Carpenters workbench

[Brill88]

Here’s my main workbench made from 3 inch top planks and 2 inch aprons and 4x4 legs

 

[Ozi]

Bit of a newbe question.

At the moment I have two benches in my workshop both home built . The first is very crude made from 6" x 4" for both top and legs, it carries my engineers vice and drill press. I call this my dirty bench, it's purpose is to take the sort of jobs that might damage the top of a better bench. The second is based on the joiners bench built by R. Kruerger
https://www.rexkrueger.com/store/joiners-bench-bundle-everything-about-the-bench
with the addition of a large draw through the apron and a shelf below mounted on 4" x 2" tenon jointed into the legs. This has been built for a friend to meet his requirements not mine but is still with me due to lock down.

I am about to build my own second work bench
Here at long last is the question if your still with me.

Working on the dirty bench I can hold jobs down with G clamps anywhere around the edge of the top except by the legs, I find this very useful. On the second bench due to the flush aprons I can't. I am thinking of building my new bench much like the joiners bench except with a 2" overhang to allow clamping.

BUT!

nobody does this, going against hundreds of years of experiance seems like a bad idea, and there is probably a very good reason. Can you shed any light before I make my deliberate mistake?

Also what wood did you use?

Sorry I'm so long winded

 

[Brill88]

Bit of a newbe question.

At the moment I have two benches in my workshop both home built . The first is very crude made from 6" x 4" for both top and legs, it carries my engineers vice and drill press. I call this my dirty bench, it's purpose is to take the sort of jobs that might damage the top of a better bench. The second is based on the joiners bench built by R. Kruerger
https://www.rexkrueger.com/store/joiners-bench-bundle-everything-about-the-bench
with the addition of a large draw through the apron and a shelf below mounted on 4" x 2" tenon jointed into the legs. This has been built for a friend to meet his requirements not mine but is still with me due to lock down.

I am about to build my own second work bench
Here at long last is the question if your still with me.

Working on the dirty bench I can hold jobs down with G clamps anywhere around the edge of the top except by the legs, I find this very useful. On the second bench due to the flush aprons I can't. I am thinking of building my new bench much like the joiners bench except with a 2" overhang to allow clamping.

BUT!

nobody does this, going against hundreds of years of experiance seems like a bad idea, and there is probably a very good reason. Can you shed any light before I make my deliberate mistake?

Also what wood did you use?

Sorry I'm so long winded

That’s alright you need to get tour point across you don’t need aprons if I built another bench which I will as I’d like a pattern makers vice I’d go without as it’s better for clamping I’ll dig out some images

 

[Brill88]

 

[Cabinetman]

Bit of a newbe question.

At the moment I have two benches in my workshop both home built . The first is very crude made from 6" x 4" for both top and legs, it carries my engineers vice and drill press. I call this my dirty bench, it's purpose is to take the sort of jobs that might damage the top of a better bench. The second is based on the joiners bench built by R. Kruerger
https://www.rexkrueger.com/store/joiners-bench-bundle-everything-about-the-bench
with the addition of a large draw through the apron and a shelf below mounted on 4" x 2" tenon jointed into the legs. This has been built for a friend to meet his requirements not mine but is still with me due to lock down.

I am about to build my own second work bench
Here at long last is the question if your still with me.

Working on the dirty bench I can hold jobs down with G clamps anywhere around the edge of the top except by the legs, I find this very useful. On the second bench due to the flush aprons I can't. I am thinking of building my new bench much like the joiners bench except with a 2" overhang to allow clamping.

BUT!

nobody does this, going against hundreds of years of experiance seems like a bad idea, and there is probably a very good reason. Can you shed any light before I make my deliberate mistake?

Also what wood did you use?

