Ply Workbench

[Paul Chapman]

Frankly, Simon, I think you are in a bit of a catch 22 situation here. A workbench in the lounge is always going to look like a workbench in the lounge. Provided that you and your good lady are happy to have it there (and it doesn't sound as though you have anywhere else to do your work), I'd be inclined to be a bit pragmatic and just throw a large table cloth over it when you have finished each session of using the bench. You could even add a vase of flowers.....

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[wizer]

Do you not have any outside space at all ?? (flat?)

 

[HeathRobinson]

Woodbloke, excellent food for thought as usual. As a matter of fact I've contemplated turning some of the Ikea stuff into a work bench on a number of occasions. Quite a stash of solid birch! :lol:

Paul, agreed on the catch 22. I rationalised this at first by saying that this bench would produce better furniture and eventually it'd find it's own home and so the eye sore wouldn't be permanent. We did the tablecloth trick with a set of electric drums which have since found a home elsewhere in the house. Not sure the ol' cloth drape is that convincing.

Wiser, I have a workmate and enjoy working outside with it, but I was born and brought up in much sunnier climes. Too cold for me to do that during Winter and the busiest period of work always seems to be Summer so I'm quite eager to be able to do woodwork while there are some lulls in work load during Winter. The house is a 2 up, 2 down semi detached one with garden and driveway. Rented though so no major modifications allowed :lol:

 

[Jake]

Build it, you've spent the money.

It will be useful to have a bench now, and it will help making any replacement bench in future.

I think the phrase is 'just do it'.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I have a workmate

Simon, if you have a Workmate, you could always make up a bench top, drill some dog holes, fit a vice to it and a batten underneath, and clamp it in your Workmate

OK, it's not as good as a proper bench, but you could do a lot on it and it might make hiding it away a bit easier.

I think, maybe, you are a perfectionist and are looking for the ideal solution :-k There isn't one so you will have to make some compromises.......

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[HeathRobinson]

I think, maybe, you are a perfectionist and are looking for the ideal solution :-k

Paul, very perceptive of you, or a darned good guess. I think I was 6 when my teacher told my parents I have perfectionist tendencies. I refused to get my hands dirty with the other kids. It is both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes it leads to an all or nothing approach to things which I think is unhealthy. Ie. Do it perfectly or don't do it at all. Still learning to work with myself in that respect!

It is the reason I haven't bought the clamps I need for this project yet. I have been fretting for 3 weeks now over the decision because I can't be guaranteed that I can get every single clamp I'll ever want from the same manufacturer in the same colors and style. Jorgensen fit the bill but aren't available here. You can probably imagine how the movement of wood must irk me! Maybe I need therapy :lol:

That workmate modification is quite inspiring. I heard that at some point there was a workmate sold that actually came in a configuration like that. The main complaint I have with the workmate is that it sometimes tries to topple over while planing. I have to stand on the step and that can get uncomfortable stooping down to plane. I can think of some solutions to that problem though so maybe this is the way to go. I could make the first top out of some of the scraps from this big bench. I could even extend on it and make a router table top, and who knows, maybe even manage to mount the Festool table saw module with the TS55 into it too? - here comes the idealism :lol:

Thanks,
Simon

 

[Paul Chapman]

I think, maybe, you are a perfectionist and are looking for the ideal solution :-k

Paul, very perceptive of you, or a darned good guess.

No, I just understand pilots :wink: :wink:

There are various dodges you can use to stop the bench moving about. One good one is a couple of L-shaped pieces screwed to the floor to restrain the legs - not sure how that would go in the lounge but there are no doubt other things you could do.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[wizer]

get yourself a shed man!

At least for the powered work. You can do a bit of hand planing or maybe some carving in the house. Call me a clean freak, but you'll be swimming in saw dust. Bonkers.

 

[Benchwayze]

H R,

As someone said.. Just do it.

Paul's mini-bench would be sound though...

One thing you mustn't do, unless you are single-minded, is read too many workbench books. You might finish up chopping and changing your mind as to what you want, and never get one done. I speak from bitter experience. Although I have finally settled on Chris Shwarz's French Monster, but using Ash, because I happen to have some on hand.

