Swiss Army Knife Work Benches

[ken hatch]

Am I just becoming a curmudgeon or have we entered a world of Swiss Army Knife workbenches with so many appliances built in, complex vises everywhere, different trim woods and so on that the benches have, at least to my eye, lost functionality. I know everyone has different needs because they have different styles of working but I've always figured simpler was better, less stuff to get in the way. A perfect example is the sliding deadman. I admit there is one on my current bench (I had to try it), on the new one it is gone because I seldom use the deadman yet I'm moving it around every time I work on the bench what a PITA. A bench jack will do the same job and stay out of the way until you need it. I will not go into some of the other stuff I've seen while looking at threads on workbench builds.

I've had my say, it's time to take my meds and crawl back out to the shop where there are four legs waiting to be trued and glued.

[Winton Applegate]

I don't know what you mean.
There is only ONE woodworking bench.
Anything else is . . .
I better stop there.

PS: quite a difference a little light change makes; it is the same bench.

[Jim Koepke]

I know everyone has different needs because they have different styles of working but I've always figured simpler was better, less stuff to get in the way.

Simple is a great way. All that is needed is a way to hold what ever it may be on which one wants to work.

What works for Winton may not work for me. My simple vises, with their tendency to rack, might drive others to drink. I was looking at an old leg vise in an antique shop today. Good thing I'm willing to build a leg vise but not buy one even if it looked to have a good wooden screw and nut.

I fantasize about a pattern makers vise, but it isn't something I have to or plan to have unless one just happens to find its way to me.

jtk

[Winton Applegate]

What works for Winton may not work for me.

such as . . .

Are you telling me your work shop is situated near the brink of the event horizon of a black hole and so the laws of physics, as we ape descendent, twig technology loving connoisseurs, understand these "laws" . . . that . . . the laws of physics do not apply in your shop ?
Is that what you are saying here ?
What is this theory that you have ?

I'm just glad I didn't "take advantage of" that same real-estate opportunity or I too would find myself tipping over the threshold and so would also find myself believing all manner of strange and scary things to be true and right just before my molecules were torn apart and distributed to parts unknown.


Remember Dylan Hunt
He spent 300 years trapped and frozen in time on the brink of the event horizon of a black hole
Dylan was rescued when the Eureka Maru attempted to salvage his ship the Andromeda.
I fear you may not be so lucky. Reverse ALL engines full power NOW before it is toooooo late.

[Kees Heiden]

Well, it looks like you're becoming a curmudgeon indeed , because I have no problem with my sliding deadman at all. Use the thing often and when not in use it isn't a hindrance.

[Jim Matthews]

Nothing cranky about rejecting tools that dictate your mode of work.

I built a kludge leg vise that I have replaced with my trusty Emmert.

I think the problem is when you only have one bench, and try to make it serve many masters.
One bench for planing, one bench for sawing and chopping.

The planing bench doubles as my assembly table and dovetail surgery center.

[ken hatch]

Well, it looks like you're becoming a curmudgeon indeed , because I have no problem with my sliding deadman at all. Use the thing often and when not in use it isn't a hindrance.

Probably true, the curmudgeon part, my dogs get in the way of moving the deadman. If I were a better bench designer they might not.....Makes no never mind the new bench ain't going to have one :-).

Simple is a great way. All that is needed is a way to hold what ever it may be on which one wants to work.

What works for Winton may not work for me. My simple vises, with their tendency to rack, might drive others to drink. I was looking at an old leg vise in an antique shop today. Good thing I'm willing to build a leg vise but not buy one even if it looked to have a good wooden screw and nut.

I fantasize about a pattern makers vise, but it isn't something I have to or plan to have unless one just happens to find its way to me.

jtk

Leg vises are another story (better up my meds), been there done that. Give me an old English quick release such as a Record/Paramo #52, they work faster, hold just as well and are a heck of a lot cheaper and easier to install.

Nothing cranky about rejecting tools that dictate your mode of work.

I built a kludge leg vise that I have replaced with my trusty Emmert.

I think the problem is when you only have one bench, and try to make it serve many masters.
One bench for planing, one bench for sawing and chopping.

The planing bench doubles as my assembly table and dovetail surgery center.

You are probably correct plus I question if some of the makers have ever made furniture. Geez, there I go again....Hey you kids get off my rocks, back in the day we didn't need no stinking vises, just a couple of rocks and a nail, oh where was I.......I must have bench tourettes.

