# WiZeR's Workbench



## wizer (3 Feb 2008)

WARNING: This post may induce sleep...

I have been planning this workbench since about November. Weeks mucking about with sketchup and cutting diagrams. By xmas I had it all worked out and was planning to make a start over the xmas break. Man Flu put a stop to that idea! Then in the first week of Jan I got a date for my back operation: 22nd Jan. No matter how I fancy talked her, the missus would not let me lift all the sheet material on my own. She even called my mate who supplies the sheets and told him not to serve me. PANIC! I wanted it done before the operation, as I'd want something to use for light duties during my recovery. I went back over my plans and decided if I could get the components cut, I could put it together myself. I contacted MarkW for a big favour. My idea was to get him over and help me cut down the panels one afternoon and i'd glue it up the next afternoon. Mark promptly kicked my design in to touch and we set about building the whole thing in his workshop. We had less than a week before the op. No problem, thinks I... Halfway through the third day, I get a call on the mobile... The operation had been postponed for 2 weeks! :twisted: I was frustrated at first but it took the pressure off to get it done. The whole thing took about 40 working hours. That sounds a lot but we was doing a lot of the design as we went and you have to account for one half of the duo being a ten thumbed dunce.  








The top is a sandwich of 2 layers of 18mm Ply between 2 sheets of 9mm MR MDF. All wrapped with 2x4 softwood. I picked the vice up from eBay for £20 and that's a little project for me to clean up and paint. The vice jaws are Yellow Ballau hardwood (left-over decking). It stands at 1050mm high. I was nervous that i would turn out too high, but I genuinely feel this is the right working height for me (I'm 6ft 3in tall with a back of an 90yr old.).






The carcase is all 18mm Birch Ply. The quality of the ply was pretty poor. I can't complain too much as it's from a pal. The drawers are 12mm with 9mm MR MDF bottoms on FE runners. The doors are on euro style hinges and the cupboard has an adjustable shelf.






Mark's clever design alteration allowed for a space under the worktop for tools to be kept whilst working. As we where putting it together we thought it would be even better if there were sliding trays in this area. This is another little project for me to do when I have recovered from the op.






To finish the workbench I used Osmo PolyX Clear. I took some advice from OryxDesign (thanks mate) who advised to roller it on (I used a smooth mini roller) very thinly and then wipe it off with a rag. This worked a charm. Very easy stuff to work with. I put 2 coats on the top and door/drawer fronts and 1 coat on the rest.






I have *a lot* of organising to do in the workshop, it's a bit of a junk yard at the moment. I haven't fully decided what's going in the drawers and cupboard yet. I'm thinking measuring and marking tools in one, screws in another and maybe HH routers in the large one. The cupboard is home to the Henry atm but not sure how much that is going to be needed in the workshop as I have the RSDE2.

I can't tell you how chuffed I am with it. The missus has caught me on a few occasions just standing, grinning at it.  I'll be forever in MarkW's debt, can't thank you enough mate. I learned so much during the build. We had a lot of fun too!

The final coat of finish went on this morning and tomorrow I'm going in for the operation. The good news is that, for at least a few days, the forum can have a rest from my mutterings. 

See you all soon.


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## stewart (3 Feb 2008)

Always nice to have a peek in member's workshops, Wizer. Nice looking bench, too.
Good luck with the op - look forward to your mutterings when you're back on your fee.


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## Chris Knight (3 Feb 2008)

Tom,
Looks like a really nice job - well done to you and Mark. It should keep you out of mischief when you're back from the back op (and very good luck with that!)

You might want a few holes for bench dogs to assist clamping in due course.


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## wizer (3 Feb 2008)

thanks guys

Yes, forgot to mention dog holes. This another one for me to do when I'm back. I already have some nice veritas dogs and hold downs.


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## Lord Nibbo (3 Feb 2008)

Well if your back ends up as good as the bench you got nothing to worry about  but good luck anyway.


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## Gary (3 Feb 2008)

Nice piece of work Wizer, you have every right to be chuffed with it. :wink:


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## ByronBlack (3 Feb 2008)

Lovely bench Tom, I'm glad to see your workshop is coming along, and good luck with the back op!! Good work too, Mark! You were a big help to me with my bench also. Three cheers for Mark.


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## Gordon T (3 Feb 2008)

Nice bench, well done , something to be proud of.

GT


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## Rich (3 Feb 2008)

Good luck WiZer, I'll be looking out for your next posting.
regards, Rich.


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## Anonymous (3 Feb 2008)

Lovely bench Wizer, best of luck with the op.


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## seanybaby (3 Feb 2008)

Great bench  I also like i high bench, the one i'm building is going to be about 980mm high and i'm 5' 8".

I know what you mean when somehow your standing in your shop, in a trance, looking at your bench or (something you have built) smiling, thinking errr...what was i supposed to be doing? hahaha It's like art, stand stare, look, think, etc. 

Hope your back gets better soon


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## Shadowfax (3 Feb 2008)

That looks really good.

Well done Mark and well done you. Good luck with the operation and get back safely upright really soon.
Cheers.

SF


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## soundaz (4 Feb 2008)

Superb bench you and Mark made there WiZer, I'm green with envy. Best of luck with the OP, but let's face it, if you can beat man flu you'll back at the bench in no time.


