The Anarchist’s Workbench, by Christopher Schwartz. Lost Art Press, www.lostartpress.com. 256 pp., illus. $37.
Available from The WoodenBoat Store (www.woodenboatstore.com)
Exploded view of the anarchist’s workbench.
I’ve always admired Christopher Schwartz’s writing and his countercultural, down-to-earth approach to woodworking, so when I picked up his latest book, The Anarchist’s Workbench, I knew I was in for a treat. He pretty much had me at anarchist. The book is well written and packed with information on the history of workbenches, with solid guidance on selecting a bench and perhaps building one yourself.
The layout of the book invites browsing, and although I read the whole book, it was not a linear journey. Instead, I bounced among chapters while sipping my morning coffee and delving into the subjects that interested me on any given day. For example: if you’re contemplating taking the road less traveled or, perhaps, seeking to justify a decision already made, I highly recommend Chapter 10, “Afraid Of Fire!” The point is, there’s more going on in this book than just solid information on solid workbenches.
This is a substantial volume. Schwartz sets the tone early, counseling the reader to find what works and move forward. He starts us off with an exploration of the wood from which we might make a bench: anything but white pine seems to be a good choice. Next is a history of woodworking benches dating back to the 1500s. Some earlier examples are also cited, but the focus is on benches from Europe. I was particularly interested to see how these European benches were adapted by craftsmen in North America.