Four Workbench Building Mistakes (that we all make).
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- Опубликовано: 23 мар 2021
- Avoid these common mistakes and make your first workbench last for years.
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Хобби
My biggest mistake is watching a dozen workbench videos and not even starting a workbench build.
mine too :(
...good point...!
Watching workbench gang here! I sometimes chisle on my foldable workmate and just try and hold it from moving with my legs!
How about not having space for a workbench?!
Same
Rex, I built your version of the English Joiner's Bench least year, and it's been great. If anyone is considering a bench for hand tools, I was a complete beginner and built that bench with minimal swearing.
A little swearing, I'm sure!
This video and your comment came at the perfect time! I was researching what bench I should make for my shop and was almost ready to make the English Joiner's Bench when I noticed that Rex had to plane down the top of the bench in his "The LEGENDARY Six-Board Chest" video.
This made me paranoid about making the Bench, I wasn't sure of other undisclosed problems I would encounter with the bench.
I assumed Rex Would inform people about addons/updates to the project in the original video's description or Comment section.
but looking into it now I realize that's, not the case. this made me seriously reconsider making the bench. but now that he created this video I feel that I can pursue it again.
Quick question, on a semi-related note. in your opinion, do you think that adding an embedded Router like in this video from the YT Channel The King of Random named "Make a Flush Mount Router Station!" is a good idea?
@@RexKrueger swearing came when I used my saw on both my thumbs and destroyed one of my toe nail with the first leg assembly, but I still ove my bench
You gotta swear man. Fucking nice, bloody good, damn near perfect, aso..
Built the bench myself modified the half laps for full length runners for a shelf and love it
I loved this. Also, I feel like Rex is the animated version of the Lockpicking Lawyer. Not an insult at all, just to be clear.
"Now in order to build this workbench, we're gonna use this joinery jig Bosnian Bill and I made..."
It's the way he talks...
That’s all I have for today…
Oh Man, you just freaked me out, Rex sounds just like him. They might be related.
Now I can never unhear that again
Two years later and still one of the better videos on workbench building I've seen.
0:23 Overview/breakout of main issues
2:29 Problem 1: Joinery
8:56 Problem 2: Work holding
11:57 Problem 3: Sizing
14:20 Problem 4: Adaptability
Thx ;-)_?
Not all heroes
Wear capes.
P@@blaiketillman3691
Now wait a minute. You're telling me that those old woodworkers who apprenticed at 13 and spent their entire lives building complex stuff out of wood knew more than me about woodworking? That's impossible, Rex. I own a car and a TV and an iPhone. No way some primitive lamplit dude knows more than me! (I'm also a history teacher and bang my head against this malarkey every day.)
You, my dear Horatio, are probably amongst the very few who would appreciate this observation: “In 100 years we have gone from teaching Latin and Greek in high school to teaching Remedial English in college.” -Joseph Sobran. And this one: "However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results." --Sir Winston Churchill, British prime minister
@@johnbesharian9965 2 excellent quotations!
i use to think i knew everything, now i just watch youtube videos and have learned that i know reality is fake, only back pain is real
You forget to mention your sharp wit and command of sarcasm.
@@johnbesharian9965 I am a history teacher also. I see the wisdom and truth in both quotes. In fact, I a. Going to print them in llarge font and post them behind my desk.
I've (literally) hundreds of RUclips on making workbenches. Out of all of them, this one has been the most thoughtful and helpful. I have a unique need in my workbench and, by clearly explaining the "why" of things, I'll be able to modify one of the hundred designs successfully (or at least know what will be a problem down the line). Thank you Rex, and God bless.
With the half lap joint it’s better to offset the two bolts so that they aren’t in line, this way you avoid wood splitting and also have greater strength.
"The more woodwork I do, the more I kinda become a grumpy, old traditionalist". Haha! Love it!
Love you too.
ha ha, yes, evidence of hard lessons learnt, painful rework, frustrating fails, reluctant compromises... oh it pains me just thinking of it. and i'm not even a weekend woodworker... more like a year-end one. it would take me two more lifetimes to get to Rex's level. ah well...
Smart/modern way of tenons would probably been using few dominoes.. probably not as good as a well done tenons and mortise but surely less worrying. But maybe not that beginners to be able to buy the machine like that before building a bench
Lol. Isn’t that pretty much true about any walk of life? I remember the grumpy old salty Marines, the veteran teachers at my school, the guys I the barber shop…etc. now that I’m 54 I’ve crossed over to that side of the street..umm….lawn and see my grumpyness with all this new fangled stuff grow.
Same here.
The biggest problem is that people start out thinking that a workbench is a table instead of a large clamping device.
👍👍👍
My mistake exactly! Learning is always an adventure.
What if you don't want or need to clamp anything to it??? I'm pretty sure when you look up the definition of work bench there's no mention of clamps anywhere, see for yourself if you don't believe me
@@andrewl3692 Then make a table. The whole point of the kind of woodworking workbench we are talking about is workholding. If you are working with say a hammer and a chisel, that takes two hands.
Now, that is not the only solution. Many traditions use a different strategy where you sit on the workpiece to hold it. That's what the Japanese and the Romans did.
