Reply To: Workbench Vise

I was thinking of asking a similar question when I saw this topic.

I’m building a workbench like the one Paul built in his garden. Paul suggests dropping the top rail to accommodate an end vise. I haven’t yet decided if I will fit an end vise, so to keep my options open, are there any problems with moving the legs closer together instead of dropping the top rail? I was thinking of putting the legs 18″ from the end. That still leaves the legs 48″ apart. The weight of the bench (230 lbs) means that two people could still sit on the end without it toppling over.

And what about moving the vise to the outside of the leg? That would keep the space between the legs clear for drawers or a cupboard, but are there any drawbacks?

Thanks