Work Bench discussion

[CrealBilly]

I have several plans for workbenches - some from shop notes, John's and Monty's workbenches from the download area. Please point me to any other plans and discuss the +++ and --- (what you would have done differently when you built yours).

Thanks

 

[Sawdust Denny]

You will find several options on Plansnow.com

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

I would also see if you can find copies of Chris Schwartz's and Lon Schleining's workbench books, even if just to look. I've seen Schleining book in Barnes and Noble.

Except for the changes I made to the base so the height is adjustable, I followed Schleining's design for his "best of old and new" bench covered in his book and also featured in FWW- it is the one Monty built. I made a couple of minor changes.

• I bought a used, 2-3/4" thick, laminated maple slab from Bally Block to use as my top.
• Because I had it available (cheap) I used American Beech for the trestle base- you can't hardly tell the difference between it and maple.
• I reduced the width of the aprons from 6" to 5" - to me it looks better and fit the stock I had on hand.
• While I used breadboard ends like Schleining (and Monty), I attached them differently (better?). My bolts are totally hidden but can be tightened at any time.
• Whatever style you decide on, the biggest factors in sturdiness and stability are use (1) good M&T joints- snug fitting and deep, with a lot of glue surface. Use wedged or draw bored (I don't know why Schleining picked the ones he did for each location), or draw bolted joints if you want a bench that can be disassembled, (2) wide stretchers with good shoulders and tight tenons to connect the trestle leg sets.
• I used a different vise arrangement- one of each- front, sliding tail, and twin screw end vise.
• I don't do a lot of hand tool work (yet?) but decided I didn't want a tool tray like Monty.
• Unlike Schleining and Monty, I went with 3/4" round dog holes everywhere. Easier and quicker to make (drill guide and hand drill. That allowed me to use the LeeValley/Veritas dogs and pups, and the good forged steel holdfasts by Grammercy.
• I mounted my LV twin screw vise a bit differently- I recessed the flanges and chain sprockets into the back of the jaw, so have a much lower profile cover than the one supplied by LV or the one Monty made.
• By making my bench adjustable, I gave up the opportunity to put a tool cabinet underneath.

Here are the links to the threads about my bench 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and photos in my album.

In addition to the threads on North Carolina Woodworker there are a number on the Web. Here is a link to nice interpretation of Schleining's bench.

 

[Tarhead]

This is kinda like putting your mouth over a firehose:
http://workbenchdesign.net/

 

[LeftyTom]

Jeff, I got Chris Schwarz's workbench book, if you want me to mail it to you.

Or you could drive by and pick it up. :rotflm: :slap:

 

[Gofor]

I put a tail vise and front vise on mine. I need to add an end vise and a dual row of dog holes for clamping panels.

If I were to build another, I would widen my aprons to 5", put a least one side with the legs flush to the apron for installing a knee vise, and would raise it from 32" to 36".

Go

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

If I were to build another, . . . . . I would raise it from 32" to 36".

Go

I wish I could remember who asked me why I made my WW bench adjustable! :wwink:

Jeff, spend some time working at whatever bench you have now, hand planing, cutting dovetails, and other such neander WW activities, and by raising the work or standing on boards, etc., have the work at various heights. Do that enough until you find the most comfortable height and are certain about it. While you can trim the bottoms of the legs or add risers later, you really don't want to mess up the appearance of your bench that you will likely spend a lot of money, time, and effort achieving.

 

[JimmyC]

Jeff,

Here's a few that might give you some ideas;

http://incidentalwoodworker.blogspot.com/

http://www.bigwoodvise.com/index.cfm


http://www.benchcrafted.com/products.htm


I have more somewhere.

 

[FredP]

I would start by choosing the vise or vises I'm going to use. then I'd get the dogs I decided to use. Then build from there. nothing could be worse than building the bench of a lifetime and then having to modify it to make the hardware fit.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

I would start by choosing the vise or vises I'm going to use. then I'd get the dogs I decided to use. Then build from there. nothing could be worse than building the bench of a lifetime and then having to modify it to make the hardware fit.

