"First" workbench: Sjobergs or build

[Jason Buresh]

I feel kinda silly as a woodworker asking this question, but for my first real workbench would I be better off buying a Sjobergs or building my own? In the past I have used 3/4 plywood on 2x4 frames and they work, but I would like something beefier.

Now obviously this won't be my one and only bench for the rest of my life, but my thought process was should I buy a bench and figure out what I like and what I don't like or should I build a bench and experiment.

If I were to build one, I would most likely use laminated 2x4's and plane the top flat, and I would have to figure out what vises to use and where to put them. I would drill dog holes in the top. I plan to use holdfasts and 3/4" dogs.

On the other hand, the bench I was looking at from jobergs is made from birch and has 2 vises and dogs included, and the holes are pre drilled

As far as price goes, I think it would be very close so it doesn't much sway me one way or the other.

I know there is lots of designs and Books on building beautiful benches, but I just need an economical work horse that I'm don't afraid to scratch or ding.

Thanks for the input!

[Jim Koepke]

This really depends on you. The 5' Sjoberg bench was about half the price it is now when mine was purchased 15 or 20 years ago. It has served my needs quite well.

It is a bit light and needed some help to stop dancing while planing large planks:

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?119667

The vises have a tendency to rack, like many wooden vises do on woodworking benches. There is also a fix for that:

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?183743

After all these years of using this bench, some of its features will be used on my current project of building a bench, some will be enhanced or modified.

My problem at times is paralysis of analysis or outright procrastination. If you are the type to get to work on building a bench, they the savings will only be out done by the experience and skills developed by building your own from the start.

jtk

[Will Blick]

I bought the Sjoberg 1500 Elite...

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While its a nice bench, I regret it...
First, I like it a bit taller, no height adjustability. I might jury rig something on the base. So see what working height you prefer...this may be a non issue for you.
Next thing is weight. Its well built, but not super heavy, so when planing long and wide boards, its not very stable vs. a heavy home built bench. AGain, this may be a non issue for you, maybe you ony do light planning. Or, maybe some weight as Jim mentioned above, but this takes space, and if you have the drawers, no room for buckets of weight.
It has 3/4 holes, I prefer 20mm holes, as there is more MFT components available. Its not easy expanding a 3/4 hole by 1mm to a 20mm hole.
The drawers have no slides, so a bit crude for heavy items. I would prefer slides.
So this is why I would have preferred a custom build. I work alone, and it would have been a big project by myself, and feared hurting my back and bought the Sjoberg.
Not knocking the product at all, for the price, you get a nice work bench. Great premium wood, it would be hard to find wood this nice. It requires assembly.

[Phil Gaudio]

The easy answer: it depends.
How much time do you have to build a bench: depending on the design, it can be a sizable project
How much $$ do you want to invest?
How will the bench by used: if you are a hand tool woodworker and plan on using planes, particularly if you are planning on going from "rough to ready" with planes, you will want a substantial bench that will stay put under the forces of planing.
A bench project can be very rewarding, but as I mentioned above: it depends......
No shame in buying a bench, but think about how the bench you are planning on buying will be used, and decide accordingly.
I built my first bench a few years ago, and it will be my last bench:

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[Josh Robinson]

I’m relative new at wood working that requires more than a framing hammer or a cordless drill but building my bench was as enjoyable as almost anything I’ve built. It’s no artisan quality piece, a Paul Sellers style 2x4 bench, but it’s pretty well built, and I feel proud to see and use it every time I go in the shop. Unless you have more pressing projects competing for you time, I can’t think of any more worthy than building your own work bench.

[David Eisenhauer]

If you have the space and time, I would say build it just because it is, in itself, a wood working project that you can enjoy the use of for a long time. No knock on the Sjobergs is intended at all, just that a suggestion to build your own sings to me better than buying. Whichever choice sings loudest to you may be different than mine. The Paul Sellers or a Moravian (where is that Moravian-building guy?) should be an economical build as compared to a Ruobo or similar style. I enjoy the 4" thick top on my home built work bench as much as any of the vises available. I also built mine with room to cut the legs down if I feel that it is too tall. I have said before and will repeat again - the hardest part of building a bench is getting started. Some of the workbench books available should include some good ideas for a simple, economical and sturdy bench - with or without vises that can add to the cost.

