Tage Frid workbench

[Bill Hays]

In issue 4 of Fine Woodworking Tage Frid provides plans for a Scandinavian style workbench that he designed for use in school where he was then teaching. I’ve always been attracted to the design and use of this bench and would be interested in any information you can share on these benches. For those who weren’t reading Fine Woodworking in 1976, the Frid bench had a traditional narrow one screw tail vise with square dog holes and a projecting single screw shoulder vise. There are a variety of similar tail vises around today but no actual shoulder vise that I’m aware of. Thanks - Bill

[mike stenson]

If you're talking about the dogleg shaped ones (as on the cover), you buy a screw and build the rest. Shoulder vise screws are pretty commonly available and relatively cheap (like < $40 @ lee valley).

They seem to have fallen out of favor generally speaking. Personally, I'm not a fan as they just take up too much space. Plus, there's the moxon..

[Josko Catipovic]

I made one years ago and like it a lot. I did make it a foot longer and 2" wider than the plan in FW.

[Bill Hays]

Thanks Josko. Have you found the wooden tail vise design durable? Any issue with cracks or separation of the top? I would love to see a picture.

[Richard Coers]

I built the Frank Klaus version of the standard European bench 36 years ago. I built the wood tail vise, but put a big Abernathy quick release cast iron vise on the front. Works as well today as it did in 1984.

[Tom Trees]

Hello Bill
A few folks have made some of these aswell as some WIP's at the moment over on that site called woodwork forums. ..
there is a specific "the workbench" section there, where you will find them.
Most of them are built to the plans in the Scott Landis book, I've some photocopies of the plans and found them not great, but probably the only ones available.
I am in the process of a Klausz/Scandinavian or continental "like" workbench from reclaimed iroko, slow going even with the best of virgin timbers :)
I misread the plans and made my short end cap lamination too short, and didn't take the extra length for the screw into account, which was very vague on another sheet.
It could do with twice the measurements as there's still things to figure out.

I take it your not in a rush!
Would love to see another Klausz bench build
All the best

Tom

[Thomas Wilson]

I built it in about 1980. I had few tools and certainly no workbench. My original fitting of the tail vise was poor but the vise worked and I had projects that I had to build. I intended to get back to it. Forty years later, the tail vise is still not flush with the top. No problems with the design. The article pointed out that all the major components could be replaced if needed. I have not broken anything on it. I will take a picture tomorrow for you.

[Kevin Jenness]

I have made two versions of this bench with a Record quick release vise in place of the dogleg shoulder vise. The wooden tail vise is a good exercise in joinery, but you can get the same result with far less effort buying one with metal slides or a wagon vise. The traditional shoulder vise is good for holding tapered pieces but it looks too much like a hip bruiser for me. Frid's design is rather light for serious hand planing. My second bench has a considerably heavier base.

[David Stone (CT)]

I encountered that workbench 35 years ago in Tage Frid's books--one of which has very detailed plans and a whole chapter of construction tips and photos--and have always aspired to make it. Maybe some day. ...after my uncle, Frid remains my biggest working influence and teacher even though I knew him only through FWW and Taunton books. Love his approach and design style.

[Andrew Seemann]

I have built two Frid benches and am a big an of the design and size. The second one is my current hand tool bench. It also gets used for power tools as well. It is quite handy for holding things for routing and biscuit joining. Very nice for dovetailing, stock preparation, and joinery. I am a fan of the shoulder vise and the tail vise; they are both very useful. I have not had any problems with sag on the tail vise; just remember not to beat on it.

The vise hardware is available at Lee Valley. You may need to cut the screws to length though. A metal chop saw or hack saw or metal blade in a sawzall will work fine.

Note that there are some dimension errors in the FWW #4 plan. The plan in Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking volume 3 is easier to follow and has fewer errors in it (although I think there may be one or two in there). When you do the top, take flatsawn wood and cut it into strips and turn them 90 degrees to laminate them. That will basically make your top quartersawn and more stable, and is easier, cheaper, and stabler than finding quartered 8/4 wood. Also, making more dog holes and closer together is nice in usage, as is sizing the dog holes so you can just use 3/4 stock to make dogs with.

If you have any specific questions on construction or design, feel free to ask them here or PM me.

