“Ingenious Mechanicks” is my worst-selling book. Since it was released in 2016, we’ve sold about 4,000 copies. But I don’t care. That book changed my workshop life more than any other project I’ve been involved in.
Roman workbenches are insanely useful creatures. The only operations I don’t use them much for are dovetailing large casework and planing large tabletops. Otherwise, I can always find a way to hold my work and get the job done.
Since I built my first Roman bench, we’ve had one or two of them in the shop constantly. And when someone else is teaching in our bench room, I take a seat on the Roman bench and get to work on my personal stuff.
Last week, I built a stick chair plus the base of a dining table on my Roman bench while Megan Fitzpatrick taught a tool chest class.
Most of the work is secured by my body or by pressing it against the Hulot block at one end of the bench. Or I pressed the work into one of the holdfast holes in the bench with one hand and planed the stock with the other hand.
For complex shaping operations, I used my carver’s vise to hold the odd pieces then could freely plane, rasp and scrape my work. Carving the legs of the dining table was easy with my body holding the work against the benchtop (though I wish I had more padding in my rear end for this job).
One thing I cannot overstate is how much energy you save while using these benches. Sitting down and working allows me to work longer hours, and I’m less whupped at the end of the day.
Heck, you don’t even really need to build a Roman bench using the plans from my book. This bench is a sitting bench from Skansen I made years ago. Then I made a few holes in it. Any sitting bench will do.
If you have limited mobility, or you have a tiny shop space, limited funds for a bench or you work in the living room, a Roman workbench is a good thing.
— Christopher Schwarz
Sorry to hear that. I think it’s one of your best books. The history and illustrations are fascinating and someday I will make one for myself.
I agree 110% – currently making one and adding the shave horse option…..
THANKS.. Cheers from “down under” – Doug
Man, worst selling book? and I bought both the pdf and hard copy!
I do not understand. I LOVED that book.
Anyhow : thank you for going out of the normal Path. Cheers.
Me too! I’ve bought a bunch of your books, but other than ATC, this was the most practical. I found that just thinking carefully about workholding in the course of reading the book transformed the way I do it.
One of these days I’m going to find a piece of lumber worthy of turning into one of those eight-legged beauties, I’ve got a perfect spot in the living room next to the fire…
I found Ingenious Mechanicks to be transformational. Still one of my favorites and so glad to be one of the 4,000.
My first “bench” when I lived in an apartment was a low bench with a few dog holes and c-clamps. With a couple sheepskins thrown over it doubled as extra seating when company came over. 40 years later it still gets use.
I spend a lot of time standing up using one of the carving vises, which kills my back (even with thick floor mats) and I never considered using it with a seated bench. So this is a very helpful idea.
It appears that the dog hole your vise is mounted in isn’t centered in the bench top. Is that so it extends over the bench’s side, so material can be clamped vertically? Or for no particular reason?
The peg holes/dog holes are offset from a centerline to help with edge jointing. Too much to explain in a comment. It’s covered both in my book and “Woodworking in Estonia.”
Thanks- I’m going to re-read my copy of the book before I start drilling.
It’s also explained really well on the Woodwright’s Shop episode as well. If you’re a PBS subscriber or willing to be one, they have the episode on their app/website. I can’t remember which season, but it’s easy to find.
Never thought of this option. It would fit nicely and efficiently in my planned 12 x 12 shop.
Now, you’ve sold 4001 copies. Thanks!
While Ingenious Mechanicks may be LAP’s worst seller, from my perspective it is one of their best.
What they all said !!
When Ingenious Mechanicks came out, I was only collecting books and tools. It gave me the information I needed to be able to work in the kitchen after the kids went to sleep. That was the only time and space that I had.
Excuse me for posting in the wrong place, but I wondered why my years-long subscription to this blog has suddenly ended? I am relieved that it must be just a glitch, because you are obviously still here.
Hi Michael,
I cannot find any problem on our end. Our database shows you are subscribed (since Since Dec 26, 2014, thank you!). And is sending you emails. Sorry I’m no help here.
Dollars to donuts your spam filter is feeling its oats. Might want to take a look in your junk folder.
I love watching Grandpa Amu use his similar bench and various holding devices. Here’s an example https://youtu.be/afiyNmWOZK8. Obviously a more universal bench type. I also like his little side stool to work beside the bench.
Thx to Ingenious Mechanics and Grandpa Amu, first bench will definitely be a low workbench.
I use my low bench every day for all my projects. Made 3 more for family members so I can do woodworking with them. After a stroke, my brother can only use his right arm. Each visit to his care facility I would bring my low bench, tools and wood. Working outdoors most of the time, we made 2 sitting benches for his daughter and 3 ratcheting candle holders for his in-laws and caregiver. I am so very grateful for this book. It brought joy into my brother’s world. Thank you!
