One more workbench question...

[Cubsfan]

Ok, I'm almost done with this:

http://www.woodsmithshop.com/episodes/season2/206/

I'm at the point where I'm going to chamfer the edging on the top, but I'm wondering what to do around the vice. So the vice has pieces of wood attached to it. Should I chamfer the clamping faces, or just leave them straight? It seems like I should leave them straight so it can clamp things all the way to the top, but I wanted to check and make sure.

Thanks!

[LarryG]

Definitely leave the vise chops straight, for the reason you mention. But I wouldn't chamfer the rest of the top, either. Bench hooks, planing stops, and similar appliances will stay in place better if they have a nice, square corner to fit around. There may also be times when you'll want to clamp a long workpiece, stood on edge, to the front edge of the bench and for that a straight edge all the way to the top would be better since the front of the top then becomes essentially like an extension of the vise.

I suggest hitting the edges with some sandpaper, just enough to ease them a little, and let it go at that.

[Cubsfan]

Perfect. Thanks. That's even less work for me

[RodKirby]

Definitely leave the vise chops straight, for the reason you mention. But I wouldn't chamfer the rest of the top, either. Bench hooks, planing stops, and similar appliances will stay in place better if they have a nice, square corner to fit around. There may also be times when you'll want to clamp a long workpiece, stood on edge, to the front edge of the bench and for that a straight edge all the way to the top would be better since the front of the top then becomes essentially like an extension of the vise.

I suggest hitting the edges with some sandpaper, just enough to ease them a little, and let it go at that.

Ditto all of the above