Sorry I'm so long winded

No you’re not going against years of experience, just a different style of bench, personally I prefer an apron but I can see where you’re coming from and rather than just have a 2 inch overhang make the top out of 3 inch and that’s it! Job done and you can cramp all the way round. Tom , Fully in support of the way you have built that bench but I would just say that I think perhaps you should have mounted your vice so that the rear jaw is morticed into the top so that what’s in the vice is flush with the face of the bench.
I feel like a stuck record as I keep recommending this, but he really is (for an American) very good indeed, at showing all the different ways of holding things against and down onto the bench, it’s titled a viceless bench but he isn’t actually advocating not having a vice. Gramercy holdfasts btw. Ian

 

[Ozi]

I'm thinking to have a recessed apron if I can call it that then mount my table saw on a french cleat so that it can be used at any point along the front of the bench in either axis with the bench top flush with the table. Sounds dangerous but the plan is to back up the cleat by bolting through the apron with holes drilled on 3" centers.

I'm planning to make the top from two sheets of 1" hardwood ply and to keep the top clear by having a lift out section in the top sheet and mount my chop saw to a similar piece to lift in as it were. When if ever budget permits similar mounting for band saw, fret saw and router. This is a very thin top but it would be supported on key and 3" ribs while any heavy chiseling etc is done on the other bench. I believe there to be method in my madness but please point out any madness in the method.

 

[Cabinetman]

So, not so much a bench, more anequipment table, which is fine, not sure about hanging a tablesaw on a side like that it sounds pretty flimsy/dangerous to me, Yes you’re going to bolt the saw to the apron but I think the saw casing/ box would flex, I would suggest at the very least some form of base/legs/ 45 degree angle brackets under the saw to hold it up, sorry to be a bit negative.Not sure what you’re referring to when you said " key "

 

[Ozi]

Yes I suppose what I am trying to achieve is a light bench / equipment table in the same space with the equipment stored underneath when not in use. I could go slightly more hybrid and make half the top from 3" as you suggested originally.

Negative is appreciated. I borrowed the idea of a box from this chap



but following your comment there is no reason the saw should not stay on it's current stand but have the cleat secure it to the bench

 

[Ozi]

His set up does look scary hence I was looking to add bolts to secure to stop the saw sliding sideways or jumping off. Not looking for excessive excitement when sawing.

 

[Ttrees]

Just when you thought you'd seen it all
Wouldn't be too difficult to put some hinged legs or something at the very very least.
Still would likely be bananas, I wouldn't trust it unless it all was made of steel.

Tom

 

[Ozi]

That's why I'm thinking to keep the metal stand mine currently sits on just provide a means of attaching the whole lot to the bench.

 

[Ozi]

Now about how you can make an angle grinder into a chain saw.......

 

[D_W]

I'm thinking to have a recessed apron if I can call it that then mount my table saw on a french cleat so that it can be used at any point along the front of the bench in either axis with the bench top flush with the table. Sounds dangerous but the plan is to back up the cleat by bolting through the apron with holes drilled on 3" centers.

I'm planning to make the top from two sheets of 1" hardwood ply and to keep the top clear by having a lift out section in the top sheet and mount my chop saw to a similar piece to lift in as it were. When if ever budget permits similar mounting for band saw, fret saw and router. This is a very thin top but it would be supported on key and 3" ribs while any heavy chiseling etc is done on the other bench. I believe there to be method in my madness but please point out any madness in the method.

Make the top solid wood. You'll need to be able to plane it flat.

 

[Cabinetman]

As Doug from the US said that’s an awful lot of planing and that’s not what you’re trying to build so stick with the two sheets of ply if I was you. That saw arrangement would be helped enormously with a length of 3x2 at 45° down to the bottom rail of the bench with a suitable birds mouth. Ian

 

[TominDales]

Yes I suppose what I am trying to achieve is a light bench / equipment table in the same space with the equipment stored underneath when not in use. I could go slightly more hybrid and make half the top from 3" as you suggested originally.

