasoned ~30" wide/96" long 5" thick maple slab(!), I cheated and had my mill rip 8/4 stock 3 3/4" wide and did the glue up in stages. Long project, but worth the time.
/jvs
I have three benches and building.
The first was the Tage Frid bech, and something like that in 8' would still make me happy. Sadly it's 5'.
Next was a large maple bench, 8'+ by 4" top made of two sepearte wood beams with massive end caps. Tucker vise one end, and the chain drive unit on the other end. I built it so it would work both pushing and pulling on planes, because I go both ways.
I was recovering from a plane crash at the time, and built the tresel using LV legs, which wasn't the original plan. The were bonded into a massive beam. one inovative feature was all bonded hardware, rather than captured nuts.
I am just now gettin back to the original legs design, using a wedged tresle assembly.
I also have a Japanese style bench, keeps you limber.
Matt
I have built about 8 benchs since the early 70's for others. Those were made of maple. My bench is made from recovered oak flooring and has a tool-tray. I got tired of cleaning it out so this week-end I covered the entire top with a piece of MDF and rounded the edges. If it gets gummed or scratched, I can replace it for about 8$. It is within .003 of flat and works like a charm. ha..ha..
sarge..jt
Wow, a very nice collection. There are some realy beautiful benches here. They all seem to be good workhorses. In addition to what I asked before, what types of vices to you find to be most helpful, and besides handplaning and dovetailing, what are some other tasks that you find yourselves using your benches for?
Matt,
I went with a jorgenson on the front and an old pony on the end. My bench is fairly small (22x61) and over my bench I have a 36x48x12" cabinet with two 4" box doors. I use a hook for sawing on the bench and do much of my small assembly/fitting/cutting and choping on the bench. The cabinet has all the powertools in cubbies and hand tools on the doors. Most important, I have a 4" square of 1/4" ply for my cuppa tea. I'm going to buy one of those magnifing light thingies for the bench too.
Well if I was being honest... I use my bench to stack huge piles of stuff that collect in the vicinity. Then every now and again, I clean it off. ;0(
Well if I was being honest... I use my bench to stack huge piles of stuff that collect in the vicinity. Then every now and again, I clean it off. ;0(
I thought that's what the TS outfeed table was for.... ;)
Just today, I made one of my workbenches less than 1/2 the size it was originally, for that very reason. All I was using it for was putting down stuff that didn't have "a home." (You know that saying, "A place for everything, and everything in its place." My problem is not making the places!)
I took the longest leg off of my L-shaped work surface, shortened the other leg, and put all the junk away. Now, I might actually have room to build a real workbench -- like the ones that are 30" deep or so, maybe 5' long.
Question: Who has tool troughs on their bench, and who doesn't? What are the pros and cons??forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
FG,
"Tool Troughs"...I built without because I wanted to use the other side of the bench for planing when I needed too (grain direction)..and given I can only plane left to right (left handed). On the other hand, you might have 10-12 objects on the bench top while doing something like dovetails....those objects are always in the way and need to be moved again and again.
Decision, decisions.....
OK...OK...I can't stand it any longer....I gotta jump in here too.
I spend most of last summer building this bench. I planned and researched for a long time trying to make sure I built what I wanted/needed for furniture building.
The top is built like the Woodsmith#133 bench. It's 3 layers of 3/4 mdf edgebanded with white oak. I used a piece of replaceable plain sawn white oak ply for the top. The top is 42 X 99. I have the big Jorgensen front vise and use a bench puppy for the front dog holes instead of a tail vise..
The base is white oak with raised panel doors and end panels. The frame is all m&t. The drwawers have grain matched fronts and are made of 1/2" baltic birch ply on 100 lb. full extension slides.
The thing weighs a ton so it's super stable. I don't know what I did before I had it. Having a big flat surface to work on is wonderful.
Thanks,
Terry
Edited 4/26/2003 10:52:02 PM ET by Terry H
Hi Terry, Now that's my idea of the perfect bench. The only thing I would add is a trough. Any idea how much it weighs? Gotta be in the 5-6 hundred lb area. Great job!
