Why Vise at left of bench for Right-Handers?

[Ed Bray]

Why is the Vise positioned on the LHS of a workbench (either bench or tail) for a right-handed person?

I am a righty, but feel that the vise might be better placed for sawing if it was to be placed on the RHS, this way the saw cut would be outside of the bench and therefore unlikely to mistakenly mark the bench.

 

[Mr T]

Planing is easier with the vice on the left. Marking the bench should not be a problem if you use a bench hook

 

[matthewwh]

Ed, we are of the same mind.

I've built a Moxon onto the right hand side of the back of my bench to test the principle. I find I use the Mox for sawing but still use the front vice for planing.

In an ideal world I would now have two Moxons, one on the left for planing and one on the right (or back right?) for sawing. All I need now is a discrete waggon vice for long pieces that doesn't interfere with the right hand end clearance (worm driven?) and I will be ready to build my ultimate bench.

 

[RogerP]

I have a couple of old Record 52 1/2 vices - one each end of my rather crude bench.

As a right-hander I use the left one for planing and the right for sawing (over the end of bench) and both together for long planks.

Both have associated bench holes and dogs so large boards can be gripped flat on the bench top.

 

[AndyT]

I think a common approach is to use a pair of sawhorses for cutting boards to length. They are lower than the bench so more comfortable and efficient. (You'd use them for ripping too.)
So the vice is positioned to hold boards for planing, as others have said. For small scale sawing in the vice, eg sawing tenon cheeks, the position of the vice makes no difference.

 

[JimF.]

If you're sawing something off you would use your left hand to support the waste?

 

[RogerP]

Because of my small over-crowded workshop the left hand side of the bench is too close to a wall to have much room for sawing that end. Anyway, I always use the table saw or bandsaw for anything more than a very minor job.

 

[bugbear]

I think a common approach is to use a pair of sawhorses for cutting boards to length. They are lower than the bench so more comfortable and efficient. (You'd use them for ripping too.)
So the vice is positioned to hold boards for planing, as others have said. For small scale sawing in the vice, eg sawing tenon cheeks, the position of the vice makes no difference.

Yeah - doing bulk stock prep sawing on a workbench is horrible. Much too high.

BugBear

 

[RogerP]

I think a common approach is to use a pair of sawhorses for cutting boards to length. They are lower than the bench so more comfortable and efficient. (You'd use them for ripping too.)
So the vice is positioned to hold boards for planing, as others have said. For small scale sawing in the vice, eg sawing tenon cheeks, the position of the vice makes no difference.

Yeah - doing bulk stock prep sawing on a workbench is horrible. Much too high.

BugBear

I agree - wouldn't dream of using hand tools for bulk preparation.

 

[AndyT]

On second thoughts, for sawing tenon cheeks you do still need the vice on the left, assuming you are right handed. You stand to the right of the vice, with your right hand close to the work. If it was the other way round, you'd be reaching across your body, awkwardly.

 

[Trafalgar]

Ed, roughing cuts usually take place away from one's main bench on low horses or boxes. Joinery cuts and cuts on incised lines to bring a workpiece to exact finished length take place at the bench, the latter typically while being positioned on a bench hook - on long work pieces on two hooks. The latter cut goes straight through the workpiece to the bench hook. The hook gets marked, and is supposed to, it's expendable. One should avoid cutting to finished length with waste hanging over the end of the bench - even a small amount of waste, with the saw finishing in mid-air instead of against the base of the bench hook. The backside support provided by a bench hook assists in clean cuts. There are exceptions but the general rule stands as the way it should be done.

It's like using a knife in the culinary arts -- one cuts through to the board unhesitatingly.

 

[Ed Bray]

Thanks all, it's given me some food for thought.

 

[JimB]

One other point. If you are working with a piece in the vice it's always handy to have tools to your right hand on the bench.

 

[Benchwayze]

I think Paul Sellers would disagree about not using a vice for ripping. He regularly uses the vice to hold workpieces vertically, for ripping. He manages quite well, although I don't think I could do it that way. As I can no longer kneel on work, on the saw-horse, I might have to give that a try, but it's tempting to use the T/S or Bandsaw instead! (hammer)

 

[Trafalgar]

Shorter rips can be held in the vice, yes, as well as resawing by hand which must be held in a vice of some sort.