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Bench info, advise
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10-15-2021, 08:05 PM
I have been out of woodworking as a beginer for several years. I am left handed and would like to ask for suggestions as to adding or replacing one of my vises that may be a better fit for me.
The bench has a Chapelle crest on it and it is about 67" long, made of Beech wood.
10-15-2021, 08:53 PM
Help me out here - what are the problems for a lefty to use the face vise in the photo?
Doug
10-15-2021, 09:12 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-15-2021, 09:13 PM by Handplanesandmore.)
(10-15-2021, 08:53 PM)Tapper Wrote: Help me out here - what are the problems for a lefty to use the face vise in the photo? Face vises grip better when you work toward them (working from left to right for a lefty), and when you saw, you can hold the offcut with the non-dominant hand. Having said that, as a righty, I had use a vise mounted on the right of a workbench for a few years. Simon
10-15-2021, 09:17 PM
(10-15-2021, 08:05 PM)olympus Wrote: I have been out of woodworking as a beginer for several years. I am left handed and would like to ask for suggestions as to adding or replacing one of my vises that may be a better fit for me. I'd leave the bench as it is, and use it for a substantial amount of time (many projects over months, or a few projects over a couple of years) before deciding if a vise on the right of the bench or an additional vise is needed. Most hand tool schools offer the standard vises (ie mounted on the left) but some students are south paws and that does not affect their learning or use. Simon (10-15-2021, 09:12 PM)Handplanesandmore Wrote: Face vises grip better when you work toward them (working from left to right for a lefty), and when you saw, you can hold the offcut with the non-dominant hand. I suppose the offcut thing makes sense if you do a lot of crosscutting with a handsaw. Most of that I do on/with a power tool - YMMV. To the OP - Looks like that bench has dog holes, meaning there's probably a tail vise on the other end, precluding the addition of another face vise on that corner. The tray on the backside also precludes mounting another vise on that corner either. Sorry, don't see any easy solutions. My shop built workbench that was featured in Woodsmith #50 looks very much like yours and has served me well for many years, but I'm a righty. Good luck, Doug
10-17-2021, 08:02 AM
If you have been woodworking as a beginner for several years you should know what you really want in a bench. Build a left new handed bench of your dreams and sell what you have. The price should more than cover your materials with some left over. About the only vise you can move is the face vise and the most logical place to move it is to the left end and I do not see where you would gain much.
Tom  (10-15-2021, 08:05 PM)olympus Wrote: I have been out of woodworking as a beginer for several years. I am left handed and would like to ask for suggestions as to adding or replacing one of my vises that may be a better fit for me. I'm left handed as well and something else to consider is how you plan to setup your bench area. I have all of my hand saws, brace, and bench hooks to the left of my bench so that when I grab a tool, it's in my dominant hand. It's minor but having to walk around that big face vise would get annoying for me.
10-18-2021, 06:53 PM
I mean on the left end of the table. 90 degrees from where it is now.
Tom |
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