Bench_use

Workbench use and thoughts as of: 5/23/2006

After using my bench, and answering questions from internet viewers on the bench page, I am starting to compile some information for publication on this page. I will update / modify this page based on comments received.

My bench is sized to fit my work area and the expected use of the bench. Without vises, the top is 35" deep and 84" wide. Depth across the face vise (without handle) is 45 1/2" and length across the closed tail vise (without handle) is 89". The tool tray is 7" wide (part of the 35" depth) and 2 1/2" deep. The bench is 35 1/2" high (to match my table saw height). My barefoot palm height is 34 1/2". The longest piece that I can clamp in the tail vise is 84". The face vise front (movable) face is 11 1/4" wide. Dog holes are rectangular and are 2 3/4" from the bench edge.

My bench is used for hand tool and power tool applications. It is also my sanding and assembly table. The depth of 35" allows me to assemble three foot objects (like a desk) without having to use a secondary top for support. This depth also allows me to work parts and still have the final product remain on the bench top (pushed to the side/back). There is room all around the top to allow clamping objects to the top.

Do I like it? YES ! Would I do some things differently? YES. Based on my constraints; the only thing that I would change is to move the dog holes closer to the front edge. This would allow moulding plane use on narrow boards clamped by the tail vise. If I had the room; I would make the bench longer. It would be nice to be able to clamp 8' (or longer) boards with the tail vise. For sawing dovetails (in the face vise) and chopping dovetails (near the tail vise); I would like the bench to be several inches taller (easier on my back). Using hand planes would be easier if the bench was 2-3" lower. For my work; I would not change the basic design. The only change that I made from the original is to add three drawers above the lower support stretchers. The original shelf collected junk and the drawers hide the junk. The drawers also act as supports for long stock clamped in the face vise for edge jointing. This saves me from making a sliding board jack or building a separate support for long boards. The finish is several coats of WaterLox followed by several coats of paste wax. I rewax about every six months. It cleans up nicely. The top is still within a few thousands of flat and has not been resurfaced (a heated and air conditioned shop probably helped).

The following pictures are taken from some recent project pictures (they are not staged) and show actual bench usage for me. There are some holes in the usage pictures as I do not have pictures of all of the uses for my bench. There is no real sequence to the pictures.

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Large objects can be clamped in the face vise by using handy supports like a trash can.

Large irregular objects can be clamped with the tail vise for planing or other work.

Tail vise used for moulding work. It would be nice to have the dog holes closer to the front edge of the bench for use of narrow materials. A longer bench would also be nice for moulding one long piece instead of having to do two "identical" pieces (hard to do with moulding planes).

The face vise will clamp assemblies be worked as in this base for adjusting the mitered dovetail. Vises with screws through the face make this difficult.

Irregular objects can easily be clamped in the face vise for spoke shave work.

The unrestricted clamping of the face vise makes it easy to clamp objects for curved sawing.

My "quick and dirty" shooting board. This is used to plane square (or at known angles) on a sawn piece.

Clamping a piece for edge moulding in the tail vise. This is for the base on a small chest. It would be nice to be able to clamp longer pieces as would be used on a larger chest.

Edge jointing of small stock works well in the tail vise.

Dove tails are sawn in the face vise and chopped over the base support near the tail vise.

Flip up stops on the end of the bench allow support for cutting small pieces. No clamps are necessary.

Work clamped in the tail vise for rebate. The board clamped to the work piece guides the rebate plane at the start of the cut.

Small work clamped in the face vise for edge jointing. Note that not having screws though the vise allows clamping with the piece low enough to actually plane. Longer work would be done the same way, except for support near the end of the board (an open drawer in my case).

Work being face planed in the tail vise.

Face vise being used to cut two drawer sides clamped together. One saw cut gets both drawer sides.

Drawer box clamped in the tail vise for final clean up with a plane.

One more example of cutting both drawer sides at the same time (for dove tails)

Raw table top clamped in the tail vise for planing. Large objects can easily be clamped in the tail vise.

Clean up of a large base is easy as it is clamped in the face vise. Note the support added by the vise structure.

Large panel clamped in the tail vise for final clean up.

Even large thin work can be clamped, and worked in the tail vise. This panel is 3/8" thick.

Mortises being chopped over the bench support leg while clamped in the tail vise. I turned the pieces around to chop the mortises shown on the tail vise. You do not want to chop on the tail vise itself.

Tail vise used to clamp coopered panel to smooth outside surface and to raise the panel edges. Since the panel is curved; it can not be clamped with "regular" clamps. Downward pressure would tend to tear the staves apart and cross clamping would tend to bow the panel. The tail vise works great.

Tail vise used to clamp coopered panel for underside planing.

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	Large objects can be clamped in the face vise by using handy supports like a trash can.
	Large irregular objects can be clamped with the tail vise for planing or other work.
	Tail vise used for moulding work. It would be nice to have the dog holes closer to the front edge of the bench for use of narrow materials. A longer bench would also be nice for moulding one long piece instead of having to do two "identical" pieces (hard to do with moulding planes).
	The face vise will clamp assemblies be worked as in this base for adjusting the mitered dovetail. Vises with screws through the face make this difficult.
	Irregular objects can easily be clamped in the face vise for spoke shave work.
	The unrestricted clamping of the face vise makes it easy to clamp objects for curved sawing.
	My "quick and dirty" shooting board. This is used to plane square (or at known angles) on a sawn piece.
	Clamping a piece for edge moulding in the tail vise. This is for the base on a small chest. It would be nice to be able to clamp longer pieces as would be used on a larger chest.
	Edge jointing of small stock works well in the tail vise.
	Dove tails are sawn in the face vise and chopped over the base support near the tail vise.
	Flip up stops on the end of the bench allow support for cutting small pieces. No clamps are necessary.
	Work clamped in the tail vise for rebate. The board clamped to the work piece guides the rebate plane at the start of the cut.
	Small work clamped in the face vise for edge jointing. Note that not having screws though the vise allows clamping with the piece low enough to actually plane. Longer work would be done the same way, except for support near the end of the board (an open drawer in my case).
	Work being face planed in the tail vise.
	Face vise being used to cut two drawer sides clamped together. One saw cut gets both drawer sides.
	Drawer box clamped in the tail vise for final clean up with a plane.
	One more example of cutting both drawer sides at the same time (for dove tails)
	Raw table top clamped in the tail vise for planing. Large objects can easily be clamped in the tail vise.
	Clean up of a large base is easy as it is clamped in the face vise. Note the support added by the vise structure.
	Large panel clamped in the tail vise for final clean up.
	Even large thin work can be clamped, and worked in the tail vise. This panel is 3/8" thick.
	Mortises being chopped over the bench support leg while clamped in the tail vise. I turned the pieces around to chop the mortises shown on the tail vise. You do not want to chop on the tail vise itself.
	Tail vise used to clamp coopered panel to smooth outside surface and to raise the panel edges. Since the panel is curved; it can not be clamped with "regular" clamps. Downward pressure would tend to tear the staves apart and cross clamping would tend to bow the panel. The tail vise works great.
	Tail vise used to clamp coopered panel for underside planing.