A bench stop is a great addition to any workshop. It’s simply a raised piece of wood that creates a lip to prevent woodworking projects from leaving the workbench.

So, if you’re planing or belt-sanding a board, you don’t have to take the time to add clamps because the stop will do the same job: prevent the board from shooting off the end of the workbench.

You can make an adjustable bench stop with nothing more than a piece of half-inch plywood. Cut a couple of slots with a jigsaw, and then on the end of the workbench put in two hanger bolts. I also added a couple of washers and wing nuts to hold it in place during woodworking projects.

Then you just slip it in the piece of plywood, and you can adjust it to the height of your workpiece — any thickness. 

When you’re watching the video and you see the black line I put on there, that’s about three-and-a-half inches above the workbench, which happens to be the exact height of my saw table on the miter saw.

This bench stop does double-duty as a work support. So, the lip also can prop up the end of a board if you need it to do that.

Watch the video above to find out more.


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Joe Truini

Radio Show Co-Host

Joe Truini is a contractor, author, and the host of “Simple Solutions” on Today’s Homeowner TV and the weekly Today’s Homeowner radio show. He has worked on both large commercial projects and residential remodeling, and has written for national publications such as This Old House and Popular Mechanics. He has also written eight books, including three best-selling shed-building books. Joe lives in Connecticut with his family and enjoys hiking, traveling, and baseball in his spare time.

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