@@DavidKirtley work bench, not wood working bench. Not a table... What you said was wrong. You do not need a clamp for a WORK BENCH to be a WORK BENCH!!! You might want a clamp on your work bench but it would just be in the way on my work bench!! What you're trying to say is a work bench wouldn't be a work bench without a clamp!!??!! According to Webster's definition you would be wrong. So you're not arguing with me you're trying to argue with Webster's definition that's been around longer than you have. So now you sit here with your comment looking like a fool trying to argue against a dictionary!?!!? Smh... I love how old people try to act like they know everything but don't understand Google!?? No my work bench doesn't have a clamp on it and it's still a work bench!!
"I can improve on that, I'm a smart guy" sounds like almost every new supervisor I've ever had. They always think the people doing their jobs are mental midgets and proceed to implement their genius "better" way of doing things. Given enough time, the tried and true always bubbles back to the surface.
All this is personal preference and opinion - always more than many ways to skin a cat.
LOL, we just had to re-arrange our entire repair shop because of that type of thinking. Now, I am working harder than before, taking more steps, and less product is getting out.....but hey, it looks better!
Obviously they're smart, they got to be the supervisor. #PeterPrinciple
@@deanwoodward8026 or the got promoted out of the way of effective people -- the dilbert principle.
I'm not kidding you, this fella is a real help to me. Perfect explanations.
I was just at my “bench” thinking about how counter productive it is. When I built it I had power tools, but quickly realized I HATE all the racket.. so very early on I moved to all hand tools, and have been “improvising” work holding as I go, not realizing what a GIGANTIC problem is really is.. every build, I need to whip up some other half baked idea on how to hold a component.. my solution? Lay on the couch and watch Rex justify EVERYTHING wrong with my bench..
I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who is just turned off by the noise of power tools. I sometimes dread going to the next step of a project because of the noise of the saw or thickness planer.
Hearing protection?
I understand where you guys are coming from but there’s so many useful sometimes even non-standard ways of using a router, jig saw, band saw, and table saw I just couldn’t put those into retirement. I don’t actually use my routers that often now that I think about it, but when I reach for one I’m very glad it’s there. Noise is temporary.
@@fishhuntadventure, Yes, "Noise is temporary". So is hearing loss, until it ain't. [Old, 'Experienced" guitarist here.]
For those new to joinery, mortise and tenon isn’t as intimidating as it may seem. I recommend you jump right in. The process of refining your skill is a fun adventure.
It also doesn't need to be a *through* at all. 1/2-2/3 of the way through the leg, throw in a couple drawbore pegs and you'll have the strongest possible joint for a bench.
Go Sounders!
Also, a bench is closer to house framing than furniture making. The tolerances don't need to be super tight. My Low Roman Workbench is nothing to look at. I made it with through tennons that are as ugly as they get. It is tippy, but it doesn't rack at all.
Challenge accepted
A worthwhile revision to consider that adds VERY little complexity to a mortise and tenon, but which gets far less play is the "WEDGED Mortise and Tenon" (there's a million videos on it). These are cut identically to the normal on, but you make your tenon (the piece that passes through the mortise) about 2 inches longer. Then, once you've inserted said tenon, you cut or drill a hole in the tenon, such that one side of said hole is coplanar with the outside of the piece you cut your mortise through. a wedge shaped rod, dowel, or piece of square stock is then sunk. into that hole.
This carries the added benefit of exerting lateral, tightening force on the tenon, pulling it in MORE tightly to the mortised piece. It also make for very easy disassembly: pop out the wedge, the tenon is freed, pull it back out of the mortise.
"Whatever," you might be thinking. "I'm making this a forever bench and I'm gonna GLUE this bad boy together." Capital! because you know what's really awful? Having a joint held EXTREMELY tightly and ENTIRELY flush while your glue dries. I sure do hate it when that happens.
"I need the the exterior edge to be FLUSH!" No problem. The great part about this technique is one that glue is set/you've added any additional mechanical fastener you intend to, grab your ryoba or a flush-cut saw, and hack it right off, wedge and all. You'll still have gotten the value of the tightness without purchasing a 10-foot pipe clamp.
I'm not saying it's the only way to do these things, but it's easy, cheap, and you can use the OFFCUTS you got from MAKING the mortise and tenon AS your clamp! Just saying.
My first workbench was 2 matching dressers placed back to back with some plywood placed on top and then covered with some second hand laminate flooring to make the surface smooth and uniform. It worked amazing and if I still had the same space for a setup with my bench in the middle of my shop, I'd still be using it. My new workshop space is significantly smaller and I've gone with a kitchen base cabinet against the wall with a top made out of 2 pieces of reclaimed maple that are jointed, planed and finished with a laquer of some sort. This video and others like it are great but sometimes you just have to go with what you can achieve for the budget and space. Don't feel bad if you can't make some amazing fancy workbench with traditional or semi traditional jointery.
I also built Paul Seller's inspired bench as a novice. I had the plans and watched his series step by step as I progressed through the build. Building it taught me quite a bit by having the hands on experience and the understanding of how the joinery works and functions.
Your point about the way wood can compress, through time and wear, in joints based on metal fasteners, is really important, completely true, and generally underappreciated. I'm so glad you're explaining this.
You just need to use washers to spread the load.
Or maybe just get some joist hangers cause nonadismattas
@@Zzzrrrretttgthvt you really cannot beat joinery when it comes to wood construction. Joist hangers are used because they save labor and they're good enough.
Of course, ignoring that you can pull out 2 wrenches and retighten when it happens
As someone who has an Ikea drawer that won't keep the face on anymore, I fully agree. Wood joints subjected to forces that are not in line will compress with metal squeezing wood.