[Frederick Skelly]

Go to a place that sells the sjobergs, or look carefully at the pics online. Take note of height and proportions. Maybe mock up the height with cardboard or cheap lumber to see if you want it taller/smaller. Copy sjoberg's construction, but use laminated 2x4's for the top and (literally) fence posts for the legs (4x4 or 6x6). Use 2x6's for the stretchers. That's what I did 10 years ago. Never did feel the need for another, I like it so much.

Or buy one of the workbench books for height and size insight, plus the pros/cons of various types. Search the archives here - there's a crap-ton of bench build threads from which to take ideas.

[Mark Carlson]

I bought a Sjoberg 1800BS workbench about 20 years ago from woodcraft. Dont think they make that model anymore. The bench is beautiful and works wonderfully. Still a good project to build if you have the time.

[Jim Matthews]

With plywood used to stiffen the base, the Sjoberg is adequate. May I recommend browsing local classifieds for a few weeks, first?

Search "woodworking" in Craigslist tool section.

[Mark Rainey]

Bought the Sjoberg 2000 bench almost a year ago. I use a lot of hand tools. Love the bench, it has everything I want. Solid, heavy, well built, compared to other benches reasonably priced, bought the feet to raise it up 6 inches.

[Thomas Wilson]

My second and third benches are Sjobergs 1500 and 2000. The 1500 with a full tool chest does not move when planing. The vises are adjustable for racking. My benches have not needed it so far. The first bench is the Tage Frid design from the 7th issue of Fine Woodworking that I made 40 years ago. It is considerably lighter. I considered the Sjoberg an upgrade.

[Jason Buresh]

Does anyone have any recommendations on vises if I were to build my own bench? I have been looking at the veritas twin screw but 2 of those vises cost almost as much as the Sjobergs bench.

[Frederick Skelly]

Woodcraft has several ranging from $100 - $300.

[David Eisenhauer]

I use my leg vise more than the two other vises on the bench. Paul Sellers gets away with a face vise only that can be had pretty cheap. It may be possible to build a bench and add a vise or two later on as the $ is saved up. Especially if the initial build is done with adding a particular vise later.

[ken hatch]

The Moravian guy is here, thanks David:). I've built a few benches, the first because I couldn't afford to buy a ready made. As posted before that bench is still in use after almost 40 years. I can't speak to the English bench because I've never built one but I've built a few other designs and found the Moravian style bench first built by Will Myers https://store.woodandshop.com/product/dvd-building-the-moravian-workbench-will-myers/ (https://store.woodandshop.com/product/dvd-building-the-moravian-workbench-will-myers/) is an easy and reasonably cheap build. It punches well above its weight. Because of good design you get a very stable but light bench that is or can be portable. Each joint is the easiest to make that will do the intended job. I've made 'em out of all construction grade Home Depot wood and out of all Beech and different combinations of cheap and not so cheap woods. They all work. My favorite vise is the BenchCrafted Classic with a crisscross. I've posted several build tick tocks here on SMC.

My last build had a 75mm thick Beech slab and Poplar base. It is rock solid;

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I do not keep good records, I almost always over buy wood and I waste a little. As best I remember this bench with the BenchCrafted vise and crisscross cost in the neighborhood of $1000 USD dollars and 7/8 weeks to build while I was working full time at my day job. The last bench took a little longer than usual to build. Normally a bench like this one is about a 60 man hour job spread over 6 or so weeks.

If you can't tell I'm in the build it yourself camp, You will end up with a better bench for about the same money.

ken

[Scott Winners]

I agree with everything posted so far but don't need to rehash it. I don't see a post from Ken Hatch in here yet, he is very knowledgeable.

What wood working do you want to do? If you want to make turned ink pens out of fancy wood it might make sense to just buy a ready made bench and go - but if you start talking to pen makers you might find they are building their own benches too. I like making household sized stuff like book cases and blanket chests and comfortable chairs. Pausing those builds to make my own workbench let me develop as a woodworker so my next piece of furniture came out better. I am also in the early stages of making a timber framed tool shed. Making building sized mortises and tenons for my workbench build were part of making that spark.

Go to you local library and see what workbench books they have in the woodworking sections. Sit in a chair and thumb through them. Anything you want bad enough to get a library card? Anything you want bad enough to whip out your phone and go to amazon?

