Anyone have a plan for the Wood Whisperer bench???

[A_Vitale]

I have always admired the simplicity and looks very functional. In my quest to build my new bench I would love to use this bench as an inspiration. Any help or info would be great!

[thewoodwhisperer]

Are you talking about my regular workbench? If so, I would actually recommend against building it. While very pretty, its not really as functional as it could be. The trestle base is far too light and its a bit top heavy. When I build a new bench, it will likely be equally simple, but with 4 legs and perhaps even a leg vise. Schwarz's workbench book gives some great guidelines for a basic workbench.

[jlloydparks]

I would highly recommend you email Marc about his bench. In quite a few episodes he mentions that it has inadequacies. If you are looking to build a new one I highly recommend both of Chris Schwarz's books on the subject. Marc may also be able to guide you down a path where you get a similar bench with improvements if you are set on that route. In my opinion there are much more functional benches out there. I have built two a Holtzapffel and a Nicholson both have advantages and shortcomings, however, both are excellent benches. Here are a couple of pictures (I still don't have a completed picture of the Holtzapffel, apologies):

[Vic]

Love the top bench. I'm planning a Roubo very soon. I can't tell you how excited I am to have functional work bench. I've been working off an exterior door on sawhorses for WAY too long!

[AMarshall]

As long as we're talking bench design, I will also pile on with a recommendation to check out the books by Schwarz. I had a few unique needs in mind when I designed my bench, but there is good guidance there.

Here's mine.

[Bombarde16]

Schwarz's workbench book gives some great guidelines for a basic workbench.

One of which is that the face of the leg should be coplanar with the side of the table, which you see in the Nicholson, Holzapfel, Roubo, etc. Pretty much says kapow to any sort of trestle...even though that's what David Marks has.

Schwarz's general rule (even if you don't buy the book) is to focus on three types of work-holding:

1. Edges
   
2. Faces
   
3. End grain
   

Whether you're smoothing, cutting joinery, or whatnot, the bench has to hold the piece firm so you can go to town with both hands safely on the handle side of whatever tool is at hand. The trestle form lets you work on a face (using dogs and the tail vise) and possibly the end grain (especially if your tail or face vise is a twin screw) but flops if you have to hold a big board to joint a long edge.

[markwilliams75]

HMMMMMMMMMMM Future guild build????????????????????????????????

Are you talking about my regular workbench? If so, I would actually recommend against building it. While very pretty, its not really as functional as it could be. The trestle base is far too light and its a bit top heavy. When I build a new bench, it will likely be equally simple, but with 4 legs and perhaps even a leg vise. Schwarz's workbench book gives some great guidelines for a basic workbench.

[thewoodwhisperer]

Haha perhaps. But to be honest, thanks to the Schwarz, I think I might puke if I see another workbench being built.

[Onboard]

Haha perhaps. But to be honest, thanks to the Schwarz, I think I might puke if I see another workbench being built.

So, are you going to close your eyes while you build your next workbench?

[lemonjello]

Haha perhaps. But to be honest, thanks to the Schwarz, I think I might puke if I see another workbench being built.

So,....... a nice new bench for all those projects in future episodes with the Wood Whisperer Logo CNC'd into the top or face or inlayed and would be seen by everyone doesn't appeal to you at all, eh?.........

[thewoodwhisperer]

haha, does nothin' for me.

[Ben@FineWoodworking]

Fine... if Aaron isn't gonna pimp out his blog I will!!

It isn't very traditional and I'm not going to copy it exactly but Aaron's bench inspired a lot of ideas in my (right now in my head bench).

Simple and elegant. Perfect for someone that doesn't have a lot of room.

Plus his posts are well done!

Happy you made me do that Aaron?

[AMarshall]

Fine... if Aaron isn't gonna pimp out his blog I will!!

It isn't very traditional and I'm not going to copy it exactly but Aaron's bench inspired a lot of ideas in my (right now in my head bench).

Simple and elegant. Perfect for someone that doesn't have a lot of room.

Plus his posts are well done!

Happy you made me do that Aaron?

Thanks for the compliments, Ben! I'm glad you found the posts useful, and I'd love to see what bits & pieces you adapt into your bench. You are right that my design isn't very traditional, hah. I've never been known for following the crowd, but for once I think I managed to simplify the design rather than make it reall complex with a lot of bells & whistles. Having no vises is an example of this, but I have found ways to clamp everything I've needed to the bench so far.

[lemonjello]

As long as we're talking bench design, I will also pile on with a recommendation to check out the books by Schwarz. I had a few unique needs in mind when I designed my bench, but there is good guidance there.

Here's mine.

Hole-y swiss cheese! Put the drill down and back away....

You sir, have the most ventilated bench I have ever seen.

[PaulMarcel]

Hole-y swiss cheese! Put the drill down and back away....

You sir, have the most ventilated bench I have ever seen.

He keeps the elves in there.

[AMarshall]

Hole-y swiss cheese! Put the drill down and back away....

You sir, have the most ventilated bench I have ever seen.

Haha, yeah it was a PITA to drill all those holes! But if one hole is good, one hundred must be better, right?

Actually I had good reasons for most of them, though I could have skipped a few probably. Since I don't have any vises on the bench, I have to rely on dogs, holdfasts, and other accessories that use the holes.

- The long row along the top of the bench is for standard dogs and my Wonder Pup to hold boards to face plane. These act as a tail vise.

- The four short rows on top are for holdfasts, maybe could have skipped a few of these.

- The holes along the front face of the top are for holdfasts again, to replace a face vise.

- The four vertical sets on the apron are similar in function to a sliding deadman, though instead of sliding I just have four sets. A couple dogs in these will support work from below when you ae working on the edges. Combined with a holdfast into the front face of the top, this replaces a face vise. Take a look at the Nicholson style bench with the big apron that Josh earlier in this thread - very similar function for all the holes in the apron.

Plus it makes the shop elves happy.