Bench Slave

Words and photos by Peter Geddes.

Most woodworkers will be familiar with the need to find support for the free end of a long
board or panel that is held in the front vice. Often a stool, a box or the bin is used but is
frequently not quite the right height. The adjustable ‘bench slave’ meets this need and will
also support the free end of a drawer held in the end (tail) vice when being planed for final
fitting.

My inspiration for the bench slave shown came from Scott Landis’s Workbench Book
(Taunton Press). I used the sketch shown in the book but made a few changes. The type of
wood used is not critical, although hardwood is preferable. I had a few suitable pieces of
scented maple (Flindersia laevicarpa) left over from my new workbench! This tropical
hardwood is similar to Queensland maple but harder, and very stable. It has a characteristic
and not unpleasant scent, particularly noticeable when freshly worked.

The diagram and photos show the bench slave is straightforward to make. Careful work will
ensure the mechanism works nicely if the slots are set out properly.

The base
image: http://yaffa-
cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/yaffadsp/images/dmImage/SourceImage/BenchSlave-base.jpg
The base is made of two pieces measuring 300 x 75 x 45mm. The half lap joint is offset on
one of the pieces so that the base is clear of your feet when being used. An offset of a third is
sufficient and does not affect stability.

The leg
The leg is 750 x 45 x 35mm. If I were making it again, I would adjust the height so that it
fitted neatly under the bench when not in use. When milling the leg piece make it longer than
needed as the support block is the same size. The leg is tenoned with a 5mm shoulder and
housed in a mortise in the base. Take care to align the mortise correctly with the base (the
longest side of the mortise is parallel to the base part that has its half lap offset). The leg
should be completed before the mortise and tenon is glued.
image: http://res.cloudinary.com/yaffa-publishing/image/fetch/v1422495062/http://yaffa-
cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/yaffadsp/images/dmImage/SourceImage/BenchSlave-fig-
1_7B31BA00-A756-11E4-B8D4020F57397571.jpg

The slots in the leg are made by first drilling 10mm holes that are 15mm in from the edge,
each 75mm apart and with the lowest 150mm up from the base. The dowel on the yoke drops
into position most easily if the slot opening is fan shaped rather than parallel sided. In order to
set the slots out, a temporary block (X) is clamped to the opposite side of the leg with its
lower end referenced opposite the bottom of one of the holes. Using trial and error, two points
(A and B) can be found on the block. These act as centre points for a compass to scribe the
appropriate arcs. You’ll see in fig.1 how the lower arc A has the greater radius. The block can
be clamped opposite each hole in turn to mark out the slot. Once done, the arcs can be cut out
on the bandsaw and finished neatly with a file.

Support block
The support block is made from the surplus of the 45 x 35mm piece milled for the leg. The
10mm hole in the block is positioned midway along the block and 15mm in from the edge; in
this position the block tucks in nicely against the leg whenever it is moved. The hole should
be slightly enlarged with a round file so that the dowel moves freely in it.

image: http://res.cloudinary.com/yaffa-publishing/image/fetch/v1422495081/http://yaffa-
cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/yaffadsp/images/dmImage/SourceImage/BenchSlave-fig-
2_86C1A060-A756-11E4-B8D4020F57397571.jpg
The yoke
image: http://yaffa-
cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/yaffadsp/images/dmImage/SourceImage/BenchSlave-yolk.jpg

The yoke consists of two wood plates each 110 x 25 x 5mm, and two short lengths of 10mm
dowel. Drill accurate 10mm holes in the plates and round the ends on a disk sander. In order
to ensure the yoke is square and out of wind it is best to clamp it in position over the leg while
gluing it together. Avoid glue running down into the hole in the block. The dowel in the hole
must be free to move. A piece of paper inserted between the yoke plate and the leg on both
sides while gluing up will provide clearance.

The whole project is sanded with 320 grit paper followed by 400. Finally, three coats of
Danish oil were applied. If you have worked accurately you will now have a handy support
stand with an adjustment mechanism similar to the one I have that never fails to interest the
people that visit my workshop.

Peter Geddes is a semi-retired veterinary surgeon and woodworker who lives in Brisbane
also teaches woodwork.This story first appeared in issue 66 of Australian Wood Review
magazine.

Read more at http://www.woodreview.com.au/news/bench-slave#1REGq4VTtVcIWrpZ.99