Concur. That is what I did.

FYI, I got a bunch of square dogs, still in the package I want to get rid of. Anyone interested? If so I dig them out to see what brand, etc.

 

[Tarhead]

One thing I will design into my next one is to place the lower edge of the stretcher ~equal to the highest part of the top of my foot. When handplaning or doing something requiring a lot of upperbody work you can slide your foot under the stretcher and use this leverage to assist.

 

[Bas]

I built this one, but using a slab top of SYP. I still like it very much, although if I ever build another bench I'll know what I'll change:
- Make it longer
- Add storage underneath (I may retrofit this)
- Add a tail vise (I may still do this)

 

[Shamrock]

Jeff,
I built the Roubo from Schwartz's workbench book (basically a more detailed version of his article in Woodworking) That book has alot of info , so defiantly take a looksy into that one. It also has plans for a English style workbench. The pro's and cons of construction choices are very well discussed in there. You can follow my construction of the monster in my photo gallery.
Also Jeremy(tool king-aka Woodwrangler) built a hybrid version of the Robert Langs workbench from Popular woodworking and it is a pretty stout and handy beast. So take a look at his finished pics for ideas.
Also take a look at the Benchcrafted blog, as he's got alot of build details, beautiful pics, and some new smaller benches he's made that are pretty nifty.

I agree with the buy the vises you want to use 1st recommendations. It helps you to clarify what you want out of the bench. IMHO, you can't go wrong with round bench dog holes. Veritas makes everything you'll need to use for holdowns in the round and they are easier to make. Just drill a hole through the top and your done.

Good luck-keep us posted

 

[MarkZ]

Hi,

I also built a Rubo bench. My writeup is here http://www.zachmannfamily.com/workbench.html

In retrospect I would have

1) Used hard maple instead of oak. Less grain and no steel issues.
2) Found some way to change the height (I'm still working on that).

Otherwise I love the darned thing... The vise I bought just fit between the legs so I had no vise issues.

Mark

 

[cpowell]

I'll second the Benchcrafted design. http://benchcrafted.com/plans.htm I'd go that route if I built another...but I'm not gonna build another for a while.

I built Monty's (Schleining's) bench, sizing to my needs. I used a value-priced knockoff end vise and it racks if you look at it wrong. :eusa_doh:

If you go end vise, go Veritas Twin Screw like most others did. Better still, pass on the end vise and use a tail vise. I use my front vise for most work but a tail vise would be great.

Here's a few links to my bumbling work bench misadventures.

Here's the bench WIP thread http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/f81/workbench-wip-9872/

This thread regarding flattening the top http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/f29/benchtop-flat-enough-10197/

Bench dog spacing thread http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/f29/bench-dog-spacing-question-10614/

My memories...working with long, thick, heavy stock is tiring, especially the dimensioning.

Vise fitting is not easy...and not hard. Plan and take your time. Look at overall dimensions with regards to top placement on the base to make sure the screws/tubes have clearance. Hog with router and use hand tools to clean up and final fit.

If you pay attention to grain flow during assembly then you can flatten the top with hand planes. (Gofor warned me and I still screwed up and reversed grain direction).


Chuck

 

[JimmyC]

here are a few more :

http://bench.newtonwoodworking.com/

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/bench

http://oudluthier.blogspot.com/search/label/Workbenches / Roubo Bench

 

[cpw]

Jeff,

I haven't built a bench - yet - so my advice is worth exactly what you're paying for it. But I've been mulling some ideas for some time that I would be glad to share.

I read and skimmed four books:
Making Workbenches: * Planning * Building * Outfitting by Sam Allen
The Workbench Book: A Craftsman's Guide to Workbenches for Every Type of Woodworking by Scott Landis
The Workbench: A Complete Guide to Creating Your Perfect Bench by Lon Schleining
Workbenches: From Design And Theory To Construction And Use by Christopher Schwarz
(NOTE: I didn't spend a dime to do it either - you go to your local library with the titles and authors and ask about Inter-Library Loan. Borrow the books, look them over, then buy the ones you think will be most helpful. If you only need a couple of pages from one, scan or photocopy them before you return the book.)