Candidness about mistakes is what makes this channel authentic. Thank you!
I agree, because it builds his credibility. He helps us to avoid important mistakes, based on common sense and experience. That's something to be proud of; not ashamed.
@CAD Thinking good call! I never thought about him "lying" to us. :-D I wonder how many times he has to refilm, because keeps accidentally getting it right. :-D
An old fashioned English joinery bench is between 5 and 6 fet long and has an open ended well running down the middle deep enough to take most hand tools and is easy to clean off with a hand brush, I was taught on one in the early 1970s. My father was tought on one in the 1930s and still used one at work in the 1990s when he retired. they also usually have a vice mounted at opposite ends on the sides, anything too big for these is held with a clamp or easy to make bench hook, they also have cupboards underneath for the most used tools
You got a great voice, great video, great looks and a great explanation style. I am picking up what you're saying, even as a non woodworker
Great suggestions for most of us. My father built our house, barns and all our furniture by himself starting in 1945. He built his workbench with masonry walls for legs and a railroad tie table topped with a piece of 3 inch thick laminated maple flooring from an old bowling alley. It was 16 feet long, 18 inches deep and very stable. He never moved it either.
Having spent my 12th summer helping my father terrace in three tiers the 50+ foot wide, 45 degree, 45 foot high embankment behind our home on the Providence River with Rail Road Ties, I understand exactly why he never moved it.
When I was a pup, my grandfather built his back porch out of railroad ties that were left over from when they replaced ties on the tracks in front of his house. This railroad ran through town at the time. He built it in the late 70's and as few as 5 years ago, that was the last time I laid eyes on it, that porch is still standing.
"the more I woodwork the more I become a grumpy old traditionalist"... Same. I wouldn't call it boring though. Just wisdom.
Wisdom is boring. The energy of youth is secretly really just hardheaded stupidity!
@@ColonelSandersLite, Reminding me of my favorite Faint Scotts Praise: "I am strong minded and you are stubborn. However, they are pig-headed". (Which are three ways of saying the same, exact thing.)
"If you're watching this video, it's likely that you're mostly a power tool woodworker, just looking in to getting your first real bench."
I don't think I've ever been called out by a RUclipsr as accurately as this.
I thought he was talking about me! 😀
Skip the wood a steel bench is truly the best. You do all your projects. Drill holes for all the places . Zero worries of warping. If have to bolt a sheet of plywood reversible with a sheet of counter top.
@@assassinlexx1993 The problem with a metal benchtop is it can damage your work, damage your tools, and tends to be slippery for most woodworking activities. If you have planes, you can set them on a wooden bench with little fear of damaging the blade, not so on a metal surface.
For any of my metal-work, I would choose a metal workbench 10/10 times, but for woodworking, not so much.
I saw this bench at my local Grizzly store (Yeah, I'm one of those very luck people who lives within easy driving distance to one of the 2 actual stores) and I thought it would be a phenomenal addition to my shop, if I could ever justify it to my SO:www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-78-x-39-3d-steel-welding-table/t28981
@@robbie6625 for those rare times i am working with dead tree carcasses. Got sheet of plywood to put on the steel deck. The other side is cheap laminate. A couple of clamps. That way I don't damage those tender wood planes and chisels.
Fun no one bolts their bench to the floor 🤔
@@assassinlexx1993 that makes sense. If your primary medium is metal, then it makes sense for you not to have a fully featured woodworking bench.
That being said, I could just as easily say that you could build a woodworking bench and then put a metal surface on top of that.
Honestly, this discussion now has me thinking about the possibility of making a reversible benchtop that just had a permanently attached metal work surface. You're really triggering my engineering inclinations LOL
Thanks Rex for going through all the trouble of making a great video that will save woodwdorkers time, money and lots of frustration. Most of us don't plan mistakes, we don't know what we don't know. Your experiences and expertise have made our lives and decisions so much easier.
I've been watching videos on all kinds of woodworking, as I've needed advice on how to do one thing or another, but always keeping that Big Build workbench on a back burner. I am making due with a wood top engineers bench, which is less than ideal but it has also been a good teacher for knowing how to plan my own bench and then move forward.
Now, I can build anything I can see an illustration of, or a photo, but one thing still nags me about the workbench; how to properly attach the top to the superstructure, so that it is stable in all planes of motion.
I love how he is saying he will dismantle and throw away yet he’s using it to make ultimate bench!!
"Later this year" or next year may the next one
Saw the title...clicked. I'll be building a new workshop next year and so I'm doing HEAVY research into my bench, storage, etc.
Regarding inovating. The golden rule is copy first and inovate afterwards.
My engineering mentor used to say 'Any idiot can come up with version 2, it takes brains to come up with version 1" :D
truer words have never been spoken
I thought the golden rule is “he who has the gold makes the rules”
@@etpelle72, The secret is to figure out how to get the gold.
As they say "learn the rules before you break them."
I have built several workbenches in my lifetime (73 yrs) and the easiest one that I have replicated several times is a pallet with four legs or on a couple of sawhorses. The current one is just an outside rough bench and has only the few strappings that formed the pallet. In other words, a lot of wide-open spaces so I can get underneath the lawn mower or . . ? And I like the melamine top for my inside workbench for easy cleanups. When it gets rough and dirty, I strip it off and refresh with a new cover. Best of all, dont over think the problem, build for your current needs.
I used a cheap solid core 32" door for the top and half lap joints for the legs. The thing is solid as a rock. I was quite proud as it was my first major project.
