Bespoke Workbench

**Bushmiller** · 10th June 2011, 07:45 PM

Isn't it peculiar about some items of furniture, that we just enjoy making them or are actively drawn to them even though we either have enough of them or no need for them. Tables and work benches are like that for me and judging by the popularity of this section of the forum, I am not alone.

In the last house move I left a workbench behind, mainly because I had inherited it with the house and it seemed the right thing to do. Another reason was that it was an integral part of the garage wall and was too difficult to just take away

.

No matter I thought. There will be an opportunity and a reason (not that I needed one) to make another bench. Now I had always liked the Scandinavian style benches with their tail vices etc. so as you have guessed I didn't do that

.

I made up a bench from scrap material to suit the type of work I do mainly, which is house renovation. We have an old house which we are trying to bring into the 21st century.

A friend had shown me an article from an American magazine and I liked the look of it.

The bench has some unusual features. The two vices are made from quick action pipe clamps. One runs down the middle and along the length of the bench. The second vice can be positioned anywhere along the length. and can be as wide or narrow as you wish. It will also accomodate irregular shapes as the two pipes are independent of each other. The jaws are the bench and a loose piece of ironbark ( as are the jaws for the long vice.The face vice only uses the threaded part of the pipe clamp.

There are a series of removable pieces of mdf that run down the centre of the bench. These pieces must be considered as sacrificial. They allow the pipe clamps to be positioned anywhere along the length. These pipes sit on supports that can be rotated 90 deg to allow the clamps to slide past. I have shown a pic with a window clamped and also another with a full length french door clamped.

The third feature is an adjustable shelf that runs along the length of the bench and allows doors to be held for planing and other operation without the need to clamp. The pix show it at different levelsand this is achieved with the tail part of the pipe clamps. Long boards can also be planed in this way. One pic shows a piece of 50 x 25 with a packer to hold it above the table.

One disadvantage of the door planing device is that the face vice has has to be removed. This takes a minute if you are clumsy and slightly less if you are adept.

Lastly, apologies for the finish. It is not a thing of beauty, just a work bench. When my new shed is built, a heavy, laminated-top bench is on the list, but until then this has to do.

The only items purchased were four pairs of pipe clamps and and a large number of batten screws. The bench sits up on pavers for the moment as the shed has a dirt floor. Ultimately, in the new shed, it will sit lower on the concrete floor.

Oh concrete, level........ excuse me, must go for a swoon

.

Regards
Paul

**Bushmiller** · 10th June 2011, 07:47 PM

A few more pix

Regards
Paul

**Sawdust Maker** · 10th June 2011, 11:28 PM

Nice job

I've only read about a bench like this - yours looks like it has done a lot of work

**Bushmiller** · 10th June 2011, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

Nice job

I've only read about a bench like this - yours looks like it has done a lot of work

Sawdust Maker

It is the only bench I have for the moment, although I plan to make a "smart" bench in the future. I love the laminated look.

A cut-off saw for steel normally resides on the RHS of the bench and that makes quite a mess, but the timbers I used were pretty rugged to begin with and I only cleaned them up sufficiently to put them together. This is the tiddiest I have seen the bench since I made it: Cleaned it up for the photos.

The bench is about three years old.

Regards
Paul

**NCArcher** · 11th June 2011, 10:30 AM

Nice work, plenty of holding options there.

I like the adjustable shelf for the birdsmouth (I think that is what the angled piece on the edge is called)
A great example of a purpose built bench.

**Bushmiller** · 11th June 2011, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by NCArcher

Nice work, plenty of holding options there.

I like the adjustable shelf for the birdsmouth (I think that is what the angled piece on the edge is called)
A great example of a purpose built bench.

NC

I am not sure what the angled piece is called. I used to call the "birdsmouth" the cutout found on the part of a rafter which sits on the top plate in a pitched roof, but you may well be right. With your permission I shall adopt the term.

Incidentally, it was your bench thread and Groggy's that inspired me to finally put this one up. However, my bench's lustre thickens in the the light of yours and Groggy's. Might have to apply some polish

.

Nice to hear from the Upper Hunter. I still have a connection there.

Regards
Paul

**Claw Hama** · 11th June 2011, 06:53 PM

That is a thing of beauty, a versitile bench if ever I saw one. I have only just done away with my pipe clamp bench vice and installed a twintail system. I can see some modifications comming along to my bench shortly. I like the adjustable support along the side with the pipe clamp adjustment. Another real bench not one of these Nancy boy pretty little numbers (yes you all know who you are

)
Great work Bushy

**Bushmiller** · 11th June 2011, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by Claw Hama

Another real bench not one of these Nancy boy pretty little numbers (yes you all know who you are

)
Great work Bushy

CH

Yeah, that's right. A man's bench; full of sound and fury

!

But I want a pretty bench too (not instead of). What's wrong with me

?

I also have a Newcastle connection . Wife born there. I might have to cease this connection thing. I could be running out of relatives.

Regards
Paul

**mic-d** · 11th June 2011, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

NC

I am not sure what the angled piece is called.

It's called a crochet. Nice bench Paul, the new fangled workbench only more so

**Bushmiller** · 11th June 2011, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by mic-d

It's called a crochet.

mic-d

Crochet is something I had hitherto associated with little old ladies sitting with wool twirled around a hooked little finger. I hope that term will not detract from my bench's macho image.

Half a tick; my wife crochets. Rethink, rethink, damage control, denial, protestation, apology.....

Below is a picture of me

about to plane up a 600mm piece of 50 x 25

. Thanks for the info

Regards
Paul

**mic-d** · 11th June 2011, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

mic-d

Crochet is something I had hitherto associated with little old ladies sitting with wool twirled around a hooked little finger. I hope that term will not detract from my bench's macho image.

Half a tick; my wife crochets. Rethink, rethink, damage control, denial, protestation, apology.....

Below is a picture of me

about to plane up a 600mm piece of 50 x 25

. Thanks for the info

Regards
Paul

Pauline

apparently crochet is Fronch for hook, like the hook on a cochet needle, and the giant crochet hook on the front of your bench.

**Bushmiller** · 11th June 2011, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by mic-d

Pauline

apparently crochet is Fronch for hook, like the hook on a cochet needle, and the giant crochet hook on the front of your bench.

Oh, monsieur, eet es zat hook zat you meant

? C'est bon! Btw, what did you think of my little off the shoulder number deliberately chosen with safety in mind. Selected the short one so it won't become tangled in the 1806B travelling at 15,000 rpm like the last shawl. Tends to clog the chip ejector. Also the short one was cheaper

. It is a b****r to get the sawdust out of

. I don't think it was designed with woodworkers in mind.

Good to see you blokes are taking this so seriously. Saturday is a good time for a little bit of lightheartedness

.

Regards
Paul

**Moe in QLD** · 13th June 2011, 10:03 AM

this is an awesome bench
my question is did you plan it or did it come together over time?
if you planned it i'd love to see a scan of the drawing

i need a bench like this
something that's sturdy and holds just about anything

**mic-d** · 13th June 2011, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by Moe in QLD

this is an awesome bench
my question is did you plan it or did it come together over time?
if you planned it i'd love to see a scan of the drawing

i need a bench like this
something that's sturdy and holds just about anything

I hope not to steal Paul's thunder, but if you Google 'new fangled workbench plans' the first hit is the FWW pdf of the original bench. There's a video there somewhere too.

**Moe in QLD** · 13th June 2011, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by mic-d

if you Google 'new fangled workbench plans'

thanks
that's a search i've never tried

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