On my first work bench my sawhorses shifted under my laminated 2x4 before the glue set, so i ended up with a LOT of planing to do. Make sure you are gluing on a stable, flat platform. Doesn't have to be level, but it has to be flat. Also my first bench is using a $20 vise from a home store. My next (second) bench I am going to a leg vise and I am willing to spend what I have to spend for top of the line.

Drilling dog holes is fun, that is absolutely not a selling point on a premade bench. You could spend a few bucks on a mirror with a hole in it, a peg hole drillign mirror, or you could turn some S4S from a home store into three S6S pieces and make a drilling guide out of wood with a few finish nails.

One other thing you could do is search here, titles only, on the term "work bench" and after you read or just look at the pictures in all those search again on "workbench."

Recognizing this won't be your last bench is pretty insightful.

[Eric Danstrom]

I'm glad I bought one 20 years ago. I didn't have the skills and it wood have bogged me down and demoralized me. I wanted to build new hand tool skills such as dovetail joints and planing planks flat. Having a work bench allowed me to do that.

Buy a nice bench and make a Moxon vise. Regarding jacking the height, I didn't find it to be difficult. I lag bolted 3 1/2" of fence post to the feet and lagged it to the floor.

[Jim Koepke]

How will the bench by used: if you are a hand tool woodworker and plan on using planes, particularly if you are planning on going from "rough to ready" with planes, you will want a substantial bench that will stay put under the forces of planing.

These were done on my Sjoberg:

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Both of these are 2' longer than the bench.


Does anyone have any recommendations on vises if I were to build my own bench?

Lee Valley has some vise screws that are inexpensive > Shoulder vise screw (https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/workshop/workbenches/vises/31134-shoulder-vise-screw) < & > Tail vise screw (https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/workshop/workbenches/vises/41664-tail-vise-screw) <

My choice was two tail vise screws. Originally my plan was to build a face vise and a tail vise using these and a few items from other sources to make vises like what are on my current Sjoberg bench. Since a few other things have come my way and my plan may be to have two separate tail vises or a twin screw vise. My current design plan is to have a split top with a tool tray down the middle. The plan is to have two face vises. This way one side can be right handed and the other side can be left handed. Being somewhat ambidextrous, this works for me. It may not be the right choice for other folks.

jtk

[Randall J Cox]

I built mine, rock solid. Full through tenons on 6x6 legs. Glued up the top myself (2.5" thick) , ran sections of glued up hardwood through my little bench top planer then glued all the sections together. Found some good woodworking vises on sale, used those. All pulled together with 4 threaded rods the length of the bench dadoed into the stringers. Was a beginning woodworker when I built it, still a great very heavy bench. Only real thing I did wrong was trying to surface the top with a belt sander. Building a bench is woodworking at its most fun, to me at least. I vote for building and learning at the same time. Randy

[GARTH GREGOIRE]

I vote for building your own. I'm nearing the end of my own build, and it has been a ton of fun. I'm not very talented either, so it has been a low key way to work on my skills, and hopefully end up with something I can have for a long time. I used 2x4's for wood and I went with a basic front vise (albeit with a plan to flush mount it with the face of the vise overlapping the front leg) to start, and figure if I find a need I can always add a tail vise down the road.

The hardest part for me was I had just moved, so I did not have a bench to build on. I bought a pair of Ridgid saw horses - could not have done the build without them.

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Mind you - I still need to mount the top to the base - so there's still time for disaster to strike, but I'm feeling confident at the moment.

Biggest down side to a home build is probably the time - I'm in for 50 hours so far, probably 60-70 by the time I'm done.

Garth

[Frederick Skelly]

Nice bench Garth!
Welcome to the Creek. Glad you've joined us!
Fred

[Jim Koepke]

+1 on the nice looking bench and a welcome to the Creek.

jtk

[David Eisenhauer]

Nice Garth and welcome. Food for thought Jason. Will readily admit the Sjobergs look good also and have enough "yes" votes to vet them. Your call, but don't worry, we will help you spend your money regardless of the path you choose:).

[ken hatch]

I agree with everything posted so far but don't need to rehash it. I don't see a post from Ken Hatch in here yet, he is very knowledgeable.

...

