Saturday, January 02, 2021

A new workbench design

I've published a holiday edition of my woodworking with kids newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/1d8ca653adc8/woodworking-with-kids-holiday-edition

The newsletter is not just for kids. It offers techniques that are useful for adults as well.

My wife asked me if there's a guide word that I would choose for the coming year. The word I settled on is "useful." It's a word that's not highly inflated and egotistical. To be useful is to be worthwhile to others just as a fork might be useful to put food in your mouth. In that spirit I've been working on a new design woodworking bench for kids. 

The bench will use an inexpensive woodworking vise that can be purchased on Amazon for less than twenty dollars. The bench will be relatively easy to build using readily available materials and will even offer tool storage. A drawing of it is shown above. I've been asked to offer instructions on YouTube, and in the spirit of being useful, I may do that as well. I'll offer the option of tool storage inside.

An experienced woodworker could build this from the drawing alone. Captioned photos of step-by-step will help others. The top board parallel to the one on which the vise is mounted is to be hinged  giving access to storage for tools underneath. The woodworking vise for which this bench is planned is available from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002I2KFMG 

Every elementary school classroom in the US should be equipped with a woodworking bench and a few tools.

Make, fix and create. Assist others in learning likewise.

1 comment:

  1. - I would not recommend a quick release vise for school (finger crunching) but on the other hand, to slow a vise (single thread fine pitch screw) discourage its use. Then one would be tempted to use one's hand for clamping which is more dangerous.
    - about workbench height, there is an interesting study. Search for "design of an inclusive best-fit solution to workbenches" by
    William F. Gaughran.
    25.5" is adequate for a 7 to 8 year old kid - see: http://dinbelg.be/7anstotal.htm). Now it depends of the target age. Parents who plan to make one for home use should take this into consideration. For smaller kids, a duck board is an option.

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