A Workbench Design

Bill Satko

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3,209
Location
Methow Valley
No, not my design, but the design of Bob Rozaieski of the Logan Cabinet Shoppe webpage. If you don't know about Bob, he is a woodworker and blogger who works almost exclusively utilizing 18th and 19th century tools and techniques. Bob also posts over at the Creek and Woodnet. In addition to his blogging, Bob has video podcasts on his website and through iTunes.

I have been vaguely aware of Bob's workbench, but only just finished viewing his podcasts on it. His design is an old design with a few elements that may be a little different to many here. The podcasts consist of 4 videos, but I really recommend that everyone see the last half of the last video first, because he demonstrates some of the features of the bench, pointing out some of the not so obvious characteristics that makes his bench work well for him.

It is an excellent demonstration of how different aspects of the bench work for the common woodworking tasks performed by a hand tool woodworker. It highlights the need to build a bench that will fit your needs and not the other way around. I highly recommend that you view this segment if you are considering building a bench.

http://www.logancabinetshoppe.com/podcast-the-workbench.html

Logan Cabinet Shoppe 1.jpg

Logan Cabinet Shoppe 2.jpg
 
Bill thanks for the link. I checked out the last episode but whilst there are many great ideas he has i prefer to make sure my work piece is properly secured. He has his workpiece floating around when he is trying to plane. It might work for that pine he is going at but i dont see it being that controlled with hard wood.
 
Bill thanks for the link. I checked out the last episode but whilst there are many great ideas he has i prefer to make sure my work piece is properly secured. He has his workpiece floating around when he is trying to plane. It might work for that pine he is going at but i dont see it being that controlled with hard wood.

I have found that my planing technique improved considerably once I switched to just using a stop to plane against. At first it may be a little frustrating, but you soon learn to plane with balance, finesse and more importantly a sharp blade. If you just strap the wood down, your technique does not have to be as good (or your blade as sharp). It sure is much faster using a planing stop, as you just flip the wood into a new position.
 
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Bill thanks for the link. I checked out the last episode but whilst there are many great ideas he has i prefer to make sure my work piece is properly secured. He has his workpiece floating around when he is trying to plane. It might work for that pine he is going at but i dont see it being that controlled with hard wood.

He was just showing the functioning of the bench, he was not actually doing work for a project. I too noticed that some of his work pieces were moving around a lot but that was mainly because he had a piece cup up and the rounded side was down and it was dancing around. If he was working on a piece for a cabinet, he would have put it the other way round, made one side somewhat flat and then flipped it, and it would have been fine.

I do get your point and I think his video should have done better with that, because it does look like things are bouncing around all over the place :D
 
That's not the first time I've heard someone advocate pine/fir for a bench top. I had a handtool book and there was a section at the end about making a roubo bench out of 2x12's. Definitely more economical than hardwoods. I think i'll stick with the metal screws though :)
 
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