# Have only room for a short workbench



## Johnnyv99 (Sep 3, 2014)

Hello folks - This is my first post on the sight. My shop is my garage which we use in the Victor, NY winters to put both of our cars in. Everything gets pushed to the back. I have every thing on wheels so that is not too much of a problem. I want to build a new workbench based on the split Roubo style with a glide vise on the side and a tail vise from Benchcrafted. I have two 27×60x1.5 tops that I will laminate for a 3 inch thickness. I just wonder if the benchtop is too short for this style. I just seems that with side vise and a dead man, that I will be able to edge planning, and can get by with the benchtop. I don't plan on any cabinet work, other than maybe another shop cart (although I'm almost to the max for space now. I just built a folding outfeed table and a flip top tool cart. They both will make my life easier in the shop. I could fit a longer bench 1-2 feet longer. I have been wrestling with the thought that maybe I should sell the tops that I have and start over. Does anyone have any thoughts to share? Thanks to all.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

A five foot bench will do a lot of projects and if that is the size you have to work with, go for it. If you can go bigger, however, I would recommend it. I've never had issues with depth on my bench, but there have been times an extra foot or two on length beyond the existing 6ft would have come in handy. 6ft is what fits in my shop, so it is what it is. I've still been able to do what needed done every time, just maybe not quite as easily as if the bench was longer.

Good luck.


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## jdh122 (Sep 8, 2010)

Mine is 4 feet long and I've had no problems doing some pretty large projects on it. I made it as long as would fit in the space I had. Since then I've moved to another house and larger shop. I may make a longer bench eventually, but I'm not in any hurry to do so. If you already have the wood for 5 feet I wouldn't get rid of it simply to be able to have 6 feet instead.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Go for it. A 5 footer will do a great many things.
Bill


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

I think that is all the longer this bench is









Seems to work ok.


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

I'm curious to see the community feedback on this one. I'm planning on building a ~25" x 60" workbench myself.

For my 2cents, I figure it depends on the size of your work. I figure the size you proposed would likely work for me since most of my projects are smaller (up to the size of a base cabinet) and thus far, I've been able to accomplish my work on the various ~30" x 40" (too deep, but wide enough) work tables.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

I had to stretch a couple boards across to a lathe bench, to work on a screen door build









So, IF needed, one could add a stand to hold things a bit longer.

That Screen door?









Didn't turn out too bad…


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## tomclark (Feb 16, 2010)

My shop has several workbenches, in different areas. They are used for different kinds of work, and for storing different tools used for different kinds of projects. There is no rule that you can only have one workbench. Shown are two short workbenches, and both are extremely useful and store the right tools in the right place. You will always find a use for more than one bench.


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## Tedstor (Mar 12, 2011)

I built a lot of projects on this bench. Granted, they were smaller projects. IIRC, it's 52". 
The biggest issue with smaller benches is a lack of mass. Smaller benches will have a tendency to move when you work them hard. In my case, I was able to attach mine to the wall studs to remedy this issue. But it was only a problem once in a while, even before I attached it to the wall.


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 18, 2013)

I'm contemplating downsizing from a 5 foot bench to a 4 foot bench. I need room for my lathe and I want to build smaller projects. Big projects are too hard to move around in my garage when the cars have to come back inside. Putting storage in the base should make it adequately heavy and stable.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

You might get some ideas from this bench


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

I'd suggest 24" is plenty deep for a bench. For me, I'd much rather have it 24" and pulled 6" from the wall than 30" against the wall. And 6' is a very suitable / versatile / capable length. Mass is huge if it gets smaller in size; try to incorporate a cabinet or weight if it's shorter by design, you won't regret it. My .02.


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## Johnnyv99 (Sep 3, 2014)

Thanks to all for your replies. I will be adding a three inch end cap for the tail vise. That will give me a bit more length. My biggest concern is racking, which was also mentioned by Tedstor. I will have 3 1/2" x5" legs with a two inch tenon to attach to the table.


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## BubbaIBA (Nov 23, 2011)

Johnnyv99,

"...Thanks to all for your replies. I will be adding a three inch end cap for the tail vise. That will give me a bit more length."

You might be better served forgetting the end vise and using that room for additional bench. While some swear by end vises, some of us just swear at 'em . In almost every use for an end vise there is a better and faster way to do the job.

I know a broken record but true…..As always with all things wood, YMMV.

ken


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

Paul M …...........If God wanted us to have fiberglass boats he would have given us fiberglass trees. http://prmdesigns.com/

He did Ikea use them all the time.LOL Alistair


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## bobro (Oct 24, 2014)

A short workbench won't rack at all. In fact, generally speaking, a small bench should be less prone to racking than a large one. If a short/small bench racks, then it's a poor design.

What happens when the forces are strong enough to where they might rack a bench, but the bench is well designed, is that the bench as a whole unit moves, That's the disadvantage of short, small, light, benches, not racking.


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## TheWoodenOyster (Feb 6, 2013)

My bench is about 6' and I wish it was shorter. I VERY rarely have anything that long. The only furniture parts that are larger than that are bed pieces and dining room tables. Other than that, 5 feet pretty much covers it all. When I have planed boards over my bench length, I just used the wall as a stop.


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