Recognizing this won't be your last bench is pretty insightful.

Thanks Scott,

Yes it is, maybe I'm a slow learner but up until the last few years every bench build had something that drove me barking at the moon crazy. It takes a few builds to get 'em all worked out.

Most first time builders both over think and over accessorize their bench. I've found most of the "must have" accessories just get in the way of working and add to the cost and time it takes to build. I will admit to liking a face vise and as nice as a wood screw vise is to use the Benchcrafted Classic screw with a crisscross is close to perfection. The Moravian style bench as built by Will Meyers is the best first bench or even last bench I've found for several reasons. It makes great use of wood, less is needed for the same stability and even when very light rock solid and it is a simple build. The joints are the easiest to make that will do the needed job and truth be told not all need to be perfect. In fact the main structural joint has to be loose.

Anyway thanks for the compliment,

ken

[Rob Luter]

Build your own. It won't be your last. See below. The remains of my first bench is are the background. Basically a frame made with Borg pine and topped with 3/4 plywood. It held stuff off the floor. The bench in the foreground was made with salvaged lumber about 10 years ago. The underpinnings are 2x6 construction lumber glued up to make stout legs and stretchers. The top is made from two salvaged maple butcher block bench tops laminated together to make a sturdy 3 3/4' thick top. I put a maple apron all around. The large vise is Lee Valley and the one on the end is an old Wilton. One day I'll reverse the vise positions or go to a leg vice on the bench face. The large vise gets in the way sometimes.

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[Thomas Wilson]

I...
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Garth

Love your bike helmet.

[Phil Gaudio]

Jason: Check out the "Simple and Stout Workbench" article in the recent (like showed up yesterday) issue of FWW, 2020 Tools and Shops Issue, page 32. Might be the answer to your quandary.

[Don Dorn]

I have built three over the years and the one I enjoyed the most was a Poplar with a 2.5" top. Not smart to get rid of it. I've learned something from every build and this last one was the Chris Schwarz 2 day bench.

now three two years old with a face and tail vise. It cost about $400 to build but I don't foresee another as it perfectly suits my purpose. Good thing too, because I'm not in the mood anymore to ever build another. If buy chance I ever needed another, I'd buy one.

[Scott Winners]

Thanks Scott,

Yes it is, maybe I'm a slow learner but up until the last few years every bench build had something that drove me barking at the moon crazy. It takes a few builds to get 'em all worked out.

Most first time builders both over think and over accessorize their bench. I've found most of the "must have" accessories just get in the way of working and add to the cost and time it takes to build. I will admit to liking a face vise and as nice as a wood screw vise is to use the Benchcrafted Classic screw with a crisscross is close to perfection. The Moravian style bench as built by Will Meyers is the best first bench or even last bench I've found for several reasons. It makes great use of wood, less is needed for the same stability and even when very light rock solid and it is a simple build. The joints are the easiest to make that will do the needed job and truth be told not all need to be perfect. In fact the main structural joint has to be loose.

Anyway thanks for the compliment,

ken

Ken, you earned it. I am personally at my shop nervous about any knock down bench because my climate is so extreme and I am fooling with 4x4 and up most of the time. The MT joints on my bench joints are glued and pegged, and I glued the pegs. I have nothing negative to say about a knockdown Moravian bench because i have never used one. I know in my heart the bench you use and love is going to work good for a lot of folks.

Right now my shop is 62 degrees with the boiler running and 25% RH. Outdoor temp is +4dF. If one of the kids were to move back home and put more pressure on the floor space in the garage I probably would cut up some of my eight year seasoned hard maple to make wedges and build a bench just like yours. And I would expect that your design could not be improved on in that situation.

You are welcome.

[Andrew Seemann]

I'll take the opposite side of the popular argument. if you have the funds, just go buy the bench. It won't be your ideal bench, but you will have it and be able to work on it right away. If you build your first bench (and especially if you solicit opinions from people like us:) ) you will spend 3 months agonizing over the details, 3 months drawing plan after plan, and then 6 months to a year (or more) building it. And it still won't be your ideal bench.

If you buy your non-ideal bench, you will get to start working on it right away and start learning right away what you don't like about it, so when you do build your ideal bench, you'll have a better idea of what you really want, rather than guesses and a thousand opinions from us internet folks. But, and this is the key but, you will actually get to do work on it, rather than spending the better part of a year or two thinking about your bench.

