# Bosch Workbench Build



## Boxer (9 Jun 2013)

Hi there

Well, here's another workbench build and is actually my first bit of half serious woodwork.
Having finally moved to somewhere that allows me a little workspace, my first priority was a workbench.
I was torn between buying one or making one, and in the end decided that as I need to do a lot of learning and skill development then actually going ahead and building a bench would be a good way to go. Not only that but the money I saved could go on purchasing some tools.

I had some scrap timber left over from renovating the old cottage we have just moved from and so I wanted to use as much of that as possible in the new bench. I also decided that if I was going to get into making a bench then my main aim was to actually enjoy the whole process.
After a bit of research on the net, I chose to go with the Bosch Workbench because I found the plans and youtube video very helpful. It also allowed me to adapt it a little as I wanted to incorporate a couple of shelves. 

Plans on here:
http://www.coptool.com/free-workbench-p ... ch-europe/

Video Guide:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXEvRoW8lY8


As you can see space is a bit limited in my shed (a larger workshop will be built next year). Its cozy and demands constant vigilance not to trip over anything.






So far this project has been a series of firsts for me ........ First time I have ever made a mortice and tennon joint, first time using a router and table saw and first time using a handplane. There have definitely been a few mistakes and a couple of minor injuries (cuts and splinters), but all in all its been a really good experience and I have loved every minute.

This is where I have got to now. Next comes some gluing up.


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## dean0866 (10 Jun 2013)

Hi Boxer,

I too am new to woodworking and have just started to build a bench based on the Bosch one for the same reasons you mention, good experience, learning and to accomplish something. I must say yours looks a lot tidier and further forward than mine. I look forward to seeing your completed bench which will spur me on to completing mine. 

What are you going to use for the top?

Dean


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## Boxer (10 Jun 2013)

Hi Dean
Great to have some company on this project
Well its taken me a good two months to get to this stage ...........the joys of working full time and other commitments mean I can only grab a few hours here and there. 
I still reckon I am only half way through at the moment.

Yeah, I've been thinking a bit about the top. My plan is to glue three 18mm sheets of plywood & MDF together. Should be solid and heavy enough to give it full stability. 
I quite like the idea of having MDF as the very top layer, and then two sheets of plywood glued underneath that. That way I reckon I will get a nice, flat (and splinter-free) surface to work on with the MDF, but will also have a strong material to screw into with the ply. 

Thats my logic anyway. 
Cheers
Chris


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## barkwindjammer (10 Jun 2013)

Thats looking ace Chris, and dont worry about pace- that will grow-exponentialy


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## dean0866 (10 Jun 2013)

Boxer,

I'd arrived at the same conclusion as you for the top except I'll be using chipboard for the sub-base to the MDF as I have a large 18mm thick piece left over from renewing the floor in one of the bedrooms.....as I'm on a self imposed budget (spend as little as I possibly can  ) and it's hanging around, I might as well use it.


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## Boxer (10 Jun 2013)

Thanks for the feedback chaps.

Although I have enjoyed it, there has been a few glitches and some joints are definitely better than others.
As soon as I started getting too confident ........... I measured once and cut once ......... I stuffed up one of the tennons (see second photo). I am hoping that when I come to gluing up I can slide in a small offcut to pack out the joint. 

Despite that particularly bad joint, the whole frame was surprisingly solid when I dry-fitted it all together, which gives me some confidence that it will turn out fairly well.


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## barkwindjammer (10 Jun 2013)

Dam the loose joints up with blu-tac or plasticine-and fill them with 2 part epoxy, the only observation (not criticism) I can see is your bridle joints at the top of the legs, this is where most racking will take place, if your bridles were on front aprons-instead of on the side rails this would have been a much stronger-forgiving joint, saying that, if you 'wrap' the top of the legs with some kind of metal banding (i.e. box section) you will have a bomb proof construction, remember-'planing of stock' causes the most significant racking-along the bench length.

Nice work, your on a roll !


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## dm65 (10 Jun 2013)

Couple of wedges in that bad joint will tighten it right up but as the tenon wasn't cut with this in mind, watch you don't lose square when you knock then in


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## dean0866 (11 Jun 2013)

Boxer,
Been there, done that and feel your pain…….
I have to say that my tenons/mortises ended up exactly the same to the point where I had enlarge the mortises out from ¾” to an unplanned 1” to bring them into the realms of respectability. Luckily I hadn’t cut the tenons beforehand. As like you, these are the first mortises and tenons I’ve ever cut, it was a learning experience. I did cheat on the mortises for the front rails though and used a router bit. 
The things I’ve learnt so far:
1.	You need a bench to make a bench
2.	Attempting to chisel a bench leg whilst securing it between your legs is going to end in tears, unless the chisel is extremely blunt like mine was!
3.	Old fence posts do not make good bench legs; they wreck planes and are made of chewing gum on the inside.
4.	That’s close enough is not a statement that can be applied to woodwork.
5.	Woodworking is not the best hobby for an impatient person 
I’m still enjoying the experience and when I get over the embarrassment of some of my joints I may start a wip of my own……
Keep us posted on your progress


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## twothumbs (11 Jun 2013)

It is said something like this......the difference between the amatuer and the professional is the latter knows how to correct his mistakes. Best wishes to everyone and some good benches in progress there. As they say in Italian restaurants ...enjoy.


