Workbench and Vise Decisions

[xraymtb]

Looking for help from anyone on a workbench and vise(s) for a small hand tool workshop.

My workshop is around 9ft by 9ft and is mainly hand tools only (bandsaw for resawing and a mini lathe that lives under my bench). I'm looking to build a new bench but obviously can't fit an 8ft monster in there!

I've been thinking along the lines of the Maguire 'Little John', very similar to Roy Underhills French bench. 5ft long, leg vise and wagon vise. But I want to be sure - tool well or not, wagon vice or holdfasts, 5ft or push a little bigger. Anyone care to chip in?

 

[G S Haydon]

I don't think you'd go too far wrong with your ideas. There are a few videos on line with bench builds, Paul Sellers' build is a popular one.

 

[rkboston]

On small workbench you could go with Paul Sellers type with a quick release steel vise and could skip the wagon vise. Vise handle probably takes up some 6" or so, instead you could make a bench a bit longer. Also you need some additional space to work on the stuff that is in the wagon vise.
I find that steel quick release vise grips better than quick release with steel screw, but wooden jaws. I have lee valley fancy quick release vise and find myself pining for my old steel jawed Jorgensen QR.

 

[bugbear]

Looking for help from anyone on a workbench and vise(s) for a small hand tool workshop.

My workshop is around 9ft by 9ft and is mainly hand tools only (bandsaw for resawing and a mini lathe that lives under my bench). I'm looking to build a new bench but obviously can't fit an 8ft monster in there!

I've been thinking along the lines of the Maguire 'Little John', very similar to Roy Underhills French bench. 5ft long, leg vise and wagon vise. But I want to be sure - tool well or not, wagon vice or holdfasts, 5ft or push a little bigger. Anyone care to chip in?

Your bench needs to be (at least) as long as the longest workpiece you intend to plane.

Since you're limited for space, I would suggest not having a tool well; the more working surface your bench has the better, especially if it ends up being short and/or narrow.

If you do end up making a fairly small bench, you might need to consider fixing it, either to the floor or wall; large benches stay put "just because".

As Landis emphasises in "The Workbench Book", bench design should be strongly guided by the work you intend to do on it - sculptors, jewellery box makers, luthiers, cabinet makers, joiners all need different benches (although there's considerable overlap)

BugBear

 

[AJB Temple]

In a small space, I fully agree - no tool well. Instead, put some magnetic racks on the wall and most hand tools can be ket in reach safely on those. As you are unlikely to move the bench in a shop that size, I would definitely bolt it to the floor and would make provision for that in the design. Stability helps no end.

 

[morfa]

I have a 5ft by 2ft workbench. It's pretty solid and doesn't move much, even tho currently it's on a very slick tiled floor. I wouldn't bother with a tool well either. Either make a small trolley or have a bunch of wall mounted tools as others have suggested.

 

[Corneel]

I have a legvise and an old Record quick release vise on my bench. The legvise sure isn't bad, but the quick release is a whole lot better! I have that one in the tailvise position with a block of wood with a movable dog. Works fine and quick. The legvise had a lot more reach above the screw which is helpfull at times.

 

[xraymtb]

I have a Record vise on my current bench that I could reuse. And the more I think about it most of my tools live on the wall already or on the shelf under the bench so I'll skip the tool well and go for more bench surface.

Interesting that you prefer the record to the leg vise. Any reason why?

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

 

[mouppe]

I sold my tail vice after several years of not using it. Dogs, holdfasts, planing stops...there are a myriad of other ways to clamp wood instead of a tail vice.

So I would get a good face vice and forget the tail vice. You can add it later if you really want to.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I'm 61. I've never seen a tail vice (or a leg vice other than in a forge)

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Benches are very personal, I think. When I built mine, I put in a largish toolwell, and I've regretted it ever since. It just fills up with shavings and rubbish, into which smaller tools disappear with little trace, sometimes to be found again point-first when trying to find something else. The tail vice is nice to have, but it doesn't do anything that can't be done other ways just as easily.

About the only thing everyone agrees about is that benches should be rigid, preferably heavy, and have a working surface that's as flat as the work you want to do on it. Anything else is a matter for the user.

 

[Corneel]

I have a Record vise on my current bench that I could reuse. And the more I think about it most of my tools live on the wall already or on the shelf under the bench so I'll skip the tool well and go for more bench surface.

Interesting that you prefer the record to the leg vise. Any reason why?

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

Because it is quite a bit quicker. And no problems with wracking (spelling?). And it grips plenty firm enough.

 

[RogerP]

Having had many vices over the years my favourite is an old Record 53E. Opens about 15 inches, 10 inches wide and strong as an ox. I'd not want to be without it.

 

[xraymtb]

I'm sure which Record I have without going to the garage but it sounds like the same one.

The 5ft limit is fairly fixed, I could go to around 6ft but I wouldnt then be using the end much. I might leave the tail vice off for now, no tool well and mock up the top over my existing bench to see if 6ft works.

 

[bugbear]

...wagon vise. Vise handle probably takes up some 6" or so, instead you could make a bench a bit longer. Also you need some additional space to work on the stuff that is in the wagon vise.

Good point about the "access space" need by a tail vice, in addition to its actual physical size - thank you.

BugBear