Work benches and hand tools

[Jeff Horton]

I love hand planes and scrapers and chisels and just about any OLD hand tool. I use them all the time on every job I do. What I didn't realize was how a good work bench made this tools even more useful.  

I started to get interested in building a bench a few months ago. I scoured the web for ideas and looked at a lot of photos. I saw some benches that were a work of art! I would be afraid to use it but dang proud that I built it. But I wanted something I was not afraid to use so I kept looking.

I found some photos of a bench that suited me perfectly. It was reasonably quick to build. Looked very sturdy and was made of 2x lumber and plywood. I had a lot 2x's laying around from building the house. Plus I prefer to build practical stuff for the shop and put the expensive woods in the house.





I built the base in a couple of nights. I wanted to have drawers for storage but time was an issue so I opted to just build a couple of shelves for now.

I bought 2x12's for the top and ripped them down to 3 1/2" widths. In case you haven't noticed, larger lumber is typically much better quality than 2x4's are. I cut dado's for bench dogs before gluing them up. I am a traditionalist in many ways and I preferred square dog holes.  I made sure my spacing was less than the travel on my vice. I read about someone that didn't and found that sometime he couldn't clamp a board.

While building the base I stumbled upon the old leg vice on Ebay. Being a sucker for old tools I had to have it. I got if for much less than a standard metal vice. and it works very well too. I like to think it came off of some old furniture makers bench and that I am keeping it alive so to speak.

Once I got the bench finished and started to use it I was so glad I spent the time to make it. I had to make some changes and still am making changes but I use this all the time. I have several options when clamping wood down. I can not imagine being without it! I have used it so much I never did put any finish on it except for some BLO on the top.



Here is what it looked like the past few weeks. I am still working on the house instead of building a boat BTW. I was making the trim for our Dinning room and my power planer kept chipping out the maple I was working with. I finally gave up and started planning and scraping the wood by hand. Took me a several weeks doing these by had but the finish is superior to anything I could have done sanding them.  Plus I  learned so much about using my tools I didn't know.  I could not have done this job without my work bench either. It is probably... no  IT IS now the most used tool in my shop.

Today I started building the carcass and drawers to  replace the shelves. It didn't take long to fill up the shelves and not be able to find the tool I want. If you like hand tools and have been thinking about building a bench, I highly recommend it! I love absolutely love mine and can not imagine being without it now!

[capt jake]

That is a slick bench.  Easy to locate material and it looks like it functions perfect.  

Thanks for the insight and update; very informative.

[Frank Hagan]

Great bench ... I also lean toward the practical when it comes to shop furniture.  

I have (somewhere!) plans for a bench similar to yours ... the magazine article said the same thing you said, that ripping larger 2x lumber is sometimes much better than trying to find good 2x4 stock.  The other idea I like for a bench top is 4 x 4s, held together with 1/2" threaded rod.  As the wood moves, you have to re-flatten the top and tighten the 1/2" threaded rod, but guys building these benches get many years use out of them.  The magazine article I have also has a unique use of pipe clamps for the leg vice ... but finding an old one is much better (its a "soul of the woodworker" thing for me too; its almost like you are honoring the prior owner by using his stuff).  

My main problem is that my shop is too small to take up room with a traditional bench (one third of a three car garage).  I end up using a 2 x 4 piece of 3/4" particle board that is positioned in a Workmate as a bench top, and my table saw with a cross-cut sled on it as a second bench top.  I'm thinking of making a combination outfeed table/bench/drill press stand that would compress some of the room taken by the drill press and temporary roller stands I set up when I need something on the outfeed side of the table saw.

[P Doug (WA)]

Very nice bench.  How did you get the top perfectly flat and smooth?  You need to get it durty now maybe coated with some old wax and a little tar to make it match the vise.   Did you watch the guy on TV, that builds things out of hand old tools, last week?  He had three tool boxes he had bought that were full of old planes, and other hand tools.  What a collection of neat old tools.

[Jeff Horton]

Very nice bench.  How did you get the top perfectly flat and smooth?

Easy, A #7 Stanley and a #3 smoother.    And an hour or so a night for a couple of weeks. Since then I learned how to get blades REALLY sharp. It would be easier and faster if/when I do it again.

I never seem to catch the couple of woodworking shows on TV. I think you were referring to the Wood Wrights Shop?  Roy Underhill? That is show I like to watch. Always learn something new from him.. or should I say somethign old?  

I have a couple of planes that I use that I am thinking about restoring. They work fine, just look old, REALLY OLD! Not that that is a bad thing. My #8 dates to 1880-1890 or something like that. Lots of patina but it works perfect. Just can't decide if I want to polish it up or not.

