Fantastic Workbench! - One Year On

[@britcan5255]

Hi Steve, Great looking bench! Any plans available? I am looking to build my own bench soon!

[@danceswithaardvarks3284]

I did enjoy that thanks. It also reminded me to see if I can reconfigure my own workbench with a wagon vice.

[@palbergwerx.comcreativedir1338]

Thanks for the update on your bench - I've been trying to find innovative tool well ideas for my current bench and I'm grateful for the additional points you've covered here (frankly, your video is the only one I've found on bench wells that isn't a plain hanging box - well done!). In my configuration, I'm planning on building my well to 60-70%% of the width allowing me to keep the bench top structurally sound on both ends - and I may have a structural partition in the center - as well, I'll have approx. 7-8" of the bench top behind the well. I'm still configuring the width and depth of the well based on my tools - but likely approx. 3.5-4" deep and approx. 8-10" wide. I don't plan on having a removable bottom as I feel that dog holes take care of that clamping operation, but I do plan on routing a groove along the top side for a bench top filler plate - I love that simple idea! Thanks again, K

[@Woodgate425]

Thanks Steve for the honest review and update and like you I can’t believe it’s a year since you built it!

[@arbyars.chicksawdust]

I can see in both this video and the first one (introduction) "Workbench - Quick, robust and inexpensive" you have square holes and you use both square and round dogs. You also use a hold fast too. Do you have any problem with the round items in the square hole, mainly the hold fast? Thanks very much.

[@SteveMaskery]

No, none at all. They work perfectly.

[@arbyars.chicksawdust]

@@SteveMaskery Thank you very much!

[@FuzzyScaredyCat]

Couldn't you flip the bench and plane down the bottom rail to get your 1/2" back.. looks like there's enough of a gap between the lowest doghole.

[@SteveMaskery]

That has occurred to me, Andy, but it would mean dismantling the bench to get the rail out to do the job properly. Also it would make the bottom row of holes quite close to the bottom edge. If I wanted to do all that, it would be easier to make a new rail, with the ends the same as the original (so that the tenons fit), but with the underside cut away for most of the length. It's not so awful that I'm ready to go to all that trouble. Yet.

[@palbergwerx.comcreativedir1338]

@@SteveMaskery Why not just tip the bench on it's side and plunge cut away the bottom row of dogs to give yourself lots of room? Also, why not glue/clamp a couple of long boards to add more depth to the back of your bench and plane them flat afterwards. You could also glue up a couple of board/runners under your bench top to either side of your well and add some well depth - I'd guess these 3 operations could be done in an afternoon. Cheers, K