Auxillary Bench Project - Pic

[Thomas Smith]

I undertook this project when, after learning to cut dovetails by hand, my back used to just ache. I thought about raising my bench, but I prefer it's current height for hand plane work. I was at a bit of an impass. I found the basis for this bench in FWW online and this is my version.



I have construction shots and the build process outlined in my Blog.

Thanks for looking.

Cross posted to Woodnet, Family WW, Canadian Woodworking

[George Lohnes]

So basically.. this is a bench for your bench....

Don't tell Woodcraft... they'll start marketing "bunk desks"

I actually like the idea of being higher.. now that I've goofed around a bit... have a bad back also.

[Tyler Howell]

I like it Tom,
Oh great one more project in the quae.

[Chuck Hamman]

Very Nice, Tom.
I built one shortly after the FWW article was published for the very same reason as you. I made mine from stuff that was lying around the shop. My top and vise are two thicknesses of cabinet grade plywood laminated together. The twin screw vise is out of two lengths of 3/4" threaded rod running through captured nuts. Sometimes if I want the bench free I set it up on the Workmate. I love the thing; use it all the time.

Regards,
-Chuck

[Charles Jackson III]

Very nice work!

[Zahid Naqvi]

Very nice, I had seen pictures of something similar (can't recall where) and have been meaning to make one for myself. I like you have to protect my lower back and much prefer a higher position for joinery (my current approach is to sit on a stool in front of the benck vice). Raising the bench compromises the utility for hand planing, this is a good solution. Thanks for sharing.

[Thomas Smith]

I also tried sitting on a stool at the bench. I just couldn't get as mobile as I wanted to be with saw and chisel. I have an old friend that sits at his lathe. I tried it once and just couldn't move around like I wanted to. This little bench has really done what it was supposed to do.

[Don Bullock]

I like it Tom,
Oh great one more project in the quae.

Tyler, I fully agree. My list of projects is getting bigger and bigger.

Thomas, That's super!! Your adaptations to the original plans are excellent. I will definately have to make one once I get into more hand work like you're doing. Thanks for sharing.

[Thomas Smith]

Thanks for the kind words folks. I got really discouraged after spending time to learn hand work and paying for it with a sore back. I love to use power tools, but I follow advice from my father who said, "Use whatever jig or power tool you want to cut a joint. However, appreciate the thousands of craftsman that didn't have a Leigh Jig, or a Dowelmax, or a Domino. In appreciation of them, learn to cut them by hand and learn to cut them well. Then you don't ever have to do it if you don't want to, but at least you've made the committment to understand the process."

This little bench changed my outlook as I can saw and chisel standing in one spot without any forward bending and thus no back ache. I was happy that I stumbled across the plan in FWW. Just so you know, I was googling around one day looking at things like "small workbench," "auxillary bench,"...and then hit on "benchtop bench."

Cheers!