Just starting out as a hobby woodworker. The house we bought 10 years ago had a nice little shop built in the basement. Well, just a workbench really. Looks like the previous owner was a machinist or electrician maybe. The table top is nice and flat, and has aluminum sheeting covering it. It’s about 10’ long and 35” deep and rock solid. Part of me wants to rip the aluminum and old plywood off beneath it, and slap down a nice birch ply top. Or maybe leave the aluminum on half of it for assembly and glue ups as it’s easy to clean the crud off of. I dunno lol
At the turn of the century Sheldon made a quick release woodworking vise that uses a cam lock with slides like that leg vise. Really really cool design and a vise I've wanted for a long time. Not sure why the style wasn't more popular. Awesome that you made your own
Look into using a screw for a shoulder vise for your wagon vise with your new build....... its much easier to install and it leaves the front of the dog block open for clamping too; can never have enough clamping options :) That type of screw does mean the T piece and the tommy bar will move in and out from the end cap tho when its used, so if that matters to you then it might not be a good option. I feel there is a bench build comin soon....... my favourite videos to watch are bench builds :P I look forward to it lad :)
I built my split top Roubo out of douglas fir about 2.5 years ago, and similarly have to reflatten it every year or so. I used 2x10's so my lumber was a bit more stable and less knotty, but it still has stability issues. I got a cheap ($80) quick-release face vise as I couldn't justify spending Benchcrafted money on my first bench, and just like you, don't like it much. Instead of a proper wagon vise, I got the $110 Veritas inset vise which works OK, has been a bit of a disappointment. What I've learned is with your first bench, you get to figure out what is best for you, so your *next* bench becomes the one you will be happy with. Even though I have a ton of birch (300+ bf) - plenty for the next bench - I am not sure I will use it. There have been times where a little crumb or sliver ended up underneath my workpiece, and after whacking it with a few blows from the mallet, I was happy to see my softer bench get dinged instead of my workpiece. Love your videos. Keep up the great work John!
Do you have a start date in mind for your new bench build? Hoping you make videos detailing most of the process, although I imagine it's costly on time filming and editing it all.
Good explanation John, I actually built a shrunk down version of Jay Bates' workbench, works a treat. Just an interesting point that Jay made was he built one out of softwood and one out of hardwood and found the absorption from the softwood was easier on the hands and joints, without any noticeable difference in power when chopping. Just a thought. Regards Jim UK.
I'd be very interested to see more about that cam lock leg vise: it would appear that wedging the lever against the floor wedges the rail against its mortise and locks it so that the cam can tighten the jaw? It seems quicker than a threaded connection, and a lot easier to source.
Wow I love the leg vise idea. Just thinking you could make a shoulder vise extend out and push back like that. Same as your leg vise, but just allowing the full length of the table to be used as against the apron. Enjoyed the review too.
Very interesting to hear other views on work bench likes and dislikes. I have always built my benches to stand up against a wall, so never had one with an apron and agree it makes clamping awkward, but I do like that leg vice you have built onto that bench. Thanks for the update video.