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## J_SAMa (11 Jun 2013)

Just a little thought from the Neanderthal's World (aka that slippery slope):
Hand tool users tend to build their benches with tops at least 65 mm thick. I'm building one with a 90 mm top
Sam


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## dean0866 (13 Jun 2013)

Sam, 
As a newbie to woodworking what's the reasoning for the top being 90mm thick?


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## dm65 (13 Jun 2013)

I would think that the heavy (thicker) the top, the better as there will be less flex to any force applied

Think about just banging a nail in with a hammer - the more solid the surface that you hold the wood to, the easier it is to knock it in - how many times have you put something on the floor for that very reason ?


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## J_SAMa (13 Jun 2013)

dean0866":3abc0afz said:


> Sam,
> As a newbie to woodworking what's the reasoning for the top being 90mm thick?



Mass counters the momentum created by planing, chopping and other operations (that's for a hand tool user). It ensures stability even if the joints aren't perfect. You can even, just for the heck of it, make a 150 mm thick top (some shaker and roubo benches do have those.) I'm also a newbie on this too so I think you should consult other experts. Also, a solid wooden top is better than MDF or plywood.

workbench-advice-t68948.html
A lot of experts have post on this thread I started a while ago (it kinda turned into a discussion about different bench designs in the later pages but never mind them if they are confusing).

Sam


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## morfa (14 Jun 2013)

Looking good so far. If you want to see something similar that's pretty much finished, then my bench is here:

wip-my-first-workbench-t68280.html

My top is 90mm thick and it's good to have something that heavy to bash, it just doesn't budge at all.


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## dean0866 (27 Jun 2013)

Hey Boxer, have you managed to finish your bench yet?


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## Boxer (28 Jun 2013)

Hi Dean

Oh mate ... I wish !

I am having to balance this project with completely redecorating the bathroom and putting up 8 fencing panels, plus preparing for job interviews and steeling myself for the inlaws staying for a fortnight.

Life never used to be this busy :shock: 

So I did manage to get to the start of the glue ups and have managed to glue the end sections (stiles?)together. It went fairly well (apart from covering my treasured Bessy clamps in glue). I decided to put the dowels in after the joints had set, mainly because this was my first time at gluing a joint, and thought it better to keep things simple. After everything had set I hammered a couple of dowels through each joint for some long term stability. To be honest i dont know if they really needed this but I thought i would do it as part of my learning. Unfortunately i have made a bit of a mess of it .... snapped a drill bit off in one of the holes and the wood has chipped around some of the dowel holes when I drilled them out. So its not looking quite as tidy as it did. I will post some new pictures when I get the chance.

So how is your own bench coming on ?
I did have a laugh at your learning points


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## Boxer (28 Jun 2013)

barkwindjammer":1pra1770 said:


> Dam the loose joints up with blu-tac or plasticine-and fill them with 2 part epoxy, the only observation (not criticism) I can see is your bridle joints at the top of the legs, this is where most racking will take place, if your bridles were on front aprons-instead of on the side rails this would have been a much stronger-forgiving joint, saying that, if you 'wrap' the top of the legs with some kind of metal banding (i.e. box section) you will have a bomb proof construction, remember-'planing of stock' causes the most significant racking-along the bench length.
> 
> Nice work, your on a roll !



Thanks for the advice and encouragement. Unfortunately my roll has slowed down a bit, but everything gets completed in the end. 

I understand what you are saying about the benefits of joining the worktop to aprons instead of the end rails. I can see that the design I am using (that doesnt have aprons) will be weak at this point and I wold definately like to improve on it. When you mention the option of using metal banding around the bridal joints, is there anything specific you can suggest ?


