Popular Woodworking Magazine » Schwarz on Workbenches

The Milkman’s Workbench in Use

Christopher Schwarz — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:27:57 +0000

The Milkman’s Workbench – a portable bench I built for the June 2013 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine – is about 653 percent better than my first workbench. Thanks to the clever engineering in the portable bench, it can handle most handwork tasks when clamped to a dining room table or kitchen countertop. My first … Read more »

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‘Milkman’s Workbench’ Without Screws

Christopher Schwarz — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:59:09 +0000

The portable “Milkman’s Workbench” from the June 2013 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine has attracted a lot of attention, judging from the e-mail piling up in my Inbox. The No. 1 question: How can I build the bench without wooden bench screws? One answer: wedges. Reader Ilkka Sivonen of FInland built the bench without wooden … Read more »

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German Workbench: Artistic License or Pure Genius?

Christopher Schwarz — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:25:29 +0000

I’ve collected tons of drawings of old workbenches, during the years, and most fall into two categories: 1. A typical workbench with typical vises that looks like lots of other workbenches. 2. Workbenches that were drawn by an artist that have vises that would never work and that are put in stupid places where vises … Read more »

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Round Bench Dogs that Don’t Rotate

Christopher Schwarz — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 01:00:36 +0000

If there is one disadvantage to round bench dogs, it is that they can occasionally rotate as you are clamping something between two dogs or when you are planing against a single dog. It’s a minor annoyance, but it’s real. An Italian reader devised a very clever solution to this problem that is quick. I … Read more »

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Portable Benches for Servicemen

Christopher Schwarz — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 20:28:16 +0000

As my dad is a Vietnam vet, I’ve always had a soft spot for the men and women in the armed forces. So when I heard from several of them that they were interested in buying one of my portable workbenches, I thought I could do better than sell them something. I enlisted the help … Read more »

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Dogs for the ‘Milkman’s Workbench’

Christopher Schwarz — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:43:09 +0000

Holy cow I mucked around a lot making the dogs for the portable workbench featured in the June 2013 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. I made spring-loaded bench dogs (more complex than necessary). Dogs using a bullet catch (the right-size hardware wasn’t readily available at the home center). And when I considered casting the dogs, … Read more »

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Richard Maguire Hardware – My First Look

Christopher Schwarz — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 09:27:14 +0000

One of the regulars at the Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking is building a workbench using Richard Maguire hardware from the United Kingdom. During my visit there, I had the chance to inspect the hardware straight from the box. I got to play with three pieces of bench hardware, all of which were very nice. … Read more »

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Build a Bench, Help a Serviceman

Christopher Schwarz — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 02:44:35 +0000

One of the biggest obstacles to beginning woodworkers is carving out a space to work in, and building a bench to work on. Recently, I built a pair of portable workbenches that are closely based on a now-disappeared commercial bench from the 20th century. These small-scale benches clamp to almost any surface, from a kitchen … Read more »

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Tooth Your Benchtop in Four Songs

Christopher Schwarz — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 01:00:35 +0000

Years ago, I saw an interview with W. Patrick Edwards on how he dressed his benchtop with a toothing plane to improve his bench’s grip. I was intrigued by his argument, but it took a few years until I was ready to commit to it. Last year I toothed my benchtop and began working on … Read more »

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Where to Put Holes for Holdfasts – One Man’s Opinion

Christopher Schwarz — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 15:08:48 +0000

Let me say this first: You are welcome to put a holdfast hole anywhere you please. No one will think less of you. In fact, if you are questioned by your friends as to why you put a certain hole in a certain position, you can tell them it’s a panini press. That said, I … Read more »

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