Drawing Downloads
Free drawings downloads for workbenches, shop fixtures, fixtures for guitar building, and things that will make your work run more smoothly and your work easier. These are drawings of some of the things I use in my shop every day. The shop is an ongoing project. I continually redesigned things to improve the way they work, and to make them more suitable for the way I work. The small workbench is an example of this.
I built a small bench and after using it for a number of years I felt it could stand some improvement. So I increased the size of the top slightly, added some drawers for storage, and added a compartment for storing long pieces such as bindings and purflings. I realized that this bench could be used as a main bench for someone with little space. You can benefit from my trial and error.
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Drawing Downloads
Space Saver Workbench
The workbench was originally designed for bracing tops and backs. Additional storage underneath holds materials used for bracing and detail work. The bench was redesigned for use as primary workbench if there is limited space available. The space added between the top and the storage bins beneath is for storing parts up to 32 inches in length. This is perfect for bindings, purflings and veneers. A minimum of hardware is required to make the bench. The bench is designed to be used with a pattern makers vise and the guitar rest shown below. Drawings include detail drawings of the base and optional drawers. The bench can also be built without the drawers or any structural changes.
Table Saw Cross-Cut Box
Cross-cutting on a table saw can be dangerous. If you ever had a piece your are cutting kick back on you, you know just what I mean. It will also scare the crap out of you, and that’s getting away lucky. Cut safely on your table saw with this sled. Since I started using this sled I have never cross-cut on my table saw any other way.
This cross-cut sled can cut widths up to 18″. The sled uses two UHMW strips for runners underneath. These runners slide in the slots on your table saw. They will not swell or shrink with humidity changes. There is a video on how to make this cross-cut box in the subscribers section.
Guitar Neck Rest
The bench above can be fitted with a guitar rest that can fit in the same hole as the parrot vise. Use the guitar rest to hold the guitar during building, set-up repair and finishing. The rest shown in the photo on the left. The parrot vise in the background. The rest can be made with an optional 5/8 inch dowel in the base. This dowel will fit in the screw hole for the vise in the bench. This will keep it from slipping around while you are trying to work. This isthe third version of the rest I have made and I have had this one for over fifteen years. Its a sturdy rest and will last a lifetime.
Shooting Boards & Bench Hooks
This set of drawings includes plans for a shooting board and a bench hook. Both the bench hook and shooting board are essential to any woodworking project – especially guitar building.
Shooting boards are used to trim wood length wise. You should have a couple of different length shooting boards. The bench hook is more for end grain planing or trimming the edges of short stock and is a one size fits all type of jig.
Drawings include a long shooting board for stock up to 32″ in length, a short shooting board for stock up to about 13″ in length and a bench hook that can handle stock up to about 10″ in width. The plans come as a zip file. The drawings are in a folder called Shop Tools. Print the plans on 8 1/2 x 14 (legal size) piece of paper.
Herringbone/Wheat Fixture
Download plans (PDFs) for wheat & herringbone fixtures. With these fixtures you can make both herringbone and wheat motifs as demonstrated in the guitar making DVD. These are great decorative additions to any guitar. Create stunning rosettes yourself. The Fixture 1 is for gluing up your wheat stack and fixture 2 is for putting together the wheat and herringbone. Click here to download the fixture plans. The plans come as a zip file. Unzip the file and you will find the drawings in a folder labelled Shop Tools. Print the plans a on 8 1/2 x 14 (legal size) piece of paper.
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