Thread: Tool well or no tool well?

depends how you like to work and if you like having a tool well.

mostly they collect sawdust and tools and everything else. some love them other people dont. one advantage can be that tools can be kept out of the way (if they aren't too big) and still make use of the bench top.

Chris Schwartz has captured a lot of good info on traditional (and very functional) workbenches. here's one link http://www.popularwoodworking.com/te...or_workbenches

Hey Brigalow,

When i built my first (and only bench) i put in a tool well at the back with a skirt all the way around to stop tools from falling out. It does collect dust and shavings, and consequently i have cut a whole in the side to brush them out.

I do like it, but i have now added a small slit at the back to hold saws and chisels etc. I find this better and i use this more (although it won't hold my planes and larger tools.

They have pros and cons, i think when i build my next bench i will skip the tool well, and just have the slit at the back, or maybe a detachable tray for the larger tools to fit on the bench somewhere.

I don't have a specific photo, but i something that tries to illustrate what i mean:

27-08-15 9-06-49 AM.jpg

This link has better photos about what i mean for the slit at the back:
http://benchcrafted.blogspot.com.au/...ves-roubo.html

Cheers, Dave

Another alternative, if your bench is close to a wall, is to build the tool well as a separate, stand alone item ...



link: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMad...ifference.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

I never liked tool well but recently I have a change of heart. I'm not a tidy woodworker, when I am working, my tools are scattered all over work bench so now I think I might benefit from a tool well. I am thinking I might build a tool well that is more like a couple of drawers that can slide in and out.

justonething, i also like the idea of draws and was playing with the idea of adding them to the next bench. Just need to be careful of placement if they are under the bench as they may prevent the use of holdfasts etc, that is if they are in the middle where your dog holes are, the shaft of the holdfads will not be able to protrude down.

Hope that makes sense.

Cheers, Dave

I miss my old carpenters work bench .... sold it for $50 back in 95. HOw stupid was I. A well is a good idea and if you do the rebate thing then you have the best of both worlds.

For my next bench Iam considering a shaddow board attchaed on one side. Not decided yet but an idea

DaveTTC

Turning Wood Into Art

My next bench will have a tool well

Think about making the bottom of it removable or hinged in some manner, remove tools and empty all the debris out that way.

Originally Posted by marphlix

justonething, i also like the idea of draws and was playing with the idea of adding them to the next bench. Just need to be careful of placement if they are under the bench as they may prevent the use of holdfasts etc, that is if they are in the middle where your dog holes are, the shaft of the holdfads will not be able to protrude down.

Hope that makes sense.

Cheers, Dave

Got to remember that. Another thing I was thinking about is a mobile tool well that I could put a cover on it to become a temporary work space for longer pieces, that is to be same height as my work bench and table saw. I frequently move between my work bench and table saw, often looking for a bit of space to put that clamp or fence or whatever else. A bit like this one

I'm in the process of building a bench with a friend who has built several.

I was pretty strongly against the tool well. As much as I wish I was the type of woodworker who would put the 1/4" chisel away before grabbing the 1" chisel, or the Jack Plane away before grabbing the Jointer, I know myself and I am simply not that guy. I knew that I, personally, would likely find myself abusing the tool well and using it as storage on a more permanent level than it was designed.

So I opted out of it and, after a bit of forethought, it was no big deal.

THAT BEING SAID... I know that when we were discussing doing away with it, there was some concern that it was a necessary part of the expansion and contraction capabilities of the benchtop. We came up with a workaround, and it didn't take much thought. Nonetheless, my point is that when you design your bench, make sure that when you're deciding for or against the tool well, you ensure that it's not a critical part of the bench build from a wood movement perspective.

My AU$0.02

Cheers,
Luke

I'm all for a tool well. Admittedly mine fills with tools, shavings quickly and I'll have to dig out my phone, wallet and keys, but that's more of an issue of my poor management and keeping a tidy workspace. It's no biggie to sweep it clean, or to put away tools not in use, I just get lazy. But boy it's handy to have the tools being used right there at arms length. Without a tool well they'd be on the benchtop at risk of being knocked off onto the floor.

I've recently helped a friend finish his bench which is deeper than mine. We added a tool well based on mine but he went one further to add a slot for chisels and so forth for storage much like marphlix's photo. I'm convinced on the idea and will do the same to mine though I'll have a cleat where I can hang separate racks containing groups of tools like chisels. They'll be easy to remove to be placed on French cleats on the wall when not in use. Hard to describe but that's the plan.

Personally I reckon the tool well ply cover would be a waste. I'm trying to think of positives but can't. As soon as you remove it there's a bit of timber you have to store, which may or may not be an issue. I dunno. If I had a cover, I can't imagine it would last long.

If you are in two minds about a well, make a separate tool holder, which can be either attached to the back of the bench, or the wall behind, as Derek suggested. It can be a simple open box, or as fancy as you wish. If you decide down the track that it's more bother than it's worth, you can simply ditch it. I tried the tool slots along the back, but very quickly dropped that idea - chisel handles sticking up above bench height were a complete nuisance!

The tool well does serve a purpose on a 'traditional' bench with end caps and an enclosing back piece, it provides a neat solution to top expansion, but as Luke said, the expansion/contraction issue can be easily worked around.

I don't actually end up putting all that many tools in my tool well, my main tool storage is just a short step from my usual working position, & I try to return each tool as I'm finished with it (of course the bench top is often littered with tools that I'm going to use again in a minute or two, but my intentions are pure! ). But I still like having the well on my bench. It is, absolutely, a receptacle for all kinds of crap, but then, that's precisely what its purpose is, isn't it?....

Cheers,

No tool well for me, collects too much crap and stuff, I like a nice flat surface, my bench is big enough that tools are out of the way but still close at hand and if there's not enough space that means there's too many tools on the bench and it is clean up time!




Pete