I have finally straightened up my shop, placed the two HD utility benches against a wall and am going to start on my bench. You mentioned that the top was in issue #133. Just the top or the whole bench? How is the top attached and can it be removed if needed? Will order a back issue if the plans are for a complete bench.
Again, Great job!
Brian
Brian,
Thanks.
There is a complete bench build up in the magazine. I decided to change the base to fit my needs but the one in the Woodsmith is really nice also. The base calls for a slide in unit for the doors and drawers. I really wanted a one piece unit. I have included a couple more pics of the bench under construction.
I just really did not see any advantage for me with the tool trough. With all the storage that is in the base I just put the most used stuff(measuring and marking etc...) in the top drawer. The top just sits on the base and is held from moving with some cleats that just wedge it against the center dividers and the ends. I use it more for assembly than anything and wanted to have the whole surface available for that, so no tool trough.
I think it is about 600 lbs. empty. Just a guess but I do know it's plenty heavy and if I ever move I'm gonna need a fork lift!:-)
Terry
Hey Terry nice shop I noticed the easy chair in the back with a drink on it..now thats livin
Darkworks: Its all 'bout da squilla
Ron,
When LOML banished the old recliner from the house I just couldn't stand to trow it away so it just moved to the shop. We call it the thinking chair. :-) Nice and comfy place to contemplate those wwing mistakes.
Thanks,
Terry
I'll put in a vote for a tool tray, FG.
They come in handy for keeping marking and layout tools close at hand. The downside is that they DO fill with sawdust and shavings.
You can build jigs which "lock" into your tool tray. For instance I have a plywood "mat" that I use for sharpening with waterstones. (Don't want to get the top of the bench that I spent hours flattening and smoothing, then finishing with shellac and wax all messed up with slurry). The "mat" has three ribs on the underside which "lock" it into the tool tray and edge of the bench. Then I do the sharpening on top of the "mat."
Good luck.
My first bench was a freebe, it came with the house, you'll see in a second why the previous homeowners didn't take it with them. It was built in place (I assume). The top is 4' x 12' stainless steel, formed edges, (6) pipe legs with a T and L understructure. One piece all welded construction. Needless to say it is a beast. I hear a previous owner rebuilt automobile and lawnmower engines on it. I use it for my 10 drawer Craftman tool chest with tool tray garage under, CMS, bench top drill press and a couple of pegboard frames for tools. The shelf under is wood storage in the 4' direction. I built 2 ply boxes about 3' x 3' x 9" on casters to roll underneath. I miscalculated the boxes height and had to slip plywood shims under the legs. Had to use a hydro auto floor jack to do it.
My second bench is no prize. Money was tight at the time it was built. The top was (5) 2x6's glued together with 1/2" thick plywood spline the entire length. A few years later I decided it was too narrow and added (2) more 2x6's with many biscuits and many pocket holes on the bottom. A few weeks ago I reworked the top because it cupped, I didn't support it well enough. Clamped 2x6's across the top and clamped (4) 2x4's on the bottom and drilled (7) 1/2" dowels from the top into each 2x4. The understructure is 2x6's with rabbit's and dado's. An 'L' shaped shelf sticks off the back for 4x8 sheet goods in order to keep them off the floor. The sheets lean against the wall, and add a nice bit a weight to the thing. A 50 year old Columbia bench vise on the front and a retangular hole for the router table top. I couldn't help it, I got back from a WW show with a router table top and an Incra Pro and wanted to use it right away. I plan on sanding, light staining and poly this summer. Going to add some bench pups, holddown clamp holes and see if I can wing an end vise, design and spacing might be a problem.
Someday I want to build a nice maple bench like so many here talk about. Move the old bench down the wall and make room for the new toy.
Enjoy, Roy
My current bench doesn't have one, my previous bench did. I built without this time so I would have a pull and push planing side to the bench. Of course, since then it has been against the wall. Doing it right with a tray saves you a ton of money, and you don't end up sweeping things off the top. If I was doing it all over again, I might find something pretty, that looked like chicken wire, like aluminum spando metal, or antique grates, and build the bottom of the tray out of that so that some of the dust would fall through, or maybe make a lid for it.
