Workbench Issues

[BigguyZ]

Ok, So I'm building the workbench the Family Handyman did I think in the Jan 06 issue. I'm finishing up on the base, and the top is pretty much done as well. However, I had two questions needing to be answered:

1) Vise Placement. You're traditional placement for the face and tail vises are on the left hand side as you look at the bench. Maybe I'm too new, but why does just about every bench mace this design? Is there a specific function that this follows? Or, is it really just personal preference that should dictate vise placement?

2) Bench dogs. The design calls for a single row of bench dog holes near the front edge of the top. But, I've seen other benches with 2,3, or even 4 rows of holes. Again, what dictates this, and what's the ideal way to go?


Thanks! this is my first major project to get my woodshop started, and I'm eager to finish!

[LCHIEN]

guessing wildly, most people are right handed, clamping on the left allows you to plane, chisel, etc. with your right hand holding the tool and pushing towards the left with your dominant hand?

As for the bench dogs, it seems to me the most useful arrangement is with the row of holes in line with the center of the vise. If your vise has a 8" capacity, then put the holes every 7 inches, so you can clamp items between the outside vise jaw and one of the bench dog holes. This assumes your vise has a popup dog.

A row of holes along the front of the bench would be to use with a tail vise mounted on the right hand end of the bench.

I don't actually have one of these benches made yet, so take my advise for one thinking on a theoretical basis!

[LarryG]

I'm 99.44% certain that Loring is correct; I've always assumed the same as he on the placement of the front vise. A left-end mount means that a right-handed person using a handplane will have his right side nearest the bench as he planes from right to left.

As for the tail vise being on the left side of the end ... if the bench is sitting against a wall, it will be out on the "free" corner rather than way in the back where it would be difficult or impossible to use.

Being a lefty, I have always assumed that whenever I get around to building a bench, I'll put the front vise on the right end. I'm not much of a galoot, so instead of a tail vise, I want a twin-screw with jaws that go all the way across.

[Tom Miller]

1) Vise Placement. You're traditional placement for the face and tail vises are on the left hand side as you look at the bench.

Actually, I usually see the face vise on the left, and the tail vise on the right. [edit: oh, yeah, you probably meant the left side as you face that side.] It is largely personal preference, but you may not know your preference until you've used your bench a few years. The corollary of that little "rule" is that you'll likely become accustomed to whatever setup you choose, and will extol its virtues on every forum you frequent.

I like having my face vise on the left, because I'm right handed. So when I'm sawing through a board that's in the vise, I can hold the cutoff in my left hand while sawing with the right.

The tail vise should go on the opposite side as the face vise just so they don't get in each other's way.

2) Bench dogs. The design calls for a single row of bench dog holes near the front edge of the top. But, I've seen other benches with 2,3, or even 4 rows of holes. Again, what dictates this, and what's the ideal way to go?

Another good question. Until someone comes along with the definitive answer....

This is largely dictated by what sizes/shapes of workpiece you think you'll be working with. If you're only going to be working on single boards, of say 6" width or less, a single row along the front should suffice. (That's what I currently have.)

And, if your panels are no more than, say, 2' x 2', then the double row going back from your face vise may do. (Again, that's what I have.)

If you're working on doors, maybe you need double rows from the end of the bench, and a wide end vise instead of a tail vise.

If you want to hold down a panel with holdfasts at any position on your bench, then your bench will start looking like swiss cheese.

I was as uncertain, if not moreso, about dogholes, which is why I designed for the ability to add dogholes after the bench top was made. I use a 3/4" bradpoint bit (6" long) with a 3" thick guide block. Then, I make my own round dogs with square ends.

Some pics:








My homemade tail vise (kind of surprised how well it works, actually):



Regards,
Tom

[LarryG]

Tom, what is the construction of your bench's top?

[/ThreadHijack]

[final_t]

Mine is flipped - tail on the left, face on the right. I don't think it has anything to do with left/right handyness - for me, this was dictated by the layout of the shop and the position of the bench + the storage for the jointer under it.

As for holes, I only have a single row, but others have the full swiss cheese effect.

Whatever your personal work habits dicitate.

Good site for ideas:
http://www.workbenchdesign.net/

[Tom Miller]

Tom, what is the construction of your bench's top?

