Neander workbench construction blog/thread

[Zahid Naqvi]

After more than a year of wishy washying :confused:me and Dennis finally decided that it was about time to build a couple of work benches. So this is the thread in which I will track my progress and ask y'all for advice. Dennis has more space so he is thinking a full 96", while I am garage constrained so mine will be 60"

I have read Chris Schwarz's book as well as Scott Landis'. Ideally I want a combination of a roubo and a traditional bench. I really like the leg vise and a tail vise combo. The problem is I already have the hardware for a front vise and a tail vise, so for me to incorporate the leg vise would require selling the front vise hardware. It will be hard to sell it locally (small town few nenderthals) and the weight is prohibitive for shipping. I am also going to build cabinets under the bench, despite opposition from Chris.

Still working on the drawings, transferring to a paper that is, I have all the details in my head.

With that I would like to fire off the first few questions.

1. I want my bench to be disassemblable for portability. I can use bolts on the stretchers, but how should I attach the top to the lower frame so that it can be taken off and accomodates the seasonal movement of the top as well. The top will be red oak, while the rest of the frame is going to be ash.

[Matthew Dunne]

As a total newbie, I can't help with your questions, but I'm looking forward to the blog/progress.

[Bill Satko]

The problem is I already have the hardware for a traditional front vise and a tail vise, so for me to incorporate the leg vise would require selling the front vise hardware. It will be hard to sell it locally (small town few nenderthals) and the weight is prohibitive for shipping.

Zahid, I am not sure I understand how already having a traditional front vise precludes you from changing your mind and actually building what you want. Why not just hang on to the vise you currently have? I bought a Record vise some years back, but I have also changed my mind as to what I now want. I will keep the Record and be happier with what I now want for my bench. I suspect that another bench will be in my future that I can use the Record for. It just seems to me that you are really interested in the leg vise. I say go for it. Hope you don't mind the input.:)

[Rob Luter]

I wanted my top removable as well. I bolted a skirt on my slab top (see below). The top drops over four tenons at the top of the legs. I have four of the lag bolts (two on each long side) located so they intersect holes drilled in the tenons. Almost like a drawbore only easily disassembled. It's solid as a rock too. My bench is only 60" long and it works out well. I'd rather have 96" but don't have the space. Probably a good thing for my back as the 60" top is almost 4" thick and weighed a ton.




http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=89361

[Zahid Naqvi]

Zahid, I am not sure I understand how already having a traditional front vise precludes you from changing your mind and actually building what you want.
Let's start with money, a leg vise will require me buying new hardware. At the same time I can't justify a front vise sitting in my shop hoping to get used at some point. Ideally someon would say "hey I'll buy your front vise" and I will use the money to buy the hardware for a leg vise.

[Alan DuBoff]

The problem is I already have the hardware for a traditional front vise and a tail vise, so for me to incorporate the leg vise would require selling the front vise hardware.
What do you refer to as a traditional front vise? I've never heard of a traditional front vise. Most I have seen are more modern metal vises.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Rob, I can't beleive how big that Veritas twin screw vise is. I have been thinking about the concept of dropping the top on dowels at the top of the legs. Just not sure how that will accomodate seasonal movement of the top.

[Zahid Naqvi]

What do you refer to as a traditional front vise? I've never heard of a traditional front vise. Most I have seen are more modern metal vises.

that's what I meant to say, a modern cast iron front vise.

[willie sobat]

Please keep us updated Zahid. I love a good workbench thread. Someday I'll replace the Norm designed model I built 15 years ago. I could use the inspiration.

[harry strasil]

Zahid, my Nubench will have a leg vise, a patternmakers vise, 2 old cast iron school vises, a wagonbox vise and a front vise, plus a 10 inch apron full of holes (another form of vise) and the top will be full of holes so I can use my wedge vise system. Thats a total of 8 vises and its only 5 ft long by 27 inches wide, you can't have enough vises. I also have my grandfathers offset jaw wagon makers vise I may drill holes in the top for so I can bolt it on if needed.