It is time to go back out to the shop and wrestle 200 BF of glued up European Beech, Glad I'm in the short rows, I don't think my back can take too much more. BTW, that's what brought this rant on, for once in my life I'm building a bench out of something other than SYP and the voyeur in me wanted to see what others were doing. There are some really pretty benches being built, lots of variations on leg vises, tail and wagon vises, deadman, I've never seen so many dog holes both square and round in a single bench top, different trim woods and so on. Impressive but I can't remember any bench I'd want to work on. Then again, everyone's skirt gets blown in a different manner.

[Bill Houghton]

Be comforted: my bench is a solid core door on a plywood box; bolted to the wall (the door) because the box isn't quite firm enough. It's a temporary bench, until I have time to make another bench...but it's been my only bench roughly since my now-42-year-old entered his teens. It's got a face vise (regular Wilton - don't much like it) and an end vise (Record - like it).

[Jack Terpack]

I have pondered the same dilemma. My current workbench is the top of my TS. I have a 7 foot laminated maple bench top but have not been able to decide what I want in a bench. I just happened to come across an article in the fall 1999 issue of Fine Woodworking that might be the solution to my problem because it is so adaptable. Now I am more confused. I think the term is "Paralysis by Analysis."


Jack

[ken hatch]

I have pondered the same dilemma. My current workbench is the top of my TS. I have a 7 foot laminated maple bench top but have not been able to decide what I want in a bench. I just happened to come across an article in the fall 1999 issue of Fine Woodworking that might be the solution to my problem because it is so adaptable. Now I am more confused. I think the term is "Paralysis by Analysis."


Jack

Jack,

Advise is free but here goes.....Keep it simple, make a heavy strong base for your Maple top, install a metal face vise, I like the old Record/Paramo's, a few 3/4" dog holes, a couple of holdfasts from TFWW, and make some battens. If you need to work large doors or panels add a bench jack and you are good for just about anything.

ken

[Derek Cohen]

I have pondered the same dilemma. My current workbench is the top of my TS. I have a 7 foot laminated maple bench top but have not been able to decide what I want in a bench. I just happened to come across an article in the fall 1999 issue of Fine Woodworking that might be the solution to my problem because it is so adaptable. Now I am more confused. I think the term is "Paralysis by Analysis."


Jack

Hi Jack

"Swiss Army Knives" are terrific when one is starting out and either not yet clear of the direction headed, or trying to get the most value-for-money. However, once you do get a direction, or you begin to accumulate a variety of tools, the SAK strongly resembles a jack-of-all-trades .... which is a master-of-none. When you reach this position you will want to change to something more specialised. It is difficult for someone starting out (not necessarily you) to appreciate this, but those with experience will nod their heads.

My recommendation to you is to decide what tasks you do 80 or 90% of the time, and gear your bench for those tasks. Trying to do it all will impact negatively on that 80 or 90%.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Matthews]

That's what a hobbyist workbench should be; easily made, sufficiently durable and frequently used.

Too many benches look to me like shop furniture built to heirloom quality.
They're tools, and must be the willing recipient of abuse.

[Brian Holcombe]

The first scratch is tough, especially on your newly polished bench top. Then you realize it's a big tool and next time you flatten it you leave a planed finish, don't bother to oil it, and get over saw marks and dents in much less time.

[Pat Barry]

Advise is free but here goes.....Keep it simple, make a heavy strong base for your Maple top, install a metal face vise, I like the old Record/Paramo's, a few 3/4" dog holes, a couple of holdfasts from TFWW, and make some battens. If you need to work large doors or panels add a bench jack and you are good for just about anything.

Hey Ken, is this what you are planning for your new bench? Also, what exactly do you mean by bench jack - how is that different than a deadman?

[ken hatch]

Hey Ken, is this what you are planning for your new bench?

Yep, pretty much except Beech instead of Maple. It has about 200 BF of European Beech all glued up, trued and dimensioned. I'll finish up the base joinery in the next couple of days and have it standing upright within the week if SWMBO doesn't interfere too much. It will have a Paramo #52 for a face vise, a few 3/4" round dog holes for stops and holdfasts and a bench jack when needed. It is distilled down to the essence of work bench, everything needed and nothing that is not. I just find I can work faster and with less monkey motion with a simpler bench.

I think Jim M. posted about some benches being shop furniture, mine are not, a quick simple build that will soon have spills and dings (stuff happens). BTW, one of the reasons for no tail or wagon vise is they are too much work to install for very little utility. YMMV.

I expect this will be my last bench, I'm getting too old to wrestle bench sized slabs and legs by myself. This one has kicked my tail, every joint and what few muscles I have left are screaming "no mas, no mas". Break is over, back to the shop to finish dimensioning the last leg blank.