# New Fangled workbench.



## woodsworth (23 Jan 2010)

I'm making a small workshop area in the house for guitars. 8.5 by 12 room and need a workbench to put in. I have no budget to speak of and have been looking at ideas on the web when i came across this little beauty. 







http://www.finewoodworking.com/Workshop/WorkshopArticle.aspx?id=28530

It looks easy to build, sturdy and very versatile. Of course with the small room i'd have to make the room under it more storage friendly but I think it looks like a good idea. Has anyone else built one of these? It took me a long time to source out the steel pipe but i've finally found somewhere that sells it in 20 foot lengths. 

Any thoughts... Or other ideas for a relatively cheap workbench.


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## wizer (23 Jan 2010)

I've always though the NFW was a bit fussy\faffy.


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## rileytoolworks (23 Jan 2010)

That is brilliant. I'd love to see yours once you get started. Like yourself, if I were to build one of these, it would have to have storage underneath.
How much do the clamps work out at?

Cheers.

Adam.


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## houtslager (23 Jan 2010)

wqit till you use one Wizer ,  I hope to get mine finished with some maple I've been saving. 

Somewhere here I posted piccies but I've forgotten where


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## oddsocks (23 Jan 2010)

I didn't get the 'wow' factor of the bench until I watched the video - it looks very good.

Axminster sells pipe clamps and pipe joiners so you could get the length you need. If I didn't already have a bench that works for me I'd use this design.

Looking forward to seeing some WIP with details of suppliers and costs

Dave


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## Henning (24 Jan 2010)

I think that bench is brilliant! 

I am known to like over engineered stuff though  

Surely it's one of the best benches for small workspaces? 

I am definitely going to add this to my list of things going in my workshop when i get one. (Along with the woodwhisperer table for putting stuff together.)


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## woodsworth (24 Jan 2010)

Thanks for the replies so far. This really isn't a wow factor bench. Well not in the sense of looks. But the functionality of it is amazing. I've ordered 4 clamps from axminster and some rare earth magnets and it came to £53 . I think off hand the magnets were £10.

The pipe is a bit trickier. You either get ripped off by Axminster for their bundles of pipes or you have to really search around for somewhere that sells it. It goes by so many names and they have stopped making black pipe. It is painted red now. 

I can't remember the name of the company i found it at but next time i drive by i'll write it down so i can remember. Glover or something is in the name, and i think they are a plumbing merchant. So they sell it in 20 foot lengths that are threaded on both ends for about £17 a length. You only need the threads on one end of the top. and one end on the (tail clamp?) 

I think i'm going to build mine like a T shape. 12 feet long against the wall and then have a 3 foot peice sticking out so i can do guitar set ups and plane the tops and backs. 

Once i get the parts i'll post a step by step as there are no measurements in the articles on hole placement for the pipe clamps. 

I think i'm going to use plywood for the top and what ever wood i can get my paws on for the structure. Will keep you updated and if anyone is doing this as well Please post what details you have. I suspect I'll have mine done in a month depending on free time, weather, and motivation. Not so motivated in this weather.


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## miles_hot (24 Jan 2010)

I'm a little confused - what does the use of the long pipe clamps give that an end vice and bench does doesn't?

Miles


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## OPJ (24 Jan 2010)

I've seen this before but, I quite like it. In fact, it's given me a couple of ideas I may try and integrate to my own bench - namely the wedges and planing beam for lower support. I guess movement may also be less of an issue, meaning it'll stay 'flat' for longer.

Building the top in two halves also gives you several advantages - the glue-ups are less stressful and, when you come to flatten them, you may also find that a bit easier than flattening one wide top - in some cases, you may even be able to feed both widths through a wide sander or thicknesser.

Miles, good question. For a start, you have _two_ clamps on the end, meaning you can secure something which is out of square, or whatever. Also, although I've never fitted a tail or wagon vice, I can only imagine the task of fitting a pair of pipe clamps is much simpler. Also, you don't strictly need a load of dog holes and dogs in your top. There may be more though, you need a subscription before you can access the .PDF file.


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## Mike Wingate (24 Jan 2010)

Both my bences have full width tail vices. A pair of guide rods and a record 1 1/"2 dia thread and mech. I use bench dogs on each side of the benck and have a solid bench top of 2" thick mahogany or pitch pine . I like his panel support idea.


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## woodsworth (24 Jan 2010)

There are no more details in the article then can be found online. On how could it be any more useful then other set ups? I only have a simple workbench that has two vices and a tool well, so i can't speak about end vices or any other for that matter. 