Jr.

[Robert Rozaieski]

I have been thinking about the concept of dropping the top on dowels at the top of the legs. Just not sure how that will accomodate seasonal movement of the top.

I did this with my workbench, however, rather than a dowel at each corner, I just did one on each side assembly in the center. All you're trying to do is keep it from sliding around so you really only need one on each side.

[Jeff Wittrock]

... how should I attach the top to the lower frame so that it can be taken off and accomodates the seasonal movement of the top as well. The top will be red oak, while the rest of the frame is going to be ash.


I am certainly no expert on benches, but I can tell you what I did.
I have a Leg Vice with the jaw face flush with the front edge of the top. In my case I used three lag screws on each set of legs. The front two lag screws (the ones closest to the edge with the vice) go through snug fitting round holes, while the middle and rear screws go through slotted holes. My thought was that this would keep the front edge flush with the leg vise while allowing the rear to move.

My bench has other problems, but have not had any noticeable problems from seasonal movement :).

-Jeff

[Zahid Naqvi]

Jeff, I like your idea I think it will work. Onother thing I don't like about the concept of dropping the top on two or four dowels it that it makes moving the table around the shop much more difficult as you can't pick up the bench from the top

[Danny Thompson]

So, Zahid, Tell us more about the front vise. Where you got it, maybe post a pic. You never know . . .

[Jim Koepke]

My thoughts are in line with Harry, find a place for the vice on another part of the bench. My bench stands free, so wood can be worked from all sides. Sometimes it would come in handy to have a another vise strategically placed.

Like Harry said, you can't have too many vises, but maybe one should try to keep oneself to only one or two vices.

jim

[Joel Goodman]

Re the dowels to hold the bench top in place -- when I move my bench I usually just shove it -- but I push near the bottom of the legs so don't think the dowels would be an issue. You can also use lag bolts through the stretcher (if that's the correct word) into the top as I did. You can make the holes in the back stretcher oversize (to allow for seasonal movement) and use fender washers under the heads of the lags so they don't slip through. I believe that wood movement is mostly in the width so the front holes register the top .

[Zahid Naqvi]

Jim, that is exactly what Dennis wants to do. He also likes the idea of a leg vice, but wants to keep his Record quick release as well. He is planning on putting three on his bench, The good thing about a leg vice is it can come completely off the bench with minimal effort, and be pulled into action when needed. I plan to keep all four sides of my bench accessible, and not rest against the wall, so if I put a vice on each side I might be able to use them.

Harry you are not an easy man to emulate.

The front vice is a regular cast iron quick release type, no makers mark just a "made in USA", the max opening is about 14"
107469

[John Goodridge]

I assume that you would not be moving the bench frequently. You could easily clamp the top to the stretchers to allow moving the bench by the top if you want to use the dowel method to attach the top.

[John Sanford]

Zahid,

You can use a modified 'slot & tab' system, similar to what you would use for attaching a table top to aprons. If you don't have aprons on the bench, your legs are likely more than stout enough that you can simply mill the slots into the backside of the front legs, and on the inside and back faces of the back legs. Then just put the tab blocks into the slots and screw them to the bottom of the bench. The front tabs keep the top from moving forward, the two tabs on the inside of the back legs (i.e., the two faces that face one anotherof the back legs) keep the top from moving side to side, and the tabs on the backside of the back legs keep the top from moving backwards.

I have 8 tabs on my workbench, and I don't doubt that my boyos could pick the entire workbench up by the top without any problems. Nor have I had any problems with wood movement, although we don't get the sustained humidity swings that really cause such problems.

[Wilbur Pan]

I want my bench to be disassemblable for portability. I can use bolts on the stretchers, but how should I attach the top to the lower frame so that it can be taken off and accomodates the seasonal movement of the top as well. The top will be red oak, while the rest of the frame is going to be ash.