But I stopped patting myself on the back when I realized, yep, I made a huge mistake. I made it too damn big. Since the only place I have for it is against a wall
a 24" door would have been perfect. I tried to hang my tools on the wall behind it but reaching over to grab a tool is impossible especially with my short frame.
Live and learn. I need to tear it apart and cut it down.....yeah, maybe someday.
Love the half lap! Easily cut with a cheap circular saw too 👍
I make small ones with my router; surprised at how well that worked
Now I realize using titebond and screws might have a downside, never considered bolting it.
Brad!
Yes I did that and it was very satisfying - a few back and forths and pop the little "cards" left out and smooth the bottom. I was happy I was wearing ear protection though.
Paul sellers made a comment, I can’t remember in which video. I actually think it was his blog, one in which she was dispelling myths. In which he said that people had listed benches height as ideal being at the break in the wrist. And he said that is too low and you’re gonna end up with back problems. He recommended a bunch even taller than where your wrist breaks.
He also has a great trick for figuring out the height. He says to make it higher than you need, then work on it for a while standing on platforms of different heights. Once you have a platform that feels good, take away the platform and cut that amount off the legs of the bench.
@@mccormackclass I did the " Paul Seller's workbench ", works really great BUT it's very tall and I'm thinking in do it again. Paul Seller's only uses it for joinery and rarely prepares wood buy hand, he's working with 4S boards mostly.If you are dimensioning wood buy hand you need another concept of a bench to hold the work efficiently ....and you need a lower bench.
I agree, low benches were likely for hand sawing (the height of a saw), I would expect working between the wrist and the elbow
@@2adamast and hand planing
@@silmarils94 The elbow is mostly nearly in line with the plane (even in Japan), so high is also ok. Where for saw, axe and chisel work the hand can reach quite high.
Great analysis and very methodically talked through. I’ve built a few over my 63 years and still like the wide plank top, much like your English joiners bench. I generally build them out of what is ,lying around or what can be got cheap. One of my best was an outdoor work station much like your joiners bench. The demands of space required this but you had to put the gear away every night. But having a bench beats not having one. 👍🏻
I’ve built several benches from a plan I once saw in Hot Rod Magazine. The design wastes zero materials and is made from one sheet of plywood (top, bottom shelf, back stop), two 8-foot 4x4s (legs), 6 8-foot 2x4s (frame work) and can be nailed or screwed together with basic tools. One bench I topped with a salvaged piece of laminate counter top. I left it in my old house’s basement when I moved). Sturdy as all get out. My current (and oldest) one got heavy-duty casters installed on the legs for easy moving when cleaning the garage.
Lighting and film production is looking great Rex!
Agreed, it looks go good now!
You need to work on your haircut though. You start to look like barber shops have been closed for too long ;)
Haha, I'm still at the nine 2x4's glued together and supported on two home depot buckets phase, but it works for now given the limited space I have available.
G'Day and thanks Rex, I'm in the process of planning the layout of a workshop section in my new shed - garage - man cave, your advice will make me re-jig my plans and hopefully end up with a more efficient workshop area. Now I'll have to binge on your videos. Cheers Mate.
Great vid. I’m a first time garage owner with very little tools... going to build a 2x4 basics workbench to get me started. Wish I would have seen this sooner! Thanks Rex.
My bench was my first project. It was literally a door made of composite wood, partially hollow. Never been so proud to build something out of wood since.
Same here. It was a resounding C effort on my part. I’ve since retrofitted it up to a solid B-. I’ve done better work, but that was special.
Solid core doors make great benchtops. They're pretty solid, heavy, dead flat, relatively cheap, and good sized. I nail a sheet of masonite to the top and trim the edges flush with a router. It's cheap and easy to replace when it gets worn out.
@@mdbbox5660 I agree, Habitat 4 Humanity ReStore is a great place to get solid-wood doors at a cheaper price than you could even get whitewood from the big-box
I buy the returned interior door for $5 ant use it as benchtop when I want to do a lot of cutting on the top.
same here - it was greeat -until I missed a hammer strike and added unwanted dogholes. lol.
Depends entirely on what the bench will be used for....
"Boring and works" beats "innovative and doesn't work" every time :-)
When you have the time and patience, the latter is still a great learning experience though!
you dont know if it works until you try it, though
@@vittocrazi true. But then its "innovative and works". I agree with Rex' point - innovate on your product rather than your tool.
If your goal is to innovate on tools - go ahead. But if your goal is a good product, use the tried and proven tool if possible.
Thanks for this. I did a bunch of research before building my bench which I just completed with my kids. …and then I saw this one!!! Lol. You explain things very well. Love it. I probably would have done a few things differently. …but you’ve also explained a few things that I can still integrate. Thank you again for sharing.
First video of yours that I have seen. Immediately hit the like button, subscribed and clicked the bell. Information was clear, experiences shared with context and even shares the importance of thinking ahead with examples of what awaits if you don't. When you changed locations to highlight elements of the bench you took the time to get your lighting setup properly so that we could see those details. As you discussed each joint you had physical examples and rotated them to the cameras perspective as you demonstrated the different vectors of force applied and how they deflect. You take pride in the quality of your work and the little details like that in the layout of your videos makes a huge difference when trying to learn. Great work!
Thanks for the measurements in metric. Supporting you on patreon is really worth it. Love your content.
