A bench stop is a fixture used in woodworking to hold items in place while working. Bench clamps offer benefits over metal clamps, and bench retainers can be recessed or surface mounted. Workers choose bench stops based on size and height, with adjustable units available.
A bench stop is a fixture used on a workbench or table in a wood shop. Users place items against the bench stop to hold the item in place as they work. This stop can be as simple as a piece of scrap wood nailed to the bench surface, although more complex units are also available. The bench stop allows the user to sand, plan or cut the wood while preventing the wood from slipping or moving out of position. This not only makes woodworking safer in many cases, but also allows for greater accuracy and precision.
Users may find that bench clamps offer a number of benefits over traditional metal clamps. Moving or adjusting the position of an object is quick and easy and typically requires no special tools or equipment. While some clamps can dent or damage the surface of softwood, there is no such risk of damage with a bench clamp. Finally, while the clamps prevent users from accessing certain areas of the wood, the bench stop allows uninterrupted access to the entire surface.
A bench retainer can be recessed or surface mounted. The mortised units are cut into the workbench and sit flush with the surface when not in use. They can be equipped with a built-in knob or an adjustment screw, which allows users to raise and lower the latch. While this type of unit frees up table space when not in use, it is also quite difficult to install and requires a permanent hole to be drilled in the workbench.
Surface mount units sit on the bench top and are usually held in place with screws on bolts. They can interfere with other tasks when not in use and should be placed as far away as possible to minimize disruption to other work. Surface fasteners are easy to install and are also removable when no longer needed.
Workers often choose bench stops based on size and height. The shorter stops don’t extend all the way to the surface of the wood, making it easier to plane or sand an object without hitting the stop. Higher stops are more effective for holding large objects, but can make it difficult to sand or plane the end of the wood evenly. Adjustable units are also available and offer multiple heights for working on different types of projects. They may feature adjustment screws or different mounting options to allow users to choose the desired height.
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