Actually Norms bench is more of a neander bench with it's tail vice, common to
planing applications, tool well and face vice. It shares some similarities to
the Scandinavian style cabinetmaker's benches, used mainly for holding the work
for planing, sawing, chisel/chopping and other hand tool applications. The
narrow top makes it convenient to work from the back side as well which is why
you often see them positioned in the middle of the room. While it does get some
use as an assembly surface its a bit small which is in my mind a fitting
conservation of shop space. I tend to fine tune my joinery at the bench and do
my assembly on a seperate surface. I consider doing assembly on my bench no
different than tying up my table saw surface for assembly, it happens on
occassion but its bound to intefere with my work flow.

David

In article , Mike W. says...

So, I was ready to build a workbench. Complete with a laminated top and a
couple of decent WW vices. Then I got to thinking....

I don't have a ton of tools. And some of the tools I have aren't that great
(ie My craftsman tablesaw), but they'll do for now. I started on this
neander path a while back thinking it would be cheaper... HAH! Seems 2 or 3
good hand planes and I could buy myself a jointer. Then I thought about the
workbench. I can't say that I recall ever seeing Norm with much of a
workbench. Seems like he has some great big 'work tables', but no bench to
speak of. Is this an attribute of 'Normite vs Neander' on the requirement
of the true sense of the woodworkers workbench? Or is it just 'To each
his own'?

Mike




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