As usual very well done very informative, I am also at the point to where I can no longer live without a decent work bench, The leg vice is ingenious, and of course I would also want a tool well, but. I’m thinking of maybe running a dado or a rabbit along the length of the wells two faces so I can easily install a length of ply and use my entire bench top for projects when needed. But yes, you don’t need to break the bank to have a serviceable long last work bench. Cheers John and thanks for the insight. 🍻
Really interesting video. I was about to build that same bench. However I think I’ll wait until I see you build your new bench as your bang on about the aprons and woodworking vices. Will look forward to your bench building series 😉
Fantastic explanations, John! Thanks a lot! 😃 Unfortunately I couldn't buy any hardware for vises for my workbench yet... It's not that my business is going bad or anything, but... You know when those surprise bills show up? Yeah... Apparently I'm going to have to pay a pretty big governmental tax soon... So I need to wait. 😬 Anyway, it's life. What can we do? Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
Word of advice to any small business: allocate tax from the start, maybe into separate bank account. Treat it as a cost of sales like heating workshop - which it is, in a sense since government's primary function (apart from ppe contracts to chums) is to ensure stable and safe environment for everyone in a country to live, trade, raise families, teach next generation, healthcare. That helps set your prices and to assess longer term viability. Many hobbyists turn hobby into business and start well because charging low prices due to not considering costs such as tax, insurance, space to work when outgrow working at home. That low price undercuts more diligent competition or others who started before them with low prices that they had to hike and a vicious cycle of unrealistic startup failing. Put those costs into business plan from start and you don't have to jump from low to a lot higher and lose customers because you have to clear debts to Inland Revenue or fix a piece of work that failed. Defining a robust business plan helps assess if its realistic for you to earn enough to cover costs and make a good living as opposed to a hobby that covers its costs for those of us who have retired from salaried work. Various helpful YT videos, eg Gosforth Handyman. Tax is not an inconvenience, it's a basis of stable, functional, just society (even if it could be used better and can be siphoned off by incompetent or unscrupulous governments depending on era). Got that principle from my father. Conservative Party member and voter of old, pre-Thatcher school. Successful in City before Big Bang and scrupulous about paying tax in full. Furious about amoral 'unacceptable face of capitalism'
@@cuebj Oh, I absolutely agree! And I do that every year. In my case it's houses for renting. I've been buying land in good places of the city and then constructing small houses, for small rentals really... You know? So they never get empty for more than a month when a tenant leaves for some reason. So, every year I need to pay the city taxes. This year I've paid 9.2k reais for all of them. 😬 The issue in this case is a federal tax that I didn't know it wasn't paid yet. In my head everything was paid in 2019 already... Then the construction company let me know around 2 weeks ago. You know? Another good tip is: never stop to save money, even after you already got everything you need to pay the taxes. Because of surprises and, other than that, to grow your business. 😊
Great explanation about the relative merits of the vices, John; I’ve just got myself one of those you’re going to get shut of, but then I guess for me it’s down to space (a lot less than yours) and purpose - I think my projects may be ‘lighter’ in nature. Enjoy that 🍺 (I recommend a black one with a white head 😉
I made the Paul Sellers design with left over cuts I had around. Ended up being a hybrid of the original pine design (top and apron) and the newer plywood one (legs) . Yours in fact is kind of a doubled and mirrored design which is a great take on the original, I must say. I loved the quick release cam lever leg vise. Do you think if would provide enough holding force with a not so big of a lever?
Great video John, I think you might like a similar vice to the one on Rob Cosmans vice. One thing I have found with my quick release vice is that the handle unscrews and falls off when I'm using it. Do you have any advice for fixing it on, I would still like to have the option of taking it off though. Cheers, Cillian
Hey man great video. The bench is pretty cool. I'm looking to build my own bench soon. I was just wondering the size of your workshop in metres as it's a really good size. Keep up the good work though john.
Excellent video always good to see long-term follow-up. Over the years I've come to many of the same conclusions. How often do you use the space beyond the tool well. If you kept a couple of boards and the apron on the far side of the tool well do you think the utility would be greatly compromised? Cheers from Ohio!
I still remember when this was being built and all the different leg vise iterations.
Just starting out as a hobby woodworker. The house we bought 10 years ago had a nice little shop built in the basement. Well, just a workbench really. Looks like the previous owner was a machinist or electrician maybe. The table top is nice and flat, and has aluminum sheeting covering it. It’s about 10’ long and 35” deep and rock solid. Part of me wants to rip the aluminum and old plywood off beneath it, and slap down a nice birch ply top. Or maybe leave the aluminum on half of it for assembly and glue ups as it’s easy to clean the crud off of. I dunno lol
Great stuff 👍🏼
Thanks 👍
At the turn of the century Sheldon made a quick release woodworking vise that uses a cam lock with slides like that leg vise. Really really cool design and a vise I've wanted for a long time. Not sure why the style wasn't more popular. Awesome that you made your own
Look into using a screw for a shoulder vise for your wagon vise with your new build....... its much easier to install and it leaves the front of the dog block open for clamping too; can never have enough clamping options :) That type of screw does mean the T piece and the tommy bar will move in and out from the end cap tho when its used, so if that matters to you then it might not be a good option.