One advantage to a tray is that is frames the bench in a way that deals easily with top expansion. You are basicaly building a frame with the tray as panel. Sure there are a billion other ways, but this is certainly one of them.
Jamie,
Put in my vote in favor of a tool tray. I posted my bench in Feb., and I wouldn't have one without. Layout tools need always to be at hand. But, when you slide stuff around, you don't want to have to move everything. Make the tray strong, with a strong back rail and good bottom (I used 12mm BB ply, dado'd in). Then, just make a block or two the precise height of the tray depth, and you can clamp anywhere, which to me is the only downside of a tray. On my back set of dog holes, I use the Veritas round dogs, and have two of the doogies from LV that fit in the same 3/4" holes, and screw like a tail vise.
Alan
FG,
I'm gonna build a tray and see if I can effectively attach it to the back side of the bench. If I use solid wood for the base of the tray, I figure pocket screws on the underside into the end board and a coupla pocket screws on the perpendicular pieces shoud do it. I'll rabbit the base into the front board and sides also. Any thoughts?
So true!. And for that very reason I have sold my General 350 table saw, and am trying to get by without it.
Hello Matt,
I made my workbench from an old piano that I gutted. I used the back of It for my bench. It had a beam 12 X 7 X 57 long. It has 2 X 6 pieces mortised and tenoned to give a overall size of 37.5 X 57 X 36 1/2 tall. I used 3/4 plywood as the surface on the table. I saved the ebony and ivory pieces for making boxes.
I made it this tall to use as a extension table for my craftsman table saw. I like the 12 x 7 beam for mounting my vise to and a place I can pound away on. The legs are made from 2 x 4's glued/screwed together. I have a tray on the bottom to hold my tool boxes. This table doesn't move easily or vibrate.
I would make the legs more attractive out of maple or something nice instead of 2x4's. The plywood should be replaced with something solid between the joists of the piano back.
I would recommend that anyone try using a piano for a workbench. Taking a piano apart will take the better part of a day. It helps to have a long prybar and some strong friends to help.
Right now the table is piled high with walnut slab pieces I cut up before I had back surgery. I won't use power tools while I am healing and taking pain pills. I just have to come up with excuses why I am buying chisels, gouges, and a stanley 55 plane and blades on Ebay. Never tell your wife that she has more $ invested in her beanie babies than you do in your tools. It doesn't work
Chuck
Get "The Workbench Book", it will save you a lot of time. My bench has a Yost pattern makers vice, would not be without it.
Matt,
I built a bench 3 years ago after spending a lot of time reading Scott Landis's book, and thinking of my needs. Also decided to build it out of engineered wood products to see how it would work, keep cost down, massive weight so it won't move, and minimize wood movement. Result was a bench 24" x72", with a Record 53d shoulder vise, and the Veritas twin screw tail vise. Base is sledfoot ends joined with stretchers. Befor I build I ran deflection calculations on an assumed load of 200# on the top, between legs set 4' apart. This was done using the MOE and other tech specs on various matetials (MDF, Particleboard, Paralam, Laminated Vaneer Lumber, and Timberstrand). Selected LVL as the best deflection/cost ratio. It has no tool tray to avoid the hassle that so many have commented about. However, I did add a shelf across the base stretchers to hold jigs, etc. This works, but it too has become somewhat of a clutter pile. Sorry but I son't have a digital camera or drawings that I can add to this post.
Following is the description of the bench. I have used it three years now and it works great for me. It is stable as a rock (not something you want to move often). The two vises are flexible as the devil, alone or with the dog holes. Actually I use the dogs with various bench jigs most of the time for planning. The only addition I need is a bench jack to support long board ends when they are in the shoulder vise.
