Workbenches Revised Edition: From Design & Theory to Construction & Use

The best technical book, I have read in some time. Easy to read, even more easy to apply.There are two sentences in the first chapter that illustrate the reason for buying this book: 1). “If you can see in your mind’s eye a workbench device that no one has ever invented before, and you think you need, them I caution you. Chances are that someone has come up with a way to do what you want to do, and they used simple technology to do it.”2.) “So these benches are a good place to begin. And that’s what this book is for: To give you a head start in the craft by building a bench that is capable of doing things you might not be ready to do yet. And when you are ready, your bench will be willing and waiting.”This book is amazing, incredible and just what you need if you are building a workbench. I have already modified many of my own design thoughts and beliefs. The discussions around every feature and element of consideration when designing a workbench is easy to read, provides benefits and drawbacks based on experience, and inspires me.

My mistake was building first. I looked at lots of bench designs and YouTube videos before building a sturdy bench that fit my small shop area. It's typical 2x4 and plywood construction. The more actual work I've done, the more problems I run into with this bench. The more I read Popular Woodworking, the more I liked Chris Schwarz talent as a writer and woodworker. I'd seen him on Roy Underhill's TV show, The Woodwright's Shop. The 2 of them have good reputations, experience, horse sense, humor and likeability.This book is not a boring history or lecture. Schwarz will keep you entertained while teaching you everything you don't know about workbenches. I like his writing style and honest appraisals of products and techniques. In fact, this book has convinced me to build a better bench even though mine is still useful. What held me back was the cost of a maple hardwood top. But I learned that construction grade southern yellow pine is cheap, yet harder and heavier than many hardwoods.You'll also learn about vises, planes, chisels, and other hand tools and jigs. If you take pleasure in the process of working with wood using hand tools, you need a workbench that is your most important tool. This book will show you how to make your own.

If I could have only one book on work bench design, this would be it. That is not to say I haven't got something out of other books, but this would be the best single book to have. However, it also depends on what you are looking for in a workbench design book. If you are looking for a book of 50 different detailed workbench plans to choose one to build, this book will fall short for you, because it is really a review of principles, then a few representative work benches in detail. However, the book gives the reader the background to choose a workbench that will work for him or her, and improvise on design principles, modifying another design to better suit the reader's needs. The author does sometimes assume that all the terms he uses are well known to the reader, and for me that was not the case. Some of the illustrations/explanations are a little hard to follow, as well, if you are not already familiar with the concept. But overall, this is the single best book on workbench design that I own or have encountered.

I built a bench pretty much identical to the one in Roubo's book that he called a German Cabinetmakers Bench. That's the one with the sliding leg vise as well as the regular leg vise and the tail vise. In researching the project I bought five books on benches including a translation of Roubo, both editions of Schwarz's book, as well as those by Landis and Schleining. There was stuff in all four of the modern books that was not in the others, and I made good use of them all. But amazingly, it was Roubo's and this second Schwarz book that I referenced the most. I also bought everything I could find on making large diameter wooden screws. While I did not end up agreeing with everything Chris said, I found his wisdom to be right on. I would also recommend Jim Tolpin's book "By Hand and Eye" which provides some good observations about proportions. Tolpin and Schwarz are mostly in agreement on their recommendations, although they arrived at their conclusions from quite different perspectives. The one caution I have about Tolpin's book is that he assumes that all human bodies are proportioned the same, and they are not. The one think that I strongly disagreed with Schwarz about is his comments on tail vises. I absolutely love mine.

It’s a good book worth reading if you want to learn how to build a solid bench for hand tool use. But for Gawd sakes the text is so tiny it’s hard to read and I am not that old! No idea what Schwarz (especially since he wears thick glasses) or the publisher was thinking. And for that I am knocking off a star. Otherwise content is great, but you will need readers!

Chris Schwarz does a good job of describing how much more useful a simple yet solid woodworking bench is to any woodworker. I was under the impression that the best benches had to include drawers and/or a cabinet, but after having built the Roubo (or French) style bench, l get it. A workbench is for working. Having followed his suggestions as to how a woodworking bench could/should function, I built the Roubo bench and have found a whole new level of enjoyment in woodworking. If you've never built your own woodworking bench, but want to, I recommend this book.

It’s a book about workbenches.... by Christopher Schwarz.... the master of workbenches. Well worth DOUBLE what they charge for this book. It has a WEALTH of information. From the history of the most common woodworking bench types, to the construction and use of said benches, explanations of different viable wood types, explanations of workbench accessories, etc. great great book

As always, Chris Schwartz fun to read, detailed and researched content. This book took my wonderful workbench to the ultimate next level. This guy has built something like 50 workbenches over the years, he knows exactly what he’s talking about!

Years of experience as a woodworker and builder of benches for his own use, are evident in the text.The pros and cons of all aspects of the bench and its various fittings, are given in a matter-of-fact way and the conclusion seems to be that you should make the bench to suit your needs. Something the author is well able to advise upon.

Compre este libro por que estoy en el proceso de iniciarme en la carpintería como hobbie, buscando vídeos en Internet sobre como construir bancos de trabajo me encontré con vídeos que te dicen cono construir paso a paso tu banco de carpintero Y en uno de ellos el autor se refiere a este libro como su guía. Yo lo he revisado todo y es un libro de alta calidad en su elaboración, está perfectamente detallado e ilustra la construcción de 4 tipos de bancos de trabajo diferentes, todos muy robustos y con precios de construcción bastante asequibles. El autor es un carpintero que va por el mundo construyendo bancos y enseñando a construir . Recomiendo ampliamente este libro

Ich wuerde gerne ein gute Rezension vergeben. Dazu muesste ich den Inhalt des Buches aber lesen koennen, kann ich aber nicht weil ein fast unleserlicher Schrifttyp verwendet wurde. Die Buchstaben haben fast keine dicke, die senkrechten Striche loesen sich beinahe auf, so duenn sind sie. Erschwerend kommt hinzu das die Buchstaben auch winzig klein sind. Natuerlich kann ich ein paar Saetze lesen, das ist aber insgesamt so anstrengend das man schnell die Lust verliert.Fuer Menschen ohne Brille mit perfekter Sehstaerke mag das Buch inhaltlich gut sein, das sollte aber keine Vorraussetzung sein um ein Buch lesen zu koennen.Amerikanische Druckerzeugnisse kenne ich nur von relativ schlechter Qualitaet, aber dieses Buch liegt noch deutlich unter dem Durchschnitt.

This guy is the guru of constructing an old style solid,workbench using traditional techniques and some advanced joinery. He explains the whole process and the reasoning of why it’s done that way.. Great read for those who like to build stuff.