Building a new bench

[tablesawtom]

A while ago I posted on my research and development of my hopefully last work bench build for myself. I posted pictures of laying out every thing on the top to get actual size. I went so far as to build a very rough prototype of the bench so I could try it out for height which is the most important part of the bench. Bench height should fit the type of work you do. I also made the bench size to fit my shop. Then my wife asked me , if you have to move it how are you going to move the top? I was going to make it 8 feet long but then I shortened it enough so that I could get it in a pick up truck with an 8 food bed and still shut the door.

Anyway at 72 and having arthritis in my thumbs I found working with actual 4x4 material difficult to say the least when trying to flatten and square the timber on the jointer. My thumbs wouldn't take the pressure of keeping the large timber against the fence. And I also had to keep the tables waxed so I could slide it a crossed the table. I  have never been able to get magnetic feather boards work for me, with a waxed table and the size of my work the feather boards twist out of the way.  Anyway I drilled and tapped some 1/4 holes in the apron used when rabbiting and a few in the side of the jointer and I will let the pictures speak for themselves.  There is also some pictures of my leg vise as well as some almost completed pictures . Also a support frame for sawing on a with a led I use a sled of straight line ripping 8 foot long boards

I will say that the feather boards really helped my thumbs jointing stock for 25 drawers. one picture shows just a small stack.

Anyway pictures

[tablesawtom]

A while ago I posted on my research and development of my hopefully last work bench build for myself. I posted pictures of laying out every thing on the top to get actual size. I went so far as to build a very rough prototype of the bench so I could try it out for height which is the most important part of the bench. Bench height should fit the type of work you do. I also made the bench size to fit my shop. Then my wife asked me , if you have to move it how are you going to move the top? I was going to make it 8 feet long but then I shortened it enough so that I could get it in a pick up truck with an 8 food bed and still shut the door.

Anyway at 72 and having arthritis in my thumbs I found working with actual 4x4 material difficult to say the least when trying to flatten and square the timber on the jointer. My thumbs wouldn't take the pressure of keeping the large timber against the fence. And I also had to keep the tables waxed so I could slide it a crossed the table. I  have never been able to get magnetic feather boards work for me, with a waxed table and the size of my work the feather boards twist out of the way.  Anyway I drilled and tapped some 1/4 holes in the apron used when rabbiting and a few in the side of the jointer and I will let the pictures speak for themselves.  There is also some pictures of my leg vise as well as some almost completed pictures . Also a support frame for sawing on a with a led I use a sled of straight line ripping 8 foot long boards

I will say that the feather boards really helped my thumbs jointing stock for 25 drawers. one picture shows just a small stack.

Anyway pictures

A couple more pictures

[FloridaRetiree]

Brings back old memories.

Many many years ago I designed and built a "feather"board using rubber band leverage and a lawn mower wheel to use on my 10" Delta table saw.

Darned if it wasn't accepted and published in Fine Woodworking back then.

Think they even paid me about 20 bucks for the idea!

[Arlin Eastman]

Looks Great Tom.  I also love the idea on the jointer to.

[tablesawtom]

Looks Great Tom.  I also love the idea on the jointer to.

Other ways of using the bench besides just a flat surface. First is using an unfinished shoulder vise, Next is clamping long boards, because it is a split top it supports cutoffs. Using the leg vise and hold fast, Holdfast usage on leg side, obvious clamping long boards on bench top, Next is using shoulder vise and a round short bench dog in the tail vise to secure the long board. And lastly using the shoulder vise and a holdfast. One last note is I have not yet made the two sliding board jacks.

I need to finish the top yet and order 6 more drawer pulls. The top was going to get sanded today but my helper and long time friend fell on some stairs and is unavailable today so it has been postponed. It is hard to flatten two different pieces of the top and get them the same height so they were going to a local cabinet shop tp get flattened and sized. I can assure you that just getting the hickory tops to the condition they are in at the present   was a lot of fun with a hand plane.

Tom

[Hank Knight]

Tom, that's a beautiful bench! I'm impressed with your vises. I wanted to use traditional tail and shoulder vises on my bench, but there wasn't enough room in my cramped shop. Your bench is a classic. It looks like the leg vise is detachable. How does it mount to the bench?

