Workbench Opinions

[Stephen Clem]

Hello all. I'm new to the SMC, but have enjoyed reading your posts for a few weeks. I just recently got into woodworking after building a doghouse and immediately got hooked. I have since built a picnic table, deacon's bench, and am now half way finished with a cradle for my baby (due in February). The cradle has many more advanced woodworking techniques that would have stumped me had it not been for this site. Anyway, I have been working this long with no workbench... So, what's everyone's opinion on their favorite workbench. I'd like to save as much money as possible, of coarse, but would really like to have a good bench. Thanks!

[Dave Anderson NH]

Hi Stephen, From the perspective of someone who is a Neanderthal, I contend the bench is one of the most important tools in the shop. As such, the time, money, and/or energy expended should reflect this. Even if you are primarily a power tool user, you will probably spend as much time using the bench as you will using any other 2 power tools combined....perhaps more. I suggest that with a baby on the way you probably won't have the time necessary to build a decent bench, so purchase is probably the way you will have to go. The temptation will be to buy on price and to underestimate on the size necessary. I will stick my neck out here and suggest that the benches from Sjoberg are not to be considered good benches. Even their new top of the line has skimps on the undercarriage and is thus not acceptable for any serious hand tool use and their other benches are too light and the vises tend not to be very square. Benches to consider are the offerings from Ulmia (back in business), Diefenbacher, Lie-Nielsen, Lee Valley, and some of Garrett Wade's. While these might seem expensive, you wouldn't hesitate to spend $1000-2000 on a table saw or a band saw. Considering how often a bench will be used, shouldn't it deserve the same consideration?

[Mike Weaver]

Stephen,
Welcome to the Creek.

And, more importantly, Congrats!!!

If you are looking to save money, a workbench out of MDF & dimensional lumber is hard to beat.

3 layers of MDF for the top, and dimensional 2x for the structure will get you going cheap & relatively quick.

If you want to add a bit more, you can add some hardwood edging which would provide for better vise mounting (and possibly a replacable 1/4" hardboard top if desired).

Woodcraft has a decent quick release vise on sale:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx...lySpecial=True

I would likely not add any more than one vise to start until you determine your working style.

Anyway, I hope that helps, and again - Congrats!
-Mike
PS A solid core door may be an option as well.... there's a current thread related: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=50263
PPS Dave makes some good points about a good bench, but I still offer the suggestion of making a good bootstrap bench (and using it a while) before [possibly] laying out a lot of $$$. That way you'll have a better idea of what you want.

[Stephen Clem]

Thanks a lot guys. I like the idea of making one first to see what works for me before buying. I'm trying to finish the cradle before the baby gets here. I'm not rushing though, it will be fine if he has to wait a few weeks to use it. It sure is different working on something so personal. I'll post some picture when I finish. It's Red Oak, and I was planning on staining it with Golden Oak Minwax, followed by a few coats of polyurethane. I'll probably need to do some... a lot... more research on finishing techniques though.
Thanks again,
~Stephen

[Michael Gabbay]

Stephen - I'm in the middle of working on my bench. It is a remake of the FWW version from the Tools edition from 2005 I believe. I purchased a factory second top from Bally Block for about $100. It is 60 x 30. For the base , I'm using hard maple and a basic tresle setup as shown in the FWW design.

Dave has an excellent point. Don't skimp. Your bench is the most used tool in the shop. You need one that is sturdy and can handle hand planing, pounding, and is totally flat for good glue ups. As for vises, Woodcraft, LV and LN carry some nice stuff. The LN vises are very nice but much more expensive.

[James Tattersall]

Hello all. I'm new to the SMC, but have enjoyed reading your posts for a few weeks. I just recently got into woodworking after building a doghouse and immediately got hooked. I have since built a picnic table, deacon's bench, and am now half way finished with a cradle for my baby (due in February). The cradle has many more advanced woodworking techniques that would have stumped me had it not been for this site. Anyway, I have been working this long with no workbench... So, what's everyone's opinion on their favorite workbench. I'd like to save as much money as possible, of coarse, but would really like to have a good bench. Thanks!

With a baby on the way, something quick and easy would probably be best for now.

B&D's Workmate would be very handy to have if you don't already have one.

A work table using MDF and construction grade lumber could be built quickly, would be useful now, and could be used as a secondary bench for assembly and finishing after you get around to building a real work bench.

On the subject of the latter, the real work bench...

Not sure when, but I want to build a bench with a top similar to one depicted below, with a shoulder vice, twin tail vices, and with no tool tray. But I'd rather have an open post and beam support structure than an integral cabinet.

And in the picture below, I think the tail vice screws are offset a little too far away from the bech dogs; closer would be better. I also think the shoulder vice looks like its a little too lightly constructed. And If the legs were moved outward, the bench would be more stable and a leg vice could be added to support long boards clamped in the shoulder vice, providing better stability than a separate bench slave.