Negative is appreciated. I borrowed the idea of a box from this chap



but following your comment there is no reason the saw should not stay on it's current stand but have the cleat secure it to the bench

His box for the CT looks reasonably robust and should be study enough. As long as you build a sturdy cabinet, screw the CT firmly to it, it should be fine, the bench will also need to be rock solid and firm and so long as you can clamp the box and cleat so that it doesn't move you should be fine without extra legs. This should save space. The type of CT shown is very lite-weight, I wouldn't recomend this method if you have a cast iron CT.

If you have the space mounting the CT separably allows you to use both workstations at once. you may want to use the CT while using the bench. But if you are really organised then you can do all the CT cuts at the start and then the joints and assembly on the bench.

If you plan a lot of hand tool work, planing, chiseling etc I recommend a think 3''solid bench top - see mine that has lasted 45 years. On the other hand, if you plan to mainly use electric tools and you dont plan to get the surface roughed up then ply should be ok, but you cant re-surface ply without replacing it of adding a new layer.

Like you I have a 'Dirty bench' with my father in law,s old Engineers vice and drill press, and a wood bench.

The wood bench is rather dated and I probably needs a re-furb, I made it at school 45 years ago. It was modelled on the ones in the workshop at school and made from Columbian pine - its turned a deep red colour with age and a bit brittle over the years. Its edged with beech on both sides to protect the edge and has two wooden inserts that lift up to hold wood for planing. Its well oversized! about 8'6 by 3 ft wide. It went in one of my parents old farm stables and now takes up a chunk of the garage, I wonder whether to saw it in two and give half away!

The aprons are important for this bench designe to give strength and prevent yore, but i agree with you that I'd probably want to remove one to have more storage, also I'd probably move the legs in a bit to fit deeper end shelves. If removing the apron a side support of some sort would be needed to prevent yore. I'd keep the apron on the side with the vice to help holding wood for planing.

 

[Ozi]

His box for the CT looks reasonably robust and should be study enough. As long as you build a sturdy cabinet, screw the CT firmly to it, it should be fine, the bench will also need to be rock solid and firm and so long as you can clamp the box and cleat so that it doesn't move you should be fine without extra legs. This should save space. The type of CT shown is very lite-weight, I wouldn't recomend this method if you have a cast iron CT.

If you have the space mounting the CT separably allows you to use both workstations at once. you may want to use the CT while using the bench. But if you are really organised then you can do all the CT cuts at the start and then the joints and assembly on the bench.

If you plan a lot of hand tool work, planing, chiseling etc I recommend a think 3''solid bench top - see mine that has lasted 45 years. On the other hand, if you plan to mainly use electric tools and you dont plan to get the surface roughed up then ply should be ok, but you cant re-surface ply without replacing it of adding a new layer.

Like you I have a 'Dirty bench' with my father in law,s old Engineers vice and drill press, and a wood bench.
View attachment 107882
The wood bench is rather dated and I probably needs a re-furb, I made it at school 45 years ago. It was modelled on the ones in the workshop at school and made from Columbian pine - its turned a deep red colour with age and a bit brittle over the years. Its edged with beech on both sides to protect the edge and has two wooden inserts that lift up to hold wood for planing. Its well oversized! about 8'6 by 3 ft wide. It went in one of my parents old farm stables and now takes up a chunk of the garage, I wonder whether to saw it in two and give half away!

The aprons are important for this bench designe to give strength and prevent yore, but i agree with you that I'd probably want to remove one to have more storage, also I'd probably move the legs in a bit to fit deeper end shelves. If removing the apron a side support of some sort would be needed to prevent yore. I'd keep the apron on the side with the vice to help holding wood for planing.

Thanks Tom, My saw is very light and I'm building the box from 18mm ply the height will be such that I have the option of fitting the steel legs if I need them, which I think I will when cutting heavy or long items.

I must say your workshop looks well organized, here's hoping I get mine like that in a year or two. Progress is slow.