In the June 2013 issue of Popular Woodworking, Chris Schwarz wrote an article about a portable workbench dubbed the “Milkman’s bench.” It is designed to clamp to any solid surface and provides a full range of clamping options for most tasks in a compact package. I built several following the plans with no changes other than adding jaw liner to the tail vice for plane making and found them to be perfectly suited for holding the plane billets in any position needed. Its compact size makes it easy to store and transport to demonstrations too. Chris wrote about his experience using this bench here.
It is a relatively easy project to make except for the wooden screws. However, that just got a lot easier with the introduction of our new Acer-Ferrous wood screw set designed specifically for use on the Milkman’s bench. The set includes two screws used in the twin screw area along the side of the bench and a single screw with a garter slot for use in the wagon vice. These screws are made of hard maple and the threaded portion is 1 1/4″ diameter with 5 threads per inch. The handles are octagonal in shape and provide plenty of grip for tightening. Width across the flats on the handles is 1 1/2″
We also offer a complete plan kit for the Milkman’s workbench, which can be found here. This is a more extensive set of components and includes full size plans.
The set of three screws is available for $85.
Builders will still need to thread the holes for the screws but that is easily accomplished using a 1 1/4″-5 tap available from the Beall Tool Company.
