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New to the Build. Need Bench Assist. Please

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Joined
Aug 19, 2014
Messages
448
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449
Location
Ridley Park, PA
I'm going to take the big step and build my own. Need your advice please.
My existing bench is from a metal shop. Actually, only the two ends and a layer of ply for a work surface. Mostly holds loose tools and things. Like patching and cleaning gear.

I want to build a solid wood bench. So suggestions are appreciated. Could but one but the
expense is high.

Of concern is a good vice and how it is installed. Be great if the jaws were replaceable with a soft wood.

Looking forward to your suggestions. Ans appreciate your help in this. Thanks to all in advance. Paul
 
Scrounging is a good option. Try to locate an old, really old, house being razed. The solid core doors will make great bench tops. Grizzly tools sells some nice benches at reasonable prices. They also sell just tops. Harbor Freight has benches but, unfortunately, the tops are quite thin and appear to be flimsy.
 
I built myself a bench using adjustable steel legs from Global Indusrial and a top made of four layers of extra dense (and heavy) pressed partical board. It's nothing like the common home improvement store partical board. I consider it a bench both for wood working and metal working. It was a Wilton woodworking vise, and I can anchor a heavy metalworking vise when I want. The steel legs have places to install electrical outlets.

Some say to use maple jaw pads on a woodworking vise, but maple is hard enough to crush and mar softer woods just as steel does. Soft wood pads are better as they get crushed before the project wood gets crushed. I use poplar.

The Wilton vise comes with holes for screws that hold the wood pads in place. Light duty vises like the orange Jorgensen seen at most hardware stores also have screw holes for attaching wooden pads.

Rockler has wheels that attach to bench legs that can be raised and lower by foot pressure on the mechanism, which allows a heavy bench to be lifted off the floor and rolled around.

I also have an old butcher's bench made of laminated maple eight-feet long by two deep. It is handy for lots of stuff. Very good benches can be built entirely of soft wood dimensiond lumber.

I need a bench 36-inches high so I don't have to stoop to work. Also for me an bench 20-inces deep by 60-inches long allows me to stand at the center of the bench and reach everything on it without stooping. However the main work bench now is two-feet deep by six long. Bending over a little to reach things at the rear isn't a big issue. I want a bench that saves my back a lot of strain.

The Work Bench book from Taunton Press can give you lots of good ideas.
 
Gris,

First, you want a bench that isn't going to move or wiggle when you're working on something.

Next, decide what you need the bench for and what you'll be using it to work or build on it, determine the dimensions you need, and whether it is going to be placed against a wall or if you have enough shop space to work on the bench from any of the sides.

If you aren't aware of Chris Schwarz, a writer for Popular Woodworking, google his name and look for his books on designing and building workbenches. If you know anyone with past issues of the magazine, try to get your hands on them and look for ideas on benches, upgrades, home made vises, etc. He's also a fanatic regarding tool chests and has lots of things to say about his own projects, designs, etc.

Good luck!
 
Clean your bench and mount a vice. For your first builds it will work.

Clean it every time you work there. If you want to build something build holders for your tools.

Trust me way cheaper in the overall and will save mucho bucks.
 
Hi,
I built a bunch of benches for my shop. The photo below shows my primary woodworking bench. It was not expensive and is based on the Roubo popularized by Chris Schwartz. There are many kinds of benches useful for gunmaking, but this allows me to do anything I want and is a 3-D clamping tool for every application. I have 2 wooden leg vises that are extremely valuable when barrel inletting and roughing out a stock. I also have 2 pattern makers vises and an arm rest that are indispensable.
J0EoZfh.jpg

jw5wG29.jpg

bNofg41.jpg

GlCyiny.jpg

Vh0aXGQ.jpg

YISidRc.jpg

FYuAexV.jpg
 
Dave's work bench is a work of art compared to mine. I nailed up some 4X4s put 2X12s on top and bought some prefab cabinet sections from Lowes I could slide into my creation for storage space. When I am hogging off the bark and sapwood off an osage stave with a drawknife I don't want my bench to walk across the floor, it doesn't. I also made it 42" high so I don't have to bend over to work on stuff.

shop clean up complete 002.JPG
 
[QUOTE="dave_per
GlCyiny.jpg
/QUOTE]

What are the top boards held together with and are they 2x4? Awesome that's a beautiful bench wow !
 
Hi,
The top is laminated using Douglas fir 2X4s. The glue is Titebond II I think. I added threaded rods through both ends as insurance they won't separate over time. The other wood is simply construction grade spruce lumber. I would have preferred Southern Yellow pine for the top but I cannot readily get it up here in Vermont. Other than the rods, there are no metal wood screws holding the bench together. Everything is anchored by mortice and tennon, glue, and oak dowels that are draw bored.
fG1BUmk.jpg

SshycHk.jpg

The sliding deadman is useful for positioning stocks and boards on the side of the bench.
Hobz2zx.jpg

It weighs >350 lbs so it does not need to be anchored to a wall and I can walk and work completely around it. The holes in the top allow me to move my vises and arm rest where I need them as well as my task lamp, which is mounted to a base with a post that fits in the holes. It is the best and most flexible woodworking bench I've ever seen or used. The photos below show my show right after the benches were done, I have my main bench, then a bench and area for metal work, and area for power tools, and area for finishing, and finally an area and bench for engraving. The last photo shows my morning commute to work.
OGVV7GE.jpg

stVZFZQ.jpg

Nbn55qd.jpg

5jFpUKP.jpg

FQCEjA5.jpg
FQCEjA5.jpg

cN6eB5q.jpg

qSRpSqI.jpg

uWdo30h.jpg

dave
 
Last edited:
Dave, your neatness and cleanliness has me embarrassed and blushing. My bench is a mess. I won't show a picture of it because of the mess. But, I'll tell the story of where it came from. The top must be about 100 years old. Growing up in Chicago we were about two blocks from a tavern that had a sorta bowling game where heavy steel discs were slid down a 20 foot laminated and polished lane. It was there for many years before I came along. (I am now 80) At one point, when I was about ten years old the tavern closed up and sold it's contents. My father, a professional wood worker, bought the game. He cut the top into three sections, two eight footers and a four footer. He used them in his business for many years. I have no idea of what happened to one of the 8 footers or the footer. But, I eventually ended up with one of the 8 footers and continue to use for my workbench. Very solid and heavy. I know my son has no interest in it so after I'm gone it will probably sell at auction for $5.00 or $10.00.
 
