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Benchmark: The Heart of Any Shop Is The Workbench. Here's How To Make One For Yourself
Benchmark: The Heart of Any Shop Is The Workbench. Here's How To Make One For Yourself
The heart of any shop is the workbench. Here's how to make one for yourself.
Bring your shop to the next level with a professional-grade workbench that you can build yourself.
Complete with a wide end vise, bench dogs and a versatile patternmaker's vise on the side, this bench sets
the standard for everything you'll make with it.
Materials List
Key Qty. Size Description
A* 1 2 x 26-1/4 x 77" maple (top)
B 2 1-3/4 x 5 x 77" maple (apron)
C 3 1-3/4 x 5 x 29- maple (endcap)
3/4"
D 2 1-3/4 x 7 x 29- maple (vise jaw)
3/4"
E 1 1 x 3-3/8 x 5" maple (block)
F 2 2-3/4 x 3 x 22" maple (spacer)
G 4 2-3/4 x 3-1/2 x maple (rail)
24"
H 4 2-1/2 x 3 x 26- maple (leg)
1/2"
I 2 1-3/4 x 6 x 61- maple (stretcher)
1/4"
J 4 1/2 x 2-3/4 x 3- maple (foot)
1/2"
K** 4 1/4 x 15/16" maple (spline)
L as reqd. No. 20 plate
M*** 12 bench bolts
N 4 1-1/4" dia. maple (plug)
O 4 3/8" dia. x 4-1/2" lagscrew/washer
P 6 4" No. 10 fh screw
Q 6 2-1/2" No. 10 fh screw
R 6 1/2" dia. maple (plug)
S 4 1-1/2" No. 8 fh screw
Misc.: Sandpaper; glue; Watco Danish Oil Finish,
color: Natural.
* Assemble from 15 1-3/4-in.-wide strips.
** Cut lengths as required.
BUILDING THE TOP
Our plan calls for a 2-in.-thick top made up of 15
1-3/4 x 2-in.-wide maple strips, but we assembled
it in three narrower sections. Working in stages
makes it easier to true the surfaces, and the
narrow blanks can be handled by a 12-in.
thickness planer.
With the maple stock for the top milled to 1-3/4 in.
thick, joint one edge of each piece so it's square
1 Clamp a group of benchtop strips
to the faces. Then, rip 15 pieces to 2-1/8 in. wide together and lay out the locations for the
and crosscut them slightly longer than needed. joining-plate slots. Arrange the strips so
that the grain runs in the same direction to
Although it's not necessary to provide a facilitate planing the top after the pieces
mechanical joint between the top strips, we used have been glued together.
joining plates to ensure accurate alignment during
assembly.
Lay out the cuts required for the side vise on one
of the aprons. Use a sabre saw to cut the 3-in.-
wide notch that provides clearance for the vise
beam (9). Then, transfer the position of the notch
to the bottom of the benchtop, and use a router
with a straight bit to cut a channel in the slab for
beam clearance.
FINISHING
Sand all surfaces to 120 grit, taking care to ease
16 Join the bench legs to the top and
bottom rails, and clamp the parts to pull all sharp edges. Then remove the sanding dust.
the joints tight. Compare opposite We finished our bench with three coats of Watco
diagonal measurements to ensure that the
assembly is square.
Danish Oil Finish (color: Natural). Use a brush or
rag to liberally soak all surfaces of the bench, and
allow the finish to soak in for about 30 minutes.
Wipe off all excess oil and then let the finish dry
overnight before repeating the process. If it ever
becomes necessary to refinish the bench, lightly
sand the surface and apply more oil.