The top is made from 1 1/2" Laminated Vaneer Lumber (LVL) beams, ripped to 3 1/2", then laminated like you would for a hardwood top. Since I have an 8" joiner, I glued them up in small units then bisqueted them together for the complete top. Used a 24" jointer plane to get the final surface flat to within .003. I made the dog hole aprons seperate so I could handle the pieces on the drill press to drill 3/4" dog holes for the Veritas bench dogs. The LVL top was then overlaid with 3/4" MDF for compression resistance, and a final layer of 1/4" tempored (SP) hardbord for the final working surface. Then glued the aprons to the top. The dog hole aprons were trimmed with birch all the way around, as was the wooden sections of the Veritas tail vise for appearance.
For the Base, I made two end units joined by two stretchers. The verticals are again LVL material wrapped with 1/2" MDF for appearance; as is the sledfoot and top horizontal support. They are about 4x6" cross section. They are mortised into the top and bottom supports. The stretchers are 6x8" cross section mortised into the ends; held in place with bolts through the end units into a captured nut in the stretcher.
More detail than you wanted perhaps.
Elbert
Sounds like everyone who's replied so far has built their own bench. I didn't build mine, but acquired it by other means, which I'll relate below.
It was my last year of high school, and I was finally able to take a woodworking class.I had previous experience in my Dad's home shop, so I knew more than the average first-year student.My instructor saw that I knew what I was doing, and had enough faith in me to let me build two ambitious projects, one of which won the State Ind. Arts contest.
Towards the end of the year, my instructor told me that the benches in the shop would be replaced.They had been bought by the School Board in 1911. Of course, I asked if I could have one. He said no, he couldn't give me one.I asked what would happen to them, and he said that the Board of Ed. would find someone to buy them all, probably for $5.00 apiece.He went on to say, though, that some of the benches would be left outside, and that if one was missing in the morning, he wouldn't know anything about it.
I got a couple of my friends, and shortly after school let out for the day, I borrowed the family station wagon up and we loaded up a bench.I didn't have room for the drawers, so I had to go back for them. They turned out to be a different size, for another bench, but I cut them down to fit.
The bench is fairly small, with a top measuring 22 X 54 inches with the tool well.It has seven drawers, six deep ones and one tall, narrow one. I had to add blocks to the legs to raise the height, since the original height was 32 inches.I didn't have a vise at first, but I put old woodworking vise on it several years later.I recently replaced that one with a Wilton pivoting jaw vise.
This bench has served me well for many years.I'd eventually like to build a larger bench, but I'll keep on using this one for the forseeable future.
Rick W.
Rick,
I just read your story about how you acquired your workbench and a dim light turned on far back in my head. I had a similar experience except mine was for a work table. Back in the late '70's a high school was closed here in town and they held an auction to dispose of the fixtures and equipment. I went to the auction to see what shop equipment was going on the block. What took my eye were 4 work tables, all solid maple. These tables were 4' x 8' with 2-1/4" thick butcher block tops , 8 3-1/2" square legs, 5/4 x 6 stretchers and a 5/4 3' x 8' lower shelf . When they came up for auction , you were bidding on only one table. The winning bidder then had the option of only taking the one table or as many others as he wanted, paying for each one the price he won the bid . I won the bid on the first table at $70. Therefore I could've had all 4 tables for $280. Unfortunately ,I was experiencing cash flow problems and could barely come up with the $70 bucks for the 1 table. I trucked it home and set it up in my shop. I didn't have a vise of any sort, so I cobbled up a leg vise with a pipe clamp and a few pieces of maple. With that table and my leg vise I was able to build cabinetmakers workbench. I moved the 4 x8 table over to the other side of my shop where it became a catch all. It was always piled high with wood scraps,cut offs and tools. Eventually I got tired of looking at that table piled with junk, it was taking up to much floor space anyhow so I dismantled it , and stored in the barn where it rests today. About 3 or 4 years ago my son was doing some work for a college professor who had a few worktables from the chemistry lab in his garage. My son asked about them and prof said take a couple if you want . So my son took one for himself and one for me. This is a 2' x 5' table with an epoxy coated stone top. This one doesn't take up as much room and works beautiful for glue up's and assembling.
ken(with a small k)
I have 2 8' benches on the first floor and 2 8' benches, 2 8' benches, and a 16' bench on the second floor.
