Early Access Video: Viseless Workholding on the Joiner's Bench
Added 2020-02-08 12:41:16 +0000 UTCFriends:
The Joiner's Bench leaps forward with cheap workholding options!
You might not be able to put a vise on this bench right away. No problem! You can do everything, and I mean everything, with no vise.
In this week's video, I introduce the mighty holdfast, an ancient technology that most woodworkers absolutely need in their shop.
Next, I'll show you how to build a cheap version of a traditional toothed planing stop. Then we'll explore the batten, the doe's foot, and the crochet, which are all effective, simple and cheap ways to hold your work.
Finally, we'll tackle sawing, joinery, and edge-planing on this viseless bench.
All this in 15 minutes!?! No wonder I'm so tired.
If you'd like to grab the products I mention in the video, the Gramcery Holdfasts are a STEAL at $38 a pair: https://toolsforworkingwood.com/store/item/ms-holdfast.xx/holdfasts_by_gramercy_tools
And the Benchcrafted Planing stop is a lot of tool for $29: https://www.benchcrafted.com/planingstop https://www.benchcrafted.com/planingstop
Of course, I have no affiliation with these companies and I get no percentage of your purchase; I just want to support makers of quality tools.
*Just like usual, the plans I mention in this video are free to Patrons. They will be posted on Wednesday morning.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
--Rex
Comments
Looks like the guy does show how he made those holdfasts in this video, at around the 4:30 mark. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=634A2oxoI7Q - although he did need use of a bench vise, torch, and angle grinder.
Tim Kaiser
2020-12-01 15:51:18 +0000 UTCI was just re-watching this video, and thinking about holdfasts, and take a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQxjEqOQRnk Specifically, freeze frame right around the 59 second mark. now THAT looks like holdfasts made from box store parts for about $4 apiece. Also, for the really classic and potentially free option, wooden holdfasts: https://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/the-holdfast-in-your-backyard/
Tim Kaiser
2020-12-01 15:46:56 +0000 UTCJust what you said; the batten stop takes about a quarter as long to make. And all the way out there, the teeth of the stop wouldn't really serve any function.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-16 12:36:50 +0000 UTCRex, other than the fact that the batten stop is easier to make, instead of having a planing stop and a batten stop, why not have two planing stops?
Kevin Lundquist
2020-02-16 02:21:42 +0000 UTCFunny, Shannon and I just exchanged messages on Instagram yesterday. What a lovely fellow!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-14 11:37:36 +0000 UTCI hope someone gets some good use out of this video.
Michael Riese
2020-02-14 11:01:50 +0000 UTChttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjEK6sywHU8&list=PLls1WKiVequf3WagNXIjg5n-l9g0nsGR9&index=7
Michael Riese
2020-02-14 11:01:33 +0000 UTCHi Rex, Shannon Rogers has a really good video on locating holdfasts"
Michael Riese
2020-02-14 11:00:14 +0000 UTCThe only thing I don't like about vises is that they make us a bit intellectually lazy. When you don't have a vise, you really have to think.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-13 12:20:22 +0000 UTCMike Siemsen's video taught me a lot about viseless holding. It really forces me to think of a creative solution if something does not work. Your video is also great. Good job with the solutions and I love that you are open to modifying your original design to fit your needs.
Juan Karlo Licudine
2020-02-11 13:45:05 +0000 UTCIt's always a possibility. I admit, I'm not in love with them personally. Still, I might give it a go.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-10 11:17:22 +0000 UTCTotally my pleasure!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-10 11:16:48 +0000 UTCHoldfasts ordered. Thanks for the affordable source!
Brian Suker
2020-02-10 00:55:49 +0000 UTCwhat about a Moxon Vice?
Kostas Karanatsis
2020-02-09 20:27:31 +0000 UTCabsolutely you added, maybe more importantly, you bring further awareness to viseless woodworking.