Believe it or not, but benches go in and out of fashion in the Woodworking World, and for reasons that have nothing to do with their actual utility. Right now, for whatever reason, "Roubo" benches are in style (specifically the benches in the first edition of Roubo, because in later editions, he finds out about "German benches" with tail vises and is quite enamored with them). "Roubo" benches went from an appendix in Frank Hubbard's "Three Centuries of Harpsichord Making" to an obscure design in Landis's book to something that everyone today has to have for some unknown reason. Probably because everyone in the 70s and 80s wanted a Frid/Klausz bench, and the woodworkers that wanted to stand out after them decided to pick another design, so people would ask them about their benches.

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[Clint Baxter]

I made the Frid bench from the plans in the first FWW design book. Was happy with it and used it until a flood ruined it in 2011. As stated earlier, it is a little light for hand planing but I ended up bracing mine against a wall as I didn’t have much space otherwise. The openness of the shoulder vise is nice but you’ll need aa deadman to support longer pieces.

I ended up building a Roubo after the flood here, and prefer the mass and it’s Benchcrafted wagon vise I installed in it. I do miss the shoulder vise of the Frid bench, but not that portion of the bench that stuck out to accommodate the vise.

Clint

[Bill Hays]

Andrew - thanks for sending the picture but I’m unable to open it without a paid subscription, which is unavailable. I’m not sure why this is but as an alternative I wonder if you can send me the jpg by private message? I’m happy to post my email address here if that’s the way to go. Also thanks to everyone else. Very helpful. Bill

[Tom Trees]

I made the Frid bench from the plans in the first FWW design book. Was happy with it and used it until a flood ruined it in 2011. As stated earlier, it is a little light for hand planing but I ended up bracing mine against a wall as I didn’t have much space otherwise. The openness of the shoulder vise is nice but you’ll need aa deadman to support longer pieces.

I ended up building a Roubo after the flood here, and prefer the mass and it’s Benchcrafted wagon vise I installed in it. I do miss the shoulder vise of the Frid bench, but not that portion of the bench that stuck out to accommodate the vise.

Clint

Sorry to hear of your misfortune with the flood Clint, nothing to stop making it into a Roubo/Klausz though. https://sawmillcreek.org/images/icons/icon7.png
Good to hear that someone misses the shoulder vice, Yey!

I made the slab for the whole top at 4" and making a stouter base also ATM
Some changes were made to the design of the base with 4 long strachers, and the dog recently told me he dosen't want that middle stretcher in-between each trestle.

Still haven't figured out how I'm going to build the tail vise with a 4" top yet.
Some fun lies ahead

Cheers
Tom

[Bill Hays]

Andrew - it looks as if you may have beefed up the trestles a little? Bill

[Andrew Seemann]

Nope, the trestle is more or less built as plan indicates. The only difference is the legs are laminated from 3/4 maple stock that I wanted to use up rather than solid wood. The stretchers are 7/8" soft maple that I wanted to use because the figure was pretty.

Speaking of legs, I would make the legs a little shorter than you think they should be, and then make up the difference with pads under the trestle feet, so you can adjust them as needed. The reason I have made two Frid benches is that the first one ended up a little too high for me. Granted I waited 15 years to make the second one, but I like the shorter one better. The first one went to a SMC member that is about 6 inches taller than me.

The only other design changes I made other than putting in more dog holes and using some different woods, was to add a dog hole at the very left end of the top, to allow clamping as long a board as possible. Every once in a while I wish I could clamp a longer board between the dogs, but it doesn't happen often. And when it does, I just use my 3' x 7' assembly bench instead. I haven't had any issue with the the width, but again, it sits right next to a 3' x 7' bench, so I'm not limited by a single bench.

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Yes, I admit it, I still haven't put a finish on the bench top after 5 years. The cobbler's children go unshod:)

[Tom Trees]

On the contraire, you could always use hide glue for either the top bearers or the bottom.
I think my legs might be a bit long and haven't glued up those double tenons yet, most parts need a shaving or two, and through tenons are still proud.
I've left the feet oversize to account for any floor discrepancies, just for handyness sake really .
I'll definitely have gotten to grips with the shoulder plane, I've only been using it for this project, and glad of the work,as you cant stretch wood.:)

I haven't firmly decided where I am going to cut mortices for the long strechers, and only then could I decide one way or another...
It might depend on how valuable your shelf height would be, to decide on which of the bearers gets hot hide glue, that's assuming it could be dismantled :confused:

Tom

[Josko Catipovic]

Tail vise has really worked out well, but I did make all the moving/mating parts out of black locust. The rest of the bench is rock maple. In hindsight, that was a good call.
Maybe it's the extra dimensions and the resultant weight, but I never had stability problems or issues with hand-planing wood on it. I also remember the top is way too heavy for one person to lift off. No issues with top separating/moving after 30+ years. I do joint off a few shavings at 'yearly' cleanup and flood the top with BLO.
One hint would be to get the 3/8" threaded rod in stainless steel, as it's less stretchy than the commonly-found variety. I replaced mine after a few years, and it made a significant difference. That shoulder vise puts a lot of load on that threaded rod, and you don't want to gap to open, as shavings and stuff will fall in.