If you had a Windsor chair back and seat that attached to the Roman bench, it could serve as a shop recliner. Most versatile bench ever.
I bring Ingenious Mechanicks almost every time I go to a market or do any hand tool demonstration, it is great fun to show the historical examples, tell the story of your quest to Pompei and Saalsburg, the weird recipes that you got scholars to translate from medieval german… (people love to hear about the bench being thrown in the well, to realise I am sitting and working on a copy of it 😀 Please keep making books like that. The reasearch posts by Susan Ellison were a lot of fun to follow in the making as well!
In some respects, I’ve found that book to be less about the bench (though that is really good and my upcoming once the stickered wood is dry so I can build) and more about the historical analysis via paintings and such as you aptly pointed out.
Does your book also explain all the different ways and utilizing the bench? Great article! You sold me inspired to build a Roman bench
Yup!
I think that book is great.
Turned out that I finished the low bench for ‘my daughter’ before I finished my glue-bo for me.
Sitting and ripping is the best!
I too think the book is great.
It was my first LAP book and still my only workbench (contemplating an AWB in 2023).
The low barrier to entry was key for me. Picking up more serious woodworking was a pandemic hobby and I didn’t want to build/buy a bunch of stuff that I wouldn’t follow through on. A roman workbench is a great way to start kind of slowing ratcheting up skills/techniques/tools. Also, my indoor dedicated woodworking space is small, I have an unheated garage, and I live in Minnesota. So being able to move it outside in the summer is a big plus!
I was at the book release for IM. I talked with Suzanne at length after the presentation and found all of her research fascinating. The book content was beyond thorough and excellently presented. Chris even signed my copy. I love my Roman bench. The construction of the bench alone was fun for a novice (slanted mortise!) and I still use it today. I’m sorry it hasn’t reached a wider audience but I’m very glad you guys took the time to write and publish it.
Your post inspired me to get the book, and leaning toward instant gratification I went for the PDF version. Now I finally have a use for that hunk of old pine warehouse beam that has been taking up room in my basement. I think this bench will be even more useful than the half finished Roubo workbench that was similarly inspired by a long ago article.
Hm. Now I’m pondering how easy it would be to rattle off a right-angle mounting adapter for that vise, hanging it off the side of the bench. In combination with upright, that would get you most of the flexibility of a pattern-maker’s vise.
Problem is, I need to get out of the habit of buying tools and then procrastinating on the projects that would use them. It’s Really Neat, and I can afford it, but I have so many things already hanging fire… not least finishing finishing the workspace reorg so there is actually space to work again.
I love the book. I have it’s forerunner, Roman Workbenches as well. I recall you were thinking of selling that as a kit, and we could do the binding ourselves. I’m still a little bummed that you changed your mind. I’ve always wanted to try bookbinding, but have lacked an excuse.
I still would like to do that with a book some day. We have found a way to do a letterpress book in a somewhat efficient manner. We are just waiting for the right topic to come along.
I would love that.
I’m just a random person on the internet, so take this for what it’s worth. The book I would like to see sold unbound is one about building the tools in “Bookbinding and the Care of Books”:
A “finishing press” is a twin screw vise.
A “laying/cutting press” is a twin screw vise on frames with a special “plane” for trimming pages.
A “sewing press” is a board with two threaded uprights and a cross bar for holding the binding cord/tape.
A standing press is like a mini-timber frame.
The point of the projects being that someone could build them and then bind the loose pages of the book that taught them how to build the tools. (This is similar to how early editions of “Bookbinding and the Care of Books” were sold with deckle edges and intended to be rebound by the purchaser to show what they had learned from the book)
It would be a great idea for a publishing company that did books on binding and the like. It’s a bit too far afield for us. But cool.
It’s a terrible idea from a business perspective (if Ingenious Mechanicks has only sold 4000 copies, such a book is probably unlikely to sell even 500), but it is cool as an intereactive craft/art piece.
It must be too long since I perused the book, putting a Hi-Vise on it is exactly what I need to sit and work.
Anyone else come up with other ideas on how to set it up for carving rather than standing up to a high bench?
I love my Roman bench. I have back issues and chronic pain and buying ingenious mechanics put me back in the woodwork hobby after several years away. Thank-you!
I have been meaning to send LAP a picture of my “Trash Bench” made from a 5 foot 4×12 glue-lam beam that was fished out of a dumpster (I think it was a fireplace mantle with a ton of gloss poly on it) and some 2×4 legs from my own remodel demo. A 1″ dowel for pegs in the Herculaneum pattern and some glue was the only spend. The first 2 years a couple of 5 gallon buckets were the legs making the bench easy to break down and store.
Super practical book for those with limited space and resources. One day when I have the space for a dedicated workshop my Trash Bench will be joined by an AWB.