All are 30" high and 24" wide. Some tops are torosion boxes with 1/2" ply on both sides. Some tops are torsion boxes with 3/4" ply tops and router cut outs. Some tops are 1/2" ply tops set into rails.
I have a lot of fixtures and tools that will clamp into place on any of the benches.
You build a bench for your work patterns. You buy a bench for someone elses work benches.
Matt,
My workbench is somewhat unique. My wife and I are originally from Wisconsin and she grew up in a small town on the Mississippi river. We visited her folks regularly and I hunted and fished with my father in-law and his friends. One of the friends was out on the Mississippi one day and found a section of a shuffleboard (The kind that they used to have in bars, that you played with small metal pucks) floating down the river. He towed it to his home on the river and with some help got it up to his house. This occurred about 40 years ago.
The slab was hard maple boards face glued and was about 9 or 10' long, 3" thick and 18" wide. I had a goal of becoming a wood worker and the next time that I was at his house I offered to buy the slab. He said that all he wanted was about a 3' chunk that he could use when cleaning fish.
Well, we had a Studebaker back then and I had a top rack, so the next time we visited, we loaded the slab on to the car top rack and drove back home. The weight of the slab put dents in the four cornors of the Studebakers top. I took the slab (still on the rack) to a local lumber / milling company and they agreed to plane both faces and cut a three foot chunk off of one end. When I came to pick it up, the guy at the lumber company told me they had ruined their big sawblade when crosscutting the 3" chunk. Seems they ran into a 1/2" internal crossbolt exactly where I had marked the cut.
I delivered the 3' piece to my fathers buddy and put the big section down in my basement with the goal of making a bench when my woodworking skills improved.
Fate stepped in several years later when I accepted a job which required a move to St Louis. We moved and so did the slab. Less than two years later we moved again to Texas. My job required a good deal of travelling and I was doing my wookworking in the garage (a two car garage that only had room for one car as my woodworking stuff and some antique furniture waiting to be restored took up the rest of the room.The slab stood against the wall for the 23 years that we lived there.
When I retired, we built a new home in South Texas and designed it with a workshop that is 12' x 20' and air conditioned. Now I could build the work bench. I read everything I could find on workbenches and decided to incorporate truss rods in the supporting menbers. I designed the bench supporting members to be made out of laminated Baltic birch. This allowed me to leave channels for 1/2" truss rods in the vertical and horizontal components and the mortises and tenons could be cut to size in each piece prior to laminating. It also offers the ability to be knocked down should we ever move again.
I added three hard maple strips to each side to increase the width of the top to 27". I put a Veritas twin screw vise on one end and a cheap side vise one one side. Opposite the cheap vise, I routed a centered groove on the edge and installed a piece of t-slot channel flush with the edge face. One of these days I'll design a removeable tool tray that will mount to the t-slot when needed.
Regarding likes and dislikes:
I put adjustable levelers under each of the feet and when I,m really torquing on the Veritas vise, the bench will move. I'm either going to face the 1 1/2" leverlers with a non-slip material or take them off.
I should have installed a better side vise with quick adjust and release feature. However, I do have a vise like that on my storage bench.
I like the Veritas twin-screw vise, especially the ability to clamp something between the two screws. However, I still have not got the two screws perfectly tightening in unison. When the right one is tight, I need to tighten the left one about a quarter to one half turn.
It was well worth waiting those long years as I believe that my knowledge of wordworking increased as well as my skills and I had a better concept of the type of bench that would suit my future needs.
Like many, I spent a lot of time drooling over the pages of the Landis' Workbench Book. The maple for mine came from a friend with connections to hardwood suppliers in exchange for some computer work and the vises are from Garrett Wade. The dogs are maple with maple springs and brass screws. It took about 6 months to build since I had to fit it in between other projects.
Extremely nice bench - huge amount of clamping capability and interesting idea with the double row of dog holes. What sort of stuff do make on it? Noticed the double stretchers, too. Looks solid.