As an alternative if you really want to build a bench (and hey, who in this forum doesn't) take a simple, easy, fast, and cheap plan and build it in a couple weekends, again for the same reasons above. Don't bother with whether you want a Scandinavian bench, Roubo, Nicholson (whatever that is), or any of the other names that get thrown around, you don't know yet what you really want from the bench, so go for something fast, easy, and proven. It probably doesn't matter which one, as long as you can beat on it and clamp stuff; that will get you started, and do most of what you need it to do.

Myself, I of course didn't take any of this advice:) My first self-built bench was the FWW #4 Tage Frid bench, not something for a beginner. But, when I built it, I had used several benches in various shops, and knew that was the bench that I wanted (and it was; my main current bench is a lower version of that bench). I also had use of my non-ideal but adequate benches (or bench-like adaptations of things not meant to be woodworking benches) so I could still get stuff done. Despite following a fairly detailed and comprehensive plan, it still took me several months to build it, and I was fairly experienced at that point in my woodworking life.

[Marinus Loewensteijn]

I'll take the opposite side of the popular argument. if you have the funds, just go buy the bench. It won't be your ideal bench, but you will have it and be able to work on it right away. If you build your first bench (and especially if you solicit opinions from people like us:) ) you will spend 3 months agonizing over the details, 3 months drawing plan after plan, and then 6 months to a year (or more) building it. And it still won't be your ideal bench.

If you buy your non-ideal bench, you will get to start working on it right away and start learning right away what you don't like about it, so when you do build your ideal bench, you'll have a better idea of what you really want, rather than guesses and a thousand opinions from us internet folks. But, and this is the key but, you will actually get to do work on it, rather than spending the better part of a year or two thinking about your bench.

As an alternative if you really want to build a bench (and hey, who in this forum doesn't) take a simple, easy, fast, and cheap plan and build it in a couple weekends, again for the same reasons above. Don't bother with whether you want a Scandinavian bench, Roubo, Nicholson (whatever that is), or any of the other names that get thrown around, you don't know yet what you really want from the bench, so go for something fast, easy, and proven. It probably doesn't matter which one, as long as you can beat on it and clamp stuff; that will get you started, and do most of what you need it to do.

Myself, I of course didn't take any of this advice:) My first self-built bench was the FWW #4 Tage Frid bench, not something for a beginner. But, when I built it, I had used several benches in various shops, and knew that was the bench that I wanted (and it was; my main current bench is a lower version of that bench). I also had use of my non-ideal but adequate benches (or bench-like adaptations of things not meant to be woodworking benches) so I could still get stuff done. Despite following a fairly detailed and comprehensive plan, it still took me several months to build it, and I was fairly experienced at that point in my woodworking life.


A true musician can make a palatable tune on almost anything, a novice will need a decent quality instrument to get started and not loose motivation. Same with woodworking. Be too ambitious at the start and you'll get disappointed and loose interest. Small steps and short timeframes to make something wil get you there.

Instead of working with solid timber, having to flatten and run into problems with expanding and contracting timber and make allowances for that perhaps get started with a torsion box workbench instead? https://thepowertoolwebsite.com/torsion-box-workbench


(https://thepowertoolwebsite.com/torsion-box-workbench)FWIW I have built furniture and boats and never had a decent workbench to do so. Did make some decent quality sawhorses during that period that helped a lot.

[Jim Koepke]

If anyone wants to prevue the FWW bench, here is the teaser on the article:

https://www.finewoodworking.com/2019/10/28/build-a-simple-and-stout-workbench

The first posting on this made me think of actually looking for the issue. An email came today promoting this issue.

It left me thinking that maybe it isn't worth pursuing a copy.

jtk

[Jason Buresh]

Wow, thanks for all the helpful input everyone. These are the benches I have now. When I first moved my shop to the basement a year ago I made these on wheels so they were mobile. They are also able to be latched together to make a 4x8 bench. These worked great when I worked with power tools as they were basically outfeed tables and assembly benches, but they don't do squat for planing and workholding. I have only used the 4x8 "mega bench" for one project, so I don't need it so big.

