Reddit reviews WM301 Workmate Bench
We found 2 Reddit comments about WM301 Workmate Bench. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Durable steel frame constructionFolds flat for compact storage and easy transportDual clamping cranks increase clamping force and versatilityAdjustable swivel pegs and jaw retention grooves provide clamping versatility and material holdRubber feet are anti-slip.Vice jaw opening: 0 - 115mm.Working heights: 760mm.Vice jaw length: 610mm.Table width: 341mm.Maximum load:160kg
Quick terminology point: That's not 'against the grain', that's 'cutting end grain'.
'with' or 'against' the grain is when you are cutting along approximately the grain direction, and the exact angle means that either the fibres being cut are supported ('with' the grain), or unsupported ('against'), where the supported fibres cut cleanly, and the unsupported ones cut less cleanly.
That aside, what /u/aberund said about slicing motion is probably about as good as you can do with that tool. When faced with similar cuts, I tend to rough them out with either a larger knife, axe or chisel, depending.
With a larger knife (e.g. a Mora Companion - a general purpose 'outdoors' knife, with a 4 inch blade), you can apply more force (as well as slicing), and sometimes I grip the handle and tip of the blade, and either push or pull, akin to how a draw knife is used. That two handed use does require some other way to hold the work (bench + clamp, or legs depending).
The axe is probably the easiest way to cut, but least control. I use a small piece of MDF clamped to a bench as a chopping block when carving with the axe. Note that although a simple firewood hatchet will work, you get better control and surface finish with an axe better suited (thinner head, steeper angle on the bevel, probably a little lighter too). I've ended up with a range of axes (er … seven at last count!) so I tend to start larger, an progress to smaller.
A carving axe is sharp enough that I've on occasion grabbed it just under the head, and used it like an outsized knife.
A chisel is somewhere in the middle between the two on the 'power and control' stakes. They pretty much require a bench and clamp of some sort [0], but the different geometry allows for more power to be applied behind the edge. There's three sorts of usual ways to use them: handle in the offhand, fingertips of the primary positioning the tip of the edge, and pushing on the end of the handle with your shoulder; holding the handle in one hand, top part of the blade in the other with a pushing and slicing motion; and one handed with a mallet. That's in rough order of increasing power and decreasing control.
With any of these techniques, I'd usually aim to go back and make a very fine cut with the same tool set that did the reset of the piece; i.e. make sure that it's finished with the knife that did the rest. This gives a uniform surface finish, and hides the fact that other tools may have been used.
I'm sure that there's lots of other options, that's just the subset that I've actually done.
[0] Although I've done everything carving related on one of these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Decker-Workmate-WM301/dp/B0001GS0FU/ … so it doesn't need to be a massive one to be extremely handy.
This is the exact bench I have I believe. The one side of the leg is a bit further extended so the tipping over part isn't a big issue most of the time. The main issue I have is that if I have a really stubborn case on resizing I will sometimes have to use my free hand to brace against the press to make sure I don't break the bench. The wood on top is not super stiff and it will tend to flex with the press a bit and I just get worried about breaking it.
Seating bullets is never a problem for me and I would say 95% of the time I am quite happy with the setup given what I have to work with.