FREE MORAVIAN WORKBENCH PLANS, CUT LIST & RESOURCES
Below you will find free resources, including free Moravian Workbench plans and cut list, as shown in the DVD video “Building the Portable Moravian Workbench with Will Myers“. You can buy both video versions here:
- DVD: “Building the Portable Moravian Workbench with Will Myers“
- HD Download: “Building the Portable Moravian Workbench with Will Myers”
This DVD was directed, filmed, and edited by Joshua Farnsworth. Keep in mind that these workbench plans are copyrighted and are not to be published or offered outside of WoodAndShop.com. Below you’ll also find a list of tools and parts required for building the Moravian Workbench, as mentioned in the video.
1. FREE MORAVIAN WORKBENCH PLANS & CUT LIST DOWNLOADS:
Enter your name & email address in the box below, and we’ll email the download links to you. You’ll also be subscribed to our free newsletter, so you’ll occasionally be notified when we’ve released new woodworking articles and videos! Remember, you’ll need to confirm your subscription in the first email before we’re allowed to send the email with the download links. And check your spam folder if you don’t see our email.
3. MORAVIAN WORKBENCH PARTS MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO:
- Wooden screw vise: made by Nick Dombrowski at Lake Erie Tool Works
- Tail Vise: made by Will Myers (find it here)
- Slotted wood screws (you can strip zinc screws. See our tutorial here)
4. HAND TOOLS REQUIRED TO BUILD THE MORAVIAN WORKBENCH
Below you’ll find a list of tools that Will Myers recommends for building the Portable Moravian Workbench. You can also watch the excerpt from the full video below where Will mentions these tools. Visit our hand tool buyer’s guides (click here) to get specific brand recommendations for vintage and new hand tools.
4. PHOTOS FROM THE MORAVIAN WORKBENCH VIDEO SHOOT
This is the original Moravian Workbench that Will Myers based his reproduction workbenches after:
Wkfinetools.com no longer has up the articles on this Moravian workbench. Could they be made available somewhere else?
Will Myers told me that WK ended their website. But I don’t believe that Will ever had a Moravian workbench tutorial there…it was roubo workbench. You can buy our DVD or Digital download here, which shows a ton of detail: https://store.woodandshop.com/product-category/woodworking-dvd-videos/?product_count=36
He’s got the build description up here: https://eclecticmechanicals.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/themoravianworkbenchbywillmyers.pdf
it’s not ‘plans’. it’s a partial sketch (in pseudo-engineering manner). about 50% of necessary information is missing.
w/o a paid DVD (which costs a lot, 2 my opinion) these ‘plans’ r of little use.
The same plans that come with the DVD are the ones we offer for free. And no, 50% of information isn’t missing. I’ve built 5 of them with these plans. And no, the cost of the DVD is very affordable compared with the nearly $2k it costs to go to the class at the Woodwright’s School.
sorry in advance if the following sounds 2 blunt/impolite/disrespectful 2 u guys. i meant no offense. I don’t really want 2 argue, because I don’t know what kind of level of formal engineering standards woodworkers follow. May b what u call ‘plans’ are some kind of sketches which ‘sensible’ (now we need 2 define ‘sensible’) woodworker will figure out easily. 2 me, a standard plan/design would follow engineering standards like https://www.cobanengineering.com/GeometricDimensioningAndTolerancing/TechnicalDrawingLines.asp where myself (as a woodworking dummy but able 2… Read more »
Thousands of woodworkers have made this workbench with the video and the plans. But there are occasional woodworkers (usually engineers) who are too afraid to make anything without incredible detail. This is not how historical woodworkers worked.
yeah, u c… the key word here is
woodworkers. I’m not yet a woodworker but most of the time a nit-picker… :(but having an idea delivered (and yes, it has been delivered w/this plans and Will’s web-page) is already pretty good and I appreciate it.
Engineer here! While the disrespect towards engineers was not appreciated, there is enough detail in the current plans to extrapolate details like the angle of the tenon mentioned elsewhere. This does match the level of detail I’ve seen in most other plans for furniture and such, and the other details tend to come while you’re constructing (as in when you’re building it won’t make sense to do it any other way, so you do it how it needs to be… Read more »
Nice slam on Engineers… So from what you are saying, the removable (Tusk?) tenon angle isn’t important, because it isn’t called out on the ‘plan’/’drawing’/whatever it is? Not having experience with them, enquiring minds want to know…
Sorry, what “slam on engineers” are you referring to?
For free. Don’t use them if they don’t fit your level of expertise. Or try to do what the experts have
tried to provide for you here. Less complaining and more creative thinking
Also, Will himself called the ‘plans’ ‘a measured drawing with major dimensions’.