William Allen
2020-02-09 17:21:32 +0000 UTCIt's totally my pleasure. Mike Siemsen's video is really good, but I thought I had some stuff to add.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:39:08 +0000 UTCI'm right there with you. I have leather pads glued to mine. Quick and easy fix!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:38:14 +0000 UTCI'm really happy you found it so useful!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:37:34 +0000 UTCVery good questions! The metal stop leaves marks, but I don't often have a lot of end grain showing on my work. They're easily cleaned off at the shooting board, and I don't think most people would notice them if you left them on. I don't use dogs, because without a dogged vise, dogs aren't good for much. I do use a few pegs, especially for holding boards on the aprons. Dog are best with the tail-vise and and the moment, I don't plan add one of those.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:36:37 +0000 UTCThe Low Bench makes the best saw bench I've ever used. I love it.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:31:09 +0000 UTCThank you!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:30:34 +0000 UTCAnd thank you for being here!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:30:26 +0000 UTCYup! I've already begun. It will be up on Saturday!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:30:17 +0000 UTCI see that yo just posted pics of this bench. I about to go check those out right now!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:29:49 +0000 UTCYeah, vices are officially crazy, but they're big and heavy and hard to make. This week, I'm making a leg vice that will be huge and powerful and cost around $70. Still a lot, but most less than a commercial one.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:28:21 +0000 UTCAnd thanks for watching and commenting, Drew!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:27:12 +0000 UTCI'm delighted that you like it. You really can get the bench all fitted out for pretty much no money.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:26:57 +0000 UTCI've used that threaded rod to make a vise for the Low Bench. Worked great. For this bench, I spent the money on a real vise-screw. For $43, this thing it hard to beat!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:26:30 +0000 UTCThey aren't all tapered, but I find this design much better than many of the others you see, and they're no more difficult to build.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:24:51 +0000 UTCThank you!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:23:52 +0000 UTCI've already begun!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:23:45 +0000 UTCNo! In fact, putting a bench up against the wall or (even better) some windows is traditional practice. Not only do I place my bench where I do for filiming, I like to be able to walk around it. But I have the space. If you don't, against the wall it goes!
Rex Krueger
2020-02-09 11:23:27 +0000 UTCI'm certainly on the Gramercy train. Used rubber cement to add 4oz leather pads. I absolutely love how fast they are for rearranging workpieces to fit my needs. I also have been using a Doe's foot with a flat faced benche dog for a while now too. I added a leg vise to my Roubo about a month ago. I use the holdfasts more though! I would have killed to have had this video a year or two ago. It took hours of searching to find these techniques that used to be common knowledge. Thanks for putting this all in one place Rex! The hinge plate planing stop might get made tomorrow to add to my bench! Also, I have a moveable stop between my split tops, I love using it to plane short wide stock, or remove it to use my bench hook with Japanese saws.
Nic Beurskens
2020-02-09 08:23:16 +0000 UTCExcellent! I was just looking at vise prices and... wow. I started on my joiner's bench today.
Kevin Lundquist
2020-02-09 03:05:25 +0000 UTCAnother great one Rex, thanks!
Drew Nelson
2020-02-09 01:12:53 +0000 UTCJust WOW.... I'm absolutely flabbergasted at all the bells and whistles you're adding and can be added for next to nothing.
The Idle Hands Workshop - Stephen Miller
2020-02-08 16:44:41 +0000 UTCI know you can get a huge threaded rod from lowes for under $25 and with the washers and stuff probably make a ginormous vice for pretty cheap. Oh and Pask Makes has an awesome video showing how to make a quick release bolt from a standard bolt and a couple pins. I'm going to download the new plans when they get released here but for the record I feel like I'm going to end up with maybe 10+ different plans just for this bench. Great video I never thought about easy it would be to build a plane stop and I like the dowl, copper and washer thing that's was pretty inventive.
The Poor Man
2020-02-08 15:43:50 +0000 UTCGetting excited about making a new bench, hopefully by this spring. As far as hold fasts there are a ton of videos on how to make your own, so if someone is tight on cash that's a great option too. I've made one from 3/4" steel gas pipe, 10' pipe is around $15, by just using a vise, a hammer and a propane torch. Crude but usable. Hoping to find someone with a pipe bender so I can make a couple nicer ones as I enjoy making my own tools when I can. I really like the bench stop with a cleat, most stops I've seen in plans are just big dowels that have a flat side. The wide cleat looks like it has a lot of hold. And thanks for the explanation of a crocket, I've seen them pictured before but didn't know that the opening is tapered. Makes a lot more sense now.
MyEvilBanana
2020-02-08 15:32:42 +0000 UTCGreat job as usual!!!
tom Masters
2020-02-08 15:29:22 +0000 UTCGreat video! I'm really looking forward to the vice build!