I think I am going to try to tackle building a bench after everyone's comments. I would like to try to build a certain style of bench like a Moravian or roubo but I don't have the skill yet. If I didn't have a bench to start with I probably would have bought one, but I think I will try to build a good one. I'm thinking a simple design like the sjobergs. I can't afford to make it all from hardwood at this point, so I think I am going to laminate 2x4's and make a 2'x6' top. I am thinking 4x4 for the legs, and using a draw bore mortise and tenon for the frame so if I ever move and need to get it out of my basement, I can pound the pegs out and disassemble.

I will have to figure out vises, but I'll worry about that later.

Is it a stupid idea to draw bore the frame? Should I use glue instead and if I move just leave the bench in the house?

[David Eisenhauer]

No, it is not stupid to drawbore the frame. I believe that is the way they were built back in the day. I will call "BS" on your statement - " but I don't have the skill yet". The Moravian is not a complicated build and my Ruobo only gave me head pains when working out the Benchcrafted tail vise void. There are plans (and/or YT videos) out there for each type of bench and you take it a step at a time. Joinery is the only real "skil" task set and more work will be done face glueing up 2x material to the desired thickness. Having some of the tools best suited for the work, plus many clamps will help, along with your existing benches to work off of. A solid bench with a face vise (easy installation virtually anywhere you want it after the bench is done) and holdfast holes is an uncomplicated build. My Ruobo required M&T work, again not complicated given the huge amount of instructional content available on YT alone, never mind reading some stuff. The large size of the Ruobo bench makes for less need for dead-on, pretty looking M&T work that a nice piece of furniture requires. Same for the Moravian. If you decide to build your own out of construction grade lumber, then go buy some lumber, sticker it and let it dry for a while

[Nathan Johnson]

I made a modified version of Paul Sellers' bench out of construction lumber. I had no skills at the time, and it isn't perfect. It is, however, totally functional and works fine for planing. The legs are wedged to the apron and screwed to the slab, so it could all come apart and move, if needed.
I like the tool well as it is a good spot for chisels and marking gauges. It also allows me to use my bench hook with both western and Japanese saws, and get creative with clamping.
This was all built on sawhorses with hand tools. I think the vise was on sale for $80-ish on Amazon.

One unintentional benefit of this bench is how great it is for wrapping christmas presents.

[Ross Manning]

I think I am going to try to tackle building a bench after everyone's comments. I would like to try to build a certain style of bench like a Moravian or roubo but I don't have the skill yet. If I didn't have a bench to start with I probably would have bought one, but I think I will try to build a good one. I'm thinking a simple design like the sjobergs. I can't afford to make it all from hardwood at this point, so I think I am going to laminate 2x4's and make a 2'x6' top. I am thinking 4x4 for the legs, and using a draw bore mortise and tenon for the frame so if I ever move and need to get it out of my basement, I can pound the pegs out and disassemble.

I will have to figure out vises, but I'll worry about that later.

Is it a stupid idea to draw bore the frame? Should I use glue instead and if I move just leave the bench in the house?

Good call on building a new bench ;)

Laminating and flattening the top will be the most time consuming and challenging step. I made a bench using 12 x 3 Douglas Fir as a split top. These were bolted to left and right top side rails on the leg assemblies through counter bored holes (the legs were made similar to the Paul Sellers bench). I don't find the holes in the top a problem, and it makes disassembly simple, as well as an easy way to tighten the bench after inevitable wood shrinkage.)

You could also consider glueing a few laminated panels to get required thickness. These panels are available at the big box stores, often come up on special and are available in various widths - up to 24". They are dead flat from the factory, so will minimise the flattening. However laminating your own 4 x 2 is likely to be the cheapest route.

Richard Maguire has some great info on workbenches (he used to make some of the best commercially available benches and hardware)

See these articles for vise advice :D
https://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/woodworking-face-vice/
https://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/woodworking-bench-vices/

This site also has a lot of good information on vises and other workbench topics:
http://www.workbenchdesign.net/

[David Dalzell]

There is always a lot of contention on building versus buying a workbench. I went through this about 5-6 years ago. Build or buy? To me a workbench is just another tool. I bought a Lie-Nielsen workbench and have been extremely happy with my decision to buy instead of make. A tool is a tool. I don't "love" them, I use them. If they are useful and satisfy my needs I keep them, maintain them, and upgrade them when needed. If they are not useful they either sit and gather dust or I get rid of them. Tools are the means that allow me to do what I love doing; make furniture for my family and friends. I use my LN workbench almost every day, along with my other tools, but they are just tools (excellent tools) that help me do what I love to do. I have taken the time to make some tools. I have made hand planes, small detail chisels, and a variety of other specialized hand tools. All of these were either not available commercially or too expensive for me. I made them because I needed them to make things with wood, not because I loved the idea of making a tool.