I built the simple style bench described in the book based on the bench found at saalburg. I put a benchcrafted bench stop on it and I love using the bench for everything. It fits well in my 1 car garage. I now use my Roy underhill folding work bench for doing more joinery (This was my first woodworking project 10 years ago), it was just too short for bigger projects. I have yet to make the add-ons for the shave horse but will eventually get to it. I also added a slot in the end grain to use wedges for end grain work. I really enjoyed Ingenious Mechanicks for making me see how I could handle a lot of work without having a $20k shop. As I am working through woodworking in Estonia it is adding to my understanding you don’t need heavy machinery to make high quality work.
It seems low beam or large flat board benches were the first woodworking benches. In Japan, craftsmen have been sitting doing their work on low benches only a few inches off the floor. In Scandinavia, boat builders started out with low beam benches, similar to the Romano bench, but built with larger planks. My first bench I built 30 years ago, was similar to the Scandinavia bench, but made it using notched post and beam joints, so it could be knocked down to its legs and top. I still use this bench, which has a. Oversized wood screw type vice at one end.
Low benches, and low hewing benches are very versatile and handy to have in a shop.
Cheers
It is amazing that that book has not sold well! I have the oak slabs I need to build one, and I will. My workshop is large but I still want one because it does not take up much space, is convenient to use, and I can stand it up when it is not in use.
Ingenious Mechanicks was the first LAP title I ever purchased. I intend to fritter away the rest of the afternoon revisiting. It’s one of your best.
Thanks Chris. Have you ever thought to rename the book to see if that would help sales? I own it and it is indeed a good book.
I bought the plans from “Stumpy Numbs” to make a pair of saw benches. In addition to being used as a saw bench, they will be used as seating for when we have large parties. As such, I’m making them nicer that I would if it were just for the shop. In that plan, I think he has them a bit longer with some bench dog holes so that they can function as a “Roman style” workbench. There are many saw bench styles out there and others have some like the one Stumpy Nubs has. I picked his so I could purchase the plans. I enjoy much of his YouTube content and I’m looking for ways I can support those that I enjoy online, etc. That whole “vote with your dollars” approach to what you do and don’t support.
LAP gets plenty of my money by the way. I’m happy to give it.
Rather recently, I had a delima of where to buy a brand new bandsaw. Both Rockler and Woodcraft are near to me and I want both of them to stay in business. Mostly I rotate by business between the two. A good problem to have I suppose.
I think it’s a great book, which I’m halfway through after buying it last month. Like you I’m captivated by the history of the workbench and I’m doting on the in-depth history you’ve researched and documented
I was one of the students in that class, it was really eye-opening seeing it in action. Immediately sold me on building one for my next project (and the book is great!)
I bought Ingenious Mechanicks, and built the bench with the shavehorse option. Thank you for writing it! At the time, I responded to your suggestion that the bench could be used in stick chair making, with, “I don’t think I’ll make a stick chair.” Then I bought The Stick Chair Book. Now I will be using the Roman bench to build me a Gibson stick chair. I hope that you’ll make us a video to help me do that. Keep writing, I’ll keep buying.
Ingenious Mechanicks is like the Anarchist Toolchest meets an Indiana Jones movie! Slightly less advanture, but the history is so much fun! It’s like a woodworker’s secret decoder ring of workholding. It for real is one of the funnest books you’ve written, and I can’t imagine NOT having it??? What are these people thinking?!?! That said, I do still need to get Campaign Furniture… I think I’m still secretly waiting for you to come out with the American Stick Chair version of the Roorkee chair; something that doesn’t need the lathe.
Too bad Chris that the book has sold so lousy (thus far)! It’s a great book, and gave me another thing for the bucket list – visiting Saalburg (around the corner, across the state border). It was the first book I read on-screen. I realized I can’t stand reading like that, just not my thing, but even then I just went on reading. I’ll buy the real book soon, just to be able to re-read it and make notes in the margins. I’m with John above, I’d love to get a copy of Roman workbenches too, if that ever comes to pass.
My LAP addiction started with Ingenious Mechanicks in the fall of 2020, after watching Rex Kruger’s videos on building a low bench. I built my low bench then, and it’s been the most useful thing I’ve ever built. It gets used so often because it’s so easy to move to wherever I need it. This also goes for a pair of Japanese saw horses I built as well. They make using a Japanese saw so easy. I still haven’t built another bench, but I’ve not tackled dovetails yet. I’ll have to figure out a way to do them on the low bench. I suspect the next bench I make will be another low bench, but done better.
It was actually one of my first woodworking books and I think it’s great.
Have you considered promoting it in reenactment groups?
I love that book. I’m surprised it doesn’t do better. All the sheep I suppose.