Oh yeah, I agree. Just the forum alone is worth the $2! I was skeptic as I wasn't sure it would actually be an active community but I am also from NEO and wanted to help someone local to me out a bit, but the people there have been very friendly and active!
Bringing on more workbench content! You’re one of the only woodworkers on YT covering it and it’s fundamental to everything we do in the shop.
I’ve built a few work benches and your recommendations are great! Like all others, my benches have needed something added in a short time. The reduced width is sure going to save my back when I build my new shop this summer! Thank you!
Each time we "rebuild" a standard workbench, we resolve problems we have previously identified and add new problems for future resolution 😂
@@williammaxwell1919 Very true! And the added weight just makes it harder to move.
Brother you have a new fan. You gave me so much information I’ll need to rewatch this. You would not believe me if I told you what I’m working on. I am (today) making a top just to throw over a portable table so I’ll have a flat surface to work with. My though was to add to it as I learn what is important to me. You gave me so many ideas, thank you.
A lot of beginners want a big top. When we actually start working, we realize we only use about 16 square inches. My top is 18" wide and 6' long and it is plenty.
and not everyone has a big shop ;)
My workbench is 8 foot long by 3.5 feet wide. Most of the powertool work and storage is done on that. My "squaring table" is a solid 2x4 top about 3 foot by 3 foot.
This is my setup, but works well with the mixture of handtools and power tools i use. Also the squaring table fits underneath my workbench so it condenses nicely when i dont need to use it.
The workbench is higher for stain, varnish, and miter saw work, the squaring table is shorter for hand tools and is the perfect size for construction and hand tool work.
You really just gotta copy the masters, then improvise for your own needs. This somehow all fits in my little shed too lol.
I might build a real classical workbench, but its gonna be a minute till i have room for it.
Also i suggest using a plywood top and put about 7 coats of spar on it. When it gets bad you can either sand it back down, or sand and recoat. Keeps weight down, and looks nice.
My bench was my first project. It's the portable moravian workbench brought back in to popularity by Will Meyers. I love it and I learned a bunch of joinery.
Ok this is terrific. I’ve been completing my imperfect projects on the ground and on a bad farmhouse table I also built on the ground, but no more. Thank you!
Great Video. Litteraly bought the material for my first self-build workbench today and just unloaded it. Gonna start this week, this video helped. thanks!
Rex, I made a work bench 35 years ago using half lap joinery. It has stood the test of time including 5 major moves. One of the key features I used was a ladder like superstructure to support the 2.25 inch plywood top. I glued hardboard to the top and replace it every 10 years or so and banded the edges with poplar. Great video.
Hey Rex. I've been woodworking in my spare time for maybe a year, and I have been watching a lot of RUclips. I really like the way you put this video together and explained things. I'll be watching from now on and going through your archives. Cheers.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for making this video! I have been building and having such issues with not having the proper setup, e.g., no vice, no support at the end for holding the wood up or considering the layout. I have been trying to figure the garage out as it is 12’ wide with 2.5 feet on both sides dedicated to storage, and one of those sides has a countertop with cabinets underneath, which has been the main area of my work. You gave me so much to think about for now & the future, especially before diving in and buying something too big or building some fold-a-way bench. I'm excited to sketch it while figuring out how to work the storage. At least it's a start. Did I say thank you!!
Happy you often talk about pragmatic approaches to woodworking. I’m in that same „transitioning out of power tools” phase and want to build a real bench for handtools too. I have an annoying space in a Chicago basement and want to be able to disassemble the bench, bit somewhere you get lost overthinking long term, pragmatic approaches, and everything else. Can’t wait to start this after finishing my kids bunk beds.
Perfect timing Rex! I just started building my first workbench yesterday, will definitely implement your tips! Love your videos! Supports and shapes my woodworking philosophy!
Thank you for your videos. They are the perfect blend of organized information, clean production and humor. Many times your videos inspire an idea and then act as a perfect resource to come back to. I'm glad I found your channel when I did it has helped me in many ways.
Great video Rex! I can definitely recommend a Roubo-style bench and am very happy with the laminated mortises and tenons on the one I made a while back. Mine ended up being 6.5' x 22.5" deep and 3.25" thick which is pretty close to your recommendation, and with a leg vise and end vise it's done everything that I need it to so far. Can't wait to see what you come up with!
Whatever your skill level is the best thing you can do for yourself is watch Rex’s planer bench video and build that. I did, about 3 years ago, and it is still the best thing I have ever produced.
Build that bench! Don’t look at any other video. Rex’s planer bench doesn’t bounce, rack, twist, or anything else that you assume is ‘normal’ for a bench to do.
I told my kids that they are going to inherit my bench. That’s how long I think it will last.
I love the cover pic for this video 😆 you have a talent to be goofy and serious at the same time, and your videos have made things less complicated for me. To the point where I actually got started in woodworking, hand sharpening, etc. Thank you for your efforts!
Thank you so much!!
"I want the Pangea of Workbenches" needs to be on a t-shirt! LOL
Agreed!
No doubt..lol. I have gotten into the habit of just scrolling past any woodworking video that has the word “ultimate” in its title. There are few you tubers who have been woodworking for about three-four years and have the audacity to apply that title to their most recent creation.
With your old Workbench keep it around as a memory for all the hardships and learning thats what I did with my old tool set.
I don’t mind admitting that my workbench design has been living in my head for a while but I am happy you shared these tips! Because I’m pretty much on the right track.
