Need Some Input

Re: Need Some Input

JL

"What length would you recommend for the new bench?"

To fit the space and your work. I rarely work on anything greater than 7' - but I have a smaller bench than that. I build a torsion box that I can set on my bench w/ an 8' length of plywood - problem solved. I would be comfortable w/ 6' - YMMV.

"How much overhang would you have on each end?"

Enough to place a clamp. So several inches.

"Would you add aprons to all or some of the sides?"

At 2 1/4" - that's enough for dog holes - so I wouldn't add aprons. You have enough mass there. I would add an apron on the tail vise side.

"Would you add a trail vise and if so is the 2 1/4" thickness adequate for the tail vise?"

I have a tail vise. I wouldn't be without one. I have a large apron on that side of my bench. For that width of bench, you may have to go w/ the Lee Valley Twin-Screw vise w/ up to 24" center. How much of an apron? Your choice. I am comfortable w/ about 6" on mine. So you could use some of the cut-offs from your bench and make it 4 1/2" or more.

"What other ideas or considerations would you recommend?"

Front vise? A nice quick release front vise? You don't necessarily need an apron - except in that area.

Re: Need Some Input

TomD

"drill for the bed bolt connectors."

I prefer hardware bonded studs, you can maybe find info by searching here, though the search function is hard to use.

"What length would you recommend for the new bench?"

That is up to you. Unless you are planing another move soon, I would go for as long as possible. I think 8 feet plus a little is perfect. Basically room height, so you can pretty much make anything you would own on it. Traditional euro is 7 feet, as it probably works as well as my preferred length since how much furniture is full height in the room. But only you know what you make and how much space you have. Space is probably more important.

Have you thought of two benches? This is particularly good for chairs. The (famous woodworker) Frid's bench was euro style and only 5 feet long. He made every kind of furniture you can think of. It must have been too small for some things, but he got by. For chairs, a 6 and 4 would be ideal. If I did that, I would cut the 6 to 2 foot width, and leave the 4 full width. I would have two vises on the 6 footer, and a double screw vise on the 4 foot edge of the 4 footer. I would save the 6x1 foot piece as an outside plank for dirty jobs, like dusty plane or router work.

"How much overhang would you have on each end?"

What do you have now, if you like it build it the same. However, if you do a tail vise you usually have to tuck in that end a lot more, so your hardware will determine the set back. If you have dog holes make sure you pick a spacing that does not obscure them.

"Would you add aprons to all or some of the sides?"

No, I prefer being able to access the edge. But if you want one you can have one. normally that requires support from legs, and will determine aspects of their position that may already have been set. Doubtless you could kludge something together if you wanted it badly enough. If you have room to work on all sides of your bench at once, you can have different set ups on opposite sides for greater versatility, and could have an apron.

"Would you add a trail vise and if so is the 2 1/4" thickness adequate for the tail vise?"

Yes, if you have space there is no reason not to have one. There are lots of ways to work without one, but there is never any reason not to have one... If your bench is long enough.

With most modern hardware I have seen the problems are more that your bench is too thick. A lot of commercial blocks are 1.75" thick or thinnier, so you have to trench out to get the hardware in. But certainly I think your top is not too thin.

"What other ideas or considerations would you recommend?"

Put more thought into it yourself. Don't get into that way of thinking where you think what you have is OK. Ask yourself every single way in which it was not perfect, and what you could change. What about making the 6x2 height adjustable. Or make them different heights for low and high work. Are they the right height now? You could cut that 1 foot off for the 6x2 and use the narrow piece for an apron. Do you need a router table. What about built in shooting. What about wheels. If you cut 3 feet off one end, could you glue that piece on for a supper thick end for mortising and heavy banging. Do you use work boards for production. Where will you attach those. Do you have round dogs. Look up all the options for those in catalogs to figure out your needs. LV has tons of stuff. Do you want some square holes if you have round. Do you need to build in a vacuum chuck? Tool storage or racks. Do you want breadboard ends? Do you want a Moxon vise, what parts will you use for it, and where will it go.

Could you use offcuts for a shaving horse?

I would look at some bench books. The original Landis book if you can find it was the best, because it looked at all kinds of shop configurations. More recent ones have tended to be cultish.

Re: Need Some Input

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

What length would you recommend for the new bench? As long as possible. I store tools in use on the end of mine.

How much overhang would you have on each end? I fixture parts to my bench with "F style" clamps. So I like overhangs at least 6-8".

Would you add aprons to all or some of the sides? Unsure what an apron is or how it would be used. My bench is just a slab on a frame and it works for me.

What other ideas or considerations would you recommend? I don't have a tail vise. I do have a Record vise on each end and find the two vises useful. When I break down long lumber I lay it across both vises and saw off rough cutting from the overhang with a bow saw with teeth for firewood.

I don't see how you get on building case pieces without dog holes and a vise to match.

Large, heavy and more or less flat in any configuration will be adequate, so whatever you do will enable stuff to get built.

Tail vise redux

JL

You mentioned working on chairs. I also make chairs, settees and what not.

I can clamp a chair seat (or less lengthy settee seat) in my tail vise and work on the edge. I can then plane (rarely), use my draw knife (mostly), and use my spoke shaves (next mostly) - then file and sand.

Re: Need Some Input

David Weaver

I can't answer most of your other questions as I use a slab style bench that's 4 1/8" thick with 6" square legs and do a lot of hand work on it (stubby and stout is more important than size to some extent).

But I'd make sure it's at least 7' long in case you need to do something with some length on it. I have an 8' sticking board for mouldings and it's about the limit of what I can manage with rigidity. There's no way to hold it on the ends of the bench since it overlaps, but I hold it in place with two holdfasts.

Other than striking mouldings, I haven't found any shortcomings at 7'. It'd be nice sometimes to have a 16' bench as far as mouldings go - especially if they're for household use.

Re: Need Some Input

Hank Knight

Mike, I built my bench 12 years ago using a 24" X 72" Bally Block maple lamination as the basis for the top. I added some 8/4 X 4" laminations to each side and cut square dog holes in them. I put breadboard ends on each end. I have a Veritas Twin Screw vise on the right end and a Record 54 1/2 face vise on the left front. The bench ended up at 88" X 32" and is plenty large for anything I'v built on it. The side laminations add a ton of stiffness to the top. I built the bench in 2004 and I have been very happy with it. Here are some photos:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2iqKSXP][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2iqKSXP]DSC_0005BE[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/158680038@N03/]Hank Knight[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/247Ywuq][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/247Ywuq]IMG_1221[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/158680038@N03/]Hank Knight[/url], on Flickr

Since these photos were taken, I've drilled two rows of 3/4" dog holes in the top for holdfasts. I use them all the time and the square dog holes as well. I couldn't do without an end vise, but I've not been crazy about the twin screw vise. It requires adjustment more frequently than I think it should. I've thought about replacing it with one of the modern tail vises, but it has the capability of clamping large pieces which comes in handy occasionally. I also use it for clamping short pieces for edge jointing rather than clamping to the top it between dogs.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/29MoZny][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/29MoZny]DSCN0615[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/158680038@N03/]Hank Knight[/url], on Flickr

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Re: Need Some Input

Mike in Zuni VA

Everybody, thanks for your input. You have given me some good ideas to ponder. Now to make up my mind and see if I can get this done before the upcoming knee replacement.

Again, thanks all,

Mike in Zuni VA