Drama of Workbenches (part 2)--Not really

So here is Josh's workbench version 2. I guarantee there will someday be a version 3. Why? My style of work has changed over the past year or so, and I would be naive to think that I would not change again in the future. Besides, I've already admitted I like my original bench's solid/laminated top. I'll be honest with myself (and to everyone else)... it just looks so much cooler...

This bench is based on Tom's Torsion workbench, which you can find all over the Web. It's a fairly straight forward build, and if you want, it can be really inexpensive (much less than $200) if you select your lumber carefully and then build your own vises.

I won't bore everyone with details on the build (other sites have done that for me and much better than I could). What you have are 4 torsion boxes all bolted together and supporting each other. This thing is heavier than my other bench (I used particle board for the the panels on the legs and back stretcher). This created the mass I was looking for, and the torsion design means I have NO movement or sway in the bench. It is definitely rock solid.

The only thing I will say is there is a LOT of lumber to cut in a design like this, and I did it all by hand. If you want to learn to cut a straight and perpendicular edge? Try a project like this or do a dog strip by hand. Cut after cut after cut...all the same thing... Either A) you'll get pretty good and finding what works and creating nice cuts by the end, or B) you'll get so fed up with it that the next time you look at a hand saw you'll scream and curl up in the corner. I won't tell you which corner I hid in...

The things I modified are fairly straight forward. I love my holdfasts, so those HAD to stay. I actually built a solid block underneath the top that I bored a hole though for my holdfasts. Each block is held in place by other bracing, and after a few months, I haven't had any issues in regards to the holdfasts not holding. If it ever comes to that, I'll just figure something else out. I NEED my holdfasts.

The other modification is the shoulder vise instead of a traditional English style face vise. This is mainly due to the fact that I REALLY got tired of the bars in the way, but I explained that in a previous post. I used a press screw I bought off Amazon. It gives me plenty of travel and pressure. Someday I'd love to have a wooden screw, but not until I can make my own, which is part of the reason why this one looks temporary.

The final change I made was the end vise. Where the original version of the bench called for a wooden handscrew to use as the end vise, I've modified that as well (though only after trying out the handscrew for a couple months first). For this vise I also used another press clamp from Amazon. I didn't want the screw to move in and out on the outside of the bench, so I used the clamping piece that you're supposed to use on the handle to attach the dog block and firmly attached the end of the screw to the dog in front of it. This limits my travel to only a couple inches, but I've drill two dog holes in the vise to compensate for the overall lack of travel. I've seen other versions of this that allow the screw to move in and out of the bench, but all I could
imagine was me running into it on the way to my plane cabinet. Not good.

So that's about it. I'm still working on my old bench to see what I can do to make it more stable and still able to move when I need to pack it up (for future reference). It will be some kind of monster by the time I'm done playing with it. Also if I find a new vise idea, I can easily try it out there first, and for now, it makes a great assembly table or extra work surface when I need it. I enjoy making them a whole lot more than buying them, that's for sure. Until then!

Josh