Toothing Your Benchtop (for Bench Nerds)

Posted on February 16, 2013 by

toothing_plane_IMG_4835

Over at PopularWoodworking.com I have a new post on how (any why) I tooth my benchtop.

If you are a bench nerd, I think you’ll like this post.

— Christopher Schwarz

About lostartpress

Publisher of woodworking books and DVDs specializing in hand tool techniques.
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26 Responses to Toothing Your Benchtop (for Bench Nerds)

  1. Brian Dormer says:
    February 16, 2013 at 9:28 pm

    Can you describe the overall process in a bit more detail? Or maybe cite a source for more information? Is the text of the interview you mention still available?

    How flat does the top need to be prior to toothing it? Then is it just a perpendicular pass followed by 2 passes at 45 degrees? And it looks like you took very light cuts?

    Sorry for so many questions, but I think I want to try this on my bench.

  2. SteveR says:
    February 16, 2013 at 10:55 pm

    Ok, that’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard. If you’re going to do that to your workbench, why even bother trying to make a flat top in the first place.

    • fairwoodworking says:
      February 16, 2013 at 11:26 pm

      Because flat and smooth are two different things.
      A baby’s bottom is smooth, but most of them are not all that flat.

    • lostartpress says:
      February 17, 2013 at 12:16 am

      Steve,

      Try it. Then say it’s the dumbest idea ever.

      • SteveR says:
        February 17, 2013 at 8:54 pm

        I’m pretty open minded but in this regard I am a skeptic. My workbenches are pretty rough as it is, I don’t think I am purposely going to make it any worse! I’m just thinking if I clamp a piece to my workbench, then the toothing is going to mark up the piece. I still do this by accident and I am not overly fussed about it – but why do it on purpose?

  3. michael says:
    February 16, 2013 at 11:24 pm

    Great idea – I actually contemplated toothing the top of mine – but decided on wax finish.

  4. millcrek says:
    February 16, 2013 at 11:46 pm

    Chris, Woodtreks has an interview with Patrick where he discusses thoothing his bench top. I have been toothing mine since I first watched it about 2 years ago. It’s one of the best improvements I have found.

  5. Patrick says:
    February 16, 2013 at 11:59 pm

    You’re a braver nerd that I am. I might hit mine with some 80 grit sand paper to rough it up or wet it to raise the grain but I’m too chicken to do what you did.

    • lostartpress says:
      February 17, 2013 at 12:24 am

      Try it. Adding it and removing it takes 10 minutes.

      • Patrick says:
        February 17, 2013 at 1:17 am

        I think I get it now. I just watched the Woodtreks video (above) and I can see the toothing process better (they zoomed in). The pic in this post is what was throwing me. On my screen, the resulting finish looks like it was hit with a toothed scrub plane and I couldn’t imagine that being better. So it’s kind of like taking an ice rink the Zamboni just went over and then sending couple of hockey teams out to rough up the ice. Not as slick.

      • lostartpress says:
        February 17, 2013 at 12:28 pm

        The photo has raking light and is only after one pass. Sorry if it was misleading.

  6. Brian Eve says:
    February 17, 2013 at 3:28 am

    If I wasn’t a bench nerd, I probably wouldn’t read this blog.

  7. Graham Burbank says:
    February 17, 2013 at 9:06 am

    yet another reason to make a bench out of pine. Takes the “preciousness” out of it. A little less trepidation when assaulting $350 worth of pine than $1800 worth of maple. Ditto for holdfast holes, planing stops, etc. And yes, my maple bench needs flattening. I’ll try 36 grit in the widebelt. Years of epoxy cleanup make it akin to planing concrete…

  8. Tim Henriksen says:
    February 17, 2013 at 10:02 am

    I saw this on Chris’s bench this fall and went home to try it with my toothed blade in a low angle jack. I was hesitant, or more like scared, so I only gave it a few light passes with the grain. I ended up with more of a baby toothed top but immediately saw improvements with my holdfasts and vice grips. The difference reminded me of adding suede to my glide vice. With my next flattening I’ll try to advance to an adult toothed top.

  9. Sam I Am says:
    February 17, 2013 at 11:16 am

    I’m in the toothed top camp, my bench top’s beech, and I plane over it once or twice every 6 months or so. I also use my toothing plane on almost every project I build as well. It does show the “truth” of the work.

    Sam

  10. Ed Gabrielle says:
    February 17, 2013 at 11:56 am

    Hi Chris
    Can you provide some information on the plane iron and plane. Perhaps suitable planes to pop a toothed iron into and maybe plans to make the proper wooden plane body.
    Thank you,
    Ed

  11. Bob Davidson says:
    February 17, 2013 at 4:04 pm

    A perfect use for the toothed blade I got with my Lie-Nielsen Low Angle Jack Plane. I’m glad I bought the complete Low Angle Jack Plane Set, it’s like having five different planes in one.

  12. Tommy says:
    February 17, 2013 at 6:11 pm

    i thought you didn’t like metal bench dogs…

  13. Paul says:
    February 17, 2013 at 8:28 pm

    36 grit……OMG! Break out the t ar & feathers!

  14. Ray Schwanenberger says:
    February 18, 2013 at 10:59 am

    Chris you remind me of a friend of mine from college as we were standing at the edge of a flooded quarry’s 20′ high wall. He kept saying just jump, try it you’ll like it! I jumped. I liked it! I have worked with my bench top toothed and smooth (current state) no real finish just one coat of oil; I have a toothed blade saddled up in my low angle Veritas #5 and getting ready to jump in again. To those that are leary the big vertical guy speaks the truth, jump in you’ll like it.

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