Hi Zahid,

In the October Popular Woodworking, Bob Lang built a workbench that was designed to be taken apart for travel. He used 5/16" x 3-1/2" lag screws through the top stretchers to hold the top onto the base.

Since you're using oak for the top, it's going to be pretty heavy, and gravity will take care of a lot of the issues in holding the top to the base, so the strength of this connection is probably not super critical. In my old temporary workbench, I had a poplar beam for the work surface, and that wasn't even directly fastened to the sawhorses that I was using as a base, but it worked great as a planing surface, and didn't move at all.

[Rob Luter]

Rob, I can't beleive how big that Veritas twin screw vise is. I have been thinking about the concept of dropping the top on dowels at the top of the legs. Just not sure how that will accomodate seasonal movement of the top.

Yup, it's a bit beefy. I didn't want the chop deflecting. Mission accomplished. I've had a door core clamped in there and it's solid as a rock.

I've not seen any issues with seasonal top movement. The legs seem to absorb the minor width changes in the top without complaint. My bench is located in a basement shop where the temperature varies only about 10 degrees year round. The RH only changes a few percent as well. I run a dehumidifier in the summer to supplement central A/C and things are pretty stable.

[Alan DuBoff]

Jim, that is exactly what Dennis wants to do. He also likes the idea of a leg vice, but wants to keep his Record quick release as well. He is planning on putting three on his bench, The good thing about a leg vice is it can come completely off the bench with minimal effort, and be pulled into action when needed. I plan to keep all four sides of my bench accessible, and not rest against the wall, so if I put a vice on each side I might be able to use them.

Zahid,

Have you considered using the leg vise on the front and the quick release as the tail vise? Kind of a cross between the roubo and the holtzappfel, both of which Schwarz built.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Hi Zahid,

My thread on doing a new bench a few months ago has pictures on how I positioned the top. Roughly put the dowels on the face vise side of the bench fit into drilled holes of the exact dowel size. These allow the front edge of the top to align flush with the front legs. The rear side of the bench with the Emmert vise has the dowels fit into oval slots to allow for seasonal movement. I did end up adding lag screws through the top stretchers on each leg assembly and into the top so that I could lift the bench ends rather than just slide them when it came time to move the bench.

For easy disassembly, I used the Lee Valley bolt system.

[John Schreiber]

Chris Schwarz has a blog posting (http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/Free+Drawing+The+Knockdown+Holtzapffel+Workbench.a spx)about making a bench more portable. I did something similar, adding a top stretcher and lag bolting the top to the stretcher. The front bolts have no play, but the middle and back ones have 1/4" and 3/8" respectively. I haven't noticed any movement so far (two months).

I'm adding drawers to mine too. They will be set back more than five inches from the front and back, and I'm leaving spaces between the banks of the drawers for centrally located dog holes.

[Zahid Naqvi]

I think the solution of bolting down the top on the leg vice side of the bench and using oval holes for bolts at the back legs sounds very practical to me. I had already decided to use a bed bolts type arrangement for connecting the stretchers to the legs, which will take care of the knock down requirement.
so I guess we should consider problem 1 resolved

[Robert Rozaieski]

I think the solution of bolting down the top on the leg vice side of the bench and using oval holes for bolts at the back legs sounds very practical to me. I had already decided to use a bed bolts type arrangement for connecting the stretchers to the legs, which will take care of the knock down requirement.
so I guess we should consider problem 1 resolved

Zahid,

If you lag the top to the undercarriage, make sure you get good lags, not the cheap ones from Home Depot. See if you can find grade 8. There is no greater frustration that trying to remove a broken lag that is burried 2-1/2" in a hardwood bench top :mad:. Especially when it breaks off flush to the surface leaving you nothing to grip. DAMHIKT :rolleyes:!

