If you are looking to make a good workbench for all of your woodworking projects, there are some great tips that you can use to come up with the ultimate design. There are a number of ways that these benches can be crafted to offer a good amount of workspace as well as handy storage for a variety of tools and accessories. These are some of the more common mistakes that you need to avoid when putting together a quality woodworking bench for your workshop, basement, or garage.
Excessive Woodworking Vises
While it may seem like a good idea to adorn every corner of the bench with a woodworking vise, there is truth to the old saying that you can have too much of a good thing. Some of the best benches for woodworking will include just two vises, which will be a tail vise and a face vise. Depending on your needs, you may only want to have one. The last thing that you want to do is clutter up the bench when you could use it for free workspace.
Overthinking The Wood Type And Height
The great thing about building a bench for woodworking is that just about any type of wood will do. You can even go with plywood or a mixture of different wood types to come up with a design that suits your needs and budget best. A good way to think about the wood is that you want it to be easy to get, on the dry side, affordable, and heavy. Keep in mind that the bench is going to get a great deal of use over the years, meaning that it will not look pretty. There will be dents, scrapes, and a whole lot of character after a while.
When it comes to the height, you need to go with a measurement that is between your waist and thigh. Never make it too tall or too short, make it just right. If you are still uncertain, simply make the table a bit taller and then you can cut down the legs to find the perfect height for your comfort level.
Don’t Go Crazy With Features
While it is nice to have an area to hang things or a drawer to store tools, never go crazy with all of the features. The workbench for your woodworking tasks has to include a sturdy design, the common spaces for whatever vise types you want, and a flat surface that is easy to work with. If you go overboard, you could end up having elements that become more of a hindrance than anything else and it will take away from your productivity level.
The bottom line is that when you are building a woodworking bench, you never want to reinvent the wheel. You can make a good looking bench with the basics that will truly be a rockstar when it comes to all of the projects that you have planned out. This needs to be the ultimate space for tinkering and you never need to think of it as a showpiece. The finished product just has to work as a bench for woodworking should.