As for the bench, when I get finished with these drawers I am going to take some time and finish it. I am thinking of painting the beadboard plywood and just coating the wood frame with BLO.  I am not sure what the vice is made of. I have cleaned it up since that photo. Might be chestnut, al I can say is sure is a pretty wood!

[P Doug (WA)]

Yes, that is the show.  Three big tool boxes full of old tool from way back.  Things I had never heard of before.  Very interesting.

[Frank Hagan]

I like Roy Underhill's show ... "The Woodwright's Shop" or something like that, isn't it?  The thing that cracks me up is that in every show, they have close ups of his hands, and by the end of the show he is usually bleeding from some small nick or chuck of skin taken out of his hand.  

DIY Network has a couple of shows I like ... "Wood Works" with David Marks.  The guy really knows his stuff.  There's another one I just caught one episode of called "Instant Furniture" or something like that.  Has a really pretty redhead and at first I thought it was another one of those shows where you know the crew is doing all the work and the host just does one thing for the camera shot.  But it looks like this lady knows her way around the tools.  Gotta respect that.

[Jeff Horton]

I always seem to miss those shows. I watch Norm but not a big fan. Roy I really like because I always learn something new about hand tools. Will have to put a reminded up when he comes on.

Tonight I was working on the fitting the drawers and just had to post one more photo. Not about 'my' bench but what you can do with one. I guess I am becoming a bench advocate.



On the right side I have a drawer clamped between dogs where I was planing the tops to even them up and smooth them out too.

On the front left I have another drawer clamped using the leg vice (a regular woodworking vice would do the same) and I am using the sliding dead man to support the drawer. I planned all the faces on the drawers to finish them out.

You don't have to have a bench to do these. I used to use clamps an the bench in the background. But this is SOOO much better. If you on the fence give a workbench some serious thought. If your serious about your wood working you won't regret it!

[Greg Luckett]

What are the holes in the top of the table used for?
Thanks.

[Charlie Jones]

Kudzu- that leg vise and sliding dead man are the nuts:) Really cool to resurrect old tools isn't it? I agree- that vise was most likely some old furniture guys. I always feel like I'm connecting with the past when I use my old tools. Seems they are SO much better than  the new stuff.

On that #8- I'd just wash it up with some mineral sprits, sharpen the iron,  tune it up and go with it. No need to disturb the patina to use it

Nice job on the bench by the way. I use Johnson's paste wax on my bench top and machine tops too. Or I use mold release wax. Just keep any silicone polishes away from it

[Tom Lathrop]

Jeff,

I was interested to see if anyone was going to take you to task for the way you set your hand planes down.   I'm with you.

Nice bench and it's good to see that it is not a show piece but that actual work is taking place.  I just became the owner of a large and (very) heavy work bench about twice that size.  It took four men to move it into my shop.   It has a shoulder vise on one end and an old Emmert pattern maker's  vise on the other.  http://www.mprime.com/emmert/index.htm  

I already have a good bench I made many years ago but just could not turn that Emmert down.  I have to do a bit of work on it but it's an awsome vise for clamping oddly shaped work in any orientation.

Now, my problem is where it will fit in the shop.  I will have to give the old bench to my neighbor and move my plywood storage to the boathouse to make enough space for it.  Anyone familiar with the Emmert will cry but the bench and vises were given to me by a friend who is moving to small quarters.  Now would be the proper for all to drool

[Charlie Jones]

Tom- I WAS gonna comment on that. I ALWAYS lay my planes down on the sides.

But last time ( on another board) I commented I got informed that that was ok, so I shut up.

I still cringe when I see a plane sitting on it's sole. I DO store mine on the soles, but that's on a piece of carpet.

[Jeff Horton]

Jeff,

I was interested to see if anyone was going to take you to task for the way you set your hand planes down.   I'm with you.

I have heard a few people say they wouldn't do that. Like Charlie, but I have honestly never understood the problem. They are sitting on the blade yes, but it's on a softwood table and I don't see how it is going to do any damage.

Planning has to be much harder on the blades! I wouldn't lay then on a harder surface that way. And I do try to remember to lay them over, it's just an old habit. But I am open minded enough to listen to why I shouldn't! If it is in fact damaging them in some way I break that habit.

[Charlie Jones]

Kudzu- not damage really. It just tends to dull the iron a little faster, plus you can mar the surface they are sitting on. I work on a LOT of furniture so I got into the habit of laying them on the sides long ago.  Just do it now without thinking about it.

[Jeff Horton]

The furniture makes a lot of sense! I have 'bumped' one on the table top and left a mark. But I built the bench to be used so didn't worry about it after the first couple of marks. I am trying to break that habit, but it is hard to do.