Work bench ideas and plans

[Jeffrey J. Kosowsky]

I am about to build a new workbench in our basement. I have my own ideas but would like to get ideas and potentially plans from others.

Anybody know where I might find such helpful information on the net?

[max]

Taunton press but out an excellent book on workbenches. It covers ancient to new. max

[J T]

Tue, Nov 9, 2004, 6:28am (EST+5) [e-mail] (Jeffrey=A0J.=A0Kosowsky) asks only: Anybody know where I might find such helpful information on the net?

Yes.

JOAT Viet Nam, divorce, cancer. Been there, done that. Now, where the Hell are my T-shirts?

[AAvK]

SURE! The best:

a MASS of links related to your request. Enjoy, but it will take a while to through all of it. BTW these links are related to classic woodworking benches, not garage benches ("I think"). For that I would laminate a bunch of 2x2 DF and sheet over that of plywood, on a basic 2x4 leg frame, or go with "2x4 basics" stuff.

Alex

[Charlie Self]

kosowsky asks:

Google. Insert "workbenches"", no quotes. 393,000 hits.

Charlie Self "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." Abraham Lincoln

[Andy Dingley]

Scott Landis' Workbench book from Taunton Press.

I believe they've a new one out too, by Lon Schleining

Workbenches are expensive and you have to live with them a long time afterwards. Read both books. Tell us what you think of the second one!

"Workbenches" is too broad a subject to really give a single answer. How much space have you got ? What will you do with it ? How much money or time can you spend on making it ?

My own most recent workbench is a stretched Tage Frid design, from his

3rd book. I'm not sure I'd do it again - nice top, love the moving dogs, but I wouldn't do another shoulder vice on my "main" workbench.

[BobS]

Bernie Hunt is still hosting some plans I made several years back for someone wanting to make a workbench with minimal tools and low cost materials. You may want something better but the plans provide some construction details that may be of help. These plans were developed from an article in FWW of a workbench that used a 3" thick hard-maple top and all hardwood construction. Estimated material cost was about $600. The basic design is the same as the bench in the article but the construction method and materials were changed to make it more affordable.

My own bench is of similar design, it's as solid now as the day I built it and I've had over 500 lbs sitting on the top of it and no wobble. I've added the Twin Screw end-vise from Lee Valley and a 6" front vise to round it out as a real work horse.

Bob S.

[BobS]

Guess it would help if I included the URL.

S.

[mac davis]

do a google for "free woodworking plans" and you'll find a ton of sites, most of which have bench plans and ideas... a few of my favorites are:

[Dave]

How would you do it now? More importantly, WHY would you do it that way?

Thanks

Dave

[Andy Dingley]

I'm not sure what I'd do, just that I don't like the shoulder vice.

's a good vice for holding bulky half-built things, but it's useless for small stuff. There's a large wobbling wooden jaw, closed by a steel screw two inches below the top level. You can't hold anyhting less than 3" tall, or the jaw just tilts.

I'd probably go for the largest and widest cast iron vice I could find, with wooden jaws added.

[AAvK]

It's too bad he doesn't post an actual photo of the bench itself as built, it would be a big help. Anywhere else I can see it?

Alex

[AAvK]

Here's the best one I've seen, a 3-in-1 shoulder vise:

might just do it if I could get it going with the large tapping and threading.

Alex

[Dave]

Thanks to you both. I really like the 3-in-1. I'll look into that a little more.

[AAvK]

Rightious.

Alex

[AAvK]

I mean it looks really easy and innovative, all you need is front vise hardware, put in a longer jaw that goes off to the right a bit further, tap and thread, have a block of wood as the spacer and you're on all the way. Even then, you might be able to use a shorter bench screw instead of tapping and threading. With that you'd need to be able to remove the face that's on that bench screw.

Alex

[Dave]

The front vice and shoulder vice seem to be straightforward and as you described below. I'm wondering about modifying the shoulder vice so the screw could stay in place and go into a horizontal recess in the tabletop. In use one would simply place the face on the screw and be on your way. Of course the screw would have to come out when long items are in the front vice.

I appreciate any thoughts and insight.

[BobS]

When I drew up the plans, I didn't own a digital camera and since the drawings are in dwg, dxf and pdf formats, we kinda thought it was covered. Surely you can view pdf files. If not go to the Adobe site and download the free Acrobat reader.

As for anyplace else having a picture of it - no. But if FWW has that original article archived and viewable on-line, that would be the only other choice I can think of...... unless some other readers that built the bench or variations of it took pictures and can post them for you. I know several people in this ng built it because I had several questions from them due to an error on one of the drawings - since corrected.

I can't say this is the ugly duckling of workbenches - since after all, it was featured in FWW (author long forgotten) but it also won't win any prizes for being pretty. It offers solid construction, easy to build, can be broke down if needed and can be made from low cost materials. You want pretty, tool trays, drawers and other bells and whistles along with a gee-whiz look for some snob appeal in your shop/garage - then this bench is not for you.

Bob S.

[AAvK]

Hard to picture, but I'd think that would take away area/space when in face mode and maybe limit the tail mode for movement.

Yes that's the problem if using a bench screw for the shoulder mode. how does the face attach to the screw's end? No hands-on experience here.

Did you see the pictures of the whole plan? I wouldn't include the tail vise part myself because of the space I have. You can see the tail jaws in the top picture. Awesome design altogether.

Alex

[AAvK]

I only need to pick-up on trestle ideas for measurements and joinery and figure on how space dog holes. I need to dado-in the holes, then face the boards together and have 3/4" square holes. Most of the top maple has been ripped, one more board to go, then cross cutting to even lengths. It will be a bit classicaly standard and with a trough, in back of that will be slots for chisels and small saws, so, more dado-ing.

Alex