The
Workbench
A Complete Guide to Creating Your Perfect Bench
by
Lon Schleining
Hardcover
245 x 280mm
202pp
Published
by The Taunton
Press, Connecticut, USA.
R.R.P.$39.90
ISBN 978-1-56158-594-6
Extract from back cover of book:
A good workbench is a prerequisite for safe and effective woodworking. While recent innovations in bench design, materials, and technology offer a much wider range of options, they can make choosing the right bench more challenging. In The Workbench, Lon Schleining takes a 21st century look at every aspect of workbenches, with the goal of helping readers choose the best bench for their needs.
For many woodworkers, building their own bench is a rite of passage. The bench is an expression of pride in workmanship, an opportunity to demonstrate skills and maybe show off a little. With working drawings for five workbenches, from modern to traditional, this book provides plenty of inspiration for anyone who wants to build a bench. Time-challenged woodworkers will find advice on commercial benches, kits and components. The comprehensive coverage of hardware, vises, and other holding devices is an invaluable guide to choosing the right accessories.
The perfect bench is the one that works best for you. Designing the perfect bench is is about making smart choices and compromises a balancing act to get the best combina- tion of functionality and comfort. The Workbench is the ultimate guide to asking the right questions about what you really need and want in a workbench so that you can make the right decisions.
About the Author: The author of Treasure Chests, he is a frequent contributor to Fine Homebuilding and Fine Woodworking magazines. He is also a licensed contractor and builds custom staircases in and around Long Beach, California.
Photos: Colour
Units of Measurement: Imperial
Contents
Introduction
Chapter
1 - The Perfect Bench
What
Kind of Woodworking Do You Do?
Locating the Bench
Bench Size
Weight
Height
A Comfortable Bench Area
Designing Your Bench
Chapter
2 - Workbench Tops
Benchtop
Dimensions
Top Configuration
Tool Trays
Materials for Tops
Keeping
the Top Flat
Flattening a Benchtop
Fastening the Top to the Base
Finishing
the Top
Chapter
3 - A Solid Foundation
Base Configuration
Frame Bases
Base Joinery
Options
Strengthening the Base
Legs Made from Metal
Enclosed Bases
Leveling the Bench
Electrical Power
Chapter
4 - Getting a Grip
Locating Vises
Types of Vises
Screw Mechanisms
Manufactured Vises
Shop-Built Vises
Chapter
5 - Holding Your Work
Bench Dogs
Stops
Holdfasts and Hold-Downs
Board Jacks
Bench Hooks
Fixtures and Auxillary Tables
Chapter
6 - Bench in a Box
Bench Components
Manufactured Benches of the Past
Contemporary Bench Makers
Chapter
7 - No-Frills Benches
Getting Down to Basics
Sam Maloof's Bench
Building
the Bench
Niall Barrett's Bench
Building the Bench
Chapter
8 - Tradition Meets the Twenty-First Century
English-Style
Workbenches
Building the Bench
European Traditions
Building the Bench
The Best of Old and New
Building the Bench
Shaker with a Twist
Chapter
9 - Innovative Workbenches
A Different Kind of Benchtop
The Torsion
Box
Storing Large Worktables
Thinking Outside the Box
Chapter
10 - Benches for Special Tasks
Assembly and Finishing
Portable Workbenches
Benches for Working on Irregular Parts
Other Woodworking Specialties
Dedicated
Task Benches
Resources
Index