Re: A few workbench questions (long) - help needed
Hank Knight from SC
>Derek, you are going through what I went through for a long time before I finally bit the bullet and built my "ultimate" bench. Many on this board have gone through the same process, so I'm sure you'll get lots of responses and many good ideas. Benches are the subject of many strongly held opinions, many of which conflict with those of other bench builders, so just go with what feels right for you.
Here's my bench story:
My shop is 17' X 23'. I have enough stationary power tools to fill up a lot of the floor space. My bench was a 30" X 60" one originally built for a home machinist (my father). It was pushed against one wall. Every time I built anything larger than a shoebox, I found myself putting a large solid core door on two saw horses in the middle of the shop floor and doing most of my work and assembly on it. The ability to work from all sides of the project combined with the extra size of the saw horse "bench" top was seductive. The machinist's bench had no bench dogs and a mediocre woodworking vise I installed after I took the machinist's vise off, and it took up too much room since I was doing most of the work on the sawhorse contraption.
After struggling with this for a long time, I finally caved in and decided to build a proper bench. I did what you are doing: I investigated, read everything I could find and collected ideas, some of which were my own. I ended up with a 32" X 78" bench with an oak base that includes a drawer case for hand tools and bench accessories. I left a 7" space between the top of the drawer carcase and the bottom of the bench top to allow for holdfasts (Actually the space is 10" from the top of the bench - the top is 3" thick in the middle and 4" thick along the edges).
This probably answers some of your questions, but I'll take each question in order and give you my thoughts:
1) How big of a bench do you feel you need to do reasonable cabinet work and furniture work? Is a 72" x 28" bench reasonable? Do you feel you really need bigger, say 84" x 30", or would an even smaller bench such as 60" x 28" work?
My original 60" bench was not wide enough. My 78" bench is all I can reasonably fit in my shop. I have no room for an assembly table, so I built my bench wide enough to act as an assembly table. At 32" X 78" it works fine - especially since I can work all around the bench. I think a narrower bench might be better if you are limited to locating it againsdt a wall; you need to be able to reach across it. My bench gives me ample work space and clamping capability. I would like to have a larger top, but I have no more room. I wouldn't consider anything smaller.
I have seen that most woodworking benches have lots of empty space under them. Storage is a huge problem for me. Currently, I only have a face vise but I'd like to re-position things in my shop so I can have a tail vise on the right side of the bench (left side is not possible unless I can come up with an alternate shop layout). My face vise extends into a cabinet under the bench and works fine (there is stuff around the vise inside the cabinet but it does not interfere with it).
Storage has always been an issue in my shop. As I mentioned, I built a case of drawers under my bench top. I gave up some drawer space in order to leave room for holdfast shafts, but it was an easy trade off. I still have a lot of drawer space under my bench. If you're going to build a real bench, put real vises on it. I never appreciated how useful a proper end vise was until I installed one on my bench. I don't know how I lived without one all those years. I wanted a traditioinal end vise, but I couldn't figure out how to accommodate the large overhang in my limited space and still get adequate storage built into the base. I solved the problem with the Veritas twin screw vise and I've been very happy with it. It performs all the functions of a traditional end vise and more, and it doesn't require the big overhang you need with a traditional end vise. Which side of the bench you put the tail vise and face vises on is depends on whether you're left handed or right handed. Left handers need the end vise on the left side and right handers on the right side. The face (or shoulder) vise goes on the opposite end.
2) How much of the space under your bench is empty and how much is storage?
In addition to the 7" space under my top for holdfasts, I raised the bottom rail about 5" off the floor so I could sweep under the bench and retrieve all those little items I drop that invariably roll under the bench. This left about 13" for a drawer case. I have two bancs of drawers: 4 on the left side and 3 on the right. The drawers in the left banc are wider and shallower than the right banc. I use them for chisels, saws and similar things that fit in shallow drawers. The right banc gets small planes, lay out tools carver's mallets and bench gear (holdfasts, bench dogs and such stuff). I could have run the bottom strecher along the floor and picked up some storage space, but I like being able to clean under the bench and I'm satisfied witht he trade-off.
3) Is there any reason that the storage could not extend to within a few inches of the outside edge of the top, as long as dog holes are provided, there is clearance for the vises and it is OK for chips and such to fall down there?
No. My drawer carcase is as deep as I could make it. It extends to within 4" of the edge of the bench top. The 4" overhang leaves room bench dogs and allows me to clamp work to the bench top if I choose. My face vise is mounted outboard of the base on the left side (I'm right handed), so it doesn't interfere with the drawer case.
4) Do I really need a 2 1/4 - 2 1/2" thick top or would a 1 3/4" thick top do nicely?
You will probably get a lot of different opinions about this. My idea was the heavier the top the better, so I built mine with a 3" thick laminated maple "field" with 4" thick dog hole strips and apron. It's very heavy and solid as a rock. I think you could certainly get by with something less; I've seen nice benches on this board and others made with 1 3/4" stock for the top. I might suggest, however, that you consider using thicker stock along the edges - or along the front edge at least. Most of the pounding and abuse you'll give your bench will occur on the front 4" to 6" of the top. If you use thick hardwood stock in this area, it will stiffen the top and give you a solid edge to pound on.
5) Do I really need a traditional hardwood frame or could I use a heavily built plywood tortion box structure?
I think this is purely a personal preference. I'm sure a well designed plywood base could provide the necessary suport for a good workbench. I think the top is the most important consideration. As long as your base will provide a solid support for the top and resist wracking and slipping and sliding around the shop, you could build it out of most anything.
6) Any other considerations for me?
Yes, but I've been going too long already. You will have more questions as you get further into this project. Post them and you will get good responses here.
Here is a picture of my bench:
