# Workbench blues



## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

I need a way to hold work pieces to my bench top.









It has a face vise, but no end vise.









I've been considering this Veritas surface vise, or this Veritas wonder dog.

I think I'll have to lose at least 1 drawer to install an end vise. Any ideas? Thanks!


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## hObOmOnk (Feb 6, 2007)

I got the blues,
I got the workbench blues.

I got the blues,
I got the workbench blues.

My bench top ain't level,
And my end-vise done lost its screws.

(Insert harmonica solo here)


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

For the purpose of holding things down, you cannot beat the Kreg Bench Klamp - - - 
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21459&filter=bench%20clamp

I put 2 bases in the top of my workbench and I have 2 different style clamps (one with a 6" reach and one with a 3" reach).

You can see the bases in the picture of my workbench in my workshop section.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

I got the blues,
I got the workbench blues,

There is no way to hold wood,
Give me somethin I could use

(more harmonica) hahahaha 
Rock on hobomonk..

You could use a shooting board for smaller pieces. That is a nice looking older bench. Looks nice n stout.


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## BarbS (Mar 20, 2007)

Hairy- you don't say what kind of work you wish to secure on the bench, but for most things, a homemade bench hook (see article http://tinyurl.com/24we2ey and a couple of standard hold-fasts http://tinyurl.com/26bcyy4 can do the job.


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

The bench has 2 square dogs by the face vise.
Here's an example of something that was difficult. This is a different bench.








That is the piece of catalpa I used to make this. I used a plane to flatten one side, then ran it through the planer to get the faces parallel. I want to be able to hold similar pieces , and not have clamps in the way of working on the top of the workpiece. Maybe wedges is the way to go. Thanks!


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

Dog holes, dogs and wedges can do a LOT, and sometimes they can be faster than an end vise. They are certainly faster than the surface vise and wonderdogs. They just aren't as glamorous.

In your log example above, a 4 dogs and a 2 wedges would secure that piece nicely. If you do a lot of that kind of work, then a planing stop that either fits into a pair of dog holes, or one that is attached and slides up and down at the end of the workbench would be a good addition.


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## mosaicwes (Sep 14, 2010)

If you do a LOT of this type of work, a jointer would be damn handy


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

Ouch, Hairy, Veritas doesn't give those away do they? I use a couple of bench dogs and holdfasts but am not totally happy with them.


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## Eric_S (Aug 26, 2009)

My bench folds down and the supports are on the side so tail vice isn't an option. However, I did find on FWW online a way to use a short threaded pipe clamp as a removable tail vice. http://www.finewoodworking.com/subscription/workshop/workshoparticle.aspx?id=32827 
I haven't gotten around to doing this to mine yet but plan to soon.

If you don't have a membership, here is what they basically say. Drill a 3/4" hole for dog holes or at tail end of bench for vice. Then take a 1/2" pipe thread tap and tap threads in the holes. Now you can use a standard threaded 1/2" pipe clamp as a removable tail vice or holdfasts. I'm still unfamiliar how a 1/2" pipe would be secure in a 3/4" hole though.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

Eric_S, 1/2" pipe is the inner diameter of the pipe  Though I think the outer diameter is a little bigger than 3/4" but I might be wrong about that.


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

Eric, if I have this mental picture right, that uses the bench top as the fixed end of the pipe clamp.

Ideally, a tail vise is what I need. I don't think that will happen.


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## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

Glue?


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## Eric_S (Aug 26, 2009)

The article is on their membership site, but the image isn't.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/uploadedImages/Fine_Woodworking_Network/Image_Resources/Magazine/207/011207014_02-pipe-clamp-workbench_xl.jpg

Hopefully this will make more sense. You can use either end of the pipe clamp as long as the pipe is threaded.


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

I saw that article in FWW and plan to do that to my bench with two pipe vises. The top of the pipe vise clamping faces can be flush with the top of the bench, or above it as you desire. If they're above the bench top you can lay a spacer plank on top to engage the workpiece with bench dogs on the opposite end of the workpiece to clamp against. I plan to add a 3/4" thick oak board with holes drilled in it and slipped over the pipes and screwed to the working side of the pipe clamp moving jaws. This will stick up above the bench top and act as the moving jaw of the vise. You only have a vise clamping range of about 3 inches, but with different sized spacers and dog hole locations you could cover a wide range of work. Can be done with threaded pipe flanges screwed to the bench instead of tapped holes cut into the bench as well, but you might have to saw off one side of the flange so it dosen't stick up above the top and get in the way. I'm making mine out of 3/4" pipe clamp parts.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

good catch Barbs….. I really meant a bench hook, like you said, not what I said….......... whoopsie lol


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Hairy, Use a 3/4 hole to tap for 1/2" pipe. Use a 7/8" hole to put the pipe through. I think a 7/8 hole bored a 5 degree angle towards the back would make the pipe work like a hold fast and you would have to bother threading. 1/2 pipe threads will be awfully fine for taping into wood,


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## Steve_B (Oct 30, 2009)

I bought one of the 20×60" benches from HF. Although it's better than nothing I just don't use it that much. It seems like most everything I have built so far requires my 4' x 8' bench. The big bench however isn't really a good woodworking bench. Last night I saw an add for bowling alley lanes in the paper. 2 1/4×42" x up to 23'. Maple and yellow pine. $12.50 lin ft. I'm thinking of building a new woodworking bench using these. I'm not sure if I would need to double them up to 4 1/2 but I would think they would make a great bench top.


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

Thanks for the input, even a couple of verses from the Kentucky Boys Choir! That's why I like it here.
I think I'll go with the wonder dogs. All I need to do is drill holes and they're ready to work.
I plan on doing more than surface planing.
I haven't found much on wedges, it is an interesting option. Wedges probably showed up in woodshops about the same time as workbenches.


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

There is a happy ending. Craigslist came through for me. 32" x 36" top of 1 & 1/2 plywood. 4 drawers and storage shelves. Record quick vise, with 3 pop up stops flushmounted. 2 jorgensen 3" surface clamps with the screws flush mounted. Veritas Wonderdog and 2 bench pups. 4 plastic bench dogs.1 holdfast. $65


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

Have you never heard of NINE INCH NAILS LOL btw nice old bench.Alistair


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## BarbS (Mar 20, 2007)

Wow. you are the King of bargains with that find.


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## RalphBarker (Oct 26, 2010)

You stumbled on a bargain, Hairy. The Jorgie hold-downs are worth the $65, and the Record vise probably twice or three times that amount.


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

Sometimes you're the squirrel, sometimes the nut.

I didn't know how much I needed that until I got it.


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## BurtC (Oct 30, 2009)

I routed a few dado's down the length of my bench, then laid some T-track in there. Rcokler has a decent variety of T-track clamps available. Made a few fences that I can then clamp down.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

I'm too lazy to read the other responses… But what springs to mind is…

Bench dog holes.
Bench Dogs
Holdfasts
Bench Hooks..

With the vice you have, you should be set to go with just about anything you would care to try…


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