Tuesday, December 05, 2017

Workbench

I've been reading C.S.'s posts on workbench build personalities on Unplugged Shop. It is funny mostly because I can see bits of myself and/or friends in each of the posts. One of the replies to a C.S.'s post mentioned White's new fangled design workbench.

As it is 0300 here in the desert and I do not have anything better to do, other than get ready to go sit in a black box for four hours, I decided to exercise my google foo and find out about this "new fangled" design. Seems White worked for Fine Woodworking and published plans and an article on his workbench design. It also seems at least some folks build benches based on his plans, there was at least one video.

My only question is: Was the article published in the April issue of Fine Woodworking?

Remember the workbench build mantra: Build it quickly, simple, heavy, and cheap, then go to work making furniture.

BTW, I re-hung the leg vise on the sharpening bench last night so I can play with it before building the new/replacement portable bench. After I make a couple of mods to see if I can make the vise smoother in operation it, the vise chop and screw, will come off the sharpening bench to wait for the new portable bench to be built.

Have I ever mentioned I really enjoy making workbenches or at least I must because I've built so many of 'em. I'm out of room in the shop, back garden, and friends to give 'em to....What to do, what to do?

4 comments:

  1. Hey Ken - that was me! As far as I know John White's first article about the NFW was years ago.

    FWIW, here's a link to my mostly complete bench (http://lumberjocks.com/projects/191778). I hadn't installed the panels in the top. And since then I've put the planing beam on the back side and a leg vise on the front side. The planing beam is nice (again, it's a gizmo that works), but I just don't use it as much as I expected to.

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  2. Aaron,

    It's good that the NFWB is working for you. My benches are very simple and easy to build, I'm not sure I'd ever get something as complex built or figure out how to make all the pieces work once built.

    ken

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  3. I wouldn't say it's working... I hardly ever use the long clamps that run through the length of the thing, I already talked about the planing beam, and the face vise is nice, but I never adjust the width of it. All in all, the adjustability has served no purpose. The only reason it "works" for me at all is because of what I added to the design - beefier top, top square to sides, extra sturdy legs/stretcher system... just in case anyone is reading this and is curious about how the NFW could work in a hobbyist, more hand tool than not hybrid shop :)

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  4. That is, if I were to do it again now, I'd do it your way!

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