Benchtop Bench

**Basilg** · 16th January 2011, 04:44 PM

I am aware there is a thread dedicated to Workbenches but felt it more appropriate to post this here as I consider this more a tool than a workbench.

I first saw this design by Jeff Miller in FWW #176 back in 2005 which I made a mental note of. The purpose off this small bench is to relieve back strain caused by crouching over a low workbench when marking out, cutting joinery, using a handheld router, carving, or other detail work.

My main workbench is a traditional cabinetmakers bench which is fairly low as it was designed largely to make planing easier, and it has served me very well since making this around 25 years ago. However, more recently I have found that my back does not respond as well as it has in the past

so decided to make this little bench.

I bought two veneer press screws from LV for the vice, and the rest is material that I had on hand. The top is made from fence posts that are probably 50 years old and " North Coast NSW hardwood " Hardwood being an understatement

the vice jaws are NGR, the front stretcher is Dilinea and the rear stretcher Kwila, legs are "Fence Post" and the top and bottom rails are NGR, the dogs are some old 3/4"dowelling that I think is Rimu. The escutcheons behind the screw handles are scraps of NGR carved, and inlaid into the vice jaw, to reduce the likelihood of fingers getting jambed.

The bench is 910 mm long 430mm wide including the vice jaws and the height is 280mm. Finish is boiled linseed oil which I will wax after a few more coats of oil.

The bench is clamped to the main bench top when required and a workpiece up to 610 mm wide can be clamped in the vice, and this workpiece can extend down to floor level, very useful for cutting dovetails or tenons. Other workpieces can be held by the dogs in the vice jaws and the top.

I have found this small bench to be very beneficial and useful, and will likely make a separate stand for it so it can be dedicated to particular tasks, and avoid the need to lift it on & off the main workbench

I hope someone will find this post informative and useful,

Regards

**Sapling** · 16th January 2011, 06:35 PM

Looks fantastic and sounds very practical.Well done.

**jimbur** · 16th January 2011, 06:48 PM

A good idea especially as we start to creak at the joints.
Cheers,
Jim

**giraffelt** · 17th January 2011, 02:21 AM

Nice looking mini bench.

Your timing is excellent. My next project a mini bench along the same lines. I already have the top made up from a rolling cabinet I had made several years ago but for various reasons don't use it as a bench. My plan was to convert it to a bench along the lines of Miller's article but your idea of making it as a stand alone has got me rethinking that plan.
Thanks for sharing.

Larry

**Basilg** · 17th January 2011, 07:49 AM

Thanks Jim & Sapling.

Larry

Thanks, I am pleased the timing is appropriate. I have not definitely decided to make a dedicated stand as I find clamping to the main bench works very well due to the substantial weight of this provides great stability. However the disadvantage is moving around the small bench as it is no lightweight.
I am nearing completion of my new workshop which will provide a lot more room, and one thought I have is to utilise an existing cabinet where I store carving tools, This is a sturdy cabinet, & as one use for the small bench is carving the tools will be readily available at the bench. I think this will be my first option and if that is not satisfactory, try a dedicated stand.

Regards

**giraffelt** · 18th January 2011, 02:01 AM

Basilg,

Yes, stability is an issue for a stand a lone bench given the small dimensions. My initial thought is to build some storage under the top to add weight and stability. I will start by going the bench on bench route and gain some experience in use. Storage of the mini bench will be an issue for me given limited workshop space.

Larry

**Basilg** · 28th January 2011, 10:18 PM

As I have been using the worktop workbench for a little while I thought a brief update may be useful to some.

My main reason for making the bench was to ease the back pain experienced as a result of bending over a workpiece on the main bench, and it has proved very useful for this. I now find that I am using this bench more and more as I find I can see things that I am working on much better, and this therefore improves accuracy.

Regards

**giraffelt** · 29th January 2011, 01:19 AM

Thanks for the update. I am in the process of building a bench on bench. I have made the legs at what I consider to be the maximum height with the idea of experience rating them. If necessary I will incrementally cut down the leg height until I find what works best for me.

Larry

**Basilg** · 29th January 2011, 06:23 AM

Larry

That is an excellent idea, & something I overlooked

. But it is not difficult for me to change if needed.
I hope you find your bench as useful as mine is proving to be.

Regards

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