9fingers
Established Member
WiZeR":zokmyjma said:tis for those of us who didn't get a chance to go up yet:wink:
Agreed but it is 5 weeks since we heard about the opportunity.
Bob
Free hard wood
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Agreed but it is 5 weeks since we heard about the opportunity.
Bob
beech1948
Established Member
I was up there yesterday and they still have some tops and bases left. About 40 to 50. They seem to be breaking the bases up as and when so there was a large pile of beech bit. I got 12 or so to try to use as parts of some wooden planes I am building. Might suit turners.
The place is a real warren with some quite useful bits.
They have about 100 woodworking benches. Mostly the twin vice two person sort. Differing styles.
They also have a really good Fobco drill to sell. 3 phase, well maintained, a bit dirty but with all its parts and a foot stop ex-school. They wanted £40 for it after a bit of chat. A scroll saw and even a couple of potters wheels in good nick.
regards
Alan
The place is a real warren with some quite useful bits.
They have about 100 woodworking benches. Mostly the twin vice two person sort. Differing styles.
They also have a really good Fobco drill to sell. 3 phase, well maintained, a bit dirty but with all its parts and a foot stop ex-school. They wanted £40 for it after a bit of chat. A scroll saw and even a couple of potters wheels in good nick.
regards
Alan
LocalOak
Established Member
...I've been very quiet for a long time but have now finished two projects with the benches and am about to start on my third.
I've made a fitted kitchen and fitted utility room out of these benches, very pleased with it and staggered at my audacity in thinking I could do it in the first place. There are lots and lots of things I'd do better now, but, not counting my labour, I have two fitted rooms with hardwood tops and beech legs for about £200. Had to buy some more wood for the shelving underneath and I'm sure that the style is not to everyone one's taste. but when you're doing a whole house up on a limited budget its beggars and choosers time.
I will post some pics soon, when the kitchen is clear enough to take some decent ones without too much washing up. I know there are many defects and things to do better but I am also pretty sure its unique Even kept some of the graffiti behind a cupboard door just to show it really did come from a school. The chewing gum was a nightmare though...
Toby
I've made a fitted kitchen and fitted utility room out of these benches, very pleased with it and staggered at my audacity in thinking I could do it in the first place. There are lots and lots of things I'd do better now, but, not counting my labour, I have two fitted rooms with hardwood tops and beech legs for about £200. Had to buy some more wood for the shelving underneath and I'm sure that the style is not to everyone one's taste. but when you're doing a whole house up on a limited budget its beggars and choosers time.
I will post some pics soon, when the kitchen is clear enough to take some decent ones without too much washing up. I know there are many defects and things to do better but I am also pretty sure its unique
Even kept some of the graffiti behind a cupboard door just to show it really did come from a school. The chewing gum was a nightmare though...Toby
LocalOak
Established Member
Teo
I'll try to get some done over the next few days.
Toby
I'll try to get some done over the next few days.
Toby
LocalOak
Established Member
Well a few days turned into a couple of months, sorry about that. But as promised here are some photos of my finished kitchen.
Some provisos.
1. I'm a crap photographer.
2. Sorry, no WIP photos.
3. Its a working kitchen so its got lots of stuff in it :lol:
The basic story is that I bought a number of the work benches and *******ised them into a kitchen.
The tops were 1200x600, and I removed all the chewing gum with a chisel, belt sanded to remove the varnish. Cut and biscuit jointed the edges and then sealed with Ronseal Diamond varnish. I know there are probably better ways to do all of it but I was up against a deadline and it did do what it said on the tin, quickly, and so far has lasted pretty well.
The legs I basically cut from the frames and then joined the frames with 3"x2" to make the supports for the top. I used the original metal brackets that came with the benches to hold down the tops, routering new shallow housings into tops of the 3x2 to take them. With the legs and the 3x2 on top it was the perfect height for the dishwasher to fit underneath and to go alongside the cooker, very easy actually.
I then put on some very simple upstands, the joins are horrendous but it does the job.
The shelves I made with 2x1 batons as you can see, very simple and straight forward. I put two coats of Osmo on the underside of the tops and all the legs and shelves, simple and practical.
Most of the shelve space is open but I did make one pair of drawers and put some doors under the sink. The drawer sides and ends are 18mm ply (I tend to put three screws where others would put one nail) and the fronts are pieces cut from offcuts of the tops. The handles likewise, as are the cupboard doors. I went for a very simple design all round. One little touch was that I didn't sand the graffiti off the inside of one of the cupboard doors, immortalising Emma and John, to show their provenance.
Overall it was a really interesting experience. We have a fully fitted functional kitchen for less than £200, and one hell of a lot of learning under my belt. Yes, it is rough and ready and very unsophisticated but it is also my first major project. It works and I would put very large sums of money on it being unique!
And swimbo loves it, just don't tell her that I've put pictures of a messy kitchen up on the internet! And in case anyone is wondering, yes, the winnie the pooh ride on is mine (well not really)
Toby
Some provisos.
1. I'm a crap photographer.
2. Sorry, no WIP photos.
3. Its a working kitchen so its got lots of stuff in it :lol:
The basic story is that I bought a number of the work benches and *******ised them into a kitchen.
The tops were 1200x600, and I removed all the chewing gum with a chisel, belt sanded to remove the varnish. Cut and biscuit jointed the edges and then sealed with Ronseal Diamond varnish. I know there are probably better ways to do all of it but I was up against a deadline and it did do what it said on the tin, quickly, and so far has lasted pretty well.
The legs I basically cut from the frames and then joined the frames with 3"x2" to make the supports for the top. I used the original metal brackets that came with the benches to hold down the tops, routering new shallow housings into tops of the 3x2 to take them. With the legs and the 3x2 on top it was the perfect height for the dishwasher to fit underneath and to go alongside the cooker, very easy actually.
I then put on some very simple upstands, the joins are horrendous but it does the job.
The shelves I made with 2x1 batons as you can see, very simple and straight forward. I put two coats of Osmo on the underside of the tops and all the legs and shelves, simple and practical.
Most of the shelve space is open but I did make one pair of drawers and put some doors under the sink. The drawer sides and ends are 18mm ply (I tend to put three screws where others would put one nail) and the fronts are pieces cut from offcuts of the tops. The handles likewise, as are the cupboard doors. I went for a very simple design all round. One little touch was that I didn't sand the graffiti off the inside of one of the cupboard doors, immortalising Emma and John, to show their provenance.
Overall it was a really interesting experience. We have a fully fitted functional kitchen for less than £200, and one hell of a lot of learning under my belt. Yes, it is rough and ready and very unsophisticated but it is also my first major project. It works and I would put very large sums of money on it being unique!
And swimbo loves it, just don't tell her that I've put pictures of a messy kitchen up on the internet! And in case anyone is wondering, yes, the winnie the pooh ride on is mine (well not really)
Toby
Doctor
Established Member
Well as you say its unique.
OPJ
Established Member
Well done, Toby. It's always interesting to see what people do with those old benches.
disco_monkey79
Established Member
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I like the drawer fronts, much more interesting than if they had four rounded corners each (if that makes sense).
johnjin
Established Member
Nice one Toby
I like it nice and simple.
A real working kitchen
John
I like it nice and simple.
A real working kitchen
John
