Work Bench Smack Down (part 2)

First post. Looking like I need to build a bench this spring. Not sure if I’ll do a Roubo or a shaker style. Should have all the wood needed for the base already, and debating what to do for the top.

-- The quality of one's woodworking is directly related to the amount of flannel worn.

What kind of hardware you going to use, Jmart?

Maybe I can stop by and give you a hand with the heavy lifting.

-- Paul, Duvall, WA

I’m 2.5yrs into my workbench build – 2 kids, moving to a new house and finally acquired some decent panel saws and bits/brace to finish assembly. Glued up a 2×6 with a 2×4 section for the top and totally screwed up the gluing so now I need to level off the upwards warp. Started to hand plane the warp out and lost patience and have since decided to create a router sled.

I feel like I find multiple projects to do in the middle of the original project – such is life

-- Matthew 13:53-58

What kind of hardware you going to use, Jmart?

Maybe I can stop by and give you a hand with the heavy lifting.

- Hammerthumb

Most likely the Lee Valley tail vise screws I had on my previous bench from my townhouse. Already have them. Might get a new handwheel for them, but we’ll see. I’d like to have benchcrafted, but the budget won’t be allowing that since I have a kid on the way.

Leg vise with the classic peg board, and a wagon vise.

-- The quality of one's woodworking is directly related to the amount of flannel worn.

Dibs on first bench pic!!

-- "The only limits to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today." - FDR

Dibs on first bench pic!!

- CL810

Beautiful work. I really want to tackle one of these soon.

My bench is a little different then what has been posted previously. This video provides a little overview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILtXNMwiLNk

I started by writing down my requirements for the bench,

-It must be rock solid
-It must work with my mitre saw
-It must look good without limiting capabilities

The only regret with the bench thus far is not having mobility as a requirement but this just means I have the opportunity to build a better version when I move so not a huge loss haha

Bench pics? No problem, but it’s not a new one (bench or pic). These pics are from November 2013 (has it been that long?!).

-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. -- OldTools Archive --

Gonna be a fun thread, lots of pics hopefully, and ideas.

My bench is a little different then what has been posted previously. This video provides a little overview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILtXNMwiLNk

I started by writing down my requirements for the bench,

-It must be rock solid
-It must work with my mitre saw
-It must look good without limiting capabilities

The only regret with the bench thus far is not having mobility as a requirement but this just means I have the opportunity to build a better version when I move so not a huge loss haha

- manberdo

I am leaning toward the “simple bench” for a number of reasons. The thing I would miss most with your style of bench is something to limit length of cut, for repetitive cuts. I recently had seen 2 videos that address this on a simple bench. I am leaning toward the second guys way of doing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=g-wP4SlTXm0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTFDeLoEP0g

-- Think safe, be safe

When I need to make repetitive cuts I use a similar method to the second guy, I just clamp a piece of wood to the bench. If your mitre saw won’t be out 100% of the time then his block method is definitely the way I would go.

Bench pic

-- "With every tool obtained, there is another that is needed" DonW ( Kevin )

Not a “fine furniture” workbench but a good practical one:

customisation:

Made with recycled wood except the tool well, shelf and drawer.
It is a “Paul Sellers” workbench type.
I choose it because:
- the front apron is glued to the bench-top which makes a rigid “L” beam;
- the leg-frames are wedged in dado’s in the aprons which guarantee no raking even if the legs were shrinking;
- it can be knocked down if moving (it was built in my backyard and then moved to the second floor of my house);
- there is an extensive set of video’s showing how to build it.

-- Sylvain, Brussels, Belgium, Europe - The more I learn, the more there is to learn

Very excited about this thread. My wife and I just bought a new house and will be moving into it in April and it has a bigger shop than what I had. A year or two ago I built a Nicholson style (my first REAL woodworking bench) and it has been in storage since this past May. It is Ok for most things but I want to build something that will allow me to do the handwork better, like a wagon vise or similar. I like the Euro style a lot but I also like the Roubo and the Moravian. I used pine for the whole first bench but on this build I was thinking of a hardwood top, 3” thick with pine legs and stretchers (for the sake of expense), about 72” long and 24” wide. I have never used one with a tool tray so I don’t believe I will have one. Before Christmas I bought one of the Harbor Freight models to be able to work out of a bedroom of the house we are renting and it is alright for really light work but not for getting serious (not real sturdy), plus it is too short and not deep enough for my taste. I have scoured the site for info and researched all over the place and I really like the various things out here. I guess I would like one bench that does everything I have seen and I am afraid that when I build it will look like the Stanley 45 of benches :)
Keep the good stuff coming, there is a whole lot of great info here from a whole lot of great people

So i’m in the process of researching to build another bench, the first one was more of an assembly table with a vise on it. This time I am looking to do a SYP Roubo style bench and one of the parts that has me pondering so far is how to cut the joinery for the dovetails on the legs to attach to the top. Does anyone have a good tutorial or blog that shows the best way to go about cutting this?

Notw – one of the Schwarz books has a Roubo build from laminated SYP and he covers it. Basically, IIRC, you cut the joinery pieces individually then glue them together to create the DT/mortise joint. I was lazy on my build and skipped that and just went with M&Ts so I can’t give you any better advice.

-- Kenny, SW VA, Go Hokies!!!