Bench length. Is it possible to be too long?

[Andrae Covington]

Most that have built the sliding leg vise thought it was a great idea at the time only to find out that it is just not used much at all...

Really? I guess I've missed those comments. Anyway, I love mine. I use it as much as the fixed leg vise. I often have the parallel guide pins in two different thickness settings in the two vises, and switch back and forth as needed. But the sliding deadman is much simpler, doesn't get in the way when you're not using it, and accomplishes the primary task of holding the other end of long work.

[Jim Koepke]

My current bench is too short at 5'.

If my space allowed, my next bench would be longer than 8'.

A lot does depend on your style of working. If flat spaces tend to be clutter magnets, then a larger space to collect clutter may fall into the category of diminishing returns.

Another consideration is how your tools are stored. If they are easy to get to and return, then you may not want a tool tray built into the bench. If you have storage away from the bench and like to have your tools close at hand, then the tool tray option may be worth considering.

My tendency is to stack the parts of my project either on the bench or on other surfaces. A bigger bench will help me here. Also many times my tasks include planing long boards. Edge jointing on a short bench is not ideal, but can be done. Trying to plane a long board on a short bench is a sure road to frustration.

If my shop could accommodate a 12' bench, walking around it would be a pleasure and good exercise.

If need be, it might be a bit of a chore, but a long bench could be shortened. A bench that is too short is near impossible to make longer in an elegant way.

jtk

[Josh Rudolph]

A lot does depend on your style of working. If flat spaces tend to be clutter magnets, then a larger space to collect clutter may fall into the category of diminishing returns.

Making a much better effort to avoid this and have been doing the rule of 10 which is becoming more habitual (rule of 10 for me is any time I go into the shop, see my rule of 10 reminder, and leave the shop I need to put 10 things back into their place, this has tremendously helped me get better organized and efficient in where I keep things). I optimistically think the bench won't be a clutter magnet.

Another consideration is how your tools are stored. If they are easy to get to and return, then you may not want a tool tray built into the bench. If you have storage away from the bench and like to have your tools close at hand, then the tool tray option may be worth considering.

I have 15 feet of cabinets with a butcher block top that currently has my tools in the drawers and cabinets. The bench will be parallel to this space a few feet away. However I am debating back and forth between a wall hanging cabinet, a mobile hand tool cabinet, or a joiners chest for most of my hand tools. I can't say that I am favoring any over the other at this point.

I guess this will be a topic of discussion later...however feel free to give me your opinions now if you like.

My tendency is to stack the parts of my project either on the bench or on other surfaces. A bigger bench will help me here.

I concur.

[Roy Griggs]

I would agree with those favoring more than one bench; my workbench is 28" x 8', I have a torsion box assembly table that is approx 4' x 6.5' and then I have a large tablesaw with outfeed and side cabinets that is 5' x 8' (drop the blade take the fence off it's a bench). This enables me to have stuff stacked in 3 different places while I'm working on something....else!!!

[Jim Matthews]

I have 2 benches and one is cluttered with junk at the moment.

This may be, in the only way, that I successfully emulate the masters.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I favor both long benches and multiple benches. There is a reason the bench room in my shop is called the bench room. I have a 24" x 90" bench I built 3 years ago for my hand tool work. My old bench has been modified and evolved for use as an assembly bench, finishing bench, and for use in working metal. I also have a 24" x 48" dedicated sharpening bench 3 feet off of one end of my main bench. The final bench is a slightly modified Schwarzesque saw bench which doubles as a seat for workng at the main bench. All of this allows a good bit of versatility.

I will however confess to the standard problem that most woodworkers have. FLAT SURFACES QUICKLY FILL WITH JUNK THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT AWAY AFTER USE. And yes, I meant to shout.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I echo the cluttered top comments - I was very guilty of a bench that looked like Underhill's does at the end of an episode.

The biggest improvement for me now is having my tool cabinet, and having it where it is - heck, if I'm working at the leg vise, I can put away the dovetail saw and pick up a chisel without moving.

Having he cabinet open and right there makes me much better about putting things away. I'd be worried that if my bench was bigger, I'd end up leaving more tools on it because the cabinet would always be further away if I was working at the "wrong" end of it. Perhaps a longer bench would mean I would need a rolling tool cabinet/chest.

Of course, the points moot for me; my "workroom" isn't even long enough for some of the benchs you folks are talking about!

[Adam Cherubini]

[QUOTE=Joshua Pierce;2008371]I was very guilty of a bench that looked like Underhill's does at the end of an episode.QUOTE]
With or without the blood?

[Zach Dillinger]

[QUOTE=Adam Cherubini;2008381]

I was very guilty of a bench that looked like Underhill's does at the end of an episode.QUOTE]
With or without the blood?

Yes.

+10 Characters.

[David Keller NC]

Josh - Here are the cons against a long bench:

Material expense: the longer the bench, the more b.f. of lumber it requires to construct. Benches longer than 10'-11' may require staggered-lamination to construct, depending on how easily you can obtain 14' lumber in the species you want. 14' boards would make a decent 12' bench - you're going to lose the ends during milling. For folks in the Eastern US, this might not be much of an issue where 16' lumber can be obtained in most species.

Maneuverability of the woodworker: Others on this thread have already pointed this out for a bench that is used from all 4 sides - you have to walk more to go to the other side on a long bench. This is a non-issue for most of us that use only 3 sides of a bench (one side's against a wall).

Maneuverability of the bench: The longer the bench, the heavier it is, and the harder it is to pick up one end and move it around. I do this frequently, but my current bench is 6' long, so it's no big deal.

Clutter: Already noted (all horizontal spaces in a workshop tend to fill with junk).

The biggest con: It is extremely unlikely this will be the last bench you build. No bench is perfect, and no bench is suited to all tasks. As your taste, skills, and interests change, you will likely build another bench. Making the first one the "Mother of all Benches" means that you're investing a whole lot of material in time into a bench that just might have to be taken apart and scrapped to make room in your shop for the next bench.

Here are the pros:

Dealing with long stock: Even if you're not a boat-builder, you may need to work on moldings that are 8' - 10' in length. Of course, if you're into building jewelry boxes and other small objects, and aren't considering a highboy or secretary, this may be a non-issue. And shorter benches can still allow you to make moldings 8' - 10' long and longer, you simply have to build a sticking board out of thick stock (mine's 12/4 poplar) that will be self-supporting at the ends where it hangs over the bench.

Lots of Real Estate: Just because you can make do with a shorter bench with less surface area doesn't mean doing so isn't a PITA. It's quite gratifying to be able to suitably clamp a 8' long, 20" wide mahogany board for face-planing by using the installed vises and bench top without having to resort to special jigs.

Multi-purpose top: Long benches with lots of square area support doing two different operations at each end. For hand-tool cabinetmakers, this set-up is frequent because it allows you to size each individual piece to the others as you're cutting and fitting the joints. If you have a short bench without much space, you typically have to clear the whole top in the middle of a joint-cutting operation to allow you to saw and plane the next piece.

[Jim Foster]

I built a Roubo last year, 9' long. Getting to the backside is not a problem since I'm usually on one end or the other. If I could have made it longer 10' would be better, 11' or 12' would be best for me. I'm also lucky, I have a long wall that takes a long bench very nicely. I'm always making a piece of trim or some long thing for the house. Also, since the Roubo is one big clamping surface, it's possible to be set up on both ends for glue-ups and handwork activities, or leaving a saw set up on one end, and hand-planing on the other. I also have lots of long rough boards, a big bench makes it easier to look them over and break them down. Height and width are more important, for me the most important thing about length is "Long.