The Workbench book: Anyone build a bench from it?

[Bob Weisner]

Hi.

Has anyone built a workbench from the designs in the Workbench Book? They got a huge Shaker style workbench , I think it was, that was HUGE!!!

[Art Mulder]

Hi.

Has anyone built a workbench from the designs in the Workbench Book? They got a huge Shaker style workbench , I think it was, that was HUGE!!!
Bob, are you serious? That book was "the" workbench book for many years. There must be bazillions of them around.

Here: Peter Berglund (http://www.threeplanes.net/Bench.html) built a pretty straightforward copy of that shaker bench, though bit smaller. Or perhaps Jim Shaver's bench (http://www.woodcentral.com/shots/shot625.shtml) at woodcentral -- he uses a leg vise.

Keith Rucker (http://pages.friendlycity.net/%7Ekrucker/Bench/index.htm) has a tremendously detailed web page about his bench. Bob Key used to have a great web page on bench building, but it seems to have disappeared.

Get busy with google and you'll probably find many many others.

best,
...art

[Howard Acheson]

My bench is about a 95% copy of the Michael Fortune bench. It's now about 20 years old and going strong.

[Michael Gibbons]

Bob, I'm going to start the Frank Klausz workbench project in a month or so. Gotta save some $$ and order a few things like the bench screw, bench dogs and tail vise from Lie-Nielsen. I'm going to cheat and purchase a butcher block top for the main field to save time.:rolleyes:

[Corvin Alstot]

Has anyone built a workbench from the designs in the Workbench Book? They got a huge Shaker style workbench
Wish I had space for a full size shaker workbench as was shown in the book. I think the Workbench book has been the inspiration for a ton of hand built benches. I am on year one of my workbench and I supect it will be complete in two years. Its tough to work on the bench when other projects are still incomplete. Of course, I like the Emmert vises so as most benches, it will reflect my sense of scale, materials and details.

[Roger Bell]

When the book first came out in the late 80's, I built the Kirby bench to replace the 2x4/plytop table I was using.

Although I have built a couple of other simple benches, I haven't found the need for anything fancier than the Kirby. Simple, straightforward and utilitarian.

[Alan Turner]

Bob,
I did not build any single bench from that book, but have borrowed heavily from several of the designs in building the several benches that I have built. I like the Klaus bench, but have never had room for the width created by the front vise arrangement. It is nice to be able clamp work vertically, which it affords in spades, but I use the tail vise for that purpose when it is needed, such as sawing the pins and tails of dovetails. My TV is made from commercial hardware with the metal plates; not the lead screw/wooden tracks method that he uses.

[Tom Jones III]

I loaned out my copy of the book so I can't tell you the name of the bench that I built, but it was one of the very simple ones. It is built out of 2x4 salvaged from some other project and was the second ww'ing project I did. It turned out to be a good bench only because the plan were perfect for a beginner. The bench used threaded rods through the base to tighten everything up and despite the light weight it is incredibly sturdy.

[Ken Garlock]

Hi Bob. Last year, someone pointed the Creek to a bench (http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_improvement/furniture/1302961.html)featured in Popular Mechanics. It is just the right size for me, and I plan on building it sometime this year.:cool:

[Bill Webber]

Has anyone built a workbench from the designs in the Workbench Book? They got a huge Shaker style workbench , I think it was, that was HUGE!!!
Ooh, Ooh, I leafed through 'The Workbench Book' to come up with my interpretation of Norm Vandal's shaker bench... which was inspired by the Hancock bench, etc.

This has been around for a while but I still like showing it off: http://www.oldtoolsshop.com/Galoots/wWebber/workbench.htm

Bill W.

[Byron Sellers]

I am designing my new bench and have been leaning towards a Nyquist style tail vise. I have a copy of the workbench book but am looking for more detailed plans for his vise, or similiar type vise. Has anyone built his style of vise?

[Jack Hogoboom]

I too hope to build Frank Klausz's bench someday. I saw it a week or so ago at a NJ woodworking show. It is absolutely gorgeous. Incredible, shiny finish on it and the tightest dovetails I've ever seen.

I need about 10 years more experience before I'm ready....

Jack

[Mark Blacketer]

I tried but still found one I liked better in "Wood" magazine. Actually, I had to make some changes to the one in the magazine so everything would work. Here's what I came up with.
Mark