What i can say though is that this bench covers any application i can think of and can be simply adapted to add in jigs and other features that only the limits of your imagination could put an end to. 

I think if someone already has a bench the usefulness is lost. People get so used to their benches, their limitations and their usefulness and no other thought is given because it is a useless road to venture down when you've spent possibly thousands on your bench. I believe i can do this bench under £150 and will serve me for a long time to come, and when i have a need to clamp something differently i only have to use my imagination to come up with a better way and integrate it.


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## jlawrence (24 Jan 2010)

From what I remember of the video, the bench will work best if you can get to both ends of it - which rules it out for my workshop. It does have massive amounts of clamping options - many of which can be adapted to work in pretty much any scenario.
My main problem with it is that you need to be able to remove bits easily and that means that you need access from underneath. That would work for me in the first week until I fill the underneath of the bench with whatever happens to fit there


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## head clansman (24 Jan 2010)

hi all 

very impressive , what it has got in it's favor is cost , when you price the pipe clamps against end vice and side vises from axminster, or indeed from elsewhere it wins hands down . hc


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## woodsworth (24 Jan 2010)

> My main problem with it is that you need to be able to remove bits easily and that means that you need access from underneath.


Not sure i understand that, can you elaborate?


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## wizer (24 Jan 2010)

Looking at it again, I guess it does look useful. But I think Jon's right, you do need a lot of space around it. It looks good in their huge workshop. But in our tiny cramped workshops, it would be up against a wall with 'stuff' all around it. I wonder how well it would perform then. I'd certainly like to use one before I invested time and money on it.

In the 7yrs since that article came out, I've only heard of a couple of people making it outside America.


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## Mike Wingate (24 Jan 2010)

The expense in the bench is the hardware.


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## grafter (24 Jan 2010)

there is a few posts over at lumber jocks along with link to sketch up drawings that may be of use - looks like a useful and cheap bench build:
http://lumberjocks.com/Caliper/blog/1477


woodsworth did you get the axminster copy pipe clamps?
also what are the earth magnets for - holding the face vice pipes?


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## woodsworth (24 Jan 2010)

No i didn't get them yet!!! I was hoping they would be here on Saturday so i could get going on it. So they will come when i am at work now and the project will have to wait till next weekend. 

The rare earth magnets were for something else. Just seemed like a good deal and once you have them on hand you use them. 

LOL at wiser. The £150 investment would be difficult to justify wouldn't it. I think i've seen you spend more on bits and bobs just on this forum alone. Who doesn't have an afternoon to bang one if these together? Even if it didn't work to one's expectation you'd have some pretty useful pipe clamps for the shop.

The beauty of the pipe clamp is you can make it as long as you want. for next to nothing compared to sash clamps and such. I will be stocking up on them, now that i know i can get the pipe.


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## grafter (24 Jan 2010)

a pdf copy of the magazine is available for free - search google "New-Fangled Workbench" - return 3 is a pdf


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## woodsworth (24 Jan 2010)

I have the article as i have the Fine woodworking magazine collection on disk. There are so many ideas in the magazines, one could spend several months going through them and not getting bored at all.

I have several other projects i want to build that are found in Fine woodworking to. The isolating sander, and the thickness sander that seems like the best i've seen. It's not anywhere else on the web either.


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## grafter (25 Jan 2010)

where is the best place to get pipe?


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## woodsworth (27 Jan 2010)

> where is the best place to get pipe?



Sorry it took so long to get back to you on this. I haven't been in that area of time, but today made a special trip just because...

The company's name is Collister & Glover. 

http://www.colglo.co.uk/index.php?pagename=Find Us

Turns out there are only two locations and they are both in North wales. One in Bangor and one in Deeside. Sorry i can't be more help. If you look at their site maybe you can find a company that does similar stuff in your area. 

I can say that now i've found pipe i'll have more clamps then I know what to do with. Much cheaper then Sash clamps.

I did get my clamps from Axminster but will be away this weekend so now i have to wait yet another week to build it. Some spare time would be nice.


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## grafter (28 Jan 2010)

thanks


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## AndyT (28 Jan 2010)

> where is the best place to get pipe?



This sort of steel pipe is very common - it's used for heating and water supply in every large building - but it's only bought by professional plumbers and engineers - there is almost no retail market for it.

One of the biggest distributors is BSS - see here for their price list - http://guide.bssindustrial.co.uk/pdf/silver_section_01.pdf IIRC from when I used to buy this stuff years ago, the alarming prices are normally subject to several large discounts.

