Workbench Questions

[Glen (Edmonton)]

Could I ask people who are really pleased with their work benches to respond to this post?

Did you use a solid core door for the top or did you build your own? This is the main question that I want answered; the rest is for interest only.

Do you actually use your work bench or is it just a place that ends up storing the tools that you don't want to put away?

Do you have drawers in your work bench?

Did your work bench come from a plan on the net (where?) or did you just "throw it together".

I can't say that this info will make me run out and buy what I need but it certainly might help. Thanks.

Glen

[Kerry in Calgary]

I built my workbench last year from a Woodsmith plan. It calls for drawers, but I haven't put them in yet. The top is 2 sheets of 3/4 MDF (oiled with BLO and waxed) with maple aprons. I installed a large record front vise and a Lee Valley Twin Screw vise. I modified the plan for the base, built out of solid ash, so that I could take it apart if I ever want to get it of the basement(truss rods and lag screws). It's a big sucker 8' long and 3' wide. I figure it weighs about 500 lbs and cost me about $2/lb to build( all equipment in)!!

As for use, it gets used everyday I'm in my shop and I've disciplined myself to more or less clean it up after every day of use. There's nothing more depressing than walking into your shop and see your tools and stuff lying everywhere.

[Darrell in Oakville]

My workbench was hacked together out of used 2X6 lumber and a solid core door from the "seconds" pile at the local home centre.

No drawers in it, just a shelf across the stretchers, loaded up with boxes & bins. I have three of those 7 inch woodworking vises that Canadian Tire puts on sale for $30 every once in a while. I used hanger bolts and wingnuts to put planing stops on one end of the bench, and I bored some holes for my holdfasts.

I use my bench all the time, because I do most of my work with hand tools. This means the bench CANT collect junk because it's always in use. So I've installed some cabinets along the wall to provide storage space underneath and a nice 'accumulation' surface on top.

This bench has provided 5 years of good service so far. I figure it'll last another 5 at least.

Darrell

[Peter]

I used a solid core door for my top. I couldn't resist as I found a 96"x36" fire door that was 2-1/4" thick and was trimmed with 1-1/2" maple. It was perfect.
My bench is the most used "tool" in the shop, and the heart of my shop.
Underneath, it houses a bank of 4 drawers, stacked vertically and a 2 door cupboard where I store my more frequently used power tools.
I designed the bench myself, using information from several magazine plans.
It weights about 450 pounds and hasn't moved since I built it.
Good Luck.

[Ted Brown]

Your workbench is the most fundamental tool in your shop, if you intend to build fine furniture. I built my bench from scratch, using solid maple. It is 4 1/8 inches thick for the first 5 inches at the front, to house the dog holes. The holes are tilted 2 degrees toward the wooden tail vise, to aid "pinching" the stock between the bench dog,and tail vise dog for hand planing. The middle of the slab is 2 1/2 inches thick, with a 1 5/8" thick by 4 1/8 thick "cap" on the rear side. End caps are 2 1/8" by 4 1/8". I am almost done building 14 more benches for my use. Each will be hand planed flat, after they have had time to acclimatize to the new shop. A flat bench is essential to doing fine work. To hand plane wood, your reference surface must be flat to support the wood you are planing. At the other end, we use a traditional shoulder vise. These vises are handy, since you can use them to hold wood that extends right down to the floor. A good solid trestle design will keep the bench from racking while you are working. Use "bed bolts" to hold the stretchers, which will allow you to disassemble the bench for moving. We make our own captured nuts to hold on the end caps, using 1/2 x 1 x 1 1/2 mild steel, drilled and tapped 1/2 NC thread. Mortise from the bottom of the bench to capture the rectangular nuts, and then use 1/2" x 6" or so hex bolts to hold on the end caps. Elongate one of the two holes and the associated counterbore for the head of the bolt, to accomodate seasonal movement of the bench top. My bench is kept like a piece of furniture, as best I can. I like to do activities such as routing on another simple "glue up bench", a simple maple slab, just in case that noisy thing gets away on me. No drawers or troughs for us, they tend to collect things... A fine bench like this will last your lifetime, and your grandchildrens.... Many of the benches available now are compromises. Consider looking at the workbench book by Landis, a Taunton Press Publication before you decide. Its a fun project to build a traditional cabinetmakers bench, you will be very glad you did, it will change the way you work.

Cheers,

Ted Brown,
Rosewood Studio.

[Ted Brown]