Okay I'm starting my third bench. This time I'm going maple and going for broke (not literally, I hope).
Ed
What a nice bench! Thanks for the detail shots....
I'm building a similar bench with white oak i'm drying. Concerning the twin screw veritas--there is not much depth from the top of the jaw to the main screws... i was figuring i'd need an eight inch jaw to set it properly...
I've not even purchased it yet... i've only just finished my tail vise using hardware from Atlas via the Mike Fortune info... but i want to use the veritas as my end vise.
Are you satisfied with the veritas.
Thanks
[email protected]
Yes, overall I'd say I'm pretty happy with the Veritas vise. I've used a much smaller commercially made bench for nearly 20 years and found that most of the time I clamped my work between dogs on the bench top. That's why I designed this one the way I did - I intended to use the twin screw vise only to hold material between the dogs. Now that I've used it for a while I've found that I can hold pieces vertically between the screws or on either end since there are no guide rods in the way. Also, you don't have to worry about uneven loads on one side or the other racking it out of alignment.
The chain cover that came with mine was not worth installing so I'm planning on building a matching maple one. I understand that Veritas is now shipping an extruded aluminum cover that a person wouldn't be ashamed to use.
Good luck.
Other than for looks... do you see much value for the end caps (breadboards)? I'm about to start glue up for the top of my new bench and i was considering no end caps. Obviously i wouldn't be able employ an end vise like your twin screw... my intent was to use the verias on the front (where your single vise is located) and my tail vise is the same as yours. this is a picture from http://www.terraclavis.com/bws/benchu.htm. kinda where i got my idea... the bench i'm using now i built in 1982 (hard maple/center tool tray/two vises on the tail) used similiarly to where you have the veritas on yours.
Your input is very appreciated.View Image
The only other reason I can think of to cap the ends is to hide the fact that the majority of my bench top is 2 1/2" thick - it's 4" thick only at the dog holes. If your entire top is the same thickness then I probably wouldn't bother capping it.
One thing I'm glad I did before gluing up the top was to machine as much material as I could while the boards were still manageable. For example, I dry clamped the boards together and marked out the cavity for the side vise. After taking it back apart I cut each board separately without any special jigs or hand work. It was easy to clamp it back up and test fit everything - particularly where the two vises cross each other.
Good luck with yours.
I always thought that one reason for capping was to help the top resist warpage, over time. I capped mine, and the cap is structural, in light of the tool tray, for the rear rail, which is part of the work/clamping surface.
"I always thought that one reason for capping was to help the top resist warpage, over time. I capped mine, and the cap is structural, in light of the tool tray, for the rear rail, which is part of the work/clamping surface."
That's what i've read, but in practice i don't think the endcap is going to prevent warpage if the slab wants to warp. my 20 year old maple top bench with endcaps developed are very slight cup over the years, in spite of the endcaps; i just planed it flat.
The minor movement of the slab vs. the endcap was enough to effect my vises on the end; but still pretty minor.
You are right about the tool tray... it would be easier to build with endcap... but can still be handled w/o, i think.
Thanks for your comments; any others are welcomed.
my bench top will be 4" accross. so i agree with your assessment.
as for machining, you are definitely right about working with the bench in pieces as much as possible. thanks, again
I am starting to get pissed off at all of you for your nice little bench crap. Let's get down to work like a mechanic here damit! Get your self at least one bench 5'x10' flat, square, and level around 36"- 40" in height matching your table saw height- Keep all the off-cut tables, router tables, and general working surface's uniform so huge project's can be layed out quickly with a knockdown assembled under support that in the worst cast scenario shimming would be easy to level and once again stressing quick.quick.
Overhang your top, use 1" material at least, 7" all around the borders, including some kind of hardwood bullnose for the beating it will take. This will allow room for clamping everything and anything knowing your bench is plum, square, and flat.
Two large drawers blocked out will be sufficient for your over and undersized drawings if you at least get that to work by... Now, your back bench area is a total different thread.
