The Workbench Book: A Craftsman's Guide to Workbenches for Every Type of Woodworking

This book is part of a "trilogy" that was published around the same time, accompanying The Toolbox Book and The Workshop Book. With these three books you get plenty of ideas for creating or updating your own woodworking shop. These books are not meant for people doing simple home repair work. They are meant for people who have a love and fascination with working wood.In addition to a history lesson of what workbenches have been in the past, this book offers suggestions and "plans" for building workbenches that work in today's modern shops. Of course, if you only use hand tools, a bench designed in the 1700's would work as well now as then. Most of the workbenches in this book were designed for hand tool use, but many will work fine with portable power tools.In addition to the benches themselves, the "accessories" for benches are covered. This includes several different types of vices, bench dogs, bench hooks, and other items that make a bench more useful. The photographs and writing are excellent. It is a dream book for the enthusiast.If all you need is a sturdy bench for simple work, then grab some 2 x 4's, plywood and nails and make one. Don't wait to build a bench - you will need one. But if you grow in woodworking, you will soon want to have something more useful and more sophisticated. This is the book you will read when you come to that point.

At the time I recieved Amazon's cursory invite to review this, I have admittedly not finished the book. Upon initial brush, however, this seems to be the most thorough and accurate accounting of the workbench, and it's progression thru history. (Author even has included some drawings of workshops and references from ancient civilizations along with footnotes on what the drawings illustrate these historical workbenches to have done) The author has obviously done plenty of homework.I initially purchased this book because I'm looking to make a functional workbench for my newly-remodeled shop. After reading part way thru this book, however, I've decided to abandon some of the ideas I had for my bench in favor of some older-style workbench features that will, frankly, serve a better function than what I initially had in mind. Although the author does a great job illustrating progression of workbenches and their specific functions (lots of illustrations here...this is a good thing), I find a certain nostalgia in creating something that is unique to my needs, but also contains some reference to history.To each his own. Book is good thus far and I would recommend if you're looking for plenty of ideas.

I bought this book used to save money. It was rated as being in good condition, and certainly was. I could have bought it new from a book store, and it would not have been in any better condition. I had two of Scott Landis' books already, and found them good additions to my library, This one did not disappoint. I really didn't buy it to read page by page, but to take information from for future projects, but I find myself reading it, it is that interesting

The author, Scott Landis, is a thoughtful writer--something I appreciate in an author. He conducted a lot of interviews and he amassed excellent photographs. He will give you an opportunity to think some if you care to. He will give you the opportunity to better understand the evolution of workbenches over numerous centuries along with the corresponding technology of the day, and help you appreciate their compatibility. In a nutshell, a tool is the inspiration of someone with a job to do and a workbench is arguably the woodworkers foremost tool. Surely the reading of the book will help you formulate a reasonable design for your own workbench, but there is so much more here that to recommend it just for that purpose does not do the book justice. Bottom line: If you would like to gain a throughtful perspective about workbenches and the work/lives of the people who used them, you may enjoy the book whether you have a new workbench on your horizon or not! It's a good read.I will be watchful for more by the author, Scott Landis. Thank you!

Happy with the book. Good history.

Interesting, but no plans. It DID help me figure out a few things, however.

This is a great book for a Workbench connoisseuer and historian. Takes you from the 18th century Roubo design to modern day variations of the Roubo and Shaker benches through Hyrids etc. And then it reverses and takes you to the Japanese method which is essentially a strongback and backwards acting tools - shakes you up a bit. but actually, as great a read as it was - and i enjoyed it, all I was looking for was some plans to build a common workbench for about 15 sq ft of workspace and room enough to bolt a couple of power tools so I wouldn't have to spend a fortune to buy one ready-made. i guess not. so if someone would like to buy this for $10 delivered in USA, its yours.

This is an excellent book on the subject of woodworking and cabinetmaking bench design and construction. It provides a history of bench design from the Egyptians to contemporary times along with numerous detailed drawing sketches and photographs of every aspect of design and construction. There is also an increadible amount of detail on the operational side of the various designs. In many instances comparisons are drawn to better explain the various uses and reasons behind the different approaches or options being described. A book which will appeal to both amature and professional alike, a very comprehensive reference particularly in relation to location an construction of bench accessories such as vice types and use.

I recently bought a Sjoberg woodworking bench and it has been such an improvement over my normal Woden vice type bench that it inspired me to look further in the development and types of benches used throughout the ages. For anyone interested in the different types available then this book is extremely useful. It is well written, plenty of images and lots ideas for improving your own environment. Because woodwork is a hobby I find myself preferring to use hand tools, time not being that important in my projects, rather than the screaming tools blowing clouds of dust into the workshop. There is something quite primeval about just using hand tools to work with and a well made bench improves this even more.

There are always new ideas, sometimes simple, sometimes complicated but us woodworkers need benches and it is clear we're all the same... we're happy with a bench then we see another idea and think 'hmm, if I add that to mine I'll be able to...'

It's ok!I've seen better examples...

An in depth view of several types of benches, from a mostly American perspective. Would of liked a few more pictures

The book was delivered before Amazon even sent out the tracking info, well done. The book itself is magic, lots of inspiration and encouragement as virtually all my concerns were answered, such as, can you use a single slab for the top, etc. Like it a lot.