This project was built and designed by Rob from Let’s Make Things. It’s a smart, foldable board jack—also known as a deadman bench appliance—that attaches through a bench dog hole to support long boards without needing to rebuild your entire bench.
Designed for flexibility and simplicity, Rob’s version provides essential support when clamping long stock in a vise. It’s easy to install, folds out of the way when not in use, and helps prevent unnecessary stress on your vise.
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Why a Board Jack Is Essential
When long boards are clamped in a vise without additional support, they tend to flex and shift. This not only makes planing or sanding more difficult, but it also puts excess strain on the vise itself.
Traditionally, woodworkers would build a board jack or deadman directly into the bench. Rob’s approach eliminates the need for a built-in system by using a bolt that fits a standard dog hole, making it an add-on for any existing workbench.
Materials and Wood Selection
Rob builds the board jack using jatoba, a dense and durable hardwood. It’s a smart choice for a support appliance like this, but other hard woods such as white oak or red oak can also work well.
The design is made up of two wooden blocks joined by a heavy-duty door hinge. One block fits into the dog hole and locks in place with a bolt, while the other block provides the support surface for the long board.
This hinged setup means the jack can fold flat when not in use, keeping the workspace clear.
Accurate Alignment for a Solid Fit
To make sure the mounting bolt aligns perfectly with the dog hole, Rob uses a dowel to transfer the center point to the support block. This step ensures that the bolt will fit snugly and the board jack will sit flush with the bench edge.
Once the center is marked, a clean hole is drilled through the block for the bolt. The fit needs to be tight enough to eliminate side-to-side movement, which could otherwise make the jack unstable.
Customizing the Hinge
The door hinge is modified for the project. Most off-the-shelf hinges have countersinks on one side meant for doors, but this project requires reversing the orientation.
Rob drills new countersinks on the opposite side of the hinge to accommodate the bolts properly. This tweak allows the hinge to fold flat against both blocks and ensures a clean, flush look when the board jack is not in use.
To make the hinge fit snugly, Rob removes small sections of wood from the mounting blocks. This added shaping helps the hinge sit level and adds to the durability of the finished piece.
Shaping the Bench Block
Next, Rob shapes the mounting block to match the hinge and bench surface. He uses a combination of hand tools and table saw cuts to round edges, trim corners, and clean up any high spots.
A key detail here is making sure the hinge knuckle doesn’t interfere with the bench surface or the workpiece. This ensures that the board jack moves smoothly and sits flush in both open and closed positions.
Assembly and Dowels for Versatility
Once the hinge and blocks are shaped and aligned, everything is secured with bolts and lock nuts. On the top face of the support block, Rob drills a series of holes for dowels.
These dowel holes allow for adjustable support positions depending on the width or thickness of the board being worked on. The dowels themselves act as rests, helping keep the board level while in the vise.
Countersinking the bolts and keeping the top smooth ensures that boards lay flat during use without catching on hardware.
How It Works in the Shop
With a board clamped in the vise, the board jack slides into a dog hole on the bench. The bolt is tightened to hold the jack in place, and dowels are inserted in the appropriate holes to line up with the bottom of the board.
This setup relieves pressure on the vise and stabilizes the entire workpiece, making planing, sanding, or cutting much easier. When the board jack isn’t needed, it folds down flat against the bench, taking up no extra space.
Why Rob’s Design Works
Rob’s board jack design stands out for its simplicity and adaptability. It doesn’t require altering the bench, can be added to nearly any workbench with dog holes, and folds away without cluttering your workspace.
The multiple dowel holes make it versatile, accommodating different board widths and project needs. By using strong materials and smart joinery, Rob ensures that this appliance holds up to repeated use in a real-world workshop.
Ideas for Customization
This design is easily adaptable. Woodworkers can use different hardwoods based on what’s available or adjust the hinge style and size to fit their bench setup.
Some may also want to add padding to the support block to protect delicate workpieces or integrate a quick-release system for faster setup. The flexibility of this build makes it a great candidate for further customization.
Get Rob’s plans here: https://makethingswithrob.com/board-jack-deadman-bench-appliance/.