Paul Sellers workbench

[Jacob]

.......
You could do the job at the router table or spindle moulder, but that's more of a faff. Quickest and easiest is right at your bench.

That's the key reason against a Nicholson style bench.

Not really. Easy enough to make a few holes in the apron if you really want to use your bench with F clamps that way, but there are many other ways of doing the same thing - a holdfast for starters . But a table would do for routing - a big sturdy bench not necessary.
The key reason is just fashion IMHO. The trad bench barely features in the various well known modern bench books and it's only because a bench by Nicholson features in one of them that it is now known as the "Nicholson" bench. Nobody had heard of him or his bench in the old days, unless they were into woodwork history - in which case they would also be well aware of the trad bench design common before the fashion kicked off, as they feature in most of the old books - just known as "woodwork bench".

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The trad bench barely features in the various well known bench books ...

Probably because it isn't necessarily the best - it has as many minuses as pluses.

 

[custard]

Not really. Easy enough to make a few holes in the apron if you really want to use your bench with F clamps that way.

That's not going to work.

You'd need a bloody big hole in the apron to get the F-Cramp handle through (no one wants the handle sticking up in the air where it'll interfere with the router) plus you'd need loads of these whopper holes as every template is different.

 

[Jacob]

It would take a few minutes improvisation to hold down the work on trad bench, if you didn't have a holdfast. Not enough reason to re-design the whole bench for this one function and not that many people rout around templates.
A version of the trad bench here, they were universal in factories, workshops, training establishments

 

[woodbloke66]

The popularity of the traditional Nicholson style bench began to wane with the widespread adoption of the powered router. I don't believe that's a co-incidence.

One of the most common processes I (and pretty much every cabinet maker I know) perform at the bench is copy routing to a template. Where the template and roughly band sawn workpiece are fastened with F-Cramps, overhanging the front of the bench like this,



You could do the job at the router table or spindle moulder, but that's more of a faff. Quickest and easiest is right at your bench.

That's the key reason against a Nicholson style bench.

Yet another example of why it's just so useful to be able to cramp directly to the bench - Rob

 

[Setch]

I've got a traditional style bench with deep aprons (ex uni woodwork dept circa 1950s), and I hold stuff to it with clamps all the time - using cheap and cheerful long f-clamps.

IIRC they were from B&Q, and cost £15 for 2 x 300mm, 2 x 450mm and a bunch of plastic spring clamps.

 

[Jacob]

I've got a traditional style bench with deep aprons (ex uni woodwork dept circa 1950s), and I hold stuff to it with clamps all the time - using cheap and cheerful long f-clamps.

IIRC they were from B&Q, and cost £15 for 2 x 300mm, 2 x 450mm and a bunch of plastic spring clamps.

Smart thinking! Instead of redesigning the bench get longer clamps! :lol:
I think benches have gone the way of sharpening - highly effective trad solutions have been forgotten written out of the books and mags by the new boys who know no better (and are trying to sell stuff). The basic trick is to present a "solution" to something which the innocent beginner does not know is not really a problem.

 

[Bodgers]

Nice job on the bench, looks a cracker, but why anyone would want to build in a front apron beats me. I know it's traditional, I know it will add a bit of mass and I know it will help to prevent the dreaded 'racking' etc (<which covers everything else) Wait though, until you need to use G or F cramps to secure something to the top as I do almost every time I use my bench. You'll find it's almost impossible.
Make the top thick enough and you don't need an apron.
Tool wells are excellent whichever way you slices it - Rob

You can still use them on the ends. I actually use them on the apron as well; my apron is fairly thick so you can clamp from the top to the bottom of the apron.

The apron comes in handy for longer work pieces whereby you can you a holdfast on one end and the vice in the other, so it does have some utility other than just adding strength.




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[Phil Pascoe]

No one doubting its uses, just saying that depending on the type of work you do it can be an advantage not to have one. I can't think a single thing that a apron would allow me to do on mine that I can't do without one, but there are things that are much easier done without one. I have "Spur" type shelving supports let into the right hand leg and a moving dead man which allow me to support anything large or long.

 

[MikeG.]

......I actually use them on the apron as well; my apron is fairly thick so you can clamp from the top to the bottom of the apron.........

I planted a batten on the inside under edge of my apron so I can clamp to it. That's an extremely rare occurrence these days, however.

 

[G S Haydon]

I have my scones with cream first, some prefer the jam first. Most seem able to eat them whichever way they are put together

On benches, the nice thing about the bench with aprons is that it can be very fast to build. The OP has done a superb job on his. It can be done cheaper, quicker and just as effectively using a construction similar to Mike Siemsen features on his DVD (never seen it but just looking at it and you can tell it's quick).

I'll wager the OP will have many happy years woodworking without having to worry too much about apron vs no apron, flush vs non flush vice, quick release vs leg vice, holdfast vs clamp :?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Of course. The other thing you can wager is that if he ever makes another one it'll be different. :lol:

 

[Richard49]

I'm new here and and would love to make this bench but am having problems finding a source for the 70mm x 95mm legs as suppliers such as Wickes don't do timber that size.

Did you laminate several pieces of timber to get the required size for the legs or?

I used to be a toolmaker but have never had the space in my garden for a workshop; I do now, just got a 10' x 12' foot shed/workshop that I'm going to fit out shortly.

I'm used to working in different metals but always wanted to work in wood.

 

[Bodgers]

I'm new here and and would love to make this bench but am having problems finding a source for the 70mm x 95mm legs as suppliers such as Wickes don't do timber that size.

Did you laminate several pieces of timber to get the required size for the legs or?

I used to be a toolmaker but have never had the space in my garden for a workshop; I do now, just got a 10' x 12' foot shed/workshop that I'm going to fit out shortly.

I'm used to working in different metals but always wanted to work in wood.

Yes. That's what is explained in the build videos. Laminating is preferably anyway as you gain extra resistance to wood movement.



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[Richard49]

I must have missed that bit... doooooh (hangs head in shame)

Thanks