Homemade Carving Bench

[David Rust]

All,

I'm a carving newbie...
I am going to build a carving bench.
My plan is to build one similar to a picture I saw on the internet (homemadetools.net/forum/homemade-carving-bench-8152).

I am going to use 4x4 legs, braced, shelf at the bottom for weight.
Going to use a a rotating top, bench dogs (3/4" dia and limited in length because of the top), and wedges to secure the piece.
Top will be whatever I have around, probably 2 sheets of 3/4" baltic birch glued together for the rotating piece and 2 sheets of 3/4" baltic birch glued together for the top that the rotating piece is on.
I like the option to have the top both tilting from 0 to 90 and the rotation.

Anybody have suggestions after you look at the pics?
What would you suggest for a dimensions of the top?

Thank you,

bench 1.jpgBench 2.jpgBench 3.jpg

[Ted Reischl]

The more weight the better, obviously. I just built my better half a workbench. It had to be heavy.

I used SYP (southern yellow pine) which is a lot heavier than the firs. Also much tougher. I used a laminated technique. Three boards form a leg, used a spacer to create thru mortises. Pretty standard stuff. If you square it up you wind up with legs that are 4.5 thick rather than 3.5. That does not sound like a big deal until you realize that a 4X4 has 12.5 sq in of cross section, whereas the 4.5 has 20.25. If you do not trim the 2 X 6's you wind up with even more.

I use a carving board on my regular bench cause I do not have space in my shop for a dedicated one. One really neat tip I picked up is to use those rubber cane tips on dowels and then wedge. The rubber has a little bit of give which keeps the wedges from loosening up.

Right now I am trying out the Lee Valley carvers vise. It seems to be working very well. I got the lathe attachment so I can use my face plates from the lathe.

Please post some pics when you get to building your bench!

[Robert Engel]

I've seen Chris Pye use a tilting carver's bench in a couple of his videos.

He may have plans available just for comparison.

I think what you've got there looks fine.

[Mike Recchione]

Chris Pye does a pretty good discussion of benches and other holding devices in the book, "Woodcarving Tools, Materials & Equipment", which should be available from your library. More important than the actual plans for the bench is getting the height right for you.

[David Rust]

Thanks guys, great advice.
I'll have to checkout the book by Chris Pye.
I'll post some pics when I get it done.
It might not be for a month or two.

[David Carroll]

I just built a bench this past winter. I subscribe to Chris Pye's website, so used a lot of his ideas. I built a tall bench 42-inches iirc. The base is trestle style, made of 2x3 sycamore (because I had it). The top is a 1-3/4inch x 2' x 3' maple butcher block bench top from Grizzly, because it cost not too much more (on sale) than buying enough hard maple to build my own.

I got a cheap front vise from eBay, I will replace it when I find something better, it's too light duty. I drilled a pattern of 3/4-inch holes through the top so I can use Veritas dogs, pups and accessories, carvers screws and what-not. I have a universal vise that can mount to any of the holes which seems to be a permanent fixture given how useful it is.

I did not make the top rotate-able, nor did I make it tilt. I figure that if I need those features in the future, I will build an accessory top that will do all that. I like keeping the tools on the bench, so if the top tilted, I'd need an auxiliary table to put tools onto.

So far I'm pretty happy with the bench. My plan is to build a cabinet under the bench with drawers for tools, which will add some needed weight. The bench does shift under heavy use, which is annoying. And like I said, the cheap front vise needs to be replaced.

good luck with your bench!

DC

[David Rust]

I started the bench, I decided to make the top 2' x 4' because that it the size of the 3/4" birch ply I have on hand. I will be gluing two pieces together so the top is 1.5" thick.
Benches seem to be anywhere from 38" to 42", I'll make mine 40", I can always shim the top if necessary.
I decided to go with interior 4"x4" (really 3.5") from the local "big box" store, I plan to have 6 legs with 2x6 frame around the bottom and top in slots (dado?) cut into the 4x4's.
Here are the first pics... I hope to get this built over the next 2 weeks.
bench1and2post.jpg

[Ted Reischl]

Looks like you are off and running. That's a LOT of chisel work!

Six legs? It is tough enough to get four legs to touch the floor, but six? Well, should be good for serious dovetail chopping anywhere on the bench.

[Mike Cherry]

Following with great interest.

[David Rust]

The front and back are glued and screwed.
Notice the rail at the bottom, I'll put some floating slats on the rails to support added weight.

I'll post more pics tomorrow
benchfrontback.jpg

[David Rust]

Here are the hinged pieces, I used the straightest cheap 2x4's I could find.
I bought the largest hinge width that would fit on the 2x4.
Recessed the 2x4's and the hinges sit flush...
I will have 3 hinges, one for each post top.

benchhinge.jpg

[Anthony Albano]

Looks good, I would make the bottom shelf secure enough to support a few sand bags to dampen your chisel work

[David Rust]

Its coming together...
I am not sure how much I'll use the tilt top, so I opted to make 3 oak dowel pegs to secure the position.
I measured out every 10 degrees to 90, plus 45.
I drilled the maple support arms and the lower hinge 2x4's to accept the pins.
I was going to rig a single lever that would slide all the pins in and out, but maybe another day.
I left the top a single sheet of 3/4" birch ply until I use it a bit to see if the height is good. It is at 39.25" tall, I am 6'0", hopefully it is close.
Next I need to drill the dog holes, make dogs and wedges. Then the slats on the bottom to support the added weight of sand bags or bricks, maybe tomorrow's project.

benchtilt.jpg

[David Rust]

Here is the "turn table" top. wedged a small piece of bass in to see if the wedges would work.
They seem good so far. I cut the wedge at 10 degrees.

The whole top is removable, I really want to get a nice laminated hardwood top, until I have the funds I'll use the Birch ply!

BenchTop.jpg