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So Santa did NOT bring me a solid beechwood workbench from Lee Valley.
No biggie. I bought a 1x24x48" top for 20 bucks at the home depot, attached it to a universal ball joint which I screwed into a sturdy part of the old workbench - used in the 1920's by actual cowboys that ran a horse boarding outfit - they pounded the crap out of that bench, as cowboys are wont to do - so it is not too useful - so then trying to come up with an inexpensive set of bench dogs and holddowns. Some of you will recognize the KMG mdf fixtures that, it turns out, gleefully accept the 7/32" dowels I had laying around; so got out a 1/4" drill, drilled some test holes, cut the dowel into 2" lengths, and Bob's your Uncle.

The mdf fixtures work as dogs and the fit of the dowel into the mdf is nice and firm, and the fit into the dog holes is nice and firm, and with the round edge and the flat edge of the mdf, and finding out it works plenty good as a hold down for what I need, I'm a happy boy.
The ball joint lets me tilt the board in any direction, any slant from level to 90 degrees. When I'm needing to be real close to the work - shaving a brace or whatever, and with my bad eyes, that brace will be only a couple of inches away, and I'm sitting down to boot.
Cost - about $60.00.
DaveB

Awesome idea, Dave! Where did yo get the ball joint?

Woodcarver’s Supply
www.woodcarverssupply.com
Part number: 990029--$56 if you get the base

DaveB

Dave, I know this is a work bench and at the risk of sounding like an idiot - what do you use it for?

Tim

If I lay it flat, I put the dogs into holes if I need a stop for any wood that I am scraping or planing; it gives me a free unencumbered work area that I previously did not have;when it is at an angle I can use the dogs as hold downs for a top ,at any angle, for instance, while I do brace work, and I'm in a comfortable sitting position instead of bent over a flat table having to move my light source all around.

Hey I could go on and on - I use it for a lot of things. But it is comfortable, unencumbered, flexible, and puts the work, as I sit, right in front of me. It is a huge benefit for the way I work.

DaveB

Click! (light bulb goes on over head). Gotcha. I can see how that could be very useful and comfortable. Worth looking into. Thanks.

Tim