Comments on: The Sad State of Workbenches (Part 2): What’s Wrong Nowadays

By: JLP

JLP — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:25:14 +0000

I find today’s work benches to be glorified decoration pieces. Even many home built shop benches are glamorous show pieces. Why make a gorgeous, multi-species hardwood bench that is going to be banged, nicked, cut, sliced, stained and glue residue will inflict the stylish and beautiful build?? I would not to damage such a proud and beautiful build after spending time and energy If it is truly a showpiece… Rock on… good build. My own built benches never cost me more than a hundred bucks and have lasted decades. More importantly, I am not worried nor fear marring, staining or marking up my bench.

By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:44:00 +0000

Ernie,
Benches have recently become display furniture. Pretty, expensive, and never to be damaged. Something like the massive pickup trucks that never, ever, carry anything. Status items. Further, there’s a whole crowd of amateurs who are willing to spend great gobs of time thinking about the ‘ultimate’ bench. Even antique dealers are selling old benches for thousands of bucks – as furniture.
Anyway, most, or all of the woodworking books have good ideas. The big division is between one for mostly hand-tools, including carving, or one that will be used with power tools – that determines the proper working height and whether or not you need one that’s really heavy. If you’re hand-planing a lot, a low, heavy bench is good. Some kind of a tail vise and dogs. If you’re making carcasses or big stuff, more working room than a narrow bench is better. If it’s for assembly, really low, mobile, and carpeted is useful. Vises are a whole other story – too long for here, but they boil down to being supports for other simple jigs; the vise itself is limited, and of course, mechanically they’re all kinda punk. The example in the article was a vise being used wrong, not a wrong vise.

By: Gordon C

Gordon C — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:33:47 +0000

OK, but how tall are you? “Wrist height” is different for different people. I’m 6’4″ and have spent my whole life fighting back problems from using things that are too low or too short: desks, chairs, tables, monitors, kitchen counters, snow shovels, lawn mowers, etc. (Not to mention the head injuries…) I’ll soon be either buying or making my first workbench; I ‘inherited’ one in my previous house), and don’t know exactly what’s right for me. Advice appreciated.

By: Ari Z

Ari Z — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:24:17 +0000

“The great thing about the human back is that it bends”

Amazing thing the human body! And a little bending is much less tiring than having to raise your arms to perform every task like you mentioned. Sometimes style and function don’t work together!