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## dean0866 (30 Jun 2013)

Hi Boxer,
No I haven’t managed to progress much either…….
I think we must live in a parallel universe. I’m in the middle of decorating my bathroom (read renovating, it’s completely empty and the walls/ceiling have just been re-plastered) and I’m in the process of trying to get another job too. I replaced my fence panels a few weeks ago. Luckily my outlaws live close by which means they don’t need to stay . This all too spooky!
I’m in the process of dry fitting the legs and cross rails and tinkering with a small plane trying to square the tenon shoulders up to make a reasonable square fit. It doesn’t help that the bench legs which I made from fence posts following the previous fencing chore are slightly twisted, this is knocking everything a couple of mm out of line. The slowly catchy monkey approach with the plane is improving things though. I will endeavour to dowel my rails at the gluing up stage but as yet, I haven’t attempted to drill the necessary holes in fear of ruining the whole thing. It’s funny, the legs look pants anyway but I still don’t want to ruin them drilling holes incorrectly. I’ve just finished making some clamps to hold the legs/rails when I do get around to gluing them. It turns out my current clamps weren’t long enough and rather than spend money, I made some out of scrap wood I had lying around. They’re pants too but will do the job. I’ll post some pictures at some point, when I get 5 mins.
You know in a few years we’ll look back at this and laugh…..I’ll have probably bought a decent bench by then too.


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## Crooked Tree (6 Jul 2013)

Boxer, 

whilst the comments about the bridle joints and half foot thick tops are correct (bridles not the strongest and thicker tops are stronger/more massive), you may well be ok with what you have. My bench is broadly similar, and uses bridle joints at the tops of the legs and a beech top ~ 2" thick, and it has proven to be fine for hand planing and preparing stock - better than I had hoped, in fact. I do tend to hammer over where the tops of the legs are rather than in the middle of the span for obvious reasons. I suspect that the most important thing which counters the racking when planing is the shoulders of the mortice and tennon joints of the front rails. These are quite long on mine for this reason and held together with bolts (to allow for disassembly), but if yours are draw bored tight then this will probably be ok too. 

Hope this provides some reassurance.


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## dean0866 (11 Jul 2013)

Boxer,
Have you made any further progress?
Well I took the advice on this thread and made the bench top a lot thicker than the Bosch instructions recommend. I glued and screwed 3x 18mm x 600mm x 1850mm chipboard together and added an 18mm thick piece of MDF as the main top to hide the screws and give a flat surface. It’s certainly heavy and seems quite robust although I haven’t mounted it on the legs yet as I have to cut the tenons and connect the front rails first. I just hope the legs can take the weight!


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## Reggie (12 Jul 2013)

Hey guys, nice to see all this discussion on bench building  I'm about to do one myself but mines an adaptation of one from shopnotes, it uses 1/2 lap joints to make the sides and uses bolts to pull in the long rails tight, although I haven't finalised that yet. I've done a mockup in sketchup which has been useful to visualise the parts for the carcass and leave space for a 9" vice. 

I also looked at the paul sellers series and I'm contemplating his lamination technique using pine, anyone got any more thoughts on overall thickness, I was thinking of being cheap and using 7 of 4x2 (44x95) but reading the posts here you all seem to be suggesting thicker, so would 4x3 be more suitable or would I be able to get away with 4x2?

I'm also wondering about the type of pine to use, untreated, treated or PAR, par would mean I don't have to square it up (or at least shouldn't have to if I pick the right wood), anything else is just cheaper but might need working to get it up to scratch.

I'm making the carcass 41" long and 24" deep, I wanted to leave a bit of overhang for clamping on the front edge of the bench, it will be anywhere between 2 3/16" and 4" of overhang, this is my first project so I have no idea of glue strength, will it be strong enough to cope?

Lastly, aprons, are they entirely necessary?


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## Phil Pascoe (12 Jul 2013)

I would make it thick rather than thin, but that's up to you - you could always face it with ply or mdf afterwards, if needed. I used 6" rails set 3" down on the sides, precisely because I wanted access for clamping, so the legs, front of the top, the inner cheek of the vice and the rails are all in the same plane. I routed a groove down the right leg to take a length of spur shelving support so I can use a shelf bracket if I'm working on a door or anything large and flat.


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## Reggie (12 Jul 2013)

Hi Phil, I was thinking about putting some dog holes in an apron (if that's even a thing you should do?) so that I could add support for longer stuff in the vice. I came to the same conclusion about facing it with some ply if necessary at a later date. 

I was going to make the vice flush with with the front of the bench, just wasn't sure if I really need to go the whole hog and add aprons too, it seems like it could be useful but I'm back to having zero experience to base my assumptions on


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## Phil Pascoe (12 Jul 2013)

If you use a 6" rail three inches down, to all intents and purposes it is no different from an apron. There's no reason not to bore holes in it - it's good to have the depth and strength on the tenon(s), and it's plenty strong enough to put holes in. If your vice is inboard of the leg, it's deep enough to allow the cutout as well.





This thread's drifting. Take some pics and start another? :idea:


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## Reggie (12 Jul 2013)

no pictures to take as I haven't even started yet but I will start another thread and continue there....


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