But realistically, I think you'd need to turn up at the trade counter when they are not busy, and speak nicely to them.

Alternatively, small engineering factors would probably carry it - places like Avery Knight and Bowler in Bath - http://www.averyknight.co.uk - every town needs somewhere like them!


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## Benchwayze (29 Jan 2010)

There's a video online somewhere, showing this bench in use. 

Pretty much answers all the questions on why it's designed as it is. I'll see if I can locate the thread.

here you go:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/Workshop ... x?id=28530

John


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## wizer (29 Jan 2010)

If we can collectively get a good price on the pipe, I'd try pipe clamps out. You can never have too many clamps...


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## Benchwayze (29 Jan 2010)

As far as I know, there are pipe clamps that fit galvanised steel, electrical conduit. 
I think there is some problem with metric v imperial, but conduit is reaily available at most elctrical wholesalers. 

John


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## woodsworth (29 Jan 2010)

I just went and picked up the pipe today. I took the clamp head piece with me to check out the threads and they fit. So i got 2-20 foot pieces of pipe for £35. They cut them to length for free and i've kept the other pieces for more clamps. 

I've started on the bench and hope to have it finished today. I'll post some pictures this evening or tomorrow. It's not going to be a looker by any means, as i'm using scraps around the shop for it. 

In the original i think they use 1/2 clamps but i'm using 3/4 which is 1 inch od. So it will be deeper. The height of the bench will be higher then usual but it will serve me well as i do a lot of detail work so the closer it is to me the better.


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## Benchwayze (29 Jan 2010)

Hi Woodsworth, 

Hope this link will help, save you having those snaggy pipe ends everywhere! 

http://www.capxpress.co.uk/

John


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## woodsworth (29 Jan 2010)

Update on progress.

Some pictures of today's work. I didn't get it all done, got a late start and had to deal with a leak in the shop as well. Hope to be finished some time tomorrow but not sure as i'm going to see Avitar with a friend at some point. hope the pictures work.


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## woodsworth (1 Feb 2010)

Well more or less finished. thought i'd post some more pics. The final hight is 40 inches. It is a bit higher then i'm used to but i think it will serve me well for detailed work. If not i can always cut the cupboards down underneath it. I also attached some plywood at the back so i could put a continuous shelf above the workbench without having to make a whole bunch of holes in the wall.

The cost for what is there is as follows. £10.70 for pipe clamp. Found out i could of done this with one length of pipe cut exactly in half. £17.50. Although i used material that already exists in my shop I did use one piece of plywood £30 and a few scraps. 4 pine floor boards no idea what they cost. and two scrap pieces of idigbo 2 feet by 2x4. some pins and screws and one piece of tulip 14 feet long 1x8.

It was a fun project and took approximately a days labour. I don't want to put the planning beam in, but will make some interesting jigs for it as i need.


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## wizer (1 Feb 2010)

Looks good. Do you get any deflection in the bars over that distance? 

What sort of work do you do woodsworth? Is that guitar made by you?

I do like it when I see workshops that are as untidy as mine!


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## woodsworth (1 Feb 2010)

I mostly do renovations. But am going into guitar making, thus the room. The guitar you see was bought on ebay, it is quite a wreck and I'm going to restore it. Like you I am looking to do work that is less hard on the body and have always wanted to build instruments so i thought if i don't start now I'll never be able to make a living at it. So I'm hoping within 10 years I'll be able to make a living doing it.

Yes there is a bit of deflection but i have yet to put some blocks in the box to alleviate this. I also have to work out the height of the cauls as I'll mostly be clamping guitar plates that will need planning. I expect that this workbench will evolve as i learn the trade and make jigs for it's purpose. 

Yes very messy shop. Not that i like it like that, but i get so focused on the job that my shop falls victim to my single mindedness.


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## wizer (1 Feb 2010)

woodsworth":jvhtv31e said:


> Yes very messy shop. Not that i like it like that, but i get so focused on the job that my shop falls victim to my single mindedness.



Yeh me too. One day the workshop will have a home for everything. But by then it'll probably be time to move and start all over again :roll: :wink:


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## lurker (1 Feb 2010)

I use pipe clamps a lot.

At first I bought Ponys from USA but have had a few Axys and they seem OK.

My neighbour works for a big plumber company and he got me a load of "offcuts". As somebody has mentioned these are usually used in factory fit -outs not domestic. 

I have 3 set up with 1 metre pipe & 2 with 2 metre pipe but it takes just minutes to alter the pipe length with connectors.

I have holes bored into my bench so I can use these as hold downs, side vices etc etc


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