Your workbench is the most fundamental tool in your shop, if you intend to build fine furniture. I built my bench from scratch, using solid maple. It is 4 1/8 inches thick for the first 5 inches at the front, to house the dog holes. The holes are tilted 2 degrees toward the wooden tail vise, to aid "pinching" the stock between the bench dog,and tail vise dog for hand planing. The middle of the slab is 2 1/2 inches thick, with a 1 5/8" thick by 4 1/8 thick "cap" on the rear side. End caps are 2 1/8" by 4 1/8". I am almost done building 14 more benches for my use. Each will be hand planed flat, after they have had time to acclimatize to the new shop. A flat bench is essential to doing fine work. To hand plane wood, your reference surface must be flat to support the wood you are planing. At the other end, we use a traditional shoulder vise. These vises are handy, since you can use them to hold wood that extends right down to the floor. A good solid trestle design will keep the bench from racking while you are working. Use "bed bolts" to hold the stretchers, which will allow you to disassemble the bench for moving. We make our own captured nuts to hold on the end caps, using 1/2 x 1 x 1 1/2 mild steel, drilled and tapped 1/2 NC thread. Mortise from the bottom of the bench to capture the rectangular nuts, and then use 1/2" x 6" or so hex bolts to hold on the end caps. Elongate one of the two holes and the associated counterbore for the head of the bolt, to accomodate seasonal movement of the bench top. My bench is kept like a piece of furniture, as best I can. I like to do activities such as routing on another simple "glue up bench", a simple maple slab, just in case that noisy thing gets away on me. No drawers or troughs for us, they tend to collect things... A fine bench like this will last your lifetime, and your grandchildrens.... Many of the benches available now are compromises. Consider looking at the workbench book by Landis, a Taunton Press Publication before you decide. Its a fun project to build a traditional cabinetmakers bench, you will be very glad you did, it will change the way you work..

Cheers,

Ted Brown,
Rosewood Studio.

[Ron Gillatt, Woodstock, O]

My Workbench is built to a typical design, that is a strong worktop mounted on a very substantial frame. It is the main part of my shop and as I require it to be portable, it is on casters. The top is 1" MDF and the frame is 2"x4". It has a lower shelf which is the same size as the bench - 8'x4'. There is a vise on the front facia and it is a replica of a typical 'Bitish bench'exactly like the one I made in the U.K. 20 years ago!

I will be glad to help with a plan,
regards to all
Ron

[Terry in Kitchener]

I finally built a workbench last year after planning it for about two years. I highly reccomend this as a project.Mine is made out of Beech and is a 4" thick slab that is 3'by 9' with a 6" skirt wrapped around the perimeter.It has a shoulder vise at one end and a twin screw vise at the other.The weight is absurd but I wanted a large surface to work on. The slab sit on three trestle legs which have cabinets between them.The plans were adapted from a combination of workbench books and a plan fron Fine Woodworking early last year.It has quickly become indespensible and makes so many tasks easier. Have fun building

[Wayne Dempsey from Amhers]

I am in the process of just finishing my work bench. Looked at many, many different plans and selected the one shown in 'Popular Woodworking' Feb 2001 issue#120. I used a different vice and added a block of four drawers underneath 24" wide. I plan to use the bench for mainly planing when needed for a project,plus anything else that may come up. I have a assembly table 3'x7' that I use constantly. I also made the bench a little longer, 7', instead of 70". The top consists of 20 pcs. of common pine finished to 1 3/8"x3 3/8" x84". Finished project will weigh approx 250lbs. I also like the Wonder Dog and Bench Dog system used and fits in my budget range of approx. $350.00. Constuction of this project helped me get familiar with mortise and tennon joints. Hope this helps.
Wayne

[Bob Wolfe (Weyburn)]

I built a traditional bench with hard maple from a Tage Freid book I found in the library and Lee Valley hardware, 2 vises, bench dogs. Best thing I ever built for my shop.

[Steve in Kemptville, ON]

I designed my own with borrowed ideas from the Lee Valley benches and some plans from links offered by forumites here.

I used a solid red oak top 2" thick & banded with 2"x4" oak. Big difference from most is I didn't do the butcher block top rather I used 2" stock and edge laminated 8" boards. Double #20 biscuits every 6 inches. It just seemed like too much work to laminate all those pieces. 2" thick hardwood is more than strong enough to support bench dogs IMO. to reduce warping I made 2 extra trestles attached with lag bolts in slotted holes.

I like the LV top with the grid of bench dog holes so used thier round dogs & drilled a grid in the top.

Also like the LV leg support hardware system which uses threaded rod run in a dado on the stretchers (REAL strong). I used a bed bolt at the top of each end and the trheaded rod on the bottom. You could hit this baby with a truck and it woudn't move!

I am going to place a shelf across the stretchers or maybe someday a drop in set of drawers.

The twin screw Veritas vice is a great unit too. I got 2 screws with the gears & everything on the LV sale table and just got some cheap chain form Princess auto... presto! a Veritas twin screw for under $100 ;)

Good luck

Side shot of bench:
http://www.photoloft.com/view/exportImage.asp?s=fshp&i=8246561&w=500&h=400>



http://www.photoloft.com/view/exportImage.asp?s=fshp&i=8246560&w=500&h=400>

[Ron Evers, Beeton, ON]

That is a fine looking bench Steve but I question the merit of having the edge banding thicker than the bench top. I often clamp work pieces to my bench and a thick edge would definitely interfere.

Best Regards, Ron.

[Steve in Kemptville]

The longer skirt allows the side dog holes which would have to have been on a different grid spacing if they were drilled right into the slab top (they'd have intersected with the outer most holes). These side dog holes have come in handy.
I didn't think it woud be a big problem as the edge is 2" thick leaving room for a clamps, mind you you wouldnt be able to put on a 5" 'F' clamp to the hilt. Hasn't been a problem so far as most things I clamp to the bench have been with 'C' clamps and it does fine.
Suppose if I ever have a problem that way I can glue on a cleat at the bottom of the skirt for extra clamp landing area.