Show us yer bench!

[Craig Salisbury]

With the new year approaching, i'm thinking i need to get building something a bit sturdier with a vice.

I was contemplating 4x4 post legs with 4x2 rails, I haven't considered joinery for the frame, but probably M&T and the top is an open question. I don't see myself spending a huge amount of time because it needs to be functional rather than pretty.

Im wondering double thickness MDF for the top with a sheet of laminate, maybe a couple of runs of 20mm holes for dogs. this should be good for glue-ups and assembly as well as banging on.

Another possibility is a torsion box top with an MFT layout, i might as well make use of the parf guide jig, that would allow me to pass on the MFT/3 giving me a bit more room.

So therefore I invite you all to "show us yer bench" to give me ideas what others work at, I suppose no matter what i do its going to cost the earth with the price of material now :/

 

[AndyP]

Happy to oblige Craig,
I did exactly what you are proposing some time back.
Apologies for the photobucket water marks

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=379&p=3195&hilit=Bench#p3195

 

[novocaine]

Always happy to wheel out this picture. Nobody likes it buts stood the test of time an damp and is still going strong so......
3x2 par. Cheapest of cheap b+q finest. Rock solid.

 

[Craig Salisbury]

excellent work chaps, I was half dreading everyone rolling out 3k swedish benches

Space is tight in the garage, so ideally i want to store a midi vac and some other goodies inbetwixt the frame.

 

[AndyT]

If you don't mind a link to another place, this will save a lot of reformatting effort. I offer it as evidence that if you can fix your bench down to the floor, you don't need 4" legs or even much in the way of joints.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/my ... nch.82290/

 

[Craig Salisbury]

I don't see why i can't really, its a concrete base that i haven't go around to boarding or insulating.

I could definitely go to 2x4s and 3x2 for the rails. I'll get some photos of the space later today.

Ideally i want to move the mft/3 out and replace the table saw with a small cabinet saw, the problem is lack of space, or maybe i need llewelyn-bowen to come in and jazz it up

When I was growing up, there was always a local community of chaps in each others garages tinkering an shooting the breeze....that seems to have disappeared these days and thats a shame, but i digress.

 

[Dr.Al]

excellent work chaps, I was half dreading everyone rolling out 3k swedish benches

I give you... 3 bits of plywood, a lump of wood bolted to the wall to support it at the back and two scaffolding poles (just about visible: one behind the table saw and one down and left from the sharpening drawer) bolted to the floor and the top at the front:

Definitely nothing special, but it is very sturdy: scaffolding poles make good strong legs!

 

[Lurker]

The price of wood is getting eye watering.
I have been keeping an eye on Facebook market place, frequently there are dining tables offered for free, mainly to save the owners having to go to the dump.

I have collected 3 that were within ten minutes drive. The most recent one had a solid top and all three had beech legs . Albeit laminated but that’s probably a plus rather than a minus.
I have one in the workshop just as it came for a sitting down bench/desk for fiddly jobs, the other two are just wood sources, but I reckon I could have made a decent bench out of the three if I had needed one.

 

[Craig Salisbury]

The price of wood is getting eye watering.
I have been keeping an eye on Facebook market place, frequently there are dining tables offered for free, mainly to save the owners having to go to the dump.

I have collected 3 that were within ten minutes drive. The most recent one had a solid top and all three had beech legs . Albeit laminated but that’s probably a plus rather than a minus.
I have one in the workshop just as it came for a sitting down bench/desk for fiddly jobs, the other two are just wood sources, but I reckon I could have made a decent bench out of the three if I had needed one.

thats a decent idea i hadnt thought of, and while i dont have facebook, the better half does

heres the offending space that needs a bench, im thinking as i said to move the mft along but i will need to house the items under it, mainly the midi vac and the spray filter. if i swap the saw with the bench i could probably replace the saw with a small cabinet type.






some people say i have decent dust collection, others just say i dont do much fettling, sadly the latter are correct.

and while it looks like a good space, its very hard to wrestle a sheet of anything.

 

[Malc2098]

Those casters are so useful for a bench in a small space. Makes it so easy to move around.

 

[Woodbloke]

I was contemplating 4x4 post legs with 4x2 rails, I haven't considered joinery for the frame, but probably M&T and the top is an open question. I don't see myself spending a huge amount of time because it needs to be functional rather than pretty.

