Workbench Length

[GCheatham]

Good morning,

After a year of battling health and vision issues I'm back ready to start my Jim Chamber's VA rifle kit. Over the course of that time I had some space free up adjacent to my basement wood shop - windows, glass french doors - nice natural light. My question is that on the wall with the window I can build up to a 10 foot bench. Is that much length usable or am I going overkill? First build so I don't have a frame of reference.

Thanks,

Glen

[Bob Roller]

Good morning,

After a year of battling health and vision issues I'm back ready to start my Jim Chamber's VA rifle kit. Over the course of that time I had some space free up adjacent to my basement wood shop - windows, glass french doors - nice natural light. My question is that on the wall with the window I can build up to a 10 foot bench. Is that much length usable or am I going overkill? First build so I don't have a frame of reference.

Thanks,

Glen
[/quote
If you have room for it and the good light I say DO IT. If need  arises it can always be shortened.My bench is 7 feet.
Try to make it rigid enough to support a locomotive if possible.
Bob Roller

[smylee grouch]

I agree 100% with Bob. If you have the room you could mount two vice's, one for metal work and one for wood.

[Dwshotwell]

My bench is 8’ and I use every inch of it in one way or another. I think the rule with benches is that however long you make it, that’s how much you’ll use!

[Scota4570]

I have 32' of bench.  I also use all of it.  It is all multipurpose space.   I think you grow into whatever you have. 

I used to checker and make stocks in an apartment loft storage space with a 6' bench and an extension chord for power.   

[GCheatham]

Thanks all. I’ll go with the full length and grow into it

[Bob Roller]

I have 2 vises on my 7 footer but a wood working vise on another bench about 6 feet long.
Bob Roller

[Beaverman]

Thanks all. I’ll go with the full length and grow into it

You'll soon outgrow it, you can NEVER have too much bench, like Bob said, make it bullet proof with plenty of overhead lighting!

[Daniel Coats]

No matter how big it is someone else will set something down in any empty spot they can find. 

[taterbug]

a couple of things to consider. 

I made mine too wide to comfortably reach all the way across it.  And I made it so long that I can't comfortably work around one end.  I did get the height correct, for me.

I'll be re-doing mine because of these issues.  But, with the addition of only about 25% more lumber, I'll have two benches instead of just one.   Can also separate out ML work from other, messier work that way.

"Honest dear, I HAVE to do it this way!"

[smart dog]

Hi Glen,
As others wrote, you can never have too much bench space but the length is not the only variable.  Having a bench against a wall is fine but you may want to reserve space at one or both ends so you can hang work over the end and get at both sides.  Don't make it too wide, perhaps 24-28" but also consider you may lose some space with power strips, task lamps, shelving and organizers along the wall. 

dave

[Kmcmichael]

Everyone has different tasks. I made mine, a Roubo style, 8’ x2’  for anything up to trimming doors. A bench is just a clamp space. The top is 6” thick and the legs are 6”X6”. I used the cheapest 2”x12” I could find and a few gallons of glue.

[Eric Krewson]

My workbench is 8' long with a large vise on one end and a smaller one on the other that I use for filing small metal pieces mostly. I work-down large osage bow staves and wanted a bench that wouldn't walk across the floor when I was doing some heavy drawknifing. I bought some prefab drawer units from Lowe's and built slots in my workbench for them as I built the basic structure. I suspect my workbench weighs in the neighborhood of 400# as it sits with the drawers full as in the picture below.



I find the post one end that I use to support what I have in the larger vice is a must.



MY work bench is 42" tall so I don't have to bend over to work on stuff. This guy is over 6' tall, you can see how tall the workbench is.

[c deperro]

I have a rolling work table which works great . The top is 2 layers of 3 quarter inch plywood with 4x4 legs and a lower shelf. My only complaint is its to wide. If  I were to do it again I would only make it 2 feet wide.

[Bob Roller]

No matter how big it is someone else will set something down in any empty spot they can find. 
[/quote
That's a certainty and now no bare spots.Also new LED lights earlier this year so I could see to get out
and into the yard,
Bob Roller

[Rmjchas]

My bench is 8 feet by 2 feet, with bench vises on the end and side.  luckily I have enough space that I don't have to put it on a wall.  I most often have a rifle clamped in the end vise with a a support made of 2x4's--it's nice to be able to walk around the work, especially when carving.

[Dwshotwell]

I have an 8 foot Nicholson style bench and the top is 2' wide. It's freestanding put plenty heavy for planing etc. I mounted my gunstocker vise at one end and often have the rifle perpendicular to the bench with a free - standing weighted stand holding up one end, rather than having the stand on the bench, as this lets me walk around the stock and reposition as needed.