After skimming through the article with pictures and studying the plans, I can also see that there are critical details essential to assembly of the workbench which are missing from the plans. I’m certain those details are obvious to you because you built the bench in the first place. I’m finding this is a common error among woodworkers. Upset is right, this is a partial sketch, with dimensions, it is not complete construction drawings. If the plans were complete, one… Read more »
I agree that these are NOT plans. They are drawings with some dimensions. I would not have been happy if I had paid for these “plans” and this is what I received. Not really a good incentive to buy other “plans”.
I’ve used these plans to build 5 of these workbenches. They are sufficient for most people.
They are. If you have a problem, work on your basic woodworking skills.
I don’t know what you’re talking about: I built the bench from the 3 drawings without any problems whatsoever. There’s nothing missing–everything is there, if you know the basics. If you don’t know the basics, YouTube is your friend. You come across as a total pratt. Michael from Greece
You guys are both right in a sense. The problem is that engineers and woodworkers use the word plan for different things. By the standards of guys who produce plans for a living, this is definitely just a sketch. By the standards of experienced woodworkers it’s good enough to give you the idea and you can fill in the blanks from experience. I don’t see how to reconcile the statement that “50% of the information isn’t missing” from the one… Read more »
Thanks for your comment. Will created the one page drawing to go along with the DVD. Most people were able to make the workbench with the DVD and 1 page drawing. However, we did get a good number of people who wanted more details / hand holding. For this reason we made something with many more details, and many more angled views. Hope this helps.
FOR MW THAT PIC. WAS INOUGH TO BEALIT A WONDERFUL BENCHWORK ‘ THANKS A LOT FOR THE MORAVIAN STYLE /
These are “plans.” As I understand woodworking, we use at least three distinct terms: sketches, plans and [technical] drawings. A sketch is … well, just a sketch,,, ie, an idea or preliminary drawing (and sometimes made on a piece of toilet paper while you do your business). A plan is a basic drawing with essential measures for the construction. Elements not specifically included/shown are detailed joinery and wood dimensions, neither the relative size btw each piece has to be accurate.… Read more »
Hello, I love this design but I added a twist some will like it and some will not. I made all the parts under the bench top out of 3/4″ Baltic birch plywood glued up to the dimensions on the drawing, no need cutting mortices and tennons all you need is a router and make a few jigs. Very possible to make this bench from the plans every detail might be there but its not too hard to figure it… Read more »
Thanks. I was just wondering what kind of wood people were using to make these.
Hi Stephen, the original is in oak (top & stretchers & wedges & vise…but you can use most hard woods) and the undercarriage is yellow pine. But you can use most any woods.
If you cannot build from that sketch then you really know nothing and need to attend some woodworking classes.
Hi i have tried to get the free plans. it does not show up in my email>or spam> any idea how i can get them ? thanks
Send us an email, and we can help you: https://woodandshop.com/contact/
link hidden
This bench looks awesome. I’m keen to follow the course but just want to check before I do if there is a list of tools required to build this?
Hi Evie, thanks! Here’s a video showing the tools for building a Moravian workbench (obviously some are optional): https://woodandshop.com/which-hand-tools-do-you-need-for-building-a-workbench/
Are the downloadable plans now $40?
No, they’re still free. You just have to add your email address, and we’ll send you the download links.
Hello, I am wondering if you all use the standard or 2x vise kit from Lake Erie Toolworks on you school workbenches?
Hi Matthew, I use standard, but I know Will Myers has used the 2x and liked it.
Let’s get real. These are not “Plans” and I think the main objective here is to sell the dvd/video. As a prospect customer interested in building a workbench, I would appreciate honest marketing tactics.
These were the plans that Will Myers had drawn up to go along with the video, and I have built 5 workbenches with these plans. You don’t need the crutch of having every little tiny detail shown in the plans.
I haven’t built the workbench yet, but if you have not purchased anything you are not a customer, and if you are not intending to purchase anything you are not a potential customer. However if after seeing this workbench in one of the videos online and has piqued your interest, you can download the plans and along with some common sense and thirst for building a great bench you succeed then great. If not purchase the video, and you still… Read more »
Hey lost customer, go polish your tools again, read more magazines and keep wishing you are a woodworker. Mr. Farnsworth is in my opinion, an honest gentleman and a great resource to anyone with a real interest in the craft. Joshua please keep doing for all of us what you do best…. Teach, encourage and wish us all the best.
Thanks for the kind words Gary!
Hi Joshua, I think I want to bite the bullet and take on building this work bench as a long term project. Before I buy the video, I wanted to know what sort of wood is recommended? I want to make sure I can source the wood before I start. Cheers.
