A good workbench is one of the most important “tools” in any workshop. The five bench accessories you see on these pages greatly increase its usefulness.
One of the most useful is the bench jack. This handy support keeps the end of a long, edge-clamped board level. The bench jack can hold panels and boards up to three feet wide. A workpiece rest adjusts up and down to accommodate boards of varying widths.
Then, to add light to the work area, I inserted the stem of an adjustable lamp in a simple lamp mounting block. A dowel glued in the block slips into an existing bench dog hole on your workbench.
To help with sanding and planing tasks, I made a bench stop. The stop has “stepped” slots that provide simple, one-handed operation when planing and sanding boards on your benchtop.
And, to preserve my benchtop during glue-ups and finishing, I use an under-bench paper hanger. Two large utility hooks and a few dowels are all it takes to hold a roll of kraft paper so it rolls freely. Simply pull out a sheet to protect a workbench from spills.
Finally, a bench hook serves as a benchtop cradle for workpieces and makes crosscutting boards and cleaning up tenons a snap. A pair of cleats allow you to “hook” this simple accessory to the top of your workbench.
