Workbench design

[PaulO]

Here are a couple of drawings of a workbench I am planning on building. It is a simplified Charlesworth pattern bench, intended to be made from 3" stock.

The top is 4" thick, and I intend to use crown cut beech laminated to make a quartersawn top for maximum stability.

The bench height is 40 1/2" but I may reduce it by an inch. I have used a 40 1/2" bench and I found it comfortable.

At the moment I have only shown one vice, but I am toying with the idea of fitting a tail vice (and more dog holes)

I have opted for the more traditional square dog holes, so I'd like to get their placement right before the top is constructed.

The way I work with my current bench, I have never needed lots of dog holes or a tail vice, so I remain undecided. The sliding tool well means you can easily place an F clamp for added work holding.

The wedged through M&T is just for aesthetics, as all the M&T are draw bored.

The sliding tool well will probably be made in several sections, so that an anglepoise can be accommodated, as well as my growing chisel selection.

I can e-mail the sketchup file to anyone who is interested (around 300k with a simplified vice model).

Based on this drawing it would weigh 150kg (330lbs in old money) so it shouldn't blow away in a breeze.

Anyone have any thoughts / suggestions?

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Hi Paul.

That looks very nice. I would be interested in seeing the SKP model if you don't mind sending it. I'll PM you with my e-mail address.

Dave

 

[frugal]

Anyone have any thoughts / suggestions?

The only think I would say from looking at it is do you not need more dog holes in line with the one in the Vice?

the ones in the middle are fine for stops or hold downs, but if you want to use the dog hole in the vice then surely you need more holes in line with it?

 

[jonbikebod]

What you have drawn is more or less the ‘Charlesworth’ bench.
My comment would be the back face of the vice should be flush with the front of the front slab (as it is on David’s originals but not on the commercially made ones).
Chris Schwartz in his book on workbench design (the best book by far if you are intending making your own) suggests nearly all benches a couple of centuries ago and more had the front legs flush with the front edge of the top. This makes working the edge of a panel or door etc easy to clamp to the legs or drill for pegs. A sliding deadman also flush with this front face develops this feature even more. Schwartz believes this was one of the virtues of the skirts on old English benches (easy to clamp to) but a trick missed on the twentieth century benches based on Scandinavian design.
Jon.