I wanted the legs in at the ends just for looks … 🙂 glad to hear an end vice may work well there in the future
Mortise and tenon is freaking me out tho, but I’ll jump in and see how it goes
Cheers
Thanks again
I made your joiners bench about a year ago. It is still rock solid and by far the best bench I have ever had. Ive seen so many benches on YT since then and nothing comes close to yours. The greatest thing I've ever made.
Man, anyone thinking about building a workbench should watch this video first! I've made all of those mistakes, lol 🤣
KEEP YOUR WORKBENCH CLEAN .................FROM ONE WHO KNOWS !
Fantastic video. I’m currently gathering ideas to design my third workbench and haven’t seen as many well thought out ideas before.
New subscriber to your channel and very green woodworker. Forever broke and always a mess. I bought a compound sliding miter saw almost 2 years ago with what I thought was going to be my first in a long line of paychecks but ended up being the only income I've had in the past several years. The saw then went unplugged and never used for almost 2 years. I have virtually no other tools. A cordless drill, a one inch chisel and a saw I finally plugged in a few weeks ago. No type of square, no type of measuring device, no sand paper, lol, it's been a pathetic journey. Truly.
I finally ran across a small sum of cash and bought some lumber and a box of screws. Knowing next to nothing about anything, I started building a saw table for this saw I had never even hooked to power.
So I started this project and only have the materials to get about half way to where I want it to be. Starting out, I didn't know anything about joinery or jointing or whatever. Thanks to content creators like you and many others, I found out what a lap joint is (and many other joints) about a week into my project.
I got as far along as I could until I somehow find more cash. Somehow, what I have to show is turning out pretty good, especially considering I have no way to check for square or make measurements. I've just kind of been taking my time, every step of the way has been excruciatingly slow. I've had no real plan, just figuring out what I can do with the little I have.
Thankfully, and I truly can't thank you enough, I have already learned quite a bit about some basics of woodworking over the past few weeks. I've finally gotten to start putting my desires to action and am so grateful that people like you are out here just sharing knowledge with anyone who stumbles across it. It's been nice to finally have something to do after years of hell and isolation and mental illness just kicking my ass.
I don't even know what I'm rambling about. Everything has been so shitty in my life that I'm crying just thinking about the past few weeks, finally being able to make a start in something I've been trying to do for a very long time. If it wasn't for people like you, just sharing knowledge and expertise freely, what little I have accomplished in the last few weeks would have been just another abject failure. Instead, I'm about halfway through building a saw table that is going to be solid for many years to come.
Thank you so very much.
I guess I was lucky cause I found your channel and built your English Joiner's Bench as my first project, your plans were simple, easy to follow & well explained video
Rex, I'm currently building my first workbench. This video gave me a lot to think about, as I know I've absolutely made some of the same mental mistakes by assuming new technology would *have to* prevail over something older. Thank you for preventing me from making at least a few mistakes I know I'd be cursing years after I made them!!
Choosing to learn from our mistakes is the sign of a person who wants to be better than they currently are. This applies not only to woodworking but especially to life. Also, learning from the mistakes of others is rare in our current woke zeitgeist.
Hey, Rex-
I was a Union Cabinetmaker in Chicago for 22 years. We worked off of English Joiner style benches. I found your video interesting and your observations very useful! Nice Job!!!👍
I just bought a small farm and in the barn there is a perfect place for a wood working space. I have been wondering where to get started, but after seeing this video I definately wanna start my woodworking hobby by making a work bench. Great video, I'm sure I will make a lot of mistakes but at least now I know to avoid a couple of them :D
Thank you for making such an incredibly thorough, thoughtful video. I’m a new homeowner, and getting ready to refit the basement workshop and get rid of some of the less than ideal benches from the previous owner. I can’t wait to build something sturdy, adaptable, and pleasant to work with.
I am in a similar position. Fairly recently I bought an old character stone cottage in rural France and want to arrange a workshop in my basement. The above video made some points which I had not considered e.g. not too wide. Many thanks.
Great video!! I love your no nonsense, down to earth approach about this. I ended up saving up and buying the large entry level Sjoberg's bench when Woodcraft had it on sale. (wow, more than 20 years ago now!!) It came with a bench vise, tail vise, dogs, and a holdfast. Worked pretty well for me for several years. But then, much like yourself, I started getting in to more hand tools.
I found the bench is good, the different clamping options are still good, but the whole thing is just too light. I would use a hand plane, the material is firmly clamped in the bench, but the whole damn bench would rock around and slide across the floor. I also found that the 30" height was too low for my bad back. I ended up getting a couple really heavy pressure treated 4x6s, bolted them side to side underneath the bench legs, and then building a cabinet with drawers to hold tools that fits in the open area under the bench. Between the large beams, the cabinet, the heavy tools in said cabinet, and the diagonal stretcher I added to kill the side to side movement, it is now super solid. Plus the whole thing was lifted by 5 or 6 inches when all is said and done.
What a fantastic Video!! Rex you are a mind reader, as everything you mentioned about building a bench and the reasons for doing so is me down to a tee. I like my power tools and I had the vision of a huge bench to hold everything, as well as dump some of my day to day stuff on, and whilst I may well still do some of that, not as much now as I can see ahead in where I need to be with my bench. BRILLIANT!!
I have now subscribed and look forward to playing catch up with some of your other videos
I just watched this video today, Aug 7,2021. I have watched many of your videos and learned from all of them!