Hi Richard, you can use a hardwood for the top, stretchers, & wedges (oak, maple, etc.) and a softer / inexpensive wood for the undercarriage (pine, poplar, etc.)
I saw the pictures, can’t afford the video; I’ll just use the general idea, and build a nice bench. I think I will incorporate some ideas from another nice bench I saw. Thanks.
I have a question. In the video the same setting on a mortise gauge is used to mark the mortises and tenons on the vise’s back (tenons) and stretcher and top mortises. However according to the plans the stretcher and top are not coplanar (that is the leg is flush with the top front but the stretchers are shy of the legs and top, so what gives?
Hi Pedro, did you get my email?
I am a subscriber and a own the video. From the video (and the plans) you can tell the long stretcher and the legs are different thickness, in the video you can see the stretcher is not flush with the front of the leg. However the same setting is suggested for the mortise gauge, this would place the tusk tenon off center on its stretcher, Can you clarify please.
Sorry for the delay Pedro. Does this photo clear things up for you?
there is a problem with he robot test – reCAPTCHA – when putting in your email address
Thanks for the head’s up Mick! We’ve not fixed the bug.
Oops, we’ve NOW fixed the bug.
After I read most comments I just wanted to give you guys a big thank you from Europe. I will build a workbench in the sooner future and the Moravian Workbench design is my favorite since my space is limited. I calculated that I will invest around 800$ in wood and necessary tools. Comments about the plans not being sufficient and you just trying to sell the video have to be a joke considering the customer’s investment in wood and… Read more »
Thanks for the kind words Gilles! Where in Europe do you live?
Thank you Wil, for the plans. My bench is done, but I am considering adding drop wheels to the legs. Any advice for me? Should I put them on the inside so I don’t trip over them?
No, please don’t add wheels to the workbench!! This bench is a traditional design, and it’s light enough to push by hand.
I’m nearly done the Morivian workbench. Purchased the video three months ago. I have one major problem. I seemed to have messed up the vice. When taking the vice back(out) the slopes down and gets stuck. Any thoughts?
Hmmm, hard to visualize your problem. Could you please share more details?
I have the video and I am ready to begin. However the cut list has the legs dimensions at 34x4x3 1/8 while the plans shows 34×3 3/4×3. Which do I use?
34″ x 4″ x 3-1/8″. Sorry!
Hi! I do subscribe but didn’t receive the link.
So sorry! Did you check your spam folder?
Yes I did and I found it. I’m who should apologise. I´m sorry!
No problem!
Thank you, awesome bench! I’m not sure if I will try to build it just yet – while most of it doesn’t look too hard I am reasonably new to woodworking and not sure I have the time to invest – but I love the look of it and hope I can make it some time soon
I would like to add drop down wheels to my bench. I have not found any that will work on the sloped legs. I’ve considered adding a block at the base of the legs. Does anyone have any other solutions or ideas?
Excellent digital download on the Moravian bench plans. Over an hour in and the guy hasn’t made the first cut yet. I really appreciate all the detail you two put into this video. Excellent HD video and the Audio quality is incredible too. Well worth the money (even when converted to Canadian funds)
I’ll send pictures when I finish. Don’t wait for me though. LOL
Hi Joshua, I am a little confused about the detailed plans vs the videos. When you buy the video, are the detailed plans included or both have to be purchased separately?
Also, do you provide email support to any questions that might arise during the build? Thanks.
Hello, the video comes with Will’s original 1 page plan. But we had many beginner woodworkers ask for some more advanced plans. So we created them, and they are for sale separately.
I love this bench! Have been trying to decide whether to build one or not. After research and much reading that question has been answered. A friend on Facebook in Small Workshop Woodworking Community posted this site! I thank him and you for the plans!
I love the Moravian Workbench too Patricia, and I’m glad you’re going to build one! If you need a tutorial for building it, here’s our video: https://store.woodandshop.com/product-category/woodworking-dvd-videos/
Also, here’s our really detailed set of plans: https://store.woodandshop.com/product/moravian-workbench-plans/
Hey if we are unable to find a large slab of hardwood for the top, do you have any recommended alternatives or work arounds?
The easiest thing to do is to glue up a top yourself. It’s called laminating a top.
Love your website! I have limited space in my house and my basement only has 6ft ceilings and not very flat floors, so my only other option is building this bench and setting my workshop up semi-outside (only one exposed wall). Would you recommend staining it or would covering it with a tarp suffice?
Thanks Matthew! I think you contacted us via email about this? If your question didn’t get answered, please let us know.
Moravian portable workbench
I see the cut list, but is there a shopping list that a beginner like me can use?
Will you please clarify “shopping list” Jess? For lumber or for tools?