Ash workbench - progress pix

[Prashun Patel]

This bench isn't up to the quality of most of the ones here, so I post with humility. I thought others who are space-challenged may benefit from this.

I only have about 6 feet of space where my bench will go, so I decided on a top that was 60"x24". I built it out of ash because I have a lot of it, and it's stable. I don't write on my bench, so the open grain did not discourage me.

I also had several 4x4 beech posts that I used for the legs.

Incorporating a tail vise (Veritas) was an issue because they usually require the tail end to be cantilevered over the right legs about 17-20". That was an issue on a short bench. For this reason, I chose to splay the legs at 15 degrees. The tail vise has about 9" travel. By sacrificing an inch of the travel, I was able to move the legs on the tail side out to the end another inch. All this means is that I'll have to space my dogs a little closer.

One thing to note is that because all of the Veritas TV hardware is on the back side of the chop, it prevents a 'traditional' L-style tail vise. There is enough clearance to make the chop an "L", but anything longer than the thickness of the bench will hit the screw.

I still have to add the leg vise on the other side (that's why I mounted the top flush with the front legs), beef up the stretchers, make a lower cabinet, shape the tail vise, and finish it.

I cut all my mortises with a router and a bushing guided template. After I got to the maximum depth with my spiral bit, I removed the template and routed the inside of the mortise @ maximum depth using the sides of the mortise as a new template. This gave me an additional 1/4" inch depth, but left 1/8" shoulders at the bottom of the mortise that I cleaned up with a chisel. (Note to self: next time, just buy longer spiral bit ;)).

I cut the rail tenons at the router table. I'm surprised I don't read about that technique more. With a miter gauge, backer block, and a bottom cleaning bit, it's super simple to make perfect tenons. (assuming you have a precise way to manipulate the fence and depth).

I'm not sure I'll ever make a 'lifetime' bench like some people do around here; it's just too fun and I learn so much each time. It's good for skill building and the old ones always seem to find new purpose.

Thanks for looking. Comments and critique welcome!

(ps: the top stretchers are thicker than they appear; the visible portion is just the end of the tenon).

[Brian Kincaid]

Prashun,
That looks like a nice bench!
-Brian

[Gordon Eyre]

Very nice Prashun as with most everything you make.

[Prashun Patel]

Here are a couple more pictures.

I beefed up the front leg and added a leg vise. I used the Lee Valley screw. I have been thinking about how to make the parallel guide. Until I can decide on one, I made a stack of 1/4" plywood shims that just sit on the floor.

To be honest, this has a couple minor advantages besides ease of installation and price. The shims are the full width of the vise, so they prevent any horizontal as well as vertical racking.

Also, it puts the fulcrum at the farthest possible point from the screw, which in theory would make for the strongest lever possible.

I got a chance last week to see Wilbur Pan's leg vise in action and he got me thinking that keeping the jaw of a leg vise perfectly parallel is not always necessary. I see what he means now. After placing the shims, I can clamp things about 3/4" thinner and thicker than the shims with negligible loss of holding power; manual parallel guides just might not need to be altered much in practice.

Anyway, I'm happy with it. It was strong enough to hold some 31" table legs very tight at the top while I worked the feet with a rasp.

There is at least one flaw in this design. Having the legs flush with the front required me to put some of the dog holes directly over the leg. Keeping debris out of those holes is an issue. I wonder if those Veritas Prarie Dogs would be good here...?

I like this shorter bench. It is easy to maneuver around it. So far, it feels pretty stable.
Comments and critiques welcome.

[Greg Peterson]

I like it! It looks great and appears to be robust enough for some serious woodworking. We are often times our harshest critic. Keep up the outstanding work.

[Charlie Kocourek]

Hi Prashun,

The top looks great. What method did you use to flatten it?

Thanks,
Charlie

[Prashun Patel]

Hi Charlie. Thanks. I made (2) 12" wide slabs and then flattened them in my benchtop planer. Then I rejointed the edges by hand. I glued the two halves together, using Dominos for alignment. I've been meaning to flatten the top by hand finally, but to be honest, it doesn't really need it.

[Jeff Monson]

Looks great Prashun, I may have to borrow your leg vise idea! I like how simple it is, plus having the ability to change the clamping thickness is nice. The angled legs are a great idea for a bench, I'm sure it will resist racking much better. Well done.

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks, Jeff.

Two things I do miss with the leg vise are the ability to cut things having the vise flush with the end of the bench, and having to stoop to work the screw. If I could do it again, I'd move the screw higher a critical couple inches. A nice side benefit is that it'd increase the clamping force at the top even more.

[Jim Matthews]

If no one else will say it, allow me -
That's clever, right there.

Is that a canoe paddle, or the World's longest porridge spurtle?
(I know things are bigger in Texas - they had to go there to film the Superman reboot...)

Did you solve the ventilation problem in the shop?

[Everett Fulkerson]

You can obviously handle your ash in the shop. Nice bench.

[Jim Matthews]

More Ash puns.

Great.

[Lornie McCullough]

More Ash puns.

Great.

Don't make me get out the spurtle.......!!!!

Lornie

[Charlie Kocourek]

Prashun,

Have you had a chance to use the Veritas tail vise? It looks great, but I have not actually used one yet.

Thanks,
Charlie

[Prashun Patel]

I like it a lot. Everything you read about it is true. The only thing that is suboptimal is that it requires a deep apron and it prevents a traditional l style tail vise.

[Chris Hachet]

Excellent bench, almost exactly what I am thinking of for mine if I do not use a Scandinavian style front vise.

[Brian Lefort]

I like the Ash. I almost went with Ash, but the local sawmill 2 miles from my house had hard maple custom milled for me @ $1.00 per ft from logs he had laying around. I couldn't refuse that deal!

[Prashun Patel]

Having used this a few months, I thought I'd come back and share thoughts:

Stability: I find this small bench amazingly stable. I learned from making my lathe stand that it's not just about mass, but also balance. I think the splayed legs have worked very well in that regard.

Dog holes: A leg vise presents a challenge for front-back dog holes: The legs are in line with the vise chop, front to back. This means the side rails are also in line with the chop. I made the top rail flush with the bottom of the benchtop to provide an attachment point. However, this means the dog holes all go right over that rail. Possible solutions would be to make two parallel rows of holes that are offset from the rail, or to drill right through the rail another X inches. Not insurmountable, just a pain.

Tail vise: That LV quickrelease tail vise is a dream to operate. I love it. However, for the space-constrained like me, I think a wagon vise would have worked just as well. I don't find I need to clamp things to the face (yet) and if I need to open the vise wide, I need to move my router table. The up-side is that the clamping capacity is about 10" longer on this vise than a corresponding wagon. That's a littlebitofa boon for a short (60") bench like mine.

Finish: I finished with oil/varnish: slop on, wait, wipe off. I did this every day for about a week. People caution that oak and ash make tricky surfaces for benches and desks because they are grainy and might be hard to write on. Nonsense. Properly finished, you can write on it just fine.