Designing a Workbench

[Sean Graflund]

First of all I'd like to thank those who welcomed me in my Power Tools post .. I'm a new member .. My real name is Sean Graflund and Ken is changing my handle for me :) Thanks Ken!

My question is, what to do about a workbench. Below is my current bench:

http://home.comcast.net/~sgraflund/27.jpg

I have recently aquired a taste for doing hand work .. this bench just doesn't suit me ... nothing to clamp with, no dog holes, when i do try to plane or scrape or chisel, the whole thing rocks about 2 - 3" either way .. I've tried tightening down the frame to no avail ... I want to build a new bench ... I'd like to keep an open base to store some tool chests under there ... but I want it sturdy .. real sturdy ...

Now, the top of this bench is just about right, but I might want it a little wider, and a little higher, I'm a tall guy, 6'5". The top itself of my current bench is 1 1/2" hard maple with hardboard on top ... do you think I can salvage this top for the new bench? I was thinking of taking the top off, ripping it up into a couple of 8" sections, sending it through the planer to remove the hardboard and come back to the solid maple .. then gluing it back up, and gluing up a thicker - 3" new maple piece around the edges for a couple of vises ... I'd like a side vise and either a shoulder vise or tail vise ... What does everybody think of this?

For the base, I was just thinking of going with some hardwood like ash for strength .. using solid 4x4 for the legs and stretchers ...

Does anybody know any good links for workbench plans that I might be interested in?

Thanks!

Sean

[Mark Mazzo]

Sean,

First of all welcome to the Creek!

As far as your workbench dilemma, I think you should most definitely try to salvage the top that you have. Even if you just flip it over and drill for diog holes! The hardest part I found about making my bench was milling and laminating the hard maple slabs for the top. Given your top and what you described that you might like to do I'd like to point you to a post I made here about my workbench (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?threadid=986) a while ago for some ideas. I describe the bench completely in the post. In short, it is based on plans from Lee Valley, the top is hard maple and the base is made up of laminated construction grade studs held together with torsion rods. It is very stable and immensely useful.

I hope that this gives you some food for thought on your bench project.

-- Mark

[Richard McComas]

First of all I'd like to thank those who welcomed me in my Power Tools post .. I'm a new member .. My real name is Sean Graflund and Ken is changing my handle for me :) Thanks Ken!

My question is, what to do about a workbench. Below is my current bench:

http://home.comcast.net/~sgraflund/27.jpg

I have recently aquired a taste for doing hand work .. this bench just doesn't suit me ... nothing to clamp with, no dog holes, when i do try to plane or scrape or chisel, the whole thing rocks about 2 - 3" either way .. I've tried tightening down the frame to no avail ... I want to build a new bench ... I'd like to keep an open base to store some tool chests under there ... but I want it sturdy .. real sturdy ...

Now, the top of this bench is just about right, but I might want it a little wider, and a little higher, I'm a tall guy, 6'5". The top itself of my current bench is 1 1/2" hard maple with hardboard on top ... do you think I can salvage this top for the new bench? I was thinking of taking the top off, ripping it up into a couple of 8" sections, sending it through the planer to remove the hardboard and come back to the solid maple .. then gluing it back up, and gluing up a thicker - 3" new maple piece around the edges for a couple of vises ... I'd like a side vise and either a shoulder vise or tail vise ... What does everybody think of this?

For the base, I was just thinking of going with some hardwood like ash for strength .. using solid 4x4 for the legs and stretchers ...

Does anybody know any good links for workbench plans that I might be interested in?

Thanks!

Sean

Pickup a copy of "The Workbench Book" by Scott Landis.

[Sean Graflund]

I did pick up a copy of the workbench book today, what a great book! Lots of ideas ...

Quick question ... just from the end grain in that picture or my bench, can anybody verify if that wood is maple? I did a test the other day and chipped away a piece of the hardboard down to the hardwood ... the grain didn't look like maple, but looked like laminated pine?? I pushed a chisel into it and came back with a crease from it .. maple shouldn't be able to do that correct?

Does anybody know anything about these old crafsman workbenches? My dad said it's from about late 1950's ..

I wonder if I could still use this as a top ... just flipping it over, the hardboard below is still in great shape ... maybe even adding a layer of MDF or another layer of hardboard to it to cover screw holes ....

I've got design ideas in my head, I'm just wondering if I shoud still use this top ..

[Tom Scott]

Besides the workbench book, you ought to take a look at Bob Key's web site Bob Key (http://www.terraclavis.com/bws/) . He has a lot of good information about benches, including good ideas for a first (quick / cheap) bench.
On to your questions. Yes, I think you should try to re-use your existing top. Flip it over, fill (plug) any screw holes, and plane flat with a hand plane, wrap it with a thicker wood (espcially where you want the dog holes), and move on. If yo don't like it or it doesn't work for you, it can always be replaced.
4x4's work great for the base. That's what I used and initially created a shelf at top and bottom, but have since placed a cabinet between.

One other idea. If you are needing your bench to make a bench (now that's a conundrum, eh?), I think you could improve it by adding some cross bracing in a "X" shape at each end. Drill some holes in the existing legs and use either some scrap flat strap metal or even some 1x wood members.

[Jim Hill 2]

I studied the book you just picked up and Bob Key's web site and found that Bob was right! Don't spend a lot on the first bench because you will realize all the things you would like to have in your next one. I didn't have a planer at the time so I just laminated 2x4's to create a bench top that was about 3 inches thick. It was not expensive but is very heavy. I built a stand for it right out of Bob's web site and made a half inch mortice for the stand legs to fit in. It's rock solid and if I scratch up the top all I have to do is plane it down again. I made my bench a jointers bench. The nice thing about laminating it was the ability to route the square dog holes before the glue up. I think your in a better starting position than I was since I didn't have a bench to use to build mine. I'm planning on enclosing the base and adding removable doors in the near future. Eventually I would like to replace the top with hard wood and get rid of the tool tray. I found I only use it to collect junk I'm to lazy to put away. Hope this helps and please post a picture of your finished product.

Jim

[Bob Weisner]

Hi:

When I made my first workbench, I made it to hold my sears lathe. I got the Workbench Book and studied all the different designs. I made the bench that is on page 49 in that book. The differences between that bench in the book and mine are:

1. I made the top 2 7/8" thick.

2. Top is made out of curly cherry and quarter sawn white oak.

3. The sides of the bench top are 3 inches wide and are made from 2 boards glued together and then biscuit joined and screwed to the top. The boards I used for the sides are curly white oak.

4. The legs and feet of the bench are made out of 4 inch thick red oak.

5. The main beam underneath the workbench is made out of white ash and is 2 9/16 " thick

Total length of the workbench is 6 feet long.

Thanks,

Bob