If I had to do it over again, make or buy a bench, I would buy. The cost would be more or less the same either way. But in buying I would spend less time making a tool and more time making furniture.

[Anuj Prateek]

I would vote for building until and unless you need the bench right away.

Building bench, as an amateur, is a very valuable learning experience.

[ken hatch]

No, it is not stupid to drawbore the frame. I believe that is the way they were built back in the day. I will call "BS" on your statement - " but I don't have the skill yet". The Moravian is not a complicated build and my Ruobo only gave me head pains when working out the Benchcrafted tail vise void. There are plans (and/or YT videos) out there for each type of bench and you take it a step at a time. Joinery is the only real "skil" task set and more work will be done face glueing up 2x material to the desired thickness. Having some of the tools best suited for the work, plus many clamps will help, along with your existing benches to work off of. A solid bench with a face vise (easy installation virtually anywhere you want it after the bench is done) and holdfast holes is an uncomplicated build. My Ruobo required M&T work, again not complicated given the huge amount of instructional content available on YT alone, never mind reading some stuff. The large size of the Ruobo bench makes for less need for dead-on, pretty looking M&T work that a nice piece of furniture requires. Same for the Moravian. If you decide to build your own out of construction grade lumber, then go buy some lumber, sticker it and let it dry for a while


David's advise is dead on, if you build go with something proven to start. The major work in any build is the slab. Yet the slab is probably the least critical part. Pick a known base, as posted I'm a Moravian fan because of the ease of build, stability and the fact it is easy to break down and move. I've built Roubo benches as well and the Roubo base is an easy build and stable. Build either to go with your slab and you will have a good bench that will be better than either the ready made or any of the "build a bench in a day" benches woodworking mags like to publish.

Where the builds can get complicated and sometimes difficult is when you start adding accessory to the bench such as face vises, deadmen, wagon or tail vises. If you use a simple vise like a leg vise with a crisscross it will add little time or difficulty to the build. Bottom line: Roubo or Moravian benches are very easy builds if you keep them simple and if you do there will be less "stuff" to drive you to barking at the moon later. Keeping simple is win win.

ken

[steven c newman]

First workbench I made....was the one from The New Yankee Workshop....by Norm Abram. On my 3rd version....

[Jason Buresh]

Thanks for the pictures Nathan! That is pretty much what I had in my head. I was considering doing a tool well but was on the fence. Do you ever regret not having a solid top?

[David Eisenhauer]

Just noticed late last night that Joshua (Wood and Shop guy) on YT has recently started selling Moravian benches at $3,500 per.

[ken hatch]

Just noticed late last night that Joshua (Wood and Shop guy) on YT has recently started selling Moravian benches at $3,500 per.
David,

I have one up for $1600 USD because there are a couple of blemishes, nothing structural but not close enough to perfect. Out of Poplar and Beech with BeachCrafted screw and crisscross I ask $3200 USD so $3500 USD is completely in line, in fact I'd call it a good deal.

Just to add, not a lot for your time at that price.

ken

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I purchased a bench when I first started woodworking. Building a decent bench was for certain beyond my limited skill set at the time. My bench has worked just fine and I have no reason to build a different bench.

Decide on skill set, time availability, and cost. You already said that cost was not an issue.

If you build your own, you can choose the vice you want in the configuration you want. To some extent I can move vicss around on my bench, but I have their vises. So, especially if you have a vise vice.....

Even now, I would probably just buy a bench if the costs were similar and i did not see something specific that I wanted that would not be on the bench that I was about to purchase.

[David Eisenhauer]

Agrteed on the profit margin Ken. Slim, slim.

[Scott Winners]

Jason, you have reached paralysis by analysis. I fully agree with both Davids and Anuj above.