Your need to work in the living space reminds me of my first house. The front-room was my workshop, as I worked on furniture from the top of the house down.

Best of luck with your bench.

That

 

[Mr Ed]

It would be a very short conversation about woodworking in the front room at my house - best of luck with that!

The bottom line is that to take your woodwork beyond a certain point you need a proper bench. I worked for a couple of years with a door on some trestles, but it was only when I made a bench that things started coming together.

That said, I think your workspace (i.e. living room) alters what you need. Pauls mini bench is a good option, for which there are a number of designs if you search the web.

Or I wonder if something like this might suit;

more complicated to make, but would store tools and could look less work-benchy when not in use. It clearly has some limitations, but then working in the front room is going to impose some different approaches so you may have to accept compromise.

Cheers, Ed

 

[woodbloke]

Paul Chapman wrote:

No, I just understand pilots

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :wink: ...bet he still hasn't got proper shades yet! - Rob

 

[Benchwayze]

The thing with cramps is they are like workspace; you will never have enough - of any colour. No matter how many you buy, you always need more. That's when you realise the manufacturer you started with has changed the design, the colour or both, or gone out of business.

To be honest, if a 12" G cramp will hold the work and do the job I ask of it, it doesn't matter to me that I bought it from Trego Mills, for the princely sum of £2.50, along with 11 others at the same price. They are cast of course and not drop-forged, but they are just cramps and they do their job. As for my actual 'tools'. Now that's a different matter!

:wink:

 

[Paul Chapman]

Paul Chapman wrote:

No, I just understand pilots

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :wink: ...bet he still hasn't got proper shades yet! - Rob

No - but he's just received his first pay packet, so maybe soon 8)

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[joiner_sim]

When I'd first read this topic when it begun, I couldn't belive a workbench in the living room. I can't stand the dust and shavings in just my little shed. Mess goes everywhere. However, I like how this has come along now, with the realisation that a smaller more covered bench maybe the way? Good luck with it all.

If you want something that may look part of the living room and a neat pice of furniture, how about a table/bench with vice, and when out of use, gets covered with a plywood edge lipped removable top?

 

[OPJ]

I like Paul's Wormkate Solution. Apart from buying a second Workmate (depending on how long you want your bench), you could probably add a pair of fold-down legs at each end to stop it all from tipping over.

 

[Oryxdesign]

You've got a good way into this, the experience you will gain from completing it is of greater value than any bench, good or not. Crack on.

 

[TrimTheKing]

FWIW I think Paul's idea of a sturdy bench top clamped in your workmate is the perfect solution.

You can bring it out and work on it whenever you want, it can double as a table with cloth over if done correctly, will be sturdy enough with hinged fold out legs as suggested by Olly and best of all, will take up very little room if you fold it all flat and might even fit under the stairs if SWMBO gets sick of looking at it.

After reading this thread I am sure that is the option I would go for in your situation.

And you haven't wasted the money on the MDF, you will use that up over timr making bits and pieces.

Good luck either way.

Cheers

Mark

 

[soundaz]

Are you wotking in ply wood because you spent all your money on the Festool??? :lol:

 

[big soft moose]

I have a workmate

Simon, if you have a Workmate, you could always make up a bench top, drill some dog holes, fit a vice to it and a batten underneath, and clamp it in your Workmate

OK, it's not as good as a proper bench, but you could do a lot on it and it might make hiding it away a bit easier.

I think, maybe, you are a perfectionist and are looking for the ideal solution :-k There isn't one so you will have to make some compromises.......

Cheers :wink:

Paul

paul thats a very good idea

Ive just found out that i need to park the car in the garage at night ( after some A'hole neighbour complained to our letting agent that they "couldnt get passed it" when it was parked on the road - strange that the bin lorry didnt have any problems but anyway i digress)

this has severly cut my space (and what is left is taken up by lathe, bandsaw and dust extractor) so i think a collapsable bench could be a major benefit to expand the space while the car is parked elsewhere.

 

[jack55]

Never imagined building a bench from plywood build this one from softwood over Christmas with the vice it cost in total £80