[tablesawtom]

Tom, that's a beautiful bench! I'm impressed with your vises. I wanted to use traditional tail and shoulder vises on my bench, but there wasn't enough room in my cramped shop. Your bench is a classic. It looks like the leg vise is detachable. How does it mount to the bench?

It attaches like any leg vise. The criss cross has 3 pins. You  can take any one of the pins out and unscrew the screw and the actual leg vise is off. 

The top lifts off, the top two stretchers unbolt, there are 5 different drawer boxes and they just lift out with the top stretchers removed, Unbolt the bottom two stretchers and it is disassembled, ready to be moved. Just 4 bolts hold it together. The kick boards are held on with magnets.

Tom

[Hank Knight]

It attaches like any leg vise. The criss cross has 3 pins. You  can take any one of the pins out and unscrew the screw and the actual leg vise is off. 

The top lifts off, the top two stretchers unbolt, there are 5 different drawer boxes and they just lift out with the top stretchers removed, Unbolt the bottom two stretchers and it is disassembled, ready to be moved. Just 4 bolts hold it together. The kick boards are held on with magnets.

Tom

Tom, forgive my dyslexia. I initially thought the leg vise was on the same corner as the tail vise and had to be removed when the tail vise was in use. I see now that it is on the corner opposite there shoulder vise - on the other side of the bench, a very serviceable arrangement. Nice design.

[tablesawtom]

Tom, forgive my dyslexia. I initially thought the leg vise was on the same corner as the tail vise and had to be removed when the tail vise was in use. I see now that it is on the corner opposite there shoulder vise - on the other side of the bench, a very serviceable arrangement. Nice design.

Hank,

Your question had me going. I couldn't understand why anyone would want to remove it but I did answer it. Actually the leg vise is not finished. Once I get the tops sanded that will change the height of the bench legs and then I will be able to round the top of the leg vise.

This is my fifth bench, I have sold the other three. In my forty some years of woodworking I have come to believe that the work bench is the most important woodworking tool, and most used tool, in the shop. And all of the different ways of using, mainly clamping, solve a different problem that I have run a crossed in those years. Things I wished I could do at the time

Advise to anyone that will actually listen.
 
1. First was fastened to a wall. Never again, to limiting. If room is a problem get it on wheels, Consider Rockler for bench casters. 
2. Above all else get the height right for yourself. Not what the plans call for. I built a temporary bench and tried it out just to make sure. I hope after four I got it right.
3. Size the bench for your space. again the temporary bench. seeing it in actual size can solve construction problems later. Don't have to adapt later.
4. Make it so you can work left or right handed at it, that time will always come.
5. If tight on space, you do not need a router table just clamp the top to the bench and then hang it on the wall or place on a shelf when finished. A shop vac. can do double duty. Dust collection at the fence and vac. for the    floor later.  
6. Use your head and think out side of the box. I was at Handworks last May and Bench crafted had a swinging stool that fastened to the bench leg so the stool could swing out of the way. The problem with it is, it is designed for their bench design and my bench top is farther out away from the leg. So in my head I am still working on how to make one out of wood to fit my bench. Height is not a problem that can be made adjustable. The distance has to be right for ME.

Tom
So I have a ways to go to finish the bench, hopefully there will always be something to make it better. 
I hope I have giving all of you something to think about or at least some different ways of doing something.

Tom

[Hank Knight]

Tom,

I agree completely that the workbench is the most important woodworking tool in the shop. All else revolves around it. I haven't built but two benches, one of which is my radial saw bench which doubles as a workbench in a pinch. I waited almost 20n years to build MY BENCH. Meanwhile I used a small bench my father built. It was almost completely unsatisfactory for my work style, but I made do with it. Meanwhile, I collected every idea I ever saw about workbenches, added some of my own and read everything I could find - which, in those days, wasn't much. When I finally designed and built my bench, I think I broke every rule in the book: too high, too wide etc., but it suited me and still does. I don't foresee ever building another one. Your advice to build a bench that suits the individual is spot on. I think it's a mistake to slavishly follow a set of plans without giving much thought to one's own personal preferences and work style. I admire your bench a lot. You obviously put a lot of time and thought into it.

Hank