I would suggest you take a 2x4 scrap maybe 16" long and your number four plane to your local Sjoberg's store. If you are happy planing the edge of that, just buy the fool thing and get on with your life.

I think 4x4 that I can get at the home store is lousy for legs. They cut that stuff out of the worst trees they can find. For just a few bucks more, look at 4x6 for the legs. The ones you want are free of heart center, FOHC, but there are going to be some on every shipment of #2 Doug Fir around here. When you look at the ends you should see quarter circles of growth rings. When you look at the four sides you want all edge grain, no face grain. If you can find two of those at eight feet you have nominally four possible legs at 4 feet each. FWIW I was able to lay out my joinery so I didn't have to cut through a knot to make a mortise or a tenon; and while it was expensive for firewood the scraps got swallowed up by my wood stove just fine.

The idea that you don't have the skills is total BS. That is a lie and you need to leave it behind to get anywhere in this hobby. Focus instead on learning new skills. If you can layout and cut simple joinery every thing +/- one eighth of an inch your bench is going to last longer than the house you build it in. You should check each joint individually of course. One famous published author said each work bench joint should fit "like a hat in a hallway" which i think is a bit overboard. Another one said you should be able to close each individual joint in a workbench by driving each joint home with a hot dog bun, and not damage the bun. I think the latter is a bit more realistic. If you lay everything out as perfectly as possible, use only the 1/8" marks on your rule and every joint can go home with a hot dog bun you are going to have tolerance stack, you are going to need a 8# sledge to close the last joint and it will be bomb proof.

I would suggest (using green Doug Fir, stamped WWP in a circle for Western Wood Products Association and S-GRN for wood kiln dried to 19.99% Moisture Content and D FIR inside a triangle) that you draw bore 1/8" and at first assembly with no glue and 1/2 inch double pegs at each MT joint. If you can't drive the pegs out later drill them out with a 3/4" bit, then rebore for one inch pegs with 1/8 drawbore after you move. When you reassemble it with the 1" pegs glue the snot out of it knowing it will never again come apart.

Tool well is a disputable matter, you are going to have to work out your own salvation on that one. If my wife was a woodworker she wouldn't need a toolbox because everything would be in the tool well. I have a place to put all of my tools away and have no use for a tool well, it looks like a saw dust holder to me. Just saying.

[Matthew Mills]

I built this version of a plywood workbench. https://finewoodworking.com/FWNPDFfree/011181054.pdf

I topped it with a double layer of mdf. It is super heavy and stable. I’ve planed on it and chopped mortises. I used about $100 in materials and added the eclipse 9” vise for about another $150. If the top ever gets wrecked I can just replace the top.

[David Warkentin]

I didn’t read the whole thread to see what was decided but I’ll tell you what I did. I bought the wood kit and Benchcrafted hardware a year or two ago and started a bench. And haven’t finished. I want to cut dovetails and build things besides a bench so I bought a Sjoberg bench. I do plan to finish the Benchcrafted bench someday... it will likely be much heavier and won’t move around as much as the Sjoberg.

[Charles Guest]

I feel kinda silly as a woodworker asking this question, but for my first real workbench would I be better off buying a Sjobergs or building my own? In the past I have used 3/4 plywood on 2x4 frames and they work, but I would like something beefier.

Now obviously this won't be my one and only bench for the rest of my life, but my thought process was should I buy a bench and figure out what I like and what I don't like or should I build a bench and experiment.

If I were to build one, I would most likely use laminated 2x4's and plane the top flat, and I would have to figure out what vises to use and where to put them. I would drill dog holes in the top. I plan to use holdfasts and 3/4" dogs.

On the other hand, the bench I was looking at from jobergs is made from birch and has 2 vises and dogs included, and the holes are pre drilled

As far as price goes, I think it would be very close so it doesn't much sway me one way or the other.

I know there is lots of designs and Books on building beautiful benches, but I just need an economical work horse that I'm don't afraid to scratch or ding.

Thanks for the input!


Alan Peters worked an entire, brilliant career and never at a bench he'd made himself. It's a tool. If it's your goal to make every tool you use then by all means build a bench. Otherwise, buy one, don't worry, and stay busy with other projects. He got to a point very early in his career where the notion of him building his own bench would have been laughably easy, but ultimately a waste of his valuable time.