[/ThreadHijack]

It's 3 layers of mdf edge-banded with 4/4 oak. Finish is a few coats of wipe-on poly. I built it thinking it might be an interim top until I come up with something better. But it's been working out very well, and holding up well, too.

To OP: final_t's link has a lot of good ideas/info!

(...and, we're back on topic. )

Regards,
Tom

[Red88chevy]

I guess I'm just backwards when compared to everyone else, what do you expect from an Aggie? I'm right handed and have the face vice on the right. I mainly use it for holding a board while I saw it, it wouldn't work on the left for me as other tools would be in the way.

[JTimmons]

I guess I'm just backwards when compared to everyone else, what do you expect from an Aggie? I'm right handed and have the face vice on the right. I mainly use it for holding a board while I saw it, it wouldn't work on the left for me as other tools would be in the way.

Don't worry has nothing to do with being an Aggie, it maybe a Texan thing though as I do the same thing.

[BigguyZ]

Well, I'm nearing the completion of the project. I have the entire base assembly done, minus the door and drawer facades. I'm thinking that the face vise on the left makes sense for holding the cutoff on a sawed board. But then again, how often do you hand saw a board these days? I also think that I'll be adding a second row of dog holes near the rear of the bench.

I'll post pics when it's all done!

[ssmith1627]

I built that same bench -- the rock solid workbench from the Dec/Jan issue. I finished it a couple months back.

http://ssmith1627.myphotoalbum.com/v...d=152_5209_IMG

http://ssmith1627.myphotoalbum.com/v...d=152_5211_IMG

http://ssmith1627.myphotoalbum.com/v...d=152_5212_IMG

I would have switched the vises had I really thought it out and talked to you guys first. If the face vise was on the right, the piece you're working on would stick out beyond the end of the bench -- at least for the purposes of sawing. For other purposes, it has worked just fine.

I think you'd only use multiple rows of dog holes if you had a tail vise that was wider -- like those large wooden ones that span the whole width of the bench. The dog holes have to be in line with the vise to work.

The placement of the vises is fine for me since I made this into an island backed up to the cabinet for my BT3100.

Steve

[BigguyZ]

Actually, your pics/ etc are what made me want to build the same bench! I dunno about the vises, I'm probably mounting them tomorrow, so I have until then to worry about it....

[ssmith1627]

I sure learned a lot doing it. How NOT to do things ! haha It's amazing how little inaccuracies during the building will haunt you at the end. It LOOKS square but then at the end putting the trim on the outside to cover up the joints -- and it doesn't fit quite like you want it to. But ya learn and do better the next time around !

I have a jointer now but didn't when I made the bench top. That really would've come out nicer had I been able to joint all of those pieces. I'm perfectly happy with it but I still see the flaws in it. It's enough to impress the family members who know nothing about woodworking ! haha

Flipping that top over a couple of times to get the ends cut off flush and to create the mortises for the vises was a lot of fun. It's a beast. My wife and I just barely managed it but it worked out. At least the bench is solid and doesn't give / move when your'e working with it. I never used those shims they show to lift it off the casters. I really don't see the need -- it just doesn't budge.

Look forward to seeing your pictures ! I know two other guys who were / are building the same bench but haven't seen any photos yet. Will be exciting to see how everyone's came out.
Steve

[Red88chevy]

Thanks JT for the support! I went in the shop today and tried to imagine sawing on the other (left) end of the bench and it just doesn't seem right. I don't have to worry about holding/catching the cut off unless its short because the rest of the board extends across my tablesaw. So, like Final_t said, I guess how you plan on positioning your bench in the shop will play a big part of what works best.

[BigguyZ]

Update W/ Pics

OK, So I've had it "Completed" for about 2 weeks now. I went with two rows across and a double row down the side for the bench dogs. I mounted the tail vise without any fancy methods and simply bolted it on. But for the face vise, I wanted it flush with the face of the top. I wasn't adding banding, and I hadn't previously planned for it by allowing room during the glue-up. So, I basically routed a mortise into the face of the benchtop the size of the vise plate. So the vise is about 3/4" imbeded into the top. What I plan on doing next is to fill that space with a planed flat piece of maple. That way, it ends up being completely flush with the rest of the bench. For the moving side of the vise, I'm going to build a larger jaw, similar to Tom Miller's vise. That'll have built into it two bench dogs, again like Tom's.

So, here's the pics with everything done except the vise work (I need to set up the BS to complete the whole thing).