Horizontal and Vertical Deadman Upgrades for a Workbench

[Joel Gelman]

For my traditional workbench, I was thinking of adding a deadman (support leg) as shown in this Rob Cosman video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1aNBgGxxs0&t=667s

I understand the sliding deadman offers some advantages for things that do not quite reach the deadman, but I like it out of the way for my drawers, which I hope to upgrade some day (low priority for sure).

After seeing this video

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...ulla+workbench

if you look at 44:10, you will see horizontal pop out dogs along the front edge of the top. I have noticed when I use my vise to secure boards, they can tilt on me, especially the longer ones that are not so wide. It seems like this is something every workbench should have as it takes up no space and provides nice support. I am wondering why I have not seen this on more benches.

Anyone install these?


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[Monte Milanuk]

I'm guessing most people probably just clamp a piece of scrap to the bench at an appropriate height and get on with whatever they're working on.

Having something purpose-built is probably more elegant / less ad-hoc, and appeals to certain folks.

Either way works ��

[Jim Koepke]

I am wondering why I have not seen this on more benches.

Different folks have different ideas on the different features one should have on their bench. Having an apron helps to make using dogs or other work holding items along the front of a bench possible. Whether or not a bench has an apron is as much a subject of debate as having a tool well.

A Nicholson style bench is all in on having an apron > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?277510 < Post #15 is by Ron Brese and has a great image of a Nicholson bench.

My own bench did not have holes in the apron, so a couple were added.

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They can hold dogs or holdfasts. Before the holes a deadman was made from a 2X4.

jtk

[Joshua Lucas]

My first bench had dog holes in the front edge of the top but I don't think I used them much. Narrow stock is better supported by planing on the bench top, and wide stock needs the dog holes lower down to keep it at planing height.

IMG_20190818_210829.jpg

My current bench has what I suppose you could call a horizontal deadman, very useful for supporting wide stock (8"+). Medium-width stock (4-8") can be clamped to the bench top with holdfasts. I haven't really missed the dog holes on the edge of the top.

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[William Fretwell]

The pop out supports so close to the vise seem to do little. The wide vise provides a large contact area. The stops may push the work up too high. I like the surface being worked to be just above the vise jaws. Those stops will rarely be at the right height.
The sliding deadman seems a better idea but then it’s always in the way. A free standing deadman that clamps in the tail vise opening is probably very useful. Using a clamp to the front of the bench is simple but the clamp sticks out a bit.
Like most workarounds you get used to managing without.

I have been considering the free standing deadman in my tail vise for a while. I had an idea for a hinged deadman on the side of the leg that rests on the bench foot and swings out of the way when not in use.

[Derek Cohen]

For my traditional workbench, I was thinking of adding a deadman (support leg) as shown in this Rob Cosman video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1aNBgGxxs0&t=667s

I understand the sliding deadman offers some advantages for things that do not quite reach the deadman, but I like it out of the way for my drawers, which I hope to upgrade some day (low priority for sure).

After seeing this video

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...ulla+workbench

if you look at 44:10, you will see horizontal pop out dogs along the front edge of the top. I have noticed when I use my vise to secure boards, they can tilt on me, especially the longer ones that are not so wide. It seems like this is something every workbench should have as it takes up no space and provides nice support. I am wondering why I have not seen this on more benches.

Anyone install these?

Joel, Nick (a fellow-Aussie) is a very fine furnituremaker, and has won awards for his pieces. However, after a few years of this, he has discovered that YouTube pays better, and his work is now dedicated to clicks and viewers. That very finely made bench is a show piece, regardless of his justifications for the weird design. I have no doubt that we shall see more wonderful pieces from Nick, but I would not recommend his bench to you (or anyone).

Whether you settle on a sliding deadman, or a peg in a leg, really depends on the length of the boards you plan to plane. I like the versatility of a sliding deadman. I do have drawers, but I designed the drawers to fit inside the deadman, and there is storage for a shooting board behind this ...





Veritas sell the pop up dogs, if you are looking for these. I have one in my leg vise ...



Are they useful on the bench? I think that you would be better off with full-length dogs, either wooden or brass.

At the front of the bench are wooden rectangular dogs. At the rear of my bench (and centre) are round dogs, which are used for hold downs and brass dogs (for planing across the bench) ....



Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jimmy Harris]

I think the reason you don't see it as often is because I'm guessing your vise doesn't hold as well as most people's. Try putting some leather or cork on the face and I bet you'll get a lot less sliding. At least, that's my thoughts on those dogs right next to the vise in that video.

Sliding deadman's are pretty common. There are also free-standing versions that some people have and probably don't pull out too often, so you may not see them that often. And then there are people like me, who just use a camp to clamp the board to the top when necessary. It's not a problem I run into enough for it to be worth coming up with a permanent solution.

Plus, I think a lot of woodworkers have gotten used to the wood sliding a bit in the vise. I know I've seen countless videos where someone is planning a board in a vise and you'll see it move slightly, time and again, and eventually they'll grab it an reseat it. And I'll do this too. Again, it's a problem I don't deal with enough to justify my time in trying to come up with a fix.

If it bothers you enough to employ these methods to fix the problem, then go for it! Some people take great pride in owning the "ultimate bench". And that's fantastic.