Take it easy dude! A lot of these designs are for small projects and woodcarvers. Bench dogs are nice in these instance's. Not everybody needs this type of room.
Your bench should really suit your needs rather then your wants. I saw a post here on knots about a person really needing money for wood in projects rather then to satisfy a personal thingy. This go's with tools also. Only buy what you need and include costs for bench upgrades in your prices and quality-
I still have my first real bench in my shop. It consists of a little less then 2/3rds off a sheet of 3/4" particle board. It is also my router table and it also is 1/4' smaller then my table saw height. Very handy and cheap. I can nail, screw, paint, cut, etc.. anything on this I want. I like it and it likes me.
Just think of it everyone. Unless you have an aire to receive your bench creation, most all get scrapped after your gone. your time is better spent on tool cabinets and chests. These will survive my fellow wood chuckie's.
PROTAGORA
WOW!!!!
If I were to build a traditional bench I could only hope it would turn out as nice as yours. Great job!! You should be very proud of your excellent work.
Terry Hatfield
My first bench was Frid's design. I built it 23 years ago when I first went into business for my self. I found some things I didn't like about it over time. About 10 years ago my partner and I decided to build new benches and to change the design to better suit our needs.
We modified Klaus' design and built our benches. We eliminated the big cantilever at the tail because of twisting problems with Frid's patterns. We made a number of other changes but I can't remember them all. One that was most important was to cut a 45º angle on both the dogs and the shelf created by the recess for the dog head. This eliminates dust and debris build up that prevents the dog from seating below the surface of the bench. If a little does end up trapped there, it's just a matter of removing and replacing the dog to eliminate it. We just use bullet catches to create the tension to hold the dogs in place.
I should have cleaned things up a little more before taking the photo. Either that or have left the usual ankle deep pile of plane shavings on the floor in front of the bench.
View Image View Image
Great idea with the bench dogs.
Best way to do it I've come acrost yet. I saved your pictures so hopefully when I get around to building a bench I remember to do it that way.
Very nice bench.
My currant workbench is a brand new 12 inch table saw that I haven't hooked up or completely assembled in the seven months since I bought it..
It still has the cosmolene on all the surfaces so it hasn't rusted, but once I assemble it and clean off the cosmolene, I expect it to start rusting.. I just don't use a table saw a lot.. with the hassles of the Delta I used to own I've found a lot easier ways to work without one..
My workbench was built on the "Cheap" .Four metal "mechanic" cabinets with 5 drawers each. They were placed two and two back to back. The top is a 5 dollars fire resistant door (laminated hardwood 1 and 1/2 inch thick) with two vises on the same long side. I found the door at a yard sale, it weighs 110 lbs. The cabinets are on casters which when oriented in different direction make the workbench stable. If I need to move it, I orient the wheels in the direction I want it to go. Also the height of the workbench is identical to that of my Unisaw, useful feature when I cut a full sheet of plywood.
The 20 drawers are very convenient for storing all my measuring tools, portable power tools, sandpaper, most manuals, pencils etc.
I believe the total cost was below 280 dollars
John Cabot
Hello from South Africa. Here's my bench that I recently completed. It is based on Kirby's bench in the "Bench Book" from Taunton. The base is built from saligna (eucaluptus species) and the top is Rhodesian Teak. This is a major upgrade from the pine bench that I had used previously. In hindsight I would have definately added some form of tailvice though I do just fine without it at the moment.
Edited 5/8/2003 4:32:38 AM ET by andrewbo
Hi All
My workbenches are total utalitarian (? spelling).
I scavanged from an apartment house about 20 2X8 ft formica countertops.
I simply build a leg set and frame of 2x4 and set the tops on them.
If necessary, I cut the top to size.
My main bench is also a 2x4 frame and leg set with 2 4x8 ft sheets
of MDF and Plywood (for weight and flat) for a top.
With a few extra refinements, this system works great for me.
Jeff
Hey Jeff...
Did you do anything special to the MDF top? How did you seal or protect it?
Derek
No, just use it as is.
When it becomes a messed up, I flip it over and use the other side.