[Dennis Peacock]

Z,

I got to thinking tonight and remembered that I made a reloading bench for a guy about 6 years ago out of pine 2x4's. The top was massive and the base what like a rock. What I did was set the top on the base, align it like I wanted it, got under it and traced off about the outside and inside perimeters of the base. I then took the top off the base, flipped it over and carefully routed out a 3/4" recess in the exact shape and form of the base. From then on, it was easy to take the top off and it was self aligning when you put the top back on the base. It was so sturdy that I honestly believe that I could have parked my Nissan Sentra on top of it without it giving way.

This is probably how I'll do my benchtop for my bench.

BTW guys, I have a Record Bench Vice (yes, I got one while they were closing them out a few years back) and I'm looking to add another vise to the end of my bench as Zahid has already mentioned about.

We will for sure post pictures once we settle on a design and get started on them. :)

[Joe Meazle]

meanwhile, just up the road... I have been woking on my new bench top for the past couple of weeks. I came a cross a slab of bowling alley. I spent the long weekend sizing the slab and gluing up masive jaws for a Veritas twin screw. I have been out in the shop all evening mortising for an Emmert copy. These vises have been collecting dust for years waiting for me get around to this project. My base is an Army surplus bench with lots of drawers and delaminated top. there is about 6" between the drawers and the top so I will still have room for dogs and holdfast (I made some in a blacksmithing class I took a couple of years ago). I still have a long way to go on mine despite the slab and base being fairly usable as found but it is an enjoyable project so far.

Best of luck to you, Z and D!

Joe

[Wilbur Pan]

If you lag the top to the undercarriage, make sure you get good lags, not the cheap ones from Home Depot. See if you can find grade 8.

I'm not sure if this is true everywhere, but the local blue borg has grade 8 screws.

[John Schreiber]

If you lag the top to the undercarriage, make sure you get good lags, not the cheap ones from Home Depot. See if you can find grade 8.

How can I tell the grade of my lags? I had been worried about lifting the bench and it's cabinet full of tools by it's top with 3/8" lag bolts carrying the connection, so I did a test joint. I bolted together two boards then tried to break it apart. The only way I could put force on it which had any effect was with a wedge. The bolt didn't break and the hole didn't strip. After a huge amount of force, the wood started bending and cracking.

So, after determining that the 3/8" bolts were plenty strong, I put three of them on each side. Build it stout. Or Stouter. That's the bench builder's motto.

[Wilbur Pan]

How can I tell the grade of my lags

Grade 8 lag screws will have this mark on the top.

The ones at the blue borg that I saw also have this yellow color to them, but I don't know if this is true across the board.

[Brian Kent]

I went with the Frank Klausz style bench with the top set onto 2 large dowels. I have seen no limits in stability. When I have to move it, I can either lift off the top or slide them together with no problems.

[David Keller NC]

Zahid - Reading through the posts, it looks like you've recondsidered and are going to build a leg vise and either sell the face vise hardware or use it in the tail vise position. This is a good call. While no bench is perfect, and many of us have built several benches over our woodworking history, it's a mistake to try to save just a few bucks and go with something you don't want on a big project (and this is a big project - you'll know that when you get it completed). Besides, unless you got your wood for free, the face vise hardware is a very, very small fraction of the total cost of the bench.

Regarding the leg vise, the hardware required is really cheap - you only need a metal vise screw, which is about $25 (imported). The rest is wood.

Finally, regarding attaching the top and making the bench portable - I think you've already decided on this, but if you want to avoid a front top stretcher so that you can clamp things down to the top, you simply build the side assemblies into an "H", with a stretcher across the top, flush with the top of the legs. In my case, I made this joint a giant dovetail (when viewed from the top of the leg), draw-bored into the leg.

You may need to plane this assembly across the top to make sure that you've no bumps that will not allow the bottom of the bench to be fully supported across the entire width of the "H" side stretchers.

Once you do, you simply bore a couple of holes through each side top stretcher and lag-bolt it to the underneath of the bench. And as others have mentioned, make sure that you don't break one of these off. Best way to do that is to closely match the internal thread diameter of the bolt to the drill bit size, make absolutely certain you drill for the full depth of the bolt, including any counter sinking, and use wax when you thread the bolt in.