I like your honesty the way you “call it as you see it”. Example: when type say, “but you probably won’t”…regarding redesigning an existing part of a bench we made. Yep, I do it often.
Fortunately,I did anticipate ‘future ideas’ when building my first work bench. M&T joinery, added bench dogs, beefed up my vise, etc. But I still got knew ideas from this video and WILL make those modifications….sometime🤣!
I heard a good quote recently that I think you can grasp…”I’ve done a lot of stupid things in order to prove how smart I am”. Thanks for your knowledge.
Scott
Outstanding points, Rex. Thanks for taking the time to share your tips. Things like this definitely help us solidify the features we need in a useful bench.
18:36 - I _wondered_ what that was, down here in Texas.
Yeah!! Me too, woke me up from a nice nap, ye dern Yankee!!
Complaint from down the Rio Grande, near Old Mexico. 🐴
Probably thought it was a Democrat reacting to Cruz’s re-election.
I also heard something here in Portugal, Europe.
Good advice, opened my eyes to ways of solving several problems I've been encountering for a while now
glad i found this video. I was about to go out and buy a bunch of stuff and i would have bought all of the wrong stuff! great pointers and there were a number of things that I just simply wouldn't have considered if I hadn't seen your video. I'll no doubt be watching more of your videos as I venture further into this!
Rex, great video! I wish I could do videos like you - Nicely done. I did just like you, but I had the experience to build much better. I built a personal design multi-layer plywood top, 36” wide and 4’ long, with tool storage underneath (whole other subject), and not enough overhang for any type of serious clamping - Live and learn. I got a copy of Chris Schwarz’s Workbenches - great resource like your video to guide me. I found a very cheap supply of rough cut ash. 2 months and a lot of patient chopping, handsaw, chisel, planing...I built a beautiful Holtzapffel. Mine is a little taller than knuckle height...2.5”...But, I have a serious grenaded back from the military. However, your height recommendations are spot on. I just subscribed. You might encourage me to do some woodworking again. I still love mortice and tenons and hand-cut dovetails!!! Cheers, and keep up the fantastic work and passing great knowledge.
Yo Rex, can you make these lumber prices come down so I can build this stuff again? hahaha
I was getting my raised bed garden ready this year and saw I needed a new board on one side. So I went on the big box store website to see what a new piece of wood would cost. I ended up patching the rotten bit with some scrap 2x4 I had lying around. One 2"x6"x8' piece of wood is almost $11!
@@1pcfred I know bud it's outrageous. I was buying 2x4 for a couple bucks and it's like 9 bucks now. The plywood is off the scales expensive right now. I'm seriously thinking of just buying one of those home milling machines now and cutting the timber on my land. The cheap money the central bank is giving out at 0% interest is dangerous, because tight markets like Lumber can be easily manipulated and I just don't trust the financial sharks. We'll see what the rest of the year holds, hopefully things start getting better.
You ain’t seen nothing yet...
@@ohgary Oh Lord, don't remind me, I don't even wanna think about what's coming next.
@@youcanthandlethetruth6976 there's just so many factors steering the market right now. So we're in a perfect price storm for lumber. Hopefully it will come down someday. But it won't be soon. Figure on years before we recover.
Great primer for bench building vid, I wish I saw this when I built my first bench, yes I am still using it 15 years later but I was not a beginner. Thanks, very good video quality and content delivery.
Rex, I love your videos and find them super informative. As for a work bench, I started “woodworking” about three years ago in my spare time. My first bench was a used harbor freight bench… I think you know the one. I mounted my miter saw on it and worked on it until I recently purchased a large table. Very sturdy, very old. I used these because they were the cheapest options. What I would like is a video on how to modify a large bench. What are the options and how can I make my life easier? This video already has great ideas to start with but something more detailed would be appreciated. Keep up the great work!
I clicked into this thinking I probably did it all wrong and found out I aced the test 😂
I prefer metal fabrication so working with something that's always flipping moving is frustrating but somewhere along the line I became fascinated with Japanese joints.
Hard to beat 7018..
@@danielelliott3659last time I ran 7018 it kicked my butt. Been on ER70S-6 and ER4043 too long
Use washers. Good points about choosing better joints. However, all fastened connections will be much more stable if washers are used on both ends of bolt.
Doesn’t work either. Where Rex is slightly wrong is, that it’s not only the compression of the wood, but also bolts with nuts will unscrew themselves over time due to vibration. That’s why in industrial usages, nuts and bolts are secured by loctite or other, mechanical means like snap rings, retainer rings etc.
A washer does not help.
And there’s another aspect: wood shrinks and expands during the seasons and this will contribute to that self-loosening of bolts and nuts, too.
I'm planning to build a new workbench, and you make a lot of great points.. Ty for the ideas.
Great video! Glad to see content like this coming out of Ohio. NE Ohio here.
I do more metal working, but I happened to have 7 or 8 very large machine pallets (think sized for semi truck) laying around. I didn’t have the tools to make a good wood workbench.
I made a top out of the 4x4s by cutting to length, having a friend help with their jointer by squaring up the boards and then planing to thickness. I then made a lap joint for the legs to the table top. The trick is that I made the lap joint between two laminated boards turning it into a mortise and tendon. Boards were glued together. Then I drilled holes all the way through the stack through those joints and clamped with all thread.
Finally pallet wood is pine and not very tough. Had my local steel supplier shear a quarter inch plate which went on top.
