Workbenches: From Design And Theory To Construction And Use (Popular Woodworking)

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By: Christopher Schwarz
(39 customer reviews)
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EDITORIAL REVIEW

Every workbench should allow the woodworker to easily work the edges, faces and ends of boards, however most benches built during the last 100 years fail on at least one of these tasks. Workbenches is the only book that shows the reader how to design and build a good workbench and most importantly, how to use it in their shop for all sorts of tasks. This book dives deep into the historical records of the 18th and 19th centuries and breathes new life into traditional designs that are simpler than modern benches, easier to build and perfect for both power and hand tools. Two venerable designs are provided as basic skeletons and the knowledge presented shows woodworkers how to design custom workbenches, perfect for their style and method of woodworking.

PRODUCT DETAILS

Publisher: Popular Woodworking Books
Pub. Date: 7th November 2007
Catalog: Book
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Pages: 144
Ean: 9781558708402
Isbn: 1558708405

ABOUT THIS BOOK

USER REVIEWS

Excellent book -- nice diagrams and complete instructions for making a workbench
~ Written on Nov 13, 2009. out of users found this review helpful.

This book is excellent for showing a few different workbenches and giving full plans for each of them. A popular bench for many people seems to be the Roubo ([...]), and I fall into that camp as well. It's massive construction lends itself well for working with hand tools. I've been working on my bench based off this book ([...]). The book was a fun read while being useful and it definitely got me energized to tackle my own workbench. Ultimately, that's why you'd buy the book, right?

Building a Work Bench? Take a look at this!!!
~ Written on Nov 3, 2009. out of users found this review helpful.

If you are a woodworker or looking to get into woodworking you will need a bench. In this book Chris examines the different pieces of benches and that are vital to how you use one. Should the legs be flush or back, how high should the bench be, what width, how does the thickness change things, and this is where you work so how you hold the wood in place to work it? I am still working through the book, but Chris gets right to the point about different aspects of woodworking work benches. He actually gives his opinion about styles and tools explaining his perspective. Brilliant!

The only minor gripe I found is that matching up the pictures with different sections could be a little more defined. There are headings for different sections in the book and notes under the pictures but they do not match. Since I am new to some of these tools it requires more concentration.

Excellent read! Great for planning to build or purchase a work bench.

It's for hand tools, and other things
~ Written on Oct 20, 2009. out of users found this review helpful.

I've been doing hobby/semi-pro wood working for almost 15 years now and know enough to know I don't know everything. I've also developed an ear for what to listen too and what's just fad, glitter, and ranting. Here is what I have to say about Christopher Schwarz, 'Workbenches: From Design And Theory To Construction And Use'.

First off, this isn't a 'scan and learn' type book. All you see doing that is Chris likes two workbench types and hates drawers. The real value in this book is in the cover to cover read, and it's worth every page. Chris explains the various designs, the reasoning behind them, and how they have evolved to become the benches of today. He even goes into point-by-point analysis of what makes some ideas work and others fail. So even if you disagree with his conclusions you will still have all the information you need to come to your own.

Second, Christopher Schwarz is a hand tool fanatic. Just expect that slant when you read the book. Every other picture will have a hand plain or chisel in it. That said, I'm more the power tool type. My favorite tool is the router, and the band-saw is a close second. I still found the book excellent, if for no other reason than it provides a well supported alternative perspective. Furthermore, whether your the caveman with a rock or Tim 'The Tool Man' Taylor you will eventually have need to assemble something. For that alone the benches Chris describes are worth knowing about. I'm building the second of the two he described and fully expect to cut the number of clamps I need in half.

I also would like to point out all the pictures are black-and-white. This is a plus, not a minus. Often authors will try to make contents 'flashy' to get the quick buy from a page flipper in a book store. This author relies on content over color. The black-and-white also helped me in visualization. There's less guessing 'is that an angle change or a color change'. Don't know what I'm talking about? Look through your favorite color diagrams, then look through this book. You will be surprised what color will hide.

Conclusion: If you own more than three wood working tools and know which end is sharp you can benefit from this book, if you READ it.

Tired of Nit Picking Pissants
~ Written on Sep 25, 2009. out of 1 users found this review helpful.

I bought the book before I read the book reviews. I would not trade it in nor let it out of my house to let someone borrow it for anything. Hey dip, get your own book. Chistopher, I started a bench and then got your book. It had skirts like the English bench, but then I got this book and modified the design so it is a bastardized Roubo/English with skirts and straight legs.

To all of the negative people in the world that would find fault with ice cream for crying out loud, "I SAY, HEY BUDDY, STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES AND GET YOUR HEAD OUT THE MANURE PILE". I had to say it nicely because this is a family show.

In two words GREAT BOOK. If you are out there and are thinking about building a bench, I highly recommend purchasing this book with extreme prejudice. There are two time tested benches in the book that can be modified to suit your needs with little change. I have multiple physical limitations and need a bench that was only five feet long with a height of 30 inches and 30 inches deep. Like I mentioned earlier, I made a very usable bench using both designs that will suit me since I cannot get out of the chair and still I can reach the back of my bench and do all of the clamping on the faces and top.

Great book to understand workbenches
~ Written on Aug 22, 2009. out of users found this review helpful.

In the process to decide wether to buy or build my (first) workbench I had decided to first understand the basics and I got to this book. It not only happened to be very usefool in my process but also it is a very beatiful book to travel through. As I'm far from being a pro at woodworking this book has been exactly what I was looking for.

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