Regarding bench-knockdown, I highly recommend the Veritas bench bolt system. While a bit pricey at $25 for 4, they're very high quality, and a breeze to install versus the standard bolt and nut. Done properly with a ship-auger bit for the bolt shaft and a forstner bit for the nut hole, there's no way on this green earth that you'll ever strip the hole out. And there's a very clever jig that Chris Schwarz describes in the "extra" knock-down chapter of his Workbenches book (this is a free download - check his WoodWorking magazine blog) that gives you perfect alignment between the bolt shaft and the nut hole.

[Jerome Hanby]

Regarding bench-knockdown, I highly recommend the Veritas bench bolt system. While a bit pricey at $25 for 4, they're very high quality, and a breeze to install versus the standard bolt and nut.

I bought a chunk of brass rod from Fastenal and drilled, tapped, sliced off segments to make my own. It probably works out to about the same price for a set of four if you have to buy a tap, but you get about a dozen for that same money (assuming you by one foot of brass rod). Plus you get to make them :D. Of course that may not be a good thing, next step on that slippery slope is working out how to make massive wooden screws for your vises.
(http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.fastenal.com/&sa=X&oi=revisions_result&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&usg=AFQjCNEJ0E_mxyh0Qr8bRL8zhFE8IOqv1Q)

[Robert Rozaieski]

How can I tell the grade of my lags? I had been worried about lifting the bench and it's cabinet full of tools by it's top with 3/8" lag bolts carrying the connection, so I did a test joint. I bolted together two boards then tried to break it apart. The only way I could put force on it which had any effect was with a wedge. The bolt didn't break and the hole didn't strip. After a huge amount of force, the wood started bending and cracking.

So, after determining that the 3/8" bolts were plenty strong, I put three of them on each side. Build it stout. Or Stouter. That's the bench builder's motto.

The short answer is I don't know. :confused: I'm not sure if you can tell just by looking at them. I believe that grade 8 bolts have a different marking on the head, but this may just be some manufacturers who do this. I'm not sure if the practice is universal. ***Edit: I just saw Wilbur's diagram and that is what I'm referring to but again I'm not sure if this marking is universal among all manufacturers.***

The force of lifting the bench and putting tension stress on the bolt isn't the problem. The problem is installing them and removing them. With an inferior grade bolt, when you install or remove it, the shearing forces may cause the bolt to twist off. You are driving it into a good thickness of wood. If you are building a bench to be able to be disassembled, it is important that your bolts hold up through repeated installation and removal. Twisting one off can certainly ruin your day :mad::D.

[David Keller NC]

"I'm not sure if the practice is universal."

It is, at least if they conform to SAE and ASTM standards, and so far as I'm aware, that's the entireity of the supply in the US.

One other comment in this regard is that grade 8 bolts are far stronger in shear resistance than grade 2 bolts, but they are not as resistant to vibration and impact failures, as they're more brittle.

[Zahid Naqvi]

Ok time for question number 2. I did an inventory of the hardware sitting in a box and I discovered that what I had assumed to be a tail vice was actually a shoulder vice screw, length about 14". I am assuming this is too short for use as a leg vice screw. so
2. What should I use as a screw for the leg vice
2a. What to do with this screw

[Alan DuBoff]

Ok time for question number 2. I did an inventory of the hardware sitting in a box and I discovered that what I had assumed to be a tail vice was actually a shoulder vice screw, length about 14". I am assuming this is too short for use as a leg vice screw. so
2. What should I use as a screw for the leg vice
2a. What to do with this screw
I think you could use it Zahid, you will just get a bit less clamping space between the jaw and bench, but you should be able to get 6"-7" pretty easy. If you use a 3" thick leg jaw and had a couple extra inches between the washer for the screw on the bench side, you should still have about 8" or so of movable jaw. Sure, longer is better, but that will work for you, IMO.;)

[David Keller NC]

Zahid - I'm with Alan on this one. 6" vise opening is plenty - there are remarkably few applications that I can think of that would require you to clamp something wider than 6" in a leg vise (a drawer, for example, is something I would clamp in the tail vise if I had that arrangement).

