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Workbenches: From Design & Theory to Construction & Use...everything it's cracked up to be

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Review by Tomcat1066 posted 1589 days ago 1351 views 0 times favorited 5 comments Add to Favorites Watch
Workbenches: From Design & Theory to Construction & Use...everything it's cracked up to be No-picture-s No-picture-s Click the pictures to enlarge them

When I first looked at this book, it was being touted at the end-all, be-all book of workbenches. Now, in all honesty, I don’t know about that. However, I do know that it is one of the most essential books out there for designing a workbench.

Schwarz details what he feels are the essential requirements for a workbench based on the type of work one does. For example, a power tool only woodworker can get away with an old door on a couple of saw horses. But for those of us who use hand tools, it’s a whole different ball game. We need a bench that will do certain things, and a door just won’t do the trick.

To that end, Chris Schwarz takes you step by step to figure out what kind of wood to use, what kind of vises to use, and is pretty straight forward about the pros and cons of each type. He finishes by giving two types of workbenches one can build that meet the criteria he’s laid out and very detailed plans one can follow to the letter and step by step instruction. However, by that point, one has a better grasp on workbenches and may not actually need the plans.

This book is a must have for anyone who wants to use hand tools and wants a workbench that will meet those specific needs.

-- "Give me your poor tools, your tired steel, your huddled masses of rust." Yep, I ripped off the Statue of Liberty. That's how I roll!




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Tomcat1066

942 posts in 1601 days



5 comments so far

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rikkor

11294 posts in 1679 days


#1 posted 1588 days ago

Chris seems to have had a “workbench fetish” for the last year or so. There have been some really good articles by him. Ah for more space in my cramped shop…

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MsDebbieP

17889 posts in 1965 days


#2 posted 1586 days ago

that’s a nice review—sounds like if you are looking at building a bench you should read this book

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

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PanamaJack

4473 posts in 1882 days


#3 posted 1585 days ago

The book is great, the companion CD (his site) is also great and really adds to it.

-- Carpe Lignum; Tornare Lignum (Seize the wood, to Turn the wood)

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John Gray

2354 posts in 1690 days


#4 posted 1529 days ago

This is a great book on workbenches, I have a copy too.

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

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Scott Bryan

27277 posts in 1627 days


#5 posted 1515 days ago

TC,

I am just now getting around to looking at your post. Schwarz does an excellent job with respect to workbench theory and design. I have been debating getting this book.

Thanks for the review.

-- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful- Joshua Marine

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