Google Analytics Alternative

RWW 190 The Joinery Bench

26 comments
10 years ago
Joinery Workbench     Videos

joinery workbenchI built this bench leading up to Woodworking in America in 2011. It was designed to be a solution for all those tasks that force you to bend over or stoop low to see a line or cut a joint. In the last 3+ years it has grown to be my go to work surface for just about everything after milling. It is my favorite place to work in the shop especially now that I have remodeled and I have the joinery bench in a central spot under a window. I decided to build a simple project to illustrate how well the joinery bench works not only for joinery but with the planing beam it becomes the perfect apartment or small shop workbench. As you will see in this video I now have solid experience (and footage) to back up my conclusions that this workbench is outstanding for:

  • Carving
  • Dovetails
  • Lay out
  • Tenons, dados, grooves, etc
  • even sticking small mouldings


I can’t say enough about having a dedicated bench like this. Moxon vises are nice and bench on bench set ups are even nicer. But having a dedicated bench for these tasks is a game changer. If you have a spare 6 square feet in your shop, I highly recommend adding your own joinery bench. If you do, please send me some pictures, I’d love to see it and hear how it is working out for you.

For More Information on the Joinery Bench…

Leave a Comment:

All fields with “*” are required

Larry Jackson

Shannon, the innovations you’ve discovered and shown in this demo may perhaps be the most useful I’ve ever encountered. I am finally persuaded to drill three dog holes in my own benchtop version, despite my “swiss cheese” phobia….pehaps even a planing stop as well. Many, many thanks. Perhaps I can return the favor by suggesting that millennia ago, the Chinese abandoned the idea of paving all of their cobblestone streets with leather in favor of inventing shoes. That’s what inspired me to glue belt leather “soles” on the pads of each of my holdfasts. It has saved me quite a few operational steps over the years, given the number of times I’ve used them, and I’ve never suffered a bruise to the workpiece. Thanks again for all you do.

    Shannon

    yeah I did that once and the leather kept peeling off. I should have used epoxy or something similar and I just haven’t gotten around to trying again.

Chris Hudson

Shannon, Absolutely a great RWW – yours are always great. This one is exceptional.

44″ high, right?

With 24″ between the screws – its what – 34″ or so overall length? (Or?) Width – excluding tote – is again 24″ or a bit less?

FMIW – though a plan would be great (:>) – overall dimensions would be greatly appreciated! We can go from there.

The only thing I found ‘painful’ in the whole thing – resawing manually. I can get my head into everything else, but looking at my bandsaw – that part is really tough..

Keep up the great stuff!
Regards,
Chris

    Shannon

    Yeah watching that old video was painful. Resawing now with my frame saw is SOOOO much faster. Anyway, as this bench was a project in Semester 3 of The Hand Tool School I don’t really think it is fair to my customers who have paid for the full bench details to be releasing a plan here. But I’m not against pointing someone in the right direction, its hardly rocket science. The height is up to you but start with elbow height and try it out from there working at several heights actually cutting joints before deciding on a final height. The top is 18×34 and the tool well adds 4 inches off the back. These are not crucial measurements by any means and really you can base it off available lumber.

James Maichel

It’s been almost a year since I built mine and I love it. It really does make joinery so much more comfortable. After I move to Hawaii, I plan on building a simple Nicholson style bench with no vises to compliment the joinery bench.

Chris- I would recommend building the top first and putting it on couple saw horses to figure out the exact height you are looking for. I built a Shaker style cabinet for my base, the great thing about this bench is that you can tailor it to fit your needs.

    Shannon

    James, I remember you posting about your bench but now I can’t find the links. Will you share a link please, you did a great job on that Shaker Joinery bench.

    Hawaii eh? Good luck, that’s where I was born. Which island? Have you worked with Koa or Mango? That’s a must!

      James Maichel

      Here is a link to the WTO forum

      James Maichel

      I am going to be on Oahu for the next 3 years. I have never worked with Koa or Mango but look forward to using it. I am not bringing any machines with me, just hand tools, joinery bench and sharpening station. I will build a Nicholson style bench when I get settled. I do need to add a back saw or two. I have a BA 12 Tenon/DT saw and LV dovetail saw. I was thinking about adding a BA 16″ saw filled hybrid but am wondering if I am better off with a 16″ tenon saw and a 14″ sash saw. I know that a dedicated rip and crosscut saw will perform better but it is enough to justify the expense of both saws. I might be asking the wrong person, I have seen your saw stash in videos.

        Shannon

        Any time you are thinking about an additional tool you have to ask yourself what you will be building that would be made easier/more efficient if you have this new tool. If you feel you saw needs are not being met right now then where is the gap? Without knowing any other details it seems that a 16″ saw would be a better choice simply because you already have a 12″ saw and the 2″ difference is not that distinctive. Small differences like that can be important but usually only once you have a larger saw nest to begin with and are filling in minute gaps. The “hybrid” filing is not any magic bullet but a simple relaxing of the rake and fleam. It makes it possible to use one saw more interchangeably but I really don’t think it is that huge of a difference to sway one to thinking they would be better off with 2 saws over one. I let length, pitch, and depth of plate dictate that much more than tooth geometry.

          James Maichel

          Thanks for the reply Shannon, what your saying does make sense but I still can’t completely wrap my head around the concepts of rake and fleam and what sacrifices are made when you opt for a “hybrid” filling. In reality I really would like the extra depth of the 16″ saw and would be perfectly happy trading efficiency for versatility.