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## Oryxdesign (4 Feb 2008)

Great to meet you the other day, thanks for the deal. Good luck with your back op and I hope you have a speedy recovery. Bench looks good in real life too.


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## Lark (4 Feb 2008)

i like it... looks good  shame there was not more pictures like step guide or process. 

i need to make something like that to replace the 20 year old cupboard bench top thing. at some point when i get around to it, as well as the rest of the garage


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## dedee (4 Feb 2008)

Agree, pukka job, one to be be proud of. And there's nowt wrong with standing back and admiring your own work. I still do.

Andy


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## wizer (9 Feb 2008)

Thanks chaps. I feel like a fraud...

Well, I am back after 5 days in hospital _without_ being operated on! It's been a complete nightmare. I lost my slot to an emergency, then they lost my MRI scans. When they re-scanned, the 'Large Herniated Disc' had disappeared?? So I sat in a hospital bed for a week to get a nerve block injection (which can be done as an outpatient treatment.) It's been a strange and stressful week. I guess not having to have an operation is a good thing, but I'm not confident what they have done will make a difference. Private next time!

Back to making a mess in the workshop :wink:


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## Karl (9 Feb 2008)

Blimey WiZeR - that sounds like a right nightmare. Hope it gets sorted in the end.

Cheers

Karl


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## Oryxdesign (9 Feb 2008)

Gee WiZeR that sounds like a nightmare, hope you get sorted soon.


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## OPJ (9 Feb 2008)

I hope you have much better luck next time!

When I went in for an op a couple of years ago, they couldn't even guarantee me a bed! And as soon as I was ready to go home, they were almost pushing me out the front door! :shock: 

Maybe you should take a stack of woodworking magazines with you next time, just in case history repeats itself! :wink:


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## Rich (9 Feb 2008)

Well WiZer, that says it all for me!
as far as I am concerned,national health insurance is taken at source from your wage, you don't have a choice in this matter, to me it's an insurance policy, so when you say to your insurance company I need to invoke my policy they have no choice but to agree to their part of the contract subject to a survey of course,.
so, whats different about the NHS,well, they can't deliver because there are to many people who are not contributing to the system and are depriving the tax paying public of having their insurance policy realised.
Having said that, get well soon.
regards, Rich.

ps. would it be possible to change your name to lower case, it would make it easier on my finger.


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## wizer (9 Feb 2008)

Rich":55i5vz2r said:


> ps. would it be possible to change your name to lower case, it would make it easier on my finger.



That might not be a bad idea...

I agree with you about the NHS, not sure I have the solution though. Not thought about it tbh. I earn a good wage and it's time I invested in my health (or maybe i'll buy more tools and put up with it  ).



OPJ":55i5vz2r said:


> Maybe you should take a stack of woodworking magazines with you next time, just in case history repeats itself! :wink:



Hehe Actually I took a collection of 8 woody mags (thanks SteveM for fww). I also took 6 episodes of NYW and 8 episodes of This Old House for my PDA. I got through them all within 3 days. I couldn't concentrate much in there. It was a very stressful environment. The bed was a few inches too short so I didn't get much sleep either!

Ironically I couldn't sleep in my own bed last night, looking forward to getting back to normal sleep habits tonight. (and not being woken up at 3am to check my blood pressure!).


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## divman (26 Jun 2009)

hi all, very new to this forum. 
i was wondering if anyone can help me with building a workbench. 
i have plenty of plans but its breaking out components from the timber. 
what would be the best wood and also the best tools. 

many thanks


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## big soft moose (26 Jun 2009)

divman":kyx2be1e said:


> hi all, very new to this forum.
> i was wondering if anyone can help me with building a workbench.
> i have plenty of plans but its breaking out components from the timber.
> what would be the best wood and also the best tools.
> ...



Hi Divman , welcome to ukw, take a look at olly (OPJ)s blog , he's building a very nice one at the moment and has a step by step on there.


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## Boz62 (27 Jun 2009)

Hi divman, welcome,

Another good source is BugBear's workbenches pages, which has lots of useful links:
http://www.geocities.com/plybench/bench.html
A lot of these are classics, and as well as plans, often follow through the process of building, so may give you ideas on processing your timber. 

Good luck 
Boz


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## Mikey R (27 Jun 2009)

check out Chris Schwarz's workbenches book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Workbenches-Des ... 761&sr=8-1







I found it a very good read, it highloighted a lot of important design features that I hadnt even thought of. Plus, it gives step by step instructions for two types of benches.

When I finally get a permanent work space, Im looking forward to building a chunky Roubo style bench from the book


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## divman (27 Jun 2009)

thanks very much everyone.
i'll keepyou all updated on my progress.


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## miles_hot (28 Jun 2009)

Divman- would you mind changing your aviator for one different to BSM - it confuses the hell out of me!

Thanks

Miles


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## Mikey R (28 Jun 2009)

oops, forgot to say - Nice bench Tom!  And sorry to hear about the problems with the NHS


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## big soft moose (28 Jun 2009)

miles_hot":1vnjd7jr said:


> Divman- would you mind changing your aviator for one different to BSM - it confuses the hell out of me!
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Miles



dont worry div , i'll be changing mine shortly - just as soon as i get round to photographing my big soft moose in the workshop


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