A roll around tool caddy/bin is better (IMO) than a traditional fixed tool tray on the bench. It allows more usable surface area on the bench. The tools are handy at your side. You can roll it back to the tool cabinet to put the tools away. And you can store it under the table saws extension table.

[Mark Singer]

I think a good bench is critical to all hand work and a lot of power tool tasks....routing and sanding for example. Dave made some great points and mentioned some good benches...I like a front vice...tail vice set up..I am used to it having spent many years working on this type of bench. I also have used a Euro front vise bench for handwork...which is fine for that ...but is limited for panels and larger pieces...I have the Diffenbach Ultimate American....it functions well and has some nice features...some details are a bit unrfined in quality of finish...still I like it a lot

[Greg Sznajdruk]

Stephen:

Most of us have been in your situation. I suspect that a lot of us used dimensional lumber to make a temporary workbench. With the idea of building a proper one in the future. Well my temporary workbench has served me well for about twenty years. One of these days I'm going to build that proper workbench.

Greg

[Alan Turner]

Pick up a solid core door, preferably free or cheap, knock together a couple of decent saw horses, finish the crib, and read the Landis book, do some planning, and build youself a good bench. Over the long run, as Dave said, it is the most important of your tools.

[Marc Prudhomme]

I am in the process of building a bench myself.Through advice of the wise men and women of this forum I have decided to go with a solid core door or 2 pieces of mdf for a sub base and then place hardwood flooring material on top

[Bart Leetch]

I just gotta ask what is a proper bench???

I kinda think it is the bench that is reasonably made & serves its purpose.

I have worked for several years on a 3'x6' bench with a base layer of 1" plywood next on top of that is a 3/4" piece of high density chip board underlayment & then a layer of 1/4" tempered Masonite all wrapped with Poplar & a nice leg & stretcher set out of poplar held together with mortise & tenon joints & barrel bolts. The only cost to me was the chip board & masonite & a little time the rest was donated material. I have a vise on both ends of the front.

I am in the process of planning the under bench cabinet.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello Stephen,
My first workbench was built with 2X4's and has a plywood top. It immediatly became a storage area for the benchtop tools, so I had to build a 2nd one.
The 2nd one is what I refer to as "Franken-cart". It started out life as an Oak bathroom cabinet form Lowes. Someone at Lowes had either dropped it off a shelf or ran into it with a towmotor and crushed it.
I offered the mgr $10 for it, he said $30 and we settled on $20 (or maybe $25 - I forget exactly).
I took it home, replaced the damaged supports inside and squared it up as best I could. I fastened a piece of 1/2 plywood to the top (just to keep things from falling into it - not as a wrking surface) and made a frame of 2x4"s to mount it on and bring it up to the same height as the workbench and my portable miter saw stand, and fastened rollers to the base so I can wheel it around.
On the sides, I fastened a set of cleats made of 1/4" playwood and 3/4" plywood. I drilled 1" holes through the cleats and made some dogs to go through the holes.
By putting a mating cleat on whatever I want to afix to the surface, I can increase the working area on top. for wheeling it around, I remove the cleat attacehd top and put on the cleat equipped handle.
It isn't very pretty but it works very well. I can wheel it into the middle of the room and have complete access to all 4 sides.

I'll try to post some pcitures ( if everyone promises not to laugh at the ugly thing ).

[terry hansen]

Stephen - I have found inspiration for workbench design in these 2 books Lon Scheining "the Workbench" and Scott Landis "Workbench book" both run about $20. Unfortunately, that inspiration has not matured into motivation to build, but the intent is there. A good website is workbenchdesign.net. The author has done a really good job of compiling information. Now, if only I could make up my mind and build it.

[Mike Jory]

Hello Stephen;
The table is the center of my shop, (spelled garage ) I got lucky when my wife joined me for a very rare trip to Woodcraft.

I bought my top and made the base. The top came from Woodcraft for Father's Day. I made the base from 4 X 4 legs and 2 X 4 stringers. The joints are all through mortise and tennon. A running threaded rod runs the length of all the stretchers and bolted on the outside face. The rod runs in a dado on the bottom edge so is not seen, except for the washers & bolts. This way, it comes apart if I ever have to move. The top has a row of 3/4" holes for stops and hold-downs.

Then I screwed metal 90 degree angle pieces on the lower stretchers and installed a plywood shelf. That's where I put the spindle sander, a small router table, (the big router is in the table saw) some hold down tools and some long hardwood scraps. I have photos if you have further interest.
Good luck, Mike

[Burt Alcantara]

Stephen,
As you are new to woodworking and have other things to worry about one option is buying a top from either a local Woodcraft, Lee Valley or Grizzley which has very inexpensive tops.

You can buy legs from any of the above or make them out of 2x4s and worry about an upgrade somewhere in the future.

With a purchased top and legs, you'll be up and running in a few hours. I built my first bench from baltic birch glued together. Because I am also new to woodworking I managed to warp the top. Guess you have to try real hard to do that.

So, I found a 20x60 bench at my local Woodcraft for under $200. Built the legs from doubled up 2x4s and found it does it all for me.

Burt