right to left hand bench

[Richard Hutchings]

Yup, I'm considering ripping off the front 5 inches of my bench and spinning it 180 to make it left handed. It works ok the way it is but I'd rather be planing against the dogs in the bench instead of the dog in the tail-vise. I have the vise apart and starting the process of building it better. I can't believe I need so many components for this hardware.

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[Jason Buresh]

Maybe this is a stupid idea, but couldn't you just mount another vise on the opposite side of the bench and just turn the whole bench 180 degrees? Or at least detach the bench top and spin that?

[Richard Hutchings]

No, the dogs are cut in on an angle and can't be reversed without ripping the front off and spinning it.

[Tom Bussey]

Why not just get a Veritas Panel Clamp ($54.50 )and a couple of round metal dogs and drill in some holes on the back side of the bench and make it left handed. I have a left handed side as well as a right handed side on my bench. Or build yourself a left handed bench and sell you bench. Benches go for high prices today. I have also been writing about bench building in the General woodworking and power tool section of this forum.

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[Richard Hutchings]

I have one of those and never use it. I bought when I was living in a rental and didn't have access to this bench. I'd love to build another bench though. That said and after giving it some thought, I'm not going to change this one but I am going to make it the best it can be with the hardware I have. Thanks

[Richard Hutchings]

I would miss my tool tray. It gets cluttered but I still think they are essential. I realize this image doesn't show the tray but it's there.


Maybe this is a stupid idea, but couldn't you just mount another vise on the opposite side of the bench and just turn the whole bench 180 degrees? Or at least detach the bench top and spin that?

[Ray Bohn]

Yup, I'm considering ripping off the front 5 inches of my bench and spinning it 180 to make it left handed. It works ok the way it is but I'd rather be planing against the dogs in the bench instead of the dog in the tail-vise. I have the vise apart and starting the process of building it better. I can't believe I need so many components for this hardware.

475650

I look forward to following your progress and learn from your experience.

[Norman Pirollo]

Left-hander here. Had this hand plane dilemma with workbenches for a long time and came up with this workaround. You need an end vise as part of the solution but it works very well. I've been using it considerably for the better part of 2 years now. and can handplane from left to right against dogs now. I call it the Sliding Tail Vise and it can be created in 2-3 versions. So it allows use of both sides of the workbench assuming it is located away from wall as in images. It is a system with a few components. I have plans available on my web site. Thx, Norman

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[Derek Cohen]

Yup, I'm considering ripping off the front 5 inches of my bench and spinning it 180 to make it left handed. It works ok the way it is but I'd rather be planing against the dogs in the bench instead of the dog in the tail-vise. I have the vise apart and starting the process of building it better. I can't believe I need so many components for this hardware.

475650

Hi Richard

I assume that you are right-handed. Before you do anything drastic, I have two suggestions.

Firstly, add a full-width adjustable end stop. Line it with cork-rubber ...

https://i.postimg.cc/2SSCkVhQ/End-stop1.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/4N5JRz74/End-stop2.jpg

Secondly, add a toothed metal planing stop to a bench dog. I made this one from unhardened O1 steel, and filed it to shape. It is connected to the dog with steel inserts and bolts ...

https://i.postimg.cc/GpSfLqhd/5a.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/TPxVQbT8/2a.jpg

Where it is left permanently, near the end of the bench, the top is recessed to fit the teeth ...

https://i.postimg.cc/25x4t551/3a.jpg

If all your dogs are the same size, then you can use it up-and-down the bench ...

https://i.postimg.cc/pLzQDCbY/4a.jpg

Used with a Doe's Foot, it creates a very solid hold for planing ...

https://i.postimg.cc/B6Y2qwHs/5a.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/9MRnrZrT/6a.jpg

... or, add one to the end vise as well (this is fantastic!) ...

https://i.postimg.cc/9M6NT07k/7a.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Richard Hutchings]

Derek, thanks for you thoughtful input. One correction, I'm lefthanded and built this bench many years ago without any thought for my left handedness. My current thought is to construct a new end vise jaws out of hardwood and pay more attention to tolerances so the jaw doesn't rack and creates a solid enough stop for planing against. This is what I've been doing right along but the vise is just installed so poorly that I need to rebuild it. The work has begun.

I like your end stop and have always wanted to make one but never got around to it.

As for the metal grabber on the dog, yuck, I just don't want any metal that I could possibly ruin a tool on. I know they are kind of traditional but after ruining the bottom of my old Veritas LA plane on my face vice jaw, I just don't trust myself around metal.