On-top stop
Not all workbenches are cut out for dog holes. If your workbench is less than 11⁄2" thick, it may not have enough meat to adequately support a bench dog. When faced with this problem, I glued and screwed two stops to opposite faces and ends of a piece of MDF to make a stop that would work on any work surface. The 1⁄4"-thick strip at the back edge doesn’t interfere with most planing chores, but it won’t damage my blade if it does.
Even though I now have a better bench, I still use my benchtop stop. The long strip at one end provides a wider bearing surface than dog heads. This enables me to arrange stock pieces side by side and smooth them at the same time. And, compared to a bench dog, it’s easier to find when I’m ankle deep in shavings.
Waterstone holder
I have a designated sharpening station, but there are times when I like having a sharpening stone within arm’s reach. To keep my waterstone from wandering across my bench, I made a simple holder from a piece of scrap. Size the wedge and notched ends so that they sit below the top of the stone’s top face.
Secure the base in a vise, rest the stone in place, and tap the wedge to lock in the stone. You’re now set to sharpen.
Low-dough carving vise
For shaping cabriole legs, I needed a way to secure the leg at different angles so that I could carve the ball and claw foot. Wanting a less-expensive alternative to a patternmaker’s vise, I made a minor upgrade to a Bessey T-bar sash clamp, #BT 36"-39" (besseytools.com). Unlike other pipe or bar clamps, this model has flanged ends so that it can be bolted to a wooden arm (I used a 2×4, as shown above). I then gripped the clamp-turned-vise in my basic bench vise.
For shaping cabriole legs, I needed a way to secure the leg at different angles so that I could carve the ball and claw foot. Wanting a less-expensive alternative to a patternmaker’s vise, I made a minor upgrade to a Bessey T-bar sash clamp, #BT 36"-39" (besseytools.com). Unlike other pipe or bar clamps, this model has flanged ends so that it can be bolted to a wooden arm (I used a 2×4, as shown above). I then gripped the clamp-turned-vise in my basic bench vise.
