Trevor Bresnahan

Workbench and Leg Vise

2025

This English style apron workbench is a build of Rex Krueger’s Minimum Timber Workbench and Big Leg Vise plans. I appreciate Rex’s pragmatic and accessible approach to woodworking. His videos offer common solutions to everyday woodworking problems, and this build was an easy way to get into the activity.

The bench is made of Douglas Fir 2x4s and Pine 2x10s
The leg vise is made from 3 laminated Pine stair treads
Taking care to align the screwholes
The front apron and benchtop both got a substantial plane to make sure they’re square to each other
The tool well was made from reclaimed drawers
The vise uses a hefty screw

One unique element of the leg vise is that the clamping area is enormous. The screw is positioned very far down the vise to allow for large stock. This is unconventional because it normally severely decreases clamping force, but this is solved by a wedge fulcrum at the bottom of the vise that pivots the vise on the leadscrew to push the clamping force up or down the vise, allowing for holding both small and large stock.