Pretty happy with it, the setup will allow me to add vices/tool hangers with ease later. I primarily use it as a beating table. Added angle to the edges so I can bend sheet over it.
Every craftsman needs a different bench based on what they do. Well worth doing the research and building it right the first time!
Hello from Texas... I hear you loud and clear ;)
Have you tried the Moravian bench? Sturdy, relatively simple and takeapartable (yes, it's a word!) with no mechanical fasteners. I built one and I like it a lot.
How hard was it to build? I'm a total beginner and after looking at a lot of benches, the Moravian workbench appeals to me the most. But it does seem rather complex to build.
@@arrayofemotions Yeah, if you're a total beginner, it might be a bit much. But for your second bench - definitely!
@@arrayofemotions, Thank you for for proving Clint Eastwood's point: "A man's got to know his limitations" as "Dirty Harry" Callahan in the movie of the same name. Only small people with oversized egos can never admit they don't know or can't do everything.
really good advice... I'm starting woodworking in retirement and I appreciate seeing how to use hand tools.
I a little afraid of power tools and don't have a big budget either. Thanks a lot!
I'm just starting out in woodworking and I know I need a workbench, but at the moment I'm looking for something more portable and small. However, I liked your video with the one I just gave and I liked the tips you give and the observations, and although I want to equip myself and use power tools in the not too distant future, for the moment everything is manual, I love it, it has its difficulty but also its charm.
And I just discovered the versatility of the holdfasts and I think that for the moment they are a practical option for clamping for what I have in mind.
Greetings to Ohio and thank you for this video.
Speaking as a theoretician, Rex, I really appreciate this video. Good theory learning supports EVERYTHING else. Sometimes "Okay, make this piece 3 1/2 inches and that one 1 1/2 inches..." is the right approach - but it leaves no room for anything else. Theory, with the voice of EXPERIENCE, teaches the timeless (maybe even, uh, traditional) principles that help you make decisions when you get stuck. First vid, have subbed. Thank you. Aloha
Rewatching this video again. I often see people talking about their composite tops staying flat, but I can definitely imagine them sagging between the supports, especially if they get damp. And unless the supports are also made from an engineered product, they're also susceptible to warping, which will pull your top out of true.
I think designing your bench top such that it can be planed true is the only way to be sure of its flatness.
On the other hand, I think a lot of people put way too much stock in extreme flatness in their woodworking benches, and extreme precision in their wood working in general.
Woodworking is not machining. The same level of precision is neither needed nor even desirable.
@@Bustermachine it depends on the work you do. I built my first guitar on a Black and Decker Workmate, and it was totally not easy. I imagine if you're trying to cut accurate joinery at either end of a 6ft board, then having both ends of the bench coplanar might help this. I don't know, I don't make big stuff.
Thanks for the knowledge Mr. Krueger, I never realized there was so much to think about when building a work bench. Just like you mentioned, it is the Wisdom (experience) of the craft that makes you see your mistakes of the past.
LOL! If we were perfect, we'd just "Will" our creations into existence.
Brilliant Rex truly brilliant! It can take a long time to stop fighting the old , traditional, way against the new and wonderful. I can’t begin to tell you how much time effort and money has been wasted on the new! Love your openness.
Bob
England
@Rex Krueger If you are willing, I would love a video going over the pros and cons of the European Continental, the Roubo, the Nicholson, and the English Joiners workbenches. I think that would help beginners in deciding what style will fit their needs/projects the best.
Don't forget the "American" style with a metal face vice on the front at one end and either a tail vice on the front at the other end or a single or double screw face vice on the end opposite where the front face vice is mounted.
I can confirm. We most definitely heard you here in Texas Rex!
\m/
My present bench has limitations for long boards as you've noted in this video. I've had to use long pipe clamps to accommodate those long boards which is cumbersome. I agree with your comment about building bench for long boards. I'll integrate that in my next bench. My bench top is made of two sheets of 3/4" plywood making for 11/2" thickness. I like the idea of adding a masonite top.
How do I like this video more than once?
I'm so glad that I found this before I started building my* first bench. I'm confident that I would have made at least one of these mistakes, and I look forward to reviewing Rex's plans.
I made the Paul Sellers Plywood workbench as my first workbench. A pretty decent bench, actually very doable for a novice woodworker. With the skills I've developed over the years I might make the same bench, but then with some nice hardwoods. Great video, Rex, with good tips!
I was considering Paul’s plywood bench but went with Rex’s quick stack bench, started it this weekend
@@1988dgs With today's lumber prices I'd probably go for the cheaper option 😄. Both are fine benches, in my opinion. Good luck with the build ans I hope the bench will serve you well!
@@c.a.g.1977 thanks, I saw Paul’s bench in a recent video and his looked a little beat up, I couldn’t have got the Baltic birch ply he used so it would have aged quicker, and there are lots of ply repairs in what I would have been using so wouldn’t have looked as nice
@@1988dgs yes, the blatic birch would look the best. I slightly deviated from his plans by not using laminated strips for the top, but just wider boards cut and stacked horizontally ( instead of small strips vertically). Put a few coats of clear poly on it, seems to be holding up fine.
Whatever you choose: making your own work bench and then using it: awesome!
Really great explanations! The level of detail is interesting, engaging, and helpful. Thanks for once again distilling your experience and sharing it with everyone!
Thank you for the great tips! I was wondering how I would do the legs and this was very helpful!
Thanks Rex, so glad I watched this, building it to the right width and height are so important.