Common questions about workbenches
Common questions about garage workbenches, with short answers on height, tops, vises, fixing and sawhorses.
These are the questions a newcomer usually asks about a bench. Each answer is short, and points to a fuller card where one exists.
What is a workbench for?
A workbench holds work steady while it is cut, planed, chiselled, drilled, glued or fitted. Its heavy top and fixed frame give a stable base that a table or a kitchen counter does not usually provide.
What is the difference between a workbench and a table?
A workbench has a top built to take hard use, and it is often fitted with a vise, dog holes or stops. A table top is made for light use and is seldom drilled. The two can look alike from a distance.
How high should a workbench be?
The height suits the person who works at it, and is measured from the floor to the crease of a relaxed wrist. The card on setting bench height gives a method and explains how to adjust it for the task.
Is a laminated top better than a solid one?
Neither is better in every case. A laminated top moves less with changes in damp, because its strips are arranged to restrain one another. A solid top can be planed back to flat more readily when it has worn.
Does a bench need a vise?
A vise is not essential for every job, but it holds work in a way that clamps on the top cannot easily match. Many benches have a vise fixed near one end, and dog holes are often added as well.
Can a bench be fixed to a garage wall?
A bench can be fixed to a wall, but the wall must carry the load, and that fixing is work for someone qualified. A freestanding bench avoids the question altogether.
Why does a bench rock on the floor?
A rocking bench usually has an uneven floor, a racked frame or loose joints. Check the joints first, then adjust the feet so that the top sits level.
Are sawhorses a substitute for a bench?
Sawhorses hold long boards for cutting and marking, and they can be carried away. They do not hold work firmly enough for planing or chiselling, so a bench is needed for those tasks. The card on sawhorses explains where they suit.