Im wondering double thickness MDF for the top with a sheet of laminate, maybe a couple of runs of 20mm holes for dogs. this should be good for glue-ups and assembly as well as banging on.

Nowt wrong with that idea. Paul Chapman from 'another place' :eusa-whistle: did exactly the same thing, but he used three thicknesses of 18mm mdf glued and screwed together with a bit of something sacrificial over the top; hardboard I think. Were I to do that I would definitely go for exterior grade hardboard which is an entirely different kettle of worms when compared to the fluffy interior stuff. He used a bit of 12mm ply across the back to stop the bench from 'racking'.

I saw his bench a few times and it was as heavy as a heavy thing and you certainly wouldn't shift it anywhere in a hurry. No need to bolt or fix it to the wall or floor either - Rob

 

[Craig Salisbury]

I was contemplating 4x4 post legs with 4x2 rails, I haven't considered joinery for the frame, but probably M&T and the top is an open question. I don't see myself spending a huge amount of time because it needs to be functional rather than pretty.

Im wondering double thickness MDF for the top with a sheet of laminate, maybe a couple of runs of 20mm holes for dogs. this should be good for glue-ups and assembly as well as banging on.

Nowt wrong with that idea. Paul Chapman from 'another place' :eusa-whistle: did exactly the same thing, but he used three thicknesses of 18mm mdf glued and screwed together with a bit of something sacrificial over the top; hardboard I think. Were I to do that I would definitely go for exterior grade hardboard which is an entirely different kettle of worms when compared to the fluffy interior stuff. He used a bit of 12mm ply across the back to stop the bench from 'racking'.

I saw his bench a few times and it was as heavy as a heavy thing and you certainly wouldn't shift it anywhere in a hurry. No need to bolt or fix it to the wall or floor either - Rob

Thinking about it, the problem with double or even a triple layer would stop the use of using things like rail clamps but i guess there are other options. As it would be wider than an MFT, it might be a good idea to make it so that I could use bought in mft top replacements then a solid section with a face vice. sheet of laminate over the top or something that doesnt like glue for assemblies and glue ups. the biggest issues I have with the MFT is lack of stability and not being able to have a face vice.

of course another option would be to make a frame wider than the MFT by a couple of foot, fold up the MFT legs and plonk it on top and secure it, then build a platform next to it at the same height with a vice.

This really needs a fag packet and a screwfix pencil.

 

[Woodbloke]

This really needs a fag packet and a screwfix pencil.

Nope, you need a Rotring 600 :lol: :lol viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6862&hilit=clutch+pencil)and then a fag packet.

Seriously, it depends what you want to do on your new bench. Paul's bench was exclusively for hand tool work and it suited that application perfick; mine is based on an Emir cabinetmaker's bench but is even heavier. The 'Schwarz' mentioned in one of his tomes that one a bench gets to a certain weight (150Kgsish?) the sheer mass prevents it from moving under almost any circumstances, so for moi, the most important thing, regardless of how it's built, is mass and lots of it - Rob

 

[Doug71]

I made this as an assembly/power tool bench when I moved in to my present workshop, I planned to also build a "proper" joiners bench (I have a Record 53 ready for it). That was about 5 years ago and I still haven't got around to building one as this does all I need.

I keep meaning to add some of the casters like Malc but I haven't got around to that either :eusa-doh:

 

[Lurker]

Malcolm, do you have a link to where you acquired the castors please

 

[Craig Salisbury]

This really needs a fag packet and a screwfix pencil.

Nope, you need a Rotring 600 :lol: :lol viewtopic.php?f=30&t=6862&hilit=clutch+pencil)and then a fag packet.

Seriously, it depends what you want to do on your new bench. Paul's bench was exclusively for hand tool work and it suited that application perfick; mine is based on an Emir cabinetmaker's bench but is even heavier. The 'Schwarz' mentioned in one of his tomes that one a bench gets to a certain weight (150Kgsish?) the sheer mass prevents it from moving under almost any circumstances, so for moi, the most important thing, regardless of how it's built, is mass and lots of it - Rob

Ye of little faith!



I dont really do much hand work, a bit of planing here and there with a side of chisel squaring round holes/corners mixed with a tad of hand sawing.

mostly i need something flat to assemble on with plenty of clamping options and isnt flimsy.