David Bumpus
2020-02-08 15:25:52 +0000 UTCIt looks like you've got your bench in the middle of the room, which makes sense given the realities of filming and demonstration. But, if I was to build this bench and put the back, long, edge up against a wall, with the ends still exposed, would that severely hamper my ability to use the bench, or any of these work-holding options?
Christopher Vollick
2020-02-08 14:44:38 +0000 UTCIt's absolutely a weakness of this bench that you don't have clamping abilities at the edges, but you can clamp all you like at the ends. Also, with holdfasts, I just haven't found clamping to the benchtop necessary. Mostly, I clamp things for routing and you can do that at the ends, or just use holdfasts. It really depends on how you work.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-08 14:28:17 +0000 UTCgreat job!!!
Antonio Marcos Ferreira
2020-02-08 14:12:39 +0000 UTCI was thinking about building the bench but with an overhang on all sides for quick clamping. It looks like with an overhang, you wouldn't be able to hold any boards perpendicular to the bench top -- so it might be better to do an overhang on one side only. Just shows the importance of thinking things through!
Mike M
2020-02-08 14:02:08 +0000 UTCI am so glad you did this video! When I built my first bench a year ago I didn’t have a vise, nor the money to buy one. It took a few weeks before I found out how to really use my bench without a vise. I found exactly one and only one discussion about it. A single youtube. Experimentation ensued. The result: there is no real reason to get a vise, they aren’t faster, nor stronger, nor anything really, just, perhaps, a tiny bit more convenient. In fact, when you watch people use various vises, you see all the contortions they put themselves through to use only their vise for work holding. Hell, you don’t even need a holdfast. Just some 3/4” holes and some 3/4 dowel. A regular pipe clamp or two can really up your work hold options. I have even taken my crochet off because it actually limits what I can do. When you really start to explore the 3/4” hole a whole world of perfectly ergonomic work hold options open up. Thanks so much for putting together a mind opening introduction to no vise work holding.
William Allen
2020-02-08 14:01:54 +0000 UTCThanks! I was mulling over how to reproduce that kind of planing stop, and you worked it out for me. Returning the favor, I have a pair of Gramercy holdfasts, but I don't like how they mark the lumber. My solution is I cut up an old pair of Redwing shoes and made little leather booties that are ziptied in place. They are a 5 star diy because I have completely forgotten they aren't part of the holdfast.
Michael Ross
2020-02-08 13:44:43 +0000 UTCI second the Gramarcy Hold Fast, I think I told you I built the vise less Bench last fall, Basically the same one in the video you referenced, so it is very similar to this one. I love love love the hold fast, I do have the tiny bench vise that you referenced in this video and it work ok for small stuff, and since i do some small stuff, I like it, but it didn't take long using it to realized, you need a bigger one. So I am anxious to see exactly what you build on the new bench to replace the crochet. Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video sir and know that it is appreciated. I love it. You do a great job teach us, I do have a few of the hinges laying around, and your right, that the best idea I have seen making use of it in the bench. I will have to give that a go as well. Thanks again my friend for the great video and have a blessed week.
Heartland Makes & Outdoors
2020-02-08 13:35:30 +0000 UTCThanks for the video! I really liked how you showed the various holding options. I am curious if the metal points on the stop cause much damage to the end of the boards that has to be addressed later in build? With all of the options I was surprised at not seeing much in the way of “bench dogs” which are pretty popular now. Were these not used often during the period of this bench? I especially liked the honesty and openness of preferring to use a good quality vise. I find that useful when considering what I should do. Thanks again for the great video.
Robert Bullock
2020-02-08 13:33:05 +0000 UTCYour low roman bench is becoming a saw bench. Maybe that's something worth looking into for a new project. Although this vice is going to keep you busy for a while
Shanni Marmen
2020-02-08 13:16:28 +0000 UTCexcelent (again)
Mihai Luţescu
2020-02-08 13:15:39 +0000 UTCRex, you are amazing. Thanks. :)
Csongor Halmai
2020-02-08 12:57:36 +0000 UTCIt sounds like you might do a video about putting a vise on it at some point, though?
Michael Alan Dorman
2020-02-08 12:49:49 +0000 UTC
