Workbench layout for Japanese tools

[wilburpan]

I'm about to build a real workbench. I was wondering how you all had your workbench laid out as far as plane stops and vices go.

My plan was to have a removable plane stop of some sort at the front right hand corner of the bench, and a face vise at the front left corner. It looks like this is the proper placement, as I am right handed, and if I have the proper technique, I should be standing on the left side of my workpiece. The main issue that I am seeing is that on my smallish worktable, I tend to do sawing right where the planing stop is, which is why I need to make the planing stop removable.

I'm considering having a removable tool tray in the center, but am not firm on this yet.

I'm also considering mounting a piece of wood to the bottom edge of the tool tray area to use as a guide for shooting the edge of a board, much like what would be attached to a planing beam.

Finally, I'm wondering if 24" isn't actually too wide for the top.

But I thought I'd ask people who are actually using Japanese tools how they have their workbench laid out. Any and all comments would be appreciated!

[Des.K.]

Hi Wilburpan

My workbench is 27 inches wide, but I'm a grub and most of that is taken up with all sorts of rubbish, so the usable space is probably less that half that :-

My front vice (vise) is on the left side (same place as yours), and I use Veritas bench dogs to hold work on the left when planing with Western planes and toward the right when using Japanes planes. I've drilled holes all along the front of the bench, and along the sides. I can then adjust the dogs and stops as necessary when planing, both panels and single pieces. This works for both types of planes.

I don't have a tool tray so can't comment on that (though if I did it won't undoubtedly be filled up with junk), but do you think you might have to lean over a bit too far and not be properly balanced if you try to use it for shooting the edge of a board? Perhaps a removable piece on the front of the bench as a guide might give you better balance. I don't have one so no experience with it, but just a thought.

Des

[wilburpan]

Hi Des,

I thought about mounting a shooting guide on the front of the benchtop, but since I'm right handed, shooting a board that way might be awkward. The best place on the front of the benchtop for a shooting guide would be towards the left corner, right where the vice would be.

Although, now that I think of it, I could put one on the back side of the bench instead.

Putting dogs along the side is a good idea. How far apart did you space your bench dogs?

I do have a little bias about bench dogs acting as a planing stop. My previous experience with bench dogs for planing with a Japanese plane isn't as stable as a planing stop. There's always a certain width of board that is too wide or too narrow for the bench dog spacing. I'm planning to make the planing stop height adjustable, so in one sense it's going to be like one very wide bench dog.

Thanks,
Wilbur

P.S. Anyone else care to post what their workbench top looks like? Or does nobody else use a workbench out there? :wink:

[Woodjoint]

Hi Wilbur,

I made my bench 30 years ago before I was using Japanese tools exclusively so while it works well after the stops and such I've added it is still a little high for sawing sometimes. It's 29 inches wide 6 ft. long and 35 3/4" tall. I like the tool tray but personely I wouldn't put it in the middle. Some things as you can see are a little taller than the tray is deep and I think they would get in the way. I went with round 3/4" dog holes and haven't regeted it yet. It makes it easy to make a verity of stops just using 3/4" dowels. The two tilt up stops on the front edge are for sawing. I don't have any provision for a shooting board built in but I do have two screws that are screwed flush to the top that I can raise up for thin boards that I need to plane (not shown).

The thing I like most it the tool rack behind the bench were all my most often used tools are within reach and it makes it easy toi put them back when I'm finished so sometimes I actually keep the bench fairly clean while I'm working.

Charlie

Joseph, OR
USA

[Pam]

I decided you needed a bench to build a bench (with caveats, of course), so I bought a very cheap one. Shortly after I got into Japanese tools, so I added a test planing beam on the back of the bench (shown below with much more rise than anyone would ever use). The right end of the beam structure serves also as the planing stop and I have a couple of holes slightly upstream for inserting a stop further forward. Problem is this solution works so well that there's little incentive to build a new bench. (:

As for your planing stop, a planing beam with sliding dovetail for mounting the stop would work very nicely. Make the planing beam at least 12" wide for this use. Check out the Inomoto-san plane making seminar photos on Hiraide for his portable planing beam.

Pam

[Des.K.]

Hi Wilbur

Should have mentioned that along with the dogs, I use the Veritas wonder pups to hold the piece (panel or single piece) stable. I have two pups, and that seems to be all I need. The holes for the dogs are roughly 7" apart, and with shims where necessary, it works OK for me.

I'm right in the middle of making a TV cabinet for daughter, and believe me, you do not want to see my workbench.:D

Des

[wilburpan]

Thanks for the input, everyone! I'll be sure to take pictures as I build this thing, in case anyone wants to see how it turns out.