Workbench in an apartment

[Noho12C]

actually I learned about this company on this website !

This is the one I took, with the modifications listed above : http://www.etablis-francois.com/etablis ... niste.html

Delivery costs are 190 eur. Not cheap, but was expecting worse..

 

[custard]

Nice looking bench, but be careful with the twin dogs, they promote racking the vice when used singly.

Before you start to use the vice, make up a pack of strips of thin ply with a shoulder bolt through them. Then if you're gripping a workpiece in the right hand side of the vice, pack out the left hand side with the same approximate thickness in your ply sheets. That'll keep your vice running sweetly. Veritas make a commercial version of the device I'm taking about, but it's ten minutes work to make your own.

http://www.fine-tools.com/viserackstop.html

 

[Noho12C]

yes ! I've given up the non-racking vices (i think Veritas has a good one). I saw the veritas stuff and was considering getting one. But indeed, could do it myself with some thin stock. Have to find a place where to get that (any idea in Stafford or surroundings ?).

 

[MIGNAL]

Flat would have been considered a luxury back when I was 18. I made my second guitar in a corridor, probably no more than 4 ft x 8 ft. All done on a small kitchen table with a table top vice. Not a single power tool in sight and even the hand tools were pretty rudimentary. I didn't have a toothed plane blade so I made one using a Stanley blade and a triangular file. It knackered the file but I got my toothed blade.
Yep, those were the good 'ol days. I couldn't do it now, I just wouldn't have the motivation (I need all the luxuries) but at 18 nothing was going to stop me.

 

[Dovetaildave]

Here was version 1 of my bench just off a communal "L shaped" stairway. I though of it as covert or guerilla woodworking :lol:
Our neighbours were happy having items repaired for free so they didn't inform the landlord, I was happy as I made stuff for my new 1 bed flat we'd just moved into.

It was portable and was connected to the wall via a fixed baton, then were four pairs of gravity/slide together connectors, four on the baton and corresponding on the bench.

It could easily be lifted off, panel removed, leg flipped on a hinge and stuffed into the narrow broom cupboard. After removing all the "found" materials.
The graduated dovetail box for my lathe chisles/gouges was just finished and about to be varnished.

Version two; Had to be unnoticed by the caretakers on their weekly rounds, so reduced in length so as not visible from the stairs, the fixed wall batons removed, the connectors were camouflaged to blend into the sickly pink spatter paint scheme and touched up when needed. Floor scrupulously hoovered and dust sheet employed.

Worked well for a very long time till they changed the paint scheme, the painters, found the connectors and told the landlord and that was the end of the bench and nearly our tenancy

Regards,
Dave

 

[custard]

Here was version 1 of my bench just off a communal "L shaped" stairway. I though of it as covert or guerilla woodworking :lol:

That's brilliant. Kudos for your commitment.

=D>

 

[Noho12C]

So, I finally received my bench yesterday. It was a pain to bring it to the first floor, 130 kg...

But im very happy with the final result !

In a nutshell, I have been able to personalize it (mostly thicker top (100 mm), round bench holes 19mm), at the same price than a Sjoberg. Quite nice to be able to personalize your bench as you want. I kept the tool tray at the back, but when I called to discuss the modifications, she told me that many people didn't want it, or some kept it but asked for some kind of lid. Might be a project in the future. I was a bit worry with the vise, but there is barely any racking. So quite a good point.
For the curious ones, I bought it there : http://www.etablis-francois.com (i think it's only in french :x )

Let's see with time how it performs ! But quite a change compared with my sjoberg smart vise ! (though I've been able to build an anarchist tool chest with it #-o

Here are few dirty pics :

 

[Biliphuster]

That looks splendid, the tail vice especially. You are basically set for life now.

How is it held together? Bolts?

Which model did you go for?

 

[lurker]

Flat would have been considered a luxury back when I was 18. I made my second guitar in a corridor, probably no more than 4 ft x 8 ft. All done on a small kitchen table with a table top vice. Not a single power tool in sight and even the hand tools were pretty rudimentary. I didn't have a toothed plane blade so I made one using a Stanley blade and a triangular file. It knackered the file but I got my toothed blade.
Yep, those were the good 'ol days. I couldn't do it now, I just wouldn't have the motivation (I need all the luxuries) but at 18 nothing was going to stop me.

I knew you were from Yorkshire before I looked over to the left hand box :wink:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Yorkshiremen_sketch

 

[Noho12C]

Thanks !

I went with the "ebeniste" line. The ebeniste-menuisier line has the option of a leg vise, but I dont really like the pin system, so decided to go classic

It's build with mortise and tenons joints, and few bolts here and there (2 on the top/trestle, and 1 per leg/cross section)

 

[sundaytrucker]

Love the guerrilla working solution above and the commitment.

 

[lee celtic]

I built three Motorcycles in the spare room of a flat I rented above a bank.. I had the police round a few times as people could hear banging and thought someone was breaking into the vault.. Gave them a tour and a brew, they thought it was ace.. Had to wait for friends to come round to carry the bikes down two flights of stairs.. Don't let anything stop you doing what you enjoy..