Category Archives: Workbenches

My Signature Series Workbench…

Posted on March 30, 2013 by

… will never exist. Since my first book on workbenches came out in 2007, I have been approached by several manufacturers about producing a “Schwarz Workbench,” where I’d be paid a royalty for every bench sold. It would feature my … Continue reading →

Posted in Workbenches | 46 Comments

Death by Roubo

Posted on March 29, 2013 by

For those readers who are squeamish or easily offended, stop reading now. For the rest of you, here is a little nugget of workbench history unearthed by Jeff Burks. It was published in the April 5, 1903, edition of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Workbenches | 76 Comments

A Warning on Threadboxes

Posted on March 17, 2013 by

If I am sent to a bad place when I die, I am certain it will be filled with bockety threadboxes. Today I spent the entire afternoon preparing for a class at the Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking and prepared … Continue reading →

Posted in Workbenches | 10 Comments

To Make as %$@*&$%^ Awesome as Possible – The Roubo Bench Project

Posted on February 28, 2013 by

I don’t need a workbench. I really don’t need to build another French workbench. And I don’t need to spend a week in the Deep South in the middle of summer hoisting thousands of pounds of ancient oak with a … Continue reading →

Posted in To Make as Perfectly as Possible, Roubo Translation, Workbenches | 41 Comments

Toothing Your Benchtop (for Bench Nerds)

Posted on February 16, 2013 by

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

Posted in Books in Print, Workbenches | 26 Comments

A Backlash Against the French Bench

Posted on January 25, 2013 by

During the last year I’ve heard a lot of smack talk about the traditional French-style workbench, which many people simply call a “Roubo” because it is featured in “L’Art du Menuisier.” In fact, my first drubbing came in 2005 when … Continue reading →

Posted in Books in Print, Books in the Works, To Make as Perfectly as Possible, Roubo Translation, Workbenches | 88 Comments

Portable Workbench: Said & Done

Posted on January 16, 2013 by

Many of my students delight when I make a mistake or a misstep in class. Not because they are cold-blooded wankers, but because they like to know that all woodworkers screw up at times. So let me say that these … Continue reading →

Posted in Workbenches | 47 Comments

Another Workbench? Seriously? (Eyeroll) Wait, Two?

Posted on January 10, 2013 by

Several years ago during a breakfast with some woodworkers, I floated the idea of a workbench for the woodworker without a shop. In essence, it was going to be like the Hammacher Schlemmer “Gnome Brand” of workbench – a nice … Continue reading →

Posted in Projects, Workbenches | 51 Comments

One Tree, Which Tree, Will You Tell Me?

Posted on December 8, 2012 by

I want to make a workbench good, But do not know what kind of wood. If you would tell me the best tree, I might not build workbenches three…. If you reveal which tree is best, I could avoid a … Continue reading →

Posted in Books in Print, Workbenches | 25 Comments

Workbench Backlash

Posted on October 23, 2012 by

Lately there have been discussions about workbench designs on forums and blogs that have concluded with a warning: Don’t be a slave to “fashion” when you design your bench. Instead, do what I did…. Let me translate this chatter for … Continue reading →

Posted in Books in Print, Workbenches | 36 Comments