Besides, how many times to you want to bash yourself in the cahones with an extra long leg vise screw when you're walking by the bench?:D

[Jim Becker]

I'll up the bar a little for you Zahid (and Dennis)...how about making it adjustable height, too? :D

[Steve LeLaurin]

Zahid ... I'm a newby, but have my workbench design spinning in my head. I too want it to be knockdown, and the top was the challenge.

What I am planning is to build the base in 4 parts: two pairs of end leg assemblies (two 4x4s connected by 2x4 or 2x6 top and bottom rails), top stretcher assembly and bottom stretcher assembly (will put a shelf on the bottom). The top stretcher assembly will have an "H" design with two long sides and a cross member (maybe more if I get fanatical), probably with corner cleats for rigidity. I plan on gluing and screwing some oak 2x3s or so cleats to the underside of the top, positioned just inside of and flush to the upper stretcher frame members (and just inside the inside of the top rails of the leg assemblies). One advantage of this cleat design is that it gives me a perfect way to positively position the top exactly centered on the base each and every time. Then, I'll use nuts and bolts to attach these cleats to the frame. I'm expecting it to be solid, and easy to knock down. Another reason for doing it this way is that I don't want any screws or bolts showing through the top at all ... no holes except dog holes.

Steve

[Zahid Naqvi]

As is typical with most of my projects it is coming along sloooowly. Thanks to Jameel I now have a bench screw to use in a leg vice. I decided to keep my front vice and use it as a tail vice for now. I have also found a source for Ash. So it looks like the top will be Oak and the legs and aprons Ash.

But a new development has popped up a new question/requirement. My 11 yr old trusty Corolla finally broke down after 140K miles. So I had to replace it with a slightly nicer Camry. The problem is I don't want to permanently park the Camry in the drive way. There was considerable UV damage done to the inside of the Corolla due to being parked outdoors all the time. Which brings us to the dilemma, if the car has to be parked in the garage everything has to be on mobile bases to be moved around.

I have finally sold all my machines, except a bandsaw and the router. So there are fewer things to move. But if you look at the pictures below you will see how cramped the garage is. These are pictures of my half of the garage. All the WWing things have to be stacked under the shelving. This will also include the new workbench. The bandsaw is already on a mobile base.

So here's question #3, what to do about mobility. Is it practical to use casters on a hand tools work bench. I know Chris S. thinks we can just drag the workbench around if needed, but I tried to drag my 24"X48" bench this weekend and it was a chore. Can't imagine doing that every time I have to work on anything. Would casters be stable enough for uses such as planing boards etc. Are there any other options.

111286

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[Dave Gallaher]

OK I'm hooked. I'm getting ready to build a good bench. Does someone have a good plan or do I have to re-invent the wheel? Help please.

[Justin Green]

I followed the recommendation of the folks here and bought Chris Schwarz's book. It's very practical and covers most everything and has two bench plans. Scott Landis' book also has a wide variety of benches in it and a few plans. Both are full of ideas.

[Joe Meazle]

Defy the Schwarz at your own peril. His evil flying monkeys will come and steal you planes and he will smash then on an anvil.

:rolleyes:

[Dave Samborski]

I can't imagine any locking casters being stable enough even for a solid, heavy workbench. They'd always be wanting to move the bench around, especially when trying to plane by hand.

I have two ideas; but no specifics:

#1 - a lifting caster system like is on the Rigid tablesaw. Lifts with a foot pedal, lowers onto the legs. Might be difficult (and $$$) to find proper hardware enough to lift a workbench, though.

#2 - A wheel set on one end of the legs and a set of lifting jack arms at the other. Kinda like a wheelbarrow setup. Set the wheels on an axle on the outside of the legs, flush with the floor/bottom of the legs. Use a set of removable jack arms on the other to lift and move around. Got to be better than sliding the whole bench across the floor.

