workbench

[Ken Harris]

I am considering the Woodmark downdraft workbench.Does anyone have any experience with this company?Also interested in the Len Hovarter twin screw vise.The web site for the workbench is www.woodmarkamw.com

[Jim Andrew]

I just looked at the website, and the benches and vises look very nice, so if money is no object, probably a good way to go. Personally, I built my own bench, and bought the vises from Grizzly. The twin screw end vise looks very nice, being able to clamp an uneven piece would be very handy.

[Jamie Buxton]

I wouldn't buy that downdraft bench. The area under the bench is too valuable for tool storage to use for a downdraft system. I put lots of drawers in there, so tools fall right at hand when I'm working on the bench.

In general, I think downdraft sanding stations are useful in only very limited situations. A better approach to sanding dust is to get sanders with good dust collection built in, and hook them to a tool-triggered vacuum like the ones from Fein and Festool. You'll capture nearly all the sanding dust, and you can sand parts bigger than the little downdraft area on that bench -- for instance whole pieces of furniture. The tool-triggered vacuum is useful on all hand power tools -- mine hooks to sanders, track saw, routers, jigsaw, and a biscuit joiner.

[Bob Hoffmann]

I have a dust collector ... and that is something that you should have in case you don't ...

I also like to have things simple, and only have a single thing that I have to clean and maintain -- and I think that dust collector will have a much better dust collection and filter cleaning and dust hamper than these benches have. Having a separate down-draft table for sanding (which is what I have -- and it is a simple peg board top with a dust collector connection on the bottom) works great and feeds directly into the dust collector. I already have another set of filters that I have to deal with for the overhead dust remover.

The benches look like they are well built -- and a good bench is money well spent. I have an Ulmia bench that I picked up in Germany when I was there in the 80s, and it has served me well and I use it all the time.

Bottom line, I would suggest getting a single use bench, get or build a separate down-draft table (to make handling the dust easier) and go from there.

Another thought -- the vents on these benches seem small in area -- a down-draft table only works if you are sanding over the area that has a vent -- it looks like you would be constantly moving your piece so that it was over the vent ...

[Mark Bolton]

The type of work you do is a factor here too. Whether the space under the table is better suited for drawers or dust is pretty much a toss up in my opinion. If you do a lot of sanding of small parts the on board dust collection doesnt always cut it. The downdraft would be a major asset. The type and volume of work would seem to be the decision makers for me. In anything other than a very very small shop there is simply no way you will only have one piece of equipment to clean. You may have a DC, a portable bag collector, shop vac(s), air cleaners, down draft, and so on. Id love to only have one bin to empty and one filter to clean but its not possible.

[Jim Matthews]

Downdraft tables that can be put away will give more utility.

It's an occasional process, using your bench is a daily activity.
I wouldn't want to have a rare process to affect regular work.

[Dave Kirby]

I definitely would not waste my money on that downdraft bench. It wastes all the valuable space underneath not to mention the continuity of the top surface of the bench. A downdraft table is easy to make but is very limited by many factors. The best advice is to get tools with dust collection built in as was mentioned before.

[Ken Harris]

Space is a factor,half of my basement of 1100 sq ft. house.Good point of material larger than grate opening.How would non fein or festool tools power up those vacumes?I do have a clearvue cyclone system,maybe I could build a downdraft table which I could break down when not in use.

[Scott Vigder]

Woodsmith Vol 29 No.173 (Oct/Nov 2007) featured a workbench that I ended up building and slightly modifying. In the 5+ years since I built it I have never had a problem with it. Coincidentally, I ended up moving about two years ago, and Lo and Behold I re-read the article and it showed how the bench top and legs easily separated for easy moving. Bonus!!

[Tom Clark FL]

Ken, As others have said, there is no way I could every give up the drawers under my bench, or even the shelves over it…

However, I do have my shop air cleaner directly across from my workbench. Not only does it serve double duty as machinery stand, but also when I am both sanding and routing - or for that matter making dust anywhere in the shop - it is so easy to see all the dust disappearing into the front of the air cleaner. It is really efficient at keeping the shop air clean. I also imagine that both my bench and air cleaner cost a tiny amount compared to that fancy thing you are looking at. Build your own shop cabinets, and you will treasure them far more than gadgets you just throw money at…

[Ken Harris]

Tom I can only marvel at your organized shop something I need to do,Scott and the others thanks for the response.I have decided to build my own bench,having come back to reality.My shop is 11x30 feet,so space is limited by my width,ceiling is 7.5 ft.,I had to decrease one of my wynn filters just to install my clearvue cyclone.The workbench will be used for general use,assembly and finishing,but I do want dog holes and a couple vises now I need to find some plans,my woodworking skills are still limited which was why I initially considered buying a bench.

[Scott Vigder]

If your local library carries Woodsmith, just copy the pages from the above referenced issue. It's a great bench.

[Mike Ontko]

This article: "Still don't have a workbench? This one is easy" was posted online in FWW, in 2009. A full video and plans are available from the site (in exchange for a subscription fee, of course), but it's such a basic design that you can deduce most of the details just by observing the information and images that are already available. And, I like how they preface the story by explaining that to build a higher quality workbench you need to begin by building a basic bench, which is just what this is. I'm just finishing one myself (I'll post pics when it's finished) that I plan to use as a work surface as well as an assembly and outfeed table. And, you don't necessarily have to use MDF for a work surface, but it is readily available and relatively inexpensive. I'm using MDF but wrapping the edges with 3/4 maple banding and then covering it with a replaceable sheet of hardboard.