Workbench Advice

[Peter Gee]

non vale la pena...

 

[GazPal]

My removable, sliding well gives the best of both worlds.

David

Ditto.

 

[t8hants]

If you are a 'newbie', make what you can out of what you have and concentrate on making things on it, rather than trying to turn your workbench into a piece of pristine furniture: you will never make anything on it if it really is your "masterpiece", will you.

Aah a truth at last! I am making mine from salvage yard timber because its a bench not an heirloom. Picture will be posted when its done.
Gareth

 

[Jacob]

........
I hope you don't take this as a personal 'thing', Jacob

No of course not.
What I'm trying to say is that the confusion is with those who imagine that the familiar school style of bench is only a school bench, but in fact it was/is found everywhere throughout the industry.
A bit of a donkey to look at, particularly compared to your undoubtedly excellent "Banco Da Lavoro da falegname" but very simple and practical bench ideal for beginners and professionals alike. It seems to have been written out of the story somehow.*

*PS literally written out - it doesn't feature in the popular workbench books everybody seems to be reading. Landis misses it altogether even though he includes the 'Workmate' and details of many other types.
NB the double ended bench isn't only a school thing - it can be very practical depending on the space, light, nature of the work.

 

[GazPal]

........
I hope you don't take this as a personal 'thing', Jacob

No of course not.
What I'm trying to say is that the confusion is with those who imagine that the familiar school style of bench is only a school bench, but in fact it was/is found everywhere throughout the industry.
A bit of a donkey to look at, particularly compared to your undoubtedly excellent "Banco Da Lavoro da falegname" but very simple and practical bench ideal for beginners and professionals alike. It seems to have been written out of the story somehow.*

*PS literally written out - it doesn't feature in the popular workbench books everybody seems to be reading.

I've read a few of the newer workbench books and it's no wonder so many newcomers become bewildered by what they assume is expected of them. More than a few ideas espoused via the writers were real head shakers when I read the U.S. take on "traditional" English benches, as I'd always been under the illusion benches were made to suit the work. Form follows function.

 

[Peter Gee]

...compared to your undoubtedly excellent "Banco Da Lavoro da falegname"...

Not necessarily so...

http://www.azannunci.eu/annuncio-78660/vendo-banco-da-lavoro.html

(You didn't look, did you! )

 

[Jacob]

...compared to your undoubtedly excellent "Banco Da Lavoro da falegname"...

Not necessarily so...

http://www.azannunci.eu/annuncio-78660/vendo-banco-da-lavoro.html

(You didn't look, did you! )

:lol:
I had a quick browse here

 

[twothumbs]

There are plenty photos of double sided benches with one man on each side, of Victorian, Edwardian era, carving, gilding, etc, so using the space and provisions to a maximum in large workshops. Still a good bench design and possibly made on the spot to suit a use (ie outside on the job) just as sawing horses were and still are made for the occassion. Working on a site job at one time did not have transport to move heavy items about. Best wishes.

 

[Jacob]

Here's a single sided bench from Thomas Corkhill, F.B.I.C.C., M.I. Struct.E., M. Coll.H.
from "Joinery & Carpentry" vol 1, ed: Richard Greenhalgh, 1929, which is a brilliant little series of books which everyone should have.

nb the thing marked 'n' at the back is a saw handle. He recommends a saw rack behind the bench to keep saws safe but accessible.

 

[Corneel]

The "English" type was used a lot overhere in the Netherlands also. As was the German type with the nice but complex endvise. On our internet-bootsale you will find both. The Roubo type was also rather common, you see them too quite often.

A picture of an old, well used English bench in The Netherlands.

 

[morfa]

Here's a single sided bench from Thomas Corkhill, F.B.I.C.C., M.I. Struct.E., M. Coll.H.
from "Joinery & Carpentry" vol 1, ed: Richard Greenhalgh, 1929, which is a brilliant little series of books which everyone should have.

nb the thing marked 'n' at the back is a saw handle. He recommends a saw rack behind the bench to keep saws safe but accessible.

So what is 'f' on the front?

Also interestingly enough, that's pretty much the same as what I'm making now. i.e. worktop at the front, well at the back and then another apron at the back.

 

[Jacob]

It sez ere:

"Every joiner should have a drawer f to keep his tools in condition, when they are not required on the bench. The drawer is hung to the bench top by hardwood runner r ."

 

[jhwbigley]

I have one these (second hand)
http://www.emir.co.uk/workbenches/craft ... aker-bench
For what it cost me, I wouldn't bother making my own. Only thing wrong with it is that I always want something out of a drawer or cupboard that is blocked by something in the vice.

These are often about on the ebay etc for £100 with two vices.
http://www.emir.co.uk/workbenches/dual/ ... -cupboards

JH

 

[Jelly]

I have one these (second hand)
http://www.emir.co.uk/workbenches/craft ... aker-bench
For what it cost me, I wouldn't bother making my own. Only thing wrong with it is that I always want something out of a drawer or cupboard that is blocked by something in the vice.

These are often about on the ebay etc for £100 with two vices.
http://www.emir.co.uk/workbenches/dual/ ... -cupboards

JH

Yeah, I paid £95 for one of my three benches, its a double sided school-type one with two huge record QR vices which are worth around £150 apiece, the other two were courtesy of my ex employer who was getting shot of a load of benches on casters, and one a gift from one of my dad's clients who needed a project for their apprentice to work on but didn't need the bench itself (that one became my first bench, 15 years on and going strong).

If you look far enough, I doubt there's any need to build your own bench until you have a specific purpose or set of requirements in mind.

 

[Jacob]

Nice on here on ebay only a tenner so far!

When I made mine ebay hadn't been invented. Nor the internet come to think.

 

[J_SAMa]

Just made a sketchup model. Please check the original post. I think I've "invented" a few unusual things, like the non full-length apron...
Really not sure how my innovations would turn out

 

[No skills]

I do wonder how much deflection you will get in the over hanging section when you are chopping on wood held in the vise. Probably not enough to break anything but I think it would at least be annoying. Whats the top thickness?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I wouldn't chop in a vice by choice - I'd clamp something in the vice, then clamp my workpiece to it so as to get the working area as close as possible to being over a leg.

 

[Jacob]

Just made a sketchup model. Please check the original post. I think I've "invented" a few unusual things, like the non full-length apron...
Really not sure how my innovations would turn out

I don't see the point of your innovations. Why not just keep it simple and make a basic bench?

 

[GazPal]

Just made a sketchup model. Please check the original post. I think I've "invented" a few unusual things, like the non full-length apron...
Really not sure how my innovations would turn out

Whilst a shortened apron is an interesting innovation, I'd honestly retain a full length apron, because shortening it would tend to serve little purpose other than allow the use of f-cramps at that location. This won't tend to reduce the amount of work or materials used during the build by much, but will tend to leave minimal amount of material and support to the left of a vise typically set into the apron.