Dave

[John Sanford]

So here's question #3, what to do about mobility. Is it practical to use casters on a hand tools work bench. I know Chris S. thinks we can just drag the workbench around if needed, but I tried to drag my 24"X48" bench this weekend and it was a chore. Can't imagine doing that every time I have to work on anything. Would casters be stable enough for uses such as planing boards etc. Are there any other options.

Zahid,

I have some "machinery feet" that do the whole lifting/locking thingy. They'll lift whatever they're attached to about 2.5". There are a variety of ways you could mount them. As far as their lifting capacity goes, these are from industrial cooking equipment (handy to be able to lift the equipment when its time to clean the floors), so a puny lit'l workbench won't be a problem for them. If you're interested, shoot me a PM and I'll see if I can get some pics and specs for ya.

That aside, yes, it's practical to use casters on a hand'bench, but you'll get much better results if you have some method of getting the bench's weight off the casters and directly onto the ground. Dave's Options #1 & #2 will both work, as will the setup my father's tablesaw has:

a pair of wheels on one end, with a trailer jack (http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_150886_150886) on the other. Works like a charm. Not as quick and convenient as the normal small lever mobile base setup, but this allows you to use bigger wheels that can easily clear the cronky bits that'll stop you and your bench dead in yer tracks. Put big enough wheels on the puppy, and you can easily roll it out into the driveway when the birds are singin' and weather's nice!

[Wilbur Pan]

Hi Zahid,

Casters would be bad for all the same reasons people don't put lathes on casters. There are other ways of immobilizing a bench for hand planing besides sheer weight. An old post of mine (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=85596) here on SMC illustrates one approach. Basically, if you can figure out a way to brace a workbench against a wall, a post, or some other stationary object, you don't need mass. That temporary workbench of mine violated every single "law" of workbench design -- it was extremely light weight, the top was made out of poplar, the legs were flimsy, and the top only rested on the legs. So you could build a lightweight workbench to make it movable, and still have it work for hand planing.

FWIW, when I was at the Woodworking in America conference in Berea, I was talking with Chris Schwarz and he said that my approach for my temporary workbench is his go-to answer for the "How do I build a workbench without a workbench?" question.

[Zahid Naqvi]

John, I like the trailer jack option, and it won't break the bank either.

Wilbur, I have drywall all around my garage and I am afraid after bracing the bench at the same spot after a while I will start damaging the drywall.

Dave, you option #2 is what I have on my router table and the bench saw I recently sold. I had that in mind, but I wanted to ask other creekers in case there are more viable options.

[David Keller NC]

Zahid - My first comment is that you're using your garage for the wrong purpose (putting cars in it). :D

But - what would probably be a more practical option that prevents damage to your drywall and still gives you a sturdy bench to do handplaning on is to mount a couple of 2X4s into the studs on the side of the garage, and make your bench narrower so that it will fit without having to move it constantly. From the standpoint of handplaning, a narrower bench (within reason, of course) isn't a big deal. Most of the Japanese craftsmen use "planing beams" as their workbench, and they're rarely more than 12" in width.

And - you could always buy a car cover for your car. ;)

[harry strasil]

http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=141550&FamilyID=3703

[Zahid Naqvi]

Zahid - My first comment is that you're using your garage for the wrong purpose (putting cars in it). :D

And - you could always buy a car cover for your car. ;)

now you're talking :D

[Wilbur Pan]

Wilbur, I have drywall all around my garage and I am afraid after bracing the bench at the same spot after a while I will start damaging the drywall.

Just a thought: could you screw a scrap piece of plywood over the drywall where you would be bracing the bench? You don't need a huge area -- the actual area of contact between my old temporary workbench and the wall was the cross section of the 1x4 that I had attached to the saw horse. I've also seen people use a 2x4 placed on the ground, one end up against the leg of the workbench, the other end against the wall -- sort of like a planing stop for the workbench.