Workbench design help needed...

[Harold Burrell]

I am in the middle of building a workbench. I'm pretty excited and...so far so good. I have a top made of 3 1/2" thick ash and I made legs of pine to measure 4"x6". The stretchers will probably be made from two 2x6's each. The legs and the stretchers will be flush with the edge of the top.

However, before I go much farther I have "decisions" to make...

First off I need to tell you the other dimensions. The width of the top will be 22-24". Pretty standard. The length, however, is the issue. It can only be about 4' 4".

I didn't think that would be a problem...until I considered vise placement. I had already determined to use (and purchased) two front vises from Woodcraft (http://www.woodcraft.com/product/200...ront-vise.aspx). They would serve my purposes well, methinks. But...where do I put them???

If I over-hang the top in any way so that I can mount the vises outside the legs, that will leave me with about a 2' square base. Could I put them on the inside of the legs (that is, between them)?

I know, I know...a leg vise would be a good idea. However, I have already purchased the other 2 vises and...to be totally honest...leg vises scare me a little. I've never used one. Heck...I've never even SEEN one in person. The building of one HORRIFIES me!

So, can it be done with what I have? Or...

[Rodney Walker]

That's a very short bench. I'm assuming space is an issue. Also how many and which sides of the bench are accessible?
That's going to be a huge factor in deciding where and how to mount the vise(s).
Rodney

[Jim Belair]

Sure Harold, put the vises between the legs. Notch out the top stretcher as needed.

[Jim Matthews]

If the top has an overhang, you can clamp a great deal just using handscrews and battens.

You don't need a vise, it's a convenience rather than a necessity.
I would install a large bench dog for planing along the length of the benchtop.

The Veritas bench dogs allow you to have one fixed stop (which can be a slider at the left side, if you're right handed) and a couple 3/4" holes for the dogs.
http://www.woodnbits.com/do-you-need-a-tail-vise/

I have found that a line of 3/4" holes and a good holdfast handle almost everything I need to clamp on top of the bench.
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/wo...-old-workbench

The best part about using 3/4" fixtures is that they're easy to relocate, and drilling need not be precise.

I would recommend building a pair of sawbenches to go with the workbench.
Somethings are MUCH easier to cut when you can get your back into it.

[Ken Parris]

I guess I don't understand your concern about the leg vises. I have two benches I work on alternately and another as an outfeed. There are two leg vises, a patternmakers, a LV twin screw, and a wagon vise. I made my latest leg vise with a flea market acme screw and including wood have not much more than ten dollars in it. The leg vises are easy to make, and work on most anything, I use my latest to hold boards for edge planing. Find a handtool woodworker in your area that has a leg vise and maybe other designs. Visit and try your hand with them. Your short bench would work great with a leg vise. Don't be afraid of them they are one of the oldest and easiest vises to use. Post a request for someone in your area.

Ken

[Jim Ritter]

Here is a photo of the small bench I built this past winter. The top is 5'2" the legs are 4' apart so a short overhang. Twin leg vises. I would not change a thing on this bench. It has done everything I have asked of it.

[Harold Burrell]

Here is a photo of the small bench I built this past winter. The top is 5'2" the legs are 4' apart so a short overhang. Twin leg vises. I would not change a thing on this bench. It has done everything I have asked of it.

Nice bench! Where did you get the hardware for the vises?

BTW...Good luck with Hurricane Sandy, Jim.

My sister's name is Sandy. If the storm is anything like her it's going to be mean.

[John Coloccia]

I also don't understand the problem with the vises, or what the vise has anything to do with the base of the bench. Maybe you're being too rigid with the design of the base? There's no reason in the world that the hardware for the tail vice can't pass through the trestle, either with holes or with a relief. Ditto with the face vice. There's surely a way to make this work with a standard face vice/tail vice setup, but I don't see any obvious problem that needs to be solved.

[Jim Ritter]

The hardware is from Lie-Nielsen. It is their large bench screw. Unfortunately they shortened the length several months back. I bought the screw on the left and can clamp 11" in the jaw. Then decided it really wanted twin leg vises so I bought another, it is shorter and can only clamp 6 1/2". That is ok with me because the right vise is more likely to be removed if it is in the way. The handle has roller bearings at the mounting flange which make it very smooth tightening. The left vise uses the chain to keep the jaw parallel, the right uses the pin.

Edit: thanks for your thought about the storm. I think I'm set. I've been through a few of them and all my customers boats are hauled and tucked away in the barn.

[Rodney Walker]

I should have looked at the vises you're installing earlier. You need to make wooden jaws for your vises anyway. Just shift them over where the hardware doesn't hit the legs and make your jaws to fit. As long as you're mortising the legs directly into the top there won't be any framework under the top to worry about. If you are using a top stretcher, make it taller and cut a notch for the vise hardware to pass thru. On a bench that size I would be concerned about loosing stability with a long overhang on the ends.
My free and worth every bit of it opinion,
Rodney

[Christian Thompson]

I've got a very small workspace and, therefore, a very short (4') bench. The legs are only an inch or 2 inside the ends. I've got a face vise inside the legs (the vise chop extends to the end of the bench) and it works fine. I don't have a tail vise yet, but that will go inside the legs on the end as well since the front leg is flush with the front of the bench.

[Harold Burrell]

Thanks for the help, fellas. I may go ahead with building a leg vise afterall using the tail vise screw from LV (http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...59,41661,41664). If you think that would work.

I've got a very small workspace and, therefore, a very short (4') bench. The legs are only an inch or 2 inside the ends. I've got a face vise inside the legs (the vise chop extends to the end of the bench) and it works fine. I don't have a tail vise yet, but that will go inside the legs on the end as well since the front leg is flush with the front of the bench.

Christian, do you have pics of this???

[Christian Thompson]

Christian, do you have pics of this???

I was afraid you'd ask that . I made this bench as a (hopefully) temporary solution until I have some more time to spend on building a nicer one. It's ugly but works pretty well. The top is a piece of birch plywood cut into 4ths and glued together. I inherited the metal legs from my Dad's old bench. I take back what I said earlier - the front legs aren't actually flush with the top, but the stretcher is which helps for clamping bigger panels. Anyway... I put the face vise as close to the left leg as possible and sized the chop to extend to the end of the bench top.

bench.JPG

[Harold Burrell]

I was afraid you'd ask that . I made this bench as a (hopefully) temporary solution until I have some more time to spend on building a nicer one. It's ugly but works pretty well. The top is a piece of birch plywood cut into 4ths and glued together. I inherited the metal legs from my Dad's old bench. I take back what I said earlier - the front legs aren't actually flush with the top, but the stretcher is which helps for clamping bigger panels. Anyway... I put the face vise as close to the left leg as possible and sized the chop to extend to the end of the bench top.

bench.JPG

Nothing to be ashamed of there! I like it. The main difference with mine is that my legs are 6" wide. But I'm thinking it would still work.

[John Donofrio]

Harold, I used that exact LV screw for my leg vise on a bench I am approaching the finish line on. It works perfectly for this application. I also used the chain mechanism Jim Ritter sells at Ancora Yacht Service. It too works wonderfully. http://ancorayachtservice.com/?page_id=196.

This pic shows a clamping test WITHOUT a suede liner (which I plan to add). This board took a lot of force to move so needless to say, it is powerful.

2012-12-21_19-58-10_474.jpg