The great people at Alexander Brothers have put together a new kit of materials that help you make a Roman workbench, the earliest design of bench that we know of.
The Roman bench isn’t just an historical footnote. It’s a dang-good bench that we use all the time in our shop. The bench is portable, easy to build and has a small footprint. It’s a favorite among apartment woodworkers because it can serve as a coffee table when not being used to make furniture.
Also, woodworkers with physical disabilities love the bench because you sit down to work on it.
How does the bench work? Glad you asked. I wrote a book about this bench and how to use it called “Ingenious Mechanicks.” It’s a free pdf download from our store. (Or you can buy a copy of the book – we don’t mind.) We also have a long-form video for sale on building this bench and its workholding here.
The kits are reasonably priced and come in both ash ($311) and maple ($331). The wood we purchase from Alexander Brothers is always top shelf. Buy with confidence.
Also, while you are there, get one of their coffee mugs. These are handmade and beautiful, with nice thin walls (a mark of skill in ceramics and turning). I bought one before Christmas and love it.
— Christopher Schwarz
Alexander Brothers are great for a lot of things. They’re the only folks I’ve found recently for 12/4 curly maple.
Really like the shoes you have on. Who makes them. Thank you.