I'm with Rifleman in terms of my work area, but greatly admire your work area Dave. Your attention to detail shows in everything you do. Isn't the world a wonderful place that allows all us muzzleloader shooters, builders and tinkerers to approach and do this activity in many different ways. Dave, my personality is such that I could have your neat shop all messed up in a few weeks and there is no way I have the attention to detail or ability to turn out the great work that you do. My hat is off to you, but also to Rifleman 1776 and the others who do things in a different way.
 
One trait of creative people is a high tolerance for disorder. My work bench is very disorderly. So, I hide behind creativity when ever it gets pointed out to me. Really, I'm just a slob.
 
Here is a picture of my bench. I use a parrot vise and love it. In my shop I now have L brackets to secure it to the floor but I have put bricks on the bottom shelf in a pinch to keep her steady when I am rasping the Snot out of a stock!

i5Eo17K.jpg


You can see in this picture I added an adjustable platform on one end to help support the long barrels.

HvNiVwS.jpg


Its made of three 2 x 12 x 10
 
Dave Person's bench is drool worthy - for sure!! Mine is not nearly as nice, but has served me well for nearly twenty years and I can't bring myself to scrap it and start over … depending on your woodworking skills, you may want to check out the Paul Sellers videos … here's a link

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...9D79A6024F96D834CD289D79A6024F96&&FORM=VRDGAR

I would go with pattern makers vise, as well as the knee vise (two on Dave's bench) they're pricey, but very nice to have.

good luck with your project!
 
Built this for the Kibler kit that should be here before long. Had the vise already, so installed wood with leather on the jaws, made the wood hammer from junk wood I had lying around, rigged a harbor freight wood clamp for the fore stock. cost about 28 bucks total. Very stable. Can throw a couple sand bags on the leg dividers if needed.
 

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I have some pics saved from old discussions. I do not know who to attribute them to. The upload file feature will not allow me to upload them from my photo files on this Android tablet. When I click the upload a file button I'm given three choices, camera, camcorder or document, but nothing allowing an upload from a photo file. If someone can tell me how to upload photos I'll give it a shot.

Nice round carving mallets can be made from wooden baseball bats. Saw the bat where the thickest part is. Only make them long enough to work for you. Don't worry about saving the grip portion right above the small end. I wrapped heavy leather around mine. They work quite well.
 
While out shopping for building materials today I noticed some laminated veneer lumber 1.75-inches thick. I think it would make an awfully good bench top.

Last night I was looking for info on a project and also ran across these workbench ideas. With some imagination, and taking from here and there one ought to be able to put together a good bench for an affordable cost.

https://www.workbenchdesign.net/index.html

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/stanleys-workbench/

http://woodarchivist.com/3160-garage-workbench-plans/

http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/workshop/bench/below20xl.html

https://www.simplecove.com/385/my-workbench-build-hand-tools-only/

https://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/the-little-john-workbench/

https://www.finewoodworking.com/2009/09/16/still-dont-have-a-workbench-this-one-is-easy

https://www.lowes.com/projects/woodworking-and-crafts/how-to-build-a-workbench/project
 
Hi,
The top is laminated using Douglas fir 2X4s. The glue is Titebond II I think. I added threaded rods through both ends as insurance they won't separate over time. The other wood is simply construction grade spruce lumber. I would have preferred Southern Yellow pine for the top but I cannot readily get it up here in Vermont. Other than the rods, there are no metal wood screws holding the bench together. Everything is anchored by mortice and tennon, glue, and oak dowels that are draw bored.
fG1BUmk.jpg

SshycHk.jpg

The sliding deadman is useful for positioning stocks and boards on the side of the bench.
Hobz2zx.jpg

It weighs >350 lbs so it does not need to be anchored to a wall and I can walk and work completely around it. The holes in the top allow me to move my vises and arm rest where I need them as well as my task lamp, which is mounted to a base with a post that fits in the holes. It is the best and most flexible woodworking bench I've ever seen or used. The photos below show my show right after the benches were done, I have my main bench, then a bench and area for metal work, and area for power tools, and area for finishing, and finally an area and bench for engraving. The last photo shows my morning commute to work.
OGVV7GE.jpg

stVZFZQ.jpg

Nbn55qd.jpg

5jFpUKP.jpg

FQCEjA5.jpg
FQCEjA5.jpg

cN6eB5q.jpg

qSRpSqI.jpg

uWdo30h.jpg

dave
Beautiful work and work space. I don’t allow any photos in mine, I could loose a gut-shot bear in it.. This is inspirational, spring cleaning will happen this year!
 
I have some where around 60 feet of work bench between the basement, pole barn and shop. For all of this I have used a 2x4 frame, with one side attached to the wall. For the top of the bench I use 2 sheets of 3/4" MDF board screwed together and for the final top, 1/4" tempered hard board that is treated with a waterproof finish. In my shop, I finished the 1.75" thick bench top with walnut along the edge to protect it. This is not really needed and I did not do that for the pole barn or basement benches.

Easy to make since the sheets come in 4x8, not to costly and very sturdy.

Fleener
 
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