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Epic Workbench Project

QUICK LINKS:   Epic Store  •  Online Courses and Plans

The most important piece of equipment in your shop might just be your workbench. A workbench should be the trustworthy anchor of your workshop, strong and efficient at holding your work in all types of situations. But with so many options for vises and design, you want your bench to have the style and features best suited for the kind of work you will be doing.

As a longtime furniture maker, Tom designed this rock solid Epic Workbench from experience to optimize your advantage when tackling all kinds of furniture making situations. The versatile workbench features several effective options for holding work, a fast action leg vise, a fast action wagon vise, and numerous holdfast locations.

In this course, Tom walks you step-by-step through the process for building his classic workbench, with its stout and sturdy elements, assembled primarily with traditional pegged mortise and tenon joinery. In addition to being beefy and stable, the bench top can be removed and the base can be disassembled for easier moving. This will be the last workbench you will ever need, likely lasting for generations.

Materials note: Tom uses soft maple and cherry for the Epic Workbench build. Naturally you are free to choose whatever materials you prefer for making your own, and several good material options will be discussed as well.

Dimensions: 27” W x 84” L x 34” H

Course topics include:

  • Design considerations and process
  • Material selection and preparation
  • Techniques for laying out and cutting large mortise and tenon joinery
  • Methods for assembling and gluing up the workbench base
  • Gluing up multiple boards and making the laminated tabletop
  • Methods for cutting large half-blind dovetails
  • Router jig techniques for cutting the rectangular dog holes
  • Techniques for installing vise hardware
  • Finishing options and techniques

DISCOUNT ON HARDWARE: When you purchase the Course and Plans, we will provide you with a CODE for a 5% discount on the Hovarter Vise Hardware that Tom recommends for this build.

      Questions?  Click green square for more

ONLINE COURSE FAQs

Is it worth watching even if I don’t build along with Tom?
Absolutely, in fact we recommend you do! Whether or not you plan to build the piece, there’s a lot to learn about woodworking, and furniture making, including tips, techniques, and tricks shared from Tom’s over 30 years of experience — peppered in along with a bit of light humor as well. After all, this is supposed to be fun right!?

How long do I have access to the Sessions?
If you purchase the Course you have UNLIMITED access to the sessions — you can watch them anytime, as often as you like.

What do I need to access the Sessions?
All you need is a device with internet connectivity, such as a desktop or laptop computer, tablet or smartphone, etc. In addition, it is necessary to use the Chrome browser to consistently navigate the more sophisticated scripts on present on membership sites.

I’m not very tech savvy… is it easy?
You will be given easy to follow instructions on how to access every session. We are here to help you figure it out so worry not.

Are the sessions downloadable, or available on any other storage media?
For many reasons we have chosen to make them available via an online platform only.

 

FULL-SIZE PLANS FAQs

What kind of information do the Plans provide?
These are printed copies of Tom’s original design, hand-drawn plans, just like he makes for himself before building most projects. They note all the specifications,  dimensions and helpful points of view for completing the piece.

Is there information provided about the materials I’ll need and how much?
Yes, in fact each set of plans comes with a cut list, and recommendations for finishing as well.

How big are the plans?
They are printed onto 36×48 sheets and will arrive at your door in a tube which assists with safe delivery and also provides  a sturdy receptacle for future storage.

We choose to deliver in a tube versus folding the Plans so you do not have to deal with creases that impact your view of the contents on the page.

Does Tom create these using CAD?
No, he hand draws every component of the elements included on the Plans. He has worked with SketchUp in the past and though he knows it to be a great tool, prefers depicting curved elements in particular by hand.

Can I get the plans in digital format?
Good question, however we do not provide our Plans in digital format. It’s one small way we attempt to maintain the integrity of the intellectual property withing the project build experience.

Rather, we prefer to offer the physical product so the parts you will be making to fulfill the project are represented in actual size.

Why did your Plans go up in price in 2023?
The USPS added a surcharge to the shipping charge for items longer that 22″ which applies directly to the tubes in which we send the Plans. We conisdered the option of folding them, but find that it ruins the experience with them as they arrive creased and wrinkled in ways that the tube can generally diminish.

 

SUPPORT DURING THE BUILD

What if I have questions during the Course?
No problem, this is why we have The Neighborwood community which gives you access to Tom and many fellow woodworkers via a private forum.

You can post your questions in the Private Forum and get input directly from Tom and other Neighbors as needed. In fact, you can even ask question about any project you’re working on, and post pictures of your completed work for everyone to celebrate with you!  

I’m not very tech savvy, is the Forum tricky?
Not at all, and we’re happy to help you learn how to use it. We’re all learning as we go, and once you get the hang of it… you’ll love it!

How can I learn more about The Neighborwood?
If you’re curious for how it all got started, and how it works, click here
If you’re looking more for logistics and how to purchase, click here

ORDER HERE

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