WWA Info Exchange

I'm a weekend warrior at best, but I would like your sugestions on features for a work bench. The type of vise, dog shape, drawers underneath or knee room. If you have a bench what do you like, what do you want in the next bench. This is a Dear Abbey of work benches, I'm open to suggestions.

I envision a 3" maple top, 3/4 stock glued up for legs. I would like drawer storage underneath, side and end vise, bench dogs. What am I getting wrong or just missing? Overall size will be 36x 84 miimun.

I've seen several sweet benches on this site. If you care to share your creation or experience, your effort is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Nothing fancy here. Started out with this basic bench:



Made some mods to improve convenience/functionality for me - don't care about pretty. Weak point of mine is the cheapo vises, but they work well enough. Here's a few of the changes/addons:

A lidded tray hung on the end for storage of dogs/stops wedges, etc..




A shallow pullout crapshelf to catch whatever falls thru the dog holes, and some pull out supports for long boards - 1" dowel in holes drilled in apron.




A full length slot to mount stops (for planing, etc. ), mechanics vise, and to keep stuff from rolling off.

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I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)

I went with a pretty simple design for my bench....



The ends are 2x stock face glued and grooved on the inside faces to accept a piece of glued in 3/4" MDF. The bottom stretcher are mortised into place and secured with veritas bench bolts... they really hold the assembly firm.

I built two wooden edges of three SYP pieces laminated together, and those enclose a middle of a solid core door and a sheet of 3/4" mdf cut to fit. It stays flat and weighs a ton.

I have a front iron vise. I want to put on a fast acting vise on one end so I can clamp long boards parallel with the bench for planing...

There are lots of plans out there...

* 24 Hour Bench – Popular Woodworking http://www.popularwoodworking.com/artic ... Workbench/

* $175 Bench – Popular Woodworking
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/artic ... Workbench/

* A Heavy Duty Workbench – The Woodworker’s Website Association
http://www.woodworking.org/WC/GArchive9 ... bench.html

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Ed,
I kind of question the minimum size that you stated in your post but, if you have room for it and feel you really need something that large for a "weekend warrior" hobbiest, have at it.
I built my bench in 2007 and am still using it. I cut a sheet of 3/4" mdf in half and stacked it up to 1-1/2" thick and the wraped the edges with some red oak for the top. My bench top only measures 27-1/2" x 50-1/2".
I built the base out of common 2 x 4s and added the shelves of mdf as I built it up. As you can see, I had some extra orange paint that I had to get rid of.



See ""



See ""



See ""

I added a small vise, two power strips, casters, and polyurethane on top then waxed the bejeasus out of the top so that glue and finish won't stick. (I re-wax every year or so) I think the locking, swivel, casters were the most expesive part of the whole project. I wanted to be able to move the bench around my small shop from time to time.
It doesn,t look nearly as nice now because of the saw cuts and drill holes and finish stains that I've put on it over the years. (I just did that to add that quality look to it. )

Rog

PS Sorry about the poor, fuzzy pictures, they were taken with my old camera, now you know why I have a NEW camera!

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Dont badmouth no strangers, they just friends you aint met yet.

An ounce of responsibility is worth a pound of State and Federal laws.

I spent most of my money on woodworking
tools and beer, the rest I just wasted.

I bult the one like Gene posted. I have it all done, except I still need to attach the top to the base. the base is in fact rock solid. I glued up the top from solid poplar and cherry about 2 3/4" thick.

Will assemble soon. the two parts are in different schools and I need to get the top and base home to the garage.

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"To all those who work come moments of beauty unseen by the rest of the world." Norman Maclean

http://www.finewoodworking.com/Workshop ... x?id=28530


built this bench from plans I got 'from' fine woodworking (actually from some sketchup plans on lumberjocks, based on...)

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Ned

Madison Woodsmith.
WWACNYAUX #1
2B1ASK1

Here's mine.
http://picasaweb.google.com/PawPawDon62 ... 0091248AM#
This is the current stage of it's evolution. Built 7 years ago ..... end vise (veritas twin screw) added 3 years ago and drawers added last year.
Very solid maple top has been re surfaced twice.
I love it. Still plan to add elements as needed.
good luck,
Don

This is what I have evolved to over many years. 3 layers of MDF with a maple skirt and a solid base.


See "Workbench top"



See ""

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Bob Nazro
A Connecticut Yankee

There are some really good books out there on workbench design for ideas (at work so don't know the names)- use google and amazon, or check your library - mine has several on the shelves.