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Workbenches

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.


Fitting The Inset

September 4, 2013 By Richard Maguire 3 Comments

veritas vise installation

I've decided to write a full review on the Veritas Inset vice shortly since the idea was kindly recommended in a comment by Bill (Billy's Little Bench) last week. For now though I'd like to share a quick extra step that I take when I'm fitting one of these vices. Since introducing our Little John … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vices & Work Holding, Workbenches

New Vice

August 30, 2013 By Richard Maguire 18 Comments

St peters cross leg vice

This is to be our first vice to go in to the new (yet to be named) range of sensibly priced, well made hardware. It's a pinless leg vice with St Peter's cross mechanism. The steel screw has a nice rapid thread which is custom made to be coarser than normal to give a faster pace of opening, making … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vices & Work Holding, Workbenches

My Name’s Richard & I’m A Tool Well Hater…

August 6, 2013 By Richard Maguire 27 Comments

...(and I also drink far too much tea!). I'm not writing this post as a lecture or to try and educate you about tool wells, it's more about me asking for your own views and experiences. For pretty much my whole life I've hated tool wells. I was born a tool well hater and yes, I do think hate is the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Workbench Designs, Workbenches

The Holdfast and the Batten – VIDEO

June 18, 2013 By Richard Maguire 102 Comments

Bench Holdfast

  This has been a very popular video since we published, and the method has been further explored in use and in it's possible historical roots by Chris Schwarz at Lost Art Press. Check this video if you need to get your holdfasts to grip better. Clamp Boards Quickly Using Only A Holdfast … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Free Videos, Jigs and Fixtures, Vices & Work Holding, Woodworking Techniques

Maguire Wagon Vice – Every One’s A Spinner!

June 13, 2013 By Helen 9 Comments

The Maguire Wagon Vice

So apologies for the cheesy title and product promotion post but I thought it was about time that we had a further look at the MKII Maguire Wagon Vice. As explained earlier in the year we've given it a bit of an overhaul to tweak and make further improvements and enable us to keep up with demand by … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vices & Work Holding, Workbenches

Holdfasts – Get A Grip! VIDEO

May 28, 2013 By Richard Maguire 28 Comments

holdfast grip in workbench

  Extras: Use Your Holdfast As A Tail Vice Shown In This Quick Video Bench Dogs - Round or Square? Improve The Grip Of Your Holdfasts for better work holding In this quick video I demonstrate my method for increasing the holding power of a smooth shafted holdfast. It's a simple … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Free Videos, Jigs and Fixtures, Vices & Work Holding, Woodworking Techniques

Cherry Bomb

May 13, 2013 By Richard Maguire 12 Comments

For those of you who think a workbench should be rough and ready, you may well cringe at the bench I have to show you today. In fact when this customer enquired with a request that the workbench should be built from cherry, even I thought it was pushing things a bit posh. The workbench was to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Workbench Designs, Workbenches

Workbench Height

April 18, 2013 By Richard Maguire

choosing the best workbench height

It’s been an amazing project to do and I’ve learned a lot. I can honestly say if it wasn’t for you and Helen making these amazing videos I would probably of ended up with some YouTube screwed together thing! - Steven Watch Online & Learn How To Build Your Own Workbench CLICK for full … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Workbench Designs, Workbenches

When It Has To Be Pinned

March 21, 2013 By Helen 5 Comments

Leg vice parallel guide

With leg vices back in popular use there’s a lot of desire to go pin-less. If you’re sticking to the good old fashioned parallel guide and pin though then we say it should be done in style! For our Little John Workbenches we’ve had these tactile pins forged to fit neatly in place and the curl makes … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vices & Work Holding, Workbenches

Another Titan is Born

March 14, 2013 By Richard Maguire 7 Comments

So far this year seems to be the year of customized workbenches. Looking through the schedule there’s an unusual balance of very unique builds compared the number of standard models and some of them are very unique indeed. Taking on one-off work is very exciting; it keeps me interested from the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Workbench Designs, Workbenches

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