I've also looked at lots of videos and postings here and on other forums and I think I've gleaned some things that interest me.

1) I want to build a workhorse not a show piece. I mean no offense to those who build beautiful benches. I know a bench can be both, and I know that a lot of what goes into making those benches works of art also have practical application. However, I know ME; I'm cheap. And if I spend a fortune on expensive contrasting woods and lots of time on exquisite joinery I'm not going to want to risk harm to the bench, and that would defeat the purpose in having it.

2) I would probably construct the top with a substrate of laminated MDF, with a hard maple skirt and vise faces, and a replaceable inset hardboard surface. According to the sagulator, a MDF top 3" thick (4 layers of 3/4" MDF) that is 24" deep with a 40" span between the legs, with a 3.25" x 1.5" hard maple skirt would withstand 133 lbs. of centered weight before it started to sag at all and 400 lbs. of centered weight before the deflection exceeded 0.001" per foot. It would really probably exceed that since the sagulator is really designed to calculate shelf sag and would not be accounting for the skirt on both edges.

3) I will make the skirt flush to the bottom of the bench top to make it easy to use C or F clamps along the edges to clamp things to the top. (The extra 1/4" on the 3.25" maple skirt is for the 1/4" hardboard which will be inset behind the top of the skirt.)

4) I will make the legs on the front flush to the skirt face so that I have vertical supports to clamp to when I have large panels in an upright position.

5) I will probably use large quick release vises embedded in the skirt for both the front and end vises.

6) I am toying with embedding T-track in the skirt and legs and having a removable deadman with T-tracks embedded so I can put adjustable hold-downs where ever I need them and really clamp in a long board or panel instead of just having it rest on a peg.

Anyway, those are my ideas so far.

Hope this helps.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

Charles- It sounds like you have put a lot of research and thought into this. I have a few questions-

What kind of legs/trestle and method of attachment them are you planning?

Are you using solid MDF for the weight? If not have you thought about a torsion box for the structure?

Charles' post brings out a very good point about benches- everyone is looking for something different. Some folks aren't sure what that is, and some even the big names in woodworking, build more than one "bench of a lifetime" over their woodworking careers. In view of the expense of hardwood (Maple, etc.) vises, etc., if you aren't sure about what you are looking for in bench, it makes sense to make one from cheaper materials and vises, especially if you have limited means.

 

[cpw]

Alan,

Are you using solid MDF for the weight?

Exactly. And it's cheap.

If not have you thought about a torsion box for the structure?

Not for a bench, but I would definitely use that idea for an assembly table.

What kind of legs/trestle and method of attachment them are you planning?

I don't really have everything worked out. I borrowed the books a couple of years ago when Schwarz' book was brand new and I have yet to buy my own copies of any of them, so I'm a bit fuzzier on bases. However, I've been mulling over a modified sled foot.

Since I intend for the front legs to be flush with the front of the skirt I can't have sled feet sticking out to trip over, so I would have to chop the foot to be flush with the front of the leg. I don't relish the thought of mortising so close to the end of the foot, but with the right design it should work. I was also thinking of have an eccentric base with the back legs inset from the edge of the skirt 4"-5" so I could clamp at any point along that length. So on the back side I would need the sled feet to stabilize the bench.

Fastening the top to the legs is one of the things that gives me pause about using MDF for the substrate because it won't hold a lag screw as tightly as hardwood, but I thought I might look for oversized threaded inserts or the like to epoxy into the MDF. Any thoughts?

 

[James Davis]

"Fastening the top to the legs is one of the things that gives me pause about using MDF for the substrate because it won't hold a lag screw as tightly as hardwood, but I thought I might look for oversized threaded inserts or the like to epoxy into the MDF. Any thoughts?"


Why not through bolt the top down? By countersinking the heads of some carriage bolts under the replaceable top there would be no bolts showing and no stronger way to fasten.

James