[Bill Hays]

Thanks Josco! Great advice. I have a good bit of Osage Orange in stock and may make the some of the moving part out of that though it is pretty abrasive. I would only use it for both surfaces. You said you made the top 2" wider. That's what I call fine tuning. :)

[Bill Hays]

Andrew, Josko - are the dog holes on your bench angled as Frid suggests? Do you use metal dogs? Bill

[Tom Trees]

Bill, I have never seen anyone who made their dog holes 90 degrees, I believe that the Klausz plans, are at 88, but the Frid ones could be 87?
The tailvice will have them canted in the opposite direction to bear down the timber flat onto the bench. so both canted towards each other.
Have a look at these two from Cosman, he has also another traditional Scandi bench, but no specific videos on it.
It would be on his older productions.
Two recent one's he has built might be of interest, there's no traditional tailvice though.
Rob has mentioned this,but maybe its on another video called "the better bench dog"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqhYuMq8_ko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-3c5UNgDBo

Here's another video which might be of interest, although it is a Scandi/Roubo design.
In some update that Carter made,which I can't find, he mentioned that he made his vice screw is too high, and it gets in the way of the plane of the top.
Just in case you are not buying metal hardware.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b819B3FJZME

Tom

[mike stenson]

Yea, my dogs are about 3º off of 90 (it's been a couple decades almost). The only 90º holes in my top are for holdfasts. I have both metal and wood dogs, to be honest... I haven't used the metal dogs in years.

[Josko Catipovic]

Yes, my dog holes are square and angled as Frid suggests. I make laminated maple dogs for the bench. I don't hit them that often, but...

[Andrew Seemann]

My dog holes are angled somewhere around 4 or 5 degrees. I think Frid's plan shows 4 degrees. The exact amount probably doesn't matter, just that they angle towards what you are clamping so the dogs don't ride up.

I use wooden dogs exclusively, since I have a knack for hitting the dogs while planing. That is why I made the dog holes about 13/16 wide, so I can easily make more dogs from regular 3/4 stock as needed, between occasionally hitting them and my (furry) dogs liking to chew on them if I leave them out.

[Bill Hays]

Thanks to you all for this very useful information. Bill

[Clifford McGuire]

I built the Klaus version, wow, almost 26 years ago. I studied The Workbench book before deciding which one to build. The dimensions are an exact replica except a bit shorter in length (because of material availability) and height ('cause I'm short). It's hard maple and cherry. I used a piece of birdseye in the front for visual interest.

It's been through 3 moves. I've flattened and refinished the top 3 times. I refinished the base this year. Both vises get used constantly and continue to work well. This year I added two holes for holdfasts. Otherwise it's the same as the day it was finished.

Some don't, but I find the tool tray indispensable. I just checked and the dog holes are angled a couple degrees.

What would I do different? I wouldn't have waited so long to add the holdfasts. Maybe storage underneath? Although I like the openness and I have enough storage space, for now. I will add a removable Moxon vise sometime soon. I've started hand cut dovetails (over 30 boxes so far this year) and I have a bad back. The extra 5 or 6 inches of height will be nice.

Some pics. Let me know if you have any questions.

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[Mark e Kessler]

Have you considered a Roubo design? I personally do not like the Scandi style vise arrangement, the shoulder vice is always in the way and the tail vise is difficult to make well and both of those areas are weak and prone to “vise droop” and it is somewhat lite weight. I am well aware that this bench style has served many craftsmen well over the years, i just feel that the Roubo style has more benefits especially when the benchcrafted hardware is used. A few of the benefits are, you can work on the top surface where the tail vise is (Clamp, hammer...) the top is flush with the legs. The split top version is very handy, I didn’t think I would like it at first but it is growing on me...


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[John Jardin]

Josko,
I'm an old New Bedford boy.
In addition to the 3/4 round holes, I also ran a 3/4 drill thru the square portion of the angled dog holes.
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