 

[Mike G]

Mine's nothing special. It's an old school bench, packed up 6 inches to suit my height:





I made a cover for half the tool well, in its normal position in the above photos, but when flipped over it provides a stop for planing, and, more often, for carving:



Here's the sophisticated packing (6x2s, nailed):



It's had a new vice, and a new front apron in the last 6 months or so:



The top edge of the apron is straight, and so stands slightly above the dip in the work surface behind. I'm plucking up the courage to rebuild the whole top with new beech, but my whole woodworking history is in that bench top, and I'm a bit loathe to just ditch it. Every ding, nick, cut, hole and burn has a story to tell.

 

[PeteW]

Here's mine:

Pretty much as described in Craig's OP - 6'x20"-ish, three layers of 18mm mdf, plus a top layer of beech-veneered mdf, the whole top wrapped in a solid 18mm beech. The undercarriage is 2x4 redwood, double-laminated for the legs, with rails and stiles in a single thickness. The leg assemblies are glued and pegged with 18mm beech dowels; lower rails/stretchers attached with knockdown bed connectors.

The thinking behind the top was to get as close to 3" thick as possible for the holdfasts, and it has worked extremely well. Whole thing weighs a ton, is rock solid and doesn't move. Here's a close-up:

The eyesore in the foreground of the first pic was my first bench, a store-bought piece of crepe that did a job while I worked out what I wanted from a permanent bench. Still has a use for assembly, sharpening and in-use tool storage.

 

[Malc2098]

Malcolm, do you have a link to where you acquired the castors please

Powertec Workbench Casters. Here you go.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00SX3T2LO/ref=pe_3187911_185740111_TE_item

 

[Lurker]

:text-thankyouyellow:

 

[AndyP]

I’m spending more time looking at the workshops than the benches.

5 braces for example seems a lot and there is no reason why double switched sockets have to be fixed horizontally.

 

[Craig Salisbury]

Soo much inspiration.

Im thinking some kind of cross between PeteW and Doug71's should suit me down to the ground. a solid base, a vice and an MFT pattern for the trio. not just to figure out how to make the top replaceable.

 

[PAC1]

I even cleared the rubbish off before photographing

 

[Mike G]

.........

.......

What happens behind the bench, Andy, but in front of the storage?

 

[novocaine]

I love how most of these appear to be in very tidy workshops with loads of space and light.

then you look at mine and Andy's and....... :lol:

never mind :lol: I reckon most would have a fit if they saw my workshop.

 

[Craig Salisbury]

I love how most of these appear to be in very tidy workshops with loads of space and light.

then you look at mine and Andy's and....... :lol:

never mind :lol: I reckon most would have a fit if they saw my workshop.

To be fair, i do VERY little in my garage and have an unhealthy obsession with tidiness, i actually cringe when i go in because i think its messy

 

[AndyT]

I’m spending more time looking at the workshops than the benches.

5 braces for example seems a lot and there is no reason why double switched sockets have to be fixed horizontally.

He can't mean me, even though I've got vertical sockets - the photo only shows a third of the braces that fit on that shelf! :lol:

.........

.......

What happens behind the bench, Andy, but in front of the storage?

There's the edge of the higher floor level, below the bay, which is about two foot higher than the rest of the floor. The back of the bench sits on this level and is fixed to it. The bit of space in front of the ̶o̶l̶d̶ ̶s̶o̶f̶a̶ bespoke storage rack is some extra informal storage, for half-used oily rags, unwanted parts of projects, things that have not yet come in useful, etc, etc

 

[chataigner]

And now for something completely different ! Mine uses two torsion boxes heavily constructed from MDF and basic construction timber and edged with 20mm oak. The MDF holds everything square and flat and provides a lot of mass. These are mounted on a heavy frame carefully levelled up since the floor is all over the place.

Between the two torsion boxes is a void where I put tool trays which can be turned upside down to fill the void and maintain the flat surface of the bench for assembly jobs. With one or more tool trays removed, I can clamp in the middle of the bench and/or cut sheet goods with a jigsaw or circular saw over the void with both sides properly supported.

No dog holes, I prefer to use clamps to hold stops for planing and a saw hook for hand sawing.

The version shown is in my old, badly lit workshop, the one in my new workshop is very similar but with lots more room around it and more light. However, I've no pictures to hand.

See pics below.

Notice vice at the rh end - I'm left handed.

 

[Lons]

This is my set up in a double garage. Workbench is an ancient ex school model but smaller than usual, I don't know how old but I've had it a good 40 years, I've filled in the well because it was shallow and a pita, I have a home made MFT which sits on top or trestles when I need it, most of the floor cupboards/drawers were salvaged from a college where they were dumped out in the rain ( oak frames and drawer fronts no less :shock: ).

