Woodworking Workbench | How to Build a Workbench

Woodworking Workbenches – Design, Building & Use

The workbench really is the heart of your workshop.
If you plan on doing your woodworking with hand tools, then you need a bench that’s stout and won’t wobble about or require chasing around the workshop every time you take a shaving.

And if you plan on building your own workbench (and you should), then don’t get wrapped up in any fancy designs that cost the earth or take all year to build.

The best thing about a good woodworking workbench is that it’s simple.

Simple to build, simple to maintain, and simple to use.
Throughout our blog you’ll find guides to help you plan your workbench build, from choosing wood to picking the best vice. Browse the posts below.

Or follow us with a step-by-step video series, where we build an English style workbench.
It’s an accessible build, using just basic hand tools to complete your life time bench – you can watch online & download the PDF workbench plans.

Choosing The Best Face Vice

April 12, 2018 By Richard Maguire 73 Comments

Recently I wrote a post about why you don't need a tail vice on your workbench. now we're looking at the other end of the bench and going through my favourite options when it comes to choosing a face vice. What Do We Want From A Workbench Vice? A face vice should be strong, dependable and … [Read more...]

Why Your Workbench Needs One Vice (Or Less)

March 23, 2018 By Richard Maguire 43 Comments

A workbench is only a success if it can keep itself still and provide means to hold your work. A woodworking vice is not an essential feature of this. Typically though we can expect to see two vices on a workbench today. One will be installed on the front of the bench, towards the left. We … [Read more...]

Choosing Timber – The Best Wood For Building A Workbench

December 9, 2016 By Richard Maguire 34 Comments

If you're going to build yourself a chest of drawers, what wood would you build it out of? You'd build it out of whatever you fancy building it out of. What you like, what's to hand, what's cheapest. Who, bloody cares? It's the same when you're building a workbench. Obviously, I can't … [Read more...]

Holdfasts – How Should You Be Using Them?

December 2, 2016 By Richard Maguire 23 Comments

When I started building workbenches, I pushed my way of working on to my customers. I wasn't aware I was doing this. But my cave's a small place, and I forget there's other people out there. Every workbench went out complete with sliding board jack, large planing stop, a pair of bench … [Read more...]

Face Vice Rack – How To Work With It

February 15, 2016 By Richard Maguire 23 Comments

Can't be Bothered to Read? Click Play: https://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Nice-Rack.mp3 Without a reliable way to hold your work for woodworking we'll quickly become frustrated. Whilst I'm a firm believer that a lot can be achieved with an old nail stuck in to your … [Read more...]

Build A Workbench Top That’s Simple Yet Strong.

January 15, 2016 By Richard Maguire 37 Comments

Audio File (Trial). Can't Be Bothered To Read? Click Play. https://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/The-Planked-Top.mp3 The Planked Top. What, How Why? ..who? Since first showing photos of our English workbench, I've had almost as many questions about this workbench … [Read more...]

Drawer and Carcase Holding

November 26, 2015 By Richard Maguire 11 Comments

A planing sleeve is a work holding method for things such as assembled drawers and open carcases, so you can plane or work on the outside faces. These are enormously handy when the carcase is too big for your vice, and knocking one up is as easy as fixing a couple of battens to your bench top, … [Read more...]

Arnold and The Bench Knife

November 13, 2015 By Richard Maguire 32 Comments

Today I wanted to share another work holding method that's as simple as it is effective (the best ones always are) and is suited only to those who've broken the fear of scathing their bench. 'The Bench Knife' is an old method certainly used for holding lengths at the sticking board, and it's a … [Read more...]

Workbench Holdfasts

October 12, 2015 By Richard Maguire 13 Comments

For a simple woodworker when it comes to a problem in life the best bet is to hit hard with a hammer. It's an effective if not delicate approach and once you get in to the mind set there's little that can't be solved. If you find you're spending a lot of time at your workbench stood head … [Read more...]

Help Me Decide?!

September 8, 2015 By Richard Maguire 96 Comments

In the new year I'll be building a workbench. That's not unusual except that this particular workbench will be forming part of a lengthy chapter within our book. 'The French Bench' (not the Roubo) is where the design will be based and I've come to a bit of a head scratcher at the vice hardware. Why … [Read more...]