I (almost) finished building my workbench! This is a design that I hardly see anywhere, but struck me as perfect for my small apartment. It is based on a "Sloyd" style workbench:
sloyd-workbench.jpg
My bench is an approximation, and certainly not a replica. It's smaller, at just over 3 feet by 1.5 feet, and built of cheap laminated pine and whitewood (the latter, I do *not* recommend, but whatever it works for a utilitarian bench that will be replaced at some point in the future. It's all I had available in the right dimensions for the leg assembly at the local home center):
luke-bench-dark.jpg
luke-bench-bright.jpg
I will likely innovate a bit by adding a small drawer underneath the top of the work bench (where you see the single dog sticking out), and also a Japanese toolbox with a sliding lid that will sit inbetween, and flush with the stretchers, where there's currently a shelf. This will keep all of my tools out of the way and make efficient use of space and avoid clutter (which is super important when the time is limited, and your workshop is also part of your living space. Can't have tools laying around everywhere and preventing you from sweeping up wood chips and shavings, or starting / stopping work)
The backboard is great for keeping tools up and out of the way. I'll add racks on the back as well to hold a few more tools and bench hooks and the like.
I'm loving the design. The whole thing is quite portable; the top just sits onto the leg assembly with pegs and corresponding holes, so it just lifts off. The leg assembly uses tusked mortise and tenons which can be easily removed and disassembled, but when the wedges are driven in, the whole thing is extremely solid and there's zero rack.
This is the first bench I've built or used with square dogs and a tail vice, and somewhat to my surprise, I'm loving those features.
Also somewhat to my surprise, I find very little need for the legs to be flush with the face of the bench, especially with that little tail vise being so close. Just stick a board in the tail vise for support, or use a clamp if it's a really wide piece. Most of the pieces I edge plane are narrow enough to sit on the top of the bench even, though. The fact that the legs aren't flush is actually kind of handy on such a small bench, as, occasionally, I need to step on the foot of the bench to keep it from moving. Yet, I needed a light bench as I will be moving around from place to place and don't have the luxury of a building a 400lb Roubo.
Rubber pads under the feet can be used to reduce vibrations transmitted to the floor, and also keep the bench from moving even better (though, it typically doesn't move when planing).
If I ever need to use the full width of the bench, I can either just remove the backboard (just a few screws), or extend the width with some beams in the vise, or work on the floor in a Japanese manner, which I am quite accustomed to already. Most of the work I do is rather small though, so this is not a big concern for me.
I've already used this quite extensively and am loving the design for my workflow and needs. It's really important to have tools handy while avoiding clutter, but I can't go drilling holes in the walls, nor do I have room, really, for a tool cabinet. This bench will be able to hold all of my tools, keep them within my reach, and also keep any dangerous tools out of the reach of children (who generally don't have access to my room, but you never know). Keeping the benchtop and the floor free of tools means that I can start and stop working, and sweep and clean up at any time very quickly, which is absolutely essential when your workshop is also part of your home office / living space, and you're a new dad with very limited time -- maybe just enough time to pop over and cut a joint or plane a single board before your attention is needed elsewhere again. This bench is ideal for that.
There are many things that I will improve on when/if I build a second bench -- probably opting for a very similar cabinet maker's bench design instead, with traditional wooden vises sunk into a slightly thinner top, with a thicker strip for the dogs and for chopping in the front. There were also some things I didn't quite have or know of a good way of attaching, and if you examine the bench from all sides, you'll see quite a bit of rough or incomplete work still. And, I sort of wish I had sprung for better wood. But, hey, it's solid, ergonomic, not too bad looking, and stable, and most importantly, built and functional, so good enough for now! Not too bad for a new dad with hardly any free time on his hands, I guess.
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