It's usually much messier than this btw. :lol:

 

[Mike G]

Blimey Bob, that's not at all how I pictured yours.

 

[Lons]

Blimey Bob, that's not at all how I pictured yours.

:lol: :lol: How did you picture it Mike?
I deliberately haven't shown the storage space above the top cupboards, garage is about 1 metre higher than a normal pitched roof, or the single garage and sheds stuffed to the gunnels with my hoard or salvaged "treasures". It takes me hours to get at anything I want from the back of those and only possible on a day when it isn't raining.

 

[AndyT]

I love how most of these appear to be in very tidy workshops with loads of space and light.

then you look at mine and Andy's and....... :lol:

never mind :lol: I reckon most would have a fit if they saw my workshop.

I can't see the pictures of your workshop... Is there something else piled on top of them?

 

[Steve Maskery]

This is mine. The more I useit the more I like it.

[youtubessl]yr74Ih7drGI[/youtubessl]

 

[Cabinetman]

Mine is an L shape in the corner of the room bolted to the walls, it was designed for two people but there is only me there now, two photos one in the middle of battle and the other for the camera lol. Somebody mentioned the price of timber for making a bench nowadays and it made me realise how lucky I was to be able to get all the 3” beech for these two – one is 10 feet long and the other 11 feet, for £375 10 years ago.
The downside of an L-shaped bench is there isn’t anywhere to fit a pop-up planing stop so I have to improvise with a length of wood and a bench holdfast, as shown in a thread here previously there is a planing stick fitted to the back of the main benchtop. Ian

 

[TomTrees]

Love seeing your workshops
This one is a temporary solution that has earned it's keep even with the shortcomings of
a thin top which needs a bit of attention, in regards to chopping needing something under like bearers, making sure it's flat for planing as this changes, and I've only just broke down and bought a fancy long level for it and other things.
I have come accustomed to the benefits a floating top combined with a movable bench.
Being in a cramped workshop with wolfies, lawnmowers and seemingly always a disassembled
machine, makes things a bit of a challenge and I often just use the back side now,
and only make up space on the other side for planing.
Eager to make up space again, and get things back to normal.




And as for that chancer of a cat which came in and sprayed on the floor, the minute I came
into the house for a cuppa, I'll only give him a pass cuz he didn't spray on the blanket :lol:

 

[Dr.Al]

I love how most of these appear to be in very tidy workshops with loads of space and light.

Mine's definitely light, but mainly because I was standing outside to take the photo as there isn't enough room in the workshop to get far enough away from the bench to photograph it. Space there most definitely isn't: it's a single garage with a metalworking lathe, milling machine and motorbike taking up 3/4 of the space. As for tidy, that's something that happens every few months, at which point I take a photo!

 

[RogerS]

This is my bench (photo taken in my old workshop)


And now ? Buried under detritus as I never use it.

This is now my Go-To workbench and usually the router is well out of the way.

 

[Alf]

This is my set up in a double garage.

Jealous as all heck, I am. All those drawers, all that storage. Ahhh. :mrgreen:

I think we need to lower the tone a bit. Craig expected four figure Swedish benches, and while I can't do that, here's a eleven year old pic of my E C Emmerich with customisation instead.



It'd just been freshly flattened and oiled after vice surgery, hence its sparkly new appearance and lack of clobber on and around it. Must have had it for ten years or so at that point. Not building a bench was the best thing I ever did; knowing me it still wouldn't be finished and meanwhile I've had years of happy use out of this one.

 

[Lons]

All those drawers, all that storage. Ahhh. :mrgreen:

Not always a blessing though as they're far too convenient just to fill up. As I said I rescued them and will always regret not being able to take the others available as I only got around a third and the rest were smashed up, it's disgraceful how much is wasted. :shock:

 

[Woodbloke]

Here's mine; this is based on the Emir cabinetmaker's bench that we used at Shoreditch College. To say the benches were used and abused by the students over the decades is a mild understatement :eusa-whistle: but they lasted.




75mm thick legs and top; no apron. Removable bench well bottom so that cramps can be applied from both sides if needed. In addition an assembly bench, IMO, is also an absolute 'must have':



There's easily as much work that gets done on this bench as the main one, particularly where there's an overhang onto which stuff is cramped - Rob