When that side is messed up it becomes shelves and I put a new one on.
So far, haven't replaced it yet in 2 years.
It makes a good flat referance top for gluing and cabinets.
I;m adding an addition this summer and will be moving it into that
section for gluing, clamping, assembly, handwork, etc.
I keeping all the heavy equipment in the main section on the concrete
floor, new section will be wood floor.
Jeff
Matt,
Here goes another log on the fire. I haven't seen any reference to David Charlesworth's bench in this discussion unless it's the Roubo bench someone mentioned as being in Landis's book. I'm not familiar with that bench because I haven't seen the book. Charlesworth's bench is pretty straight forward except for the top. It has a tool tray ,but not at the back. It's placed about 2/3 of the way back from the front edge and runs the length of the top. There are no bread board ends or "caps" on the top. The bottom of the tool tray is divided into three sections and slide in a grove so that they are removable from either end. This arrangment allows for a clamping area for wider panels anywhere along the bench. The front 2/3 of the top has a double row of dog holes for the end vise, which is a Record vise with the wooden jaws wide enough to accomodate the width of the front section. He uses another Record vise for the front vise.
Two years ago my son built a new shop. After the shop was finished and useable he built a new bench and modeled it after Charlesworth's bench. We had some 5''x 6'' cherry beams that he used for the legs/frame and he did the top with 12/4 curly maple. He made his tool tray with the removeable bottom about 30''-36''long on the left end of the bench. For vises he used the Veritas Twin Screw on the end and front vise hdw for the front vise. If you're curious about this bench, it's in Charlesworth's first book"Furniture Making Techiques" Vol. 1. For those that haven't heard of Charlesworth I would describe him as England's version James Krenov only more so. He intimidates me. That's for sure.
Hi Ken,
Thanks for the insight. I am familiar with that bench (I asked if anyone else was earlier in this discussion). That is pretty much the model by which I will be building mine, except that I will be adding some drawers and a shelf underneath, and adjusting the total dimensions a bit. I have a Veritas twin screw, but I am still trying to decide whether to use it as an end or a front vice. It seems like it would be great as a front vice as it is very wide and would be perfect for dovetailing. I kinda like the idea of the more traditional tail-vice, so as of now I'm leaning more in that direction. Has anyone else here built a "Charlesworth" style bench? In his book, he show 2 "styles", one of which has "Flared out" legs, which he describes as an older version which has been superceded. To me, it looks as if it would be more stable?
Thanks to everyone so far for all of your ideas and pictures. This is truly a great forum with a lot of knowledgeable people.
Matt
Matt,
I think your concern for properly supporting the stock for dovetails is a good one. Dovetails on draws is not as big a problem as holding the stock when your dovetailing a carcas which may be 30" wide. Personally, i think putting the Veritas twin screw on the front has more utility, but i do not have one so that is a guess. It does not take much of a vise to hold stock flat on a workbench for planing and any old end vise will do.
However, sawing dovetails, regardless of what is holding the stock, is a bit of a problem on a workbench because of the height...I've thinking about building a jig that would fit in the front vise to raise up the stock for cutting dovetails.
Some of the folks here have built works of art for workbenches. The only one I ever built, I built out of 2x4 material. I only had a small jointer at the time. I jointed all 4 edges square. started by lagscrewing + gluing one board to the wall.
Then I glued and screwed other boards to it, progressively building it out till it was about 18" wide. It was L shaped. About 16' long on one side, with a 3-4' dogleg. I got the lumber cheap, cost about $60 total. I built a recessed square hole in the center with intentions to build a drop in router table, tracing table, jigsaw table. That never happened.
Had intended to put a support leg under the L which hung out in space, and 1 or 2 legs under the 16' section. Found after it was done I could jump up and down on it without any noticable movement, even with drawers full of tools hanging from it, so no legs.
If I had it to do again, I'd have a table saw so I could make the bottom side flat. I'd also make it detatchable, had to leave it when I moved.
Right now I use a bench made of a couple 2x12's on a stand that was in the garage when I bought the house. Someday I need to build a good bench again.
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