I feel there is a bench build comin soon....... my favourite videos to watch are bench builds :P I look forward to it lad :)
Has it been 5 years already! Great video
I built my split top Roubo out of douglas fir about 2.5 years ago, and similarly have to reflatten it every year or so. I used 2x10's so my lumber was a bit more stable and less knotty, but it still has stability issues. I got a cheap ($80) quick-release face vise as I couldn't justify spending Benchcrafted money on my first bench, and just like you, don't like it much. Instead of a proper wagon vise, I got the $110 Veritas inset vise which works OK, has been a bit of a disappointment.
What I've learned is with your first bench, you get to figure out what is best for you, so your *next* bench becomes the one you will be happy with. Even though I have a ton of birch (300+ bf) - plenty for the next bench - I am not sure I will use it. There have been times where a little crumb or sliver ended up underneath my workpiece, and after whacking it with a few blows from the mallet, I was happy to see my softer bench get dinged instead of my workpiece.
Love your videos. Keep up the great work John!
Do you have a start date in mind for your new bench build? Hoping you make videos detailing most of the process, although I imagine it's costly on time filming and editing it all.
Good explanation John, I actually built a shrunk down version of Jay Bates' workbench, works a treat. Just an interesting point that Jay made was he built one out of softwood and one out of hardwood and found the absorption from the softwood was easier on the hands and joints, without any noticeable difference in power when chopping. Just a thought. Regards Jim UK.
Cheers Jim
Thanks very much for that insight about shock absorption.
I'd be very interested to see more about that cam lock leg vise: it would appear that wedging the lever against the floor wedges the rail against its mortise and locks it so that the cam can tighten the jaw? It seems quicker than a threaded connection, and a lot easier to source.
Wow I love the leg vise idea. Just thinking you could make a shoulder vise extend out and push back like that. Same as your leg vise, but just allowing the full length of the table to be used as against the apron.
Enjoyed the review too.
Very interesting to hear other views on work bench likes and dislikes. I have always built my benches to stand up against a wall, so never had one with an apron and agree it makes clamping awkward, but I do like that leg vice you have built onto that bench. Thanks for the update video.
As usual very well done very informative, I am also at the point to where I can no longer live without a decent work bench, The leg vice is ingenious, and of course I would also want a tool well, but. I’m thinking of maybe running a dado or a rabbit along the length of the wells two faces so I can easily install a length of ply and use my entire bench top for projects when needed. But yes, you don’t need to break the bank to have a serviceable long last work bench. Cheers John and thanks for the insight. 🍻
Have done a video on your leg vice? Would like to see the details on your design.
I have a 4 part build on it
Great video as always John.
Thanks
Really interesting video. I was about to build that same bench. However I think I’ll wait until I see you build your new bench as your bang on about the aprons and woodworking vices. Will look forward to your bench building series 😉
Fantastic explanations, John! Thanks a lot! 😃
Unfortunately I couldn't buy any hardware for vises for my workbench yet... It's not that my business is going bad or anything, but... You know when those surprise bills show up? Yeah... Apparently I'm going to have to pay a pretty big governmental tax soon... So I need to wait. 😬
Anyway, it's life. What can we do?
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
Tell me about it, money comes in one hand an goes out in the other 😒
@@JohnMcGrathManInShed Very true. 😕
Word of advice to any small business: allocate tax from the start, maybe into separate bank account. Treat it as a cost of sales like heating workshop - which it is, in a sense since government's primary function (apart from ppe contracts to chums) is to ensure stable and safe environment for everyone in a country to live, trade, raise families, teach next generation, healthcare.
That helps set your prices and to assess longer term viability. Many hobbyists turn hobby into business and start well because charging low prices due to not considering costs such as tax, insurance, space to work when outgrow working at home. That low price undercuts more diligent competition or others who started before them with low prices that they had to hike and a vicious cycle of unrealistic startup failing.
