Workbench & Endcaps *LINK*

depends

Tom Sontag - St. Louis

>I too was inspired by the simplicity of not using endcaps. I think including them depends on the type of end vise you decide to use. For example, putting a Veritas twin screw as your end vise probably calls for the endcap, but in my case, a single screw end vise meant I could make my top with a bunch of glued up 8/4 boards. Slap on a tool tray along the back and the top works just fine. I will try to post a picture later if I can find it.

Re: Workbench & Endcaps

David Linnabary

>The usual purpose of the breadboard is to help keep a panel from cupping, properly applied it would be attached only near the center of the panel which would allow the rest of the panel to move freely across the grain without splitting.

Mostly I've seen these endcaps attached by through bolting to a captured nut in the top, but even this would allow you to drill oblong enough to allow the panel to move.

I wouldn't say it's wrong to go without endcaps but the wider the top the more I'd be inclined to have them.

David

Re: Workbench & Endcaps

Dean in Burlington

>Hi David,

Bench is not that long. It is based on Lee Valley European bench....23 inch width including tool tray.

Re: Workbench & Endcaps

Paul M. in San Diego

>I wouldn't even say that breadboard ends are needed for a tool tray. My bench doesn't have breadboard ends, but it does have a tool tray. The ends of the back of the bench that support the tool tray are glued up laminates just like the rest of the top, but they are only about 1ft long and sloped from the inside to allow the tray to be swept out easily.

Besides, a bench is a wooden tool. You're gonna have to flatten it periodically. An end cap is not going to prevent any movement. If you build it 3" thick, it's not going to bow appreciably. I used 1" flat sawn boards tilted up on edge, so my bench is essentially quarter sawn. So it's not going to bow or twist significantly.

Re: Workbench & Endcaps

Russell Seaton

>My bench does not have end caps. In The Workbench book there is an interview with Ian Kirby. He talks about using end caps and came to the conclusion it was better to use good stable wood and leave the end caps off. At a recent woodworking show Kelly Mehler also talked about wood movement and the idea of ripping wide boards into smaller strips so they would not move. He says its best to use wood that will not move in locations where the wood should not move. Use more quarter sawn wood. For places where movement does not matter, a table top, then use the plain sawn boards.

Plan for wood movement by using the right boards in the right location. Don't try to force boards to do things they do not want to do. If you want end caps for decoration, put them on. But if you want to make sure the top does not move, then use wood that is not going to move.

Re: Workbench & Endcaps

David Linnabary

>So if the top is 24" the tray is probably about 6" leaving about 18" of panel. If the stock were nice dry/stable and the grain orientation was quartersawn or reasonably so, then a top that size might stay flat without endcaps. If your sock is flat sawn it would be best not to use very wide pieces glueing up the panel, rather rip your pieces in 2 to 3 inch widths and alternate the grain orientations. It will make for a more stable panel.

David

Re: Workbench & Endcaps

Eric Lund

>Well, another functional reason for an end cap that is bolted on: This is the part you will attach the end vise to. That's a lot of stress, and the hardware may wear, especially if it is lagged in rather than bolts. It'd be nice to be able to pull off a worn out end cap and replace it without damaging the core bench top. Just a thought.

Cheers,

Eric