Put those costs into business plan from start and you don't have to jump from low to a lot higher and lose customers because you have to clear debts to Inland Revenue or fix a piece of work that failed.
Defining a robust business plan helps assess if its realistic for you to earn enough to cover costs and make a good living as opposed to a hobby that covers its costs for those of us who have retired from salaried work. Various helpful YT videos, eg Gosforth Handyman.
Tax is not an inconvenience, it's a basis of stable, functional, just society (even if it could be used better and can be siphoned off by incompetent or unscrupulous governments depending on era).
Got that principle from my father. Conservative Party member and voter of old, pre-Thatcher school. Successful in City before Big Bang and scrupulous about paying tax in full. Furious about amoral 'unacceptable face of capitalism'
@@cuebj Oh, I absolutely agree! And I do that every year.
In my case it's houses for renting. I've been buying land in good places of the city and then constructing small houses, for small rentals really... You know? So they never get empty for more than a month when a tenant leaves for some reason.
So, every year I need to pay the city taxes. This year I've paid 9.2k reais for all of them. 😬
The issue in this case is a federal tax that I didn't know it wasn't paid yet. In my head everything was paid in 2019 already... Then the construction company let me know around 2 weeks ago. You know?
Another good tip is: never stop to save money, even after you already got everything you need to pay the taxes. Because of surprises and, other than that, to grow your business. 😊
Great explanation about the relative merits of the vices, John; I’ve just got myself one of those you’re going to get shut of, but then I guess for me it’s down to space (a lot less than yours) and purpose - I think my projects may be ‘lighter’ in nature. Enjoy that 🍺 (I recommend a black one with a white head 😉
They are a good vice Michael you can do a lot with them.
Great video!! Enjoy some yellow spot!
Thanks! Will do!
Muito bom 👏👏👏👏
I made the Paul Sellers design with left over cuts I had around. Ended up being a hybrid of the original pine design (top and apron) and the newer plywood one (legs) . Yours in fact is kind of a doubled and mirrored design which is a great take on the original, I must say. I loved the quick release cam lever leg vise. Do you think if would provide enough holding force with a not so big of a lever?
You could make the lever smaller, the design needs more refinement
Getting all American on us John 🤣, it will always be a 4x2 in Ireland 🇮🇪 😂
I would ensure there was plenty of leprechaun dust in all the holes you create because Irish workbenches need leprechaun dust - just sayin
Great info. Next time leave some of those swear words in the edit, Irish swearing sounds amazing 😍
Great video John, I think you might like a similar vice to the one on Rob Cosmans vice. One thing I have found with my quick release vice is that the handle unscrews and falls off when I'm using it. Do you have any advice for fixing it on, I would still like to have the option of taking it off though.
Cheers, Cillian
you might notice the insulating tap on the end of my handles 🤣
Hey man great video. The bench is pretty cool. I'm looking to build my own bench soon. I was just wondering the size of your workshop in metres as it's a really good size. Keep up the good work though john.
Thanks Chris, the workshop is 6x8m
@@JohnMcGrathManInShed thanks John it's a good size.
Excellent video always good to see long-term follow-up. Over the years I've come to many of the same conclusions. How often do you use the space beyond the tool well. If you kept a couple of boards and the apron on the far side of the tool well do you think the utility would be greatly compromised?
Cheers from Ohio!
I use the other side for leaving items on when I'm making something, you could have the tool well and then the apron no problem it would save space
How are the 2x4 benches for the likes of your mitre saw holding up.👍👍🍺🍺
Great
Why did you not use your No7 plane - surely that is designed for flattening?
Its to long for flattening across the bench, it would ride over the low spots a smaller plane won't
With planing your bench in different directions, how do you avoid massive amounts off tear out?
Very sharp blade and running diagonally to the grain
How do you have time for electrical and woodworking?
I don't sleep
@@JohnMcGrathManInShed well….. guess I’ll do the same!
👍🏻🍻🍺😊