Show me your work bench
04-29-19 | 04:57 AM
#52
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 16,748
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From: Wherever
Oddly enough, when we bought this house 18 years ago, that was the only thing left in the house when we viewed it.
That and the old metal bench it was sitting on in the basement.
I asked the owner if we was keeping it. No idea why he had it, as he wasn't that type, I thought.
He sold it to me for a song. Always wanted one.
That and the old metal bench it was sitting on in the basement.
I asked the owner if we was keeping it. No idea why he had it, as he wasn't that type, I thought.
He sold it to me for a song. Always wanted one.
04-29-19 | 05:01 AM
#53
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Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Wherever
Woodshop bench, I don't have a picture of the metalshop bench.
Custom. 42" tall. 2x4 construction. Top is 3 layers of MDF. Flat, solid, cheap - pick all 3. Built in router table.
Basement81 by iabisdb, on Flickr
Custom. 42" tall. 2x4 construction. Top is 3 layers of MDF. Flat, solid, cheap - pick all 3. Built in router table.
Basement81 by iabisdb, on Flickr
Nice and bright and lively. Anything lower hue value in that spectrum could have run the risk
of looking too industrial, or clinical. With this much yellow in the green, it looks very inviting.
Like a place I'd look forward to working in.
How's that for esoteric nonsense ...?
Last edited by rootboy; 04-29-19 at 05:39 AM.
04-29-19 | 05:31 AM
#54
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Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Wherever
I have store bought and home-made. I recommend make your own. Fir is pretty durable and not as expensive as hardwood. I used a piece of Oak veneer plywood on top for a more durable surface, but after a while didn't bother with it anymore.
Back in the 90's, I got a cut rate, knockoff, European WW bench. Hardware was OK, it was made of plantation Teak and cost way less than a Sjoberg's. Later, when we built our current home, I modified it with a 52" scrap cut off a Fir Beam to replace the useless tool tray. Couple of 4x4 legs were added in back to support the extra weight.
Two other 7' cut-offs I made into a big bench with 4x6 legs. Later added the vises. There was also an 8' piece of Glue-Lam beam left from the Garage door header. A 42" piece made a bench for my Foley saw sharpener. The remainder became a grinder/vise bench in my garage.
I hand cut top of the legs to fit large dovetails cut in the bench top. This makes a very solid work bench.
Or you could make 2 good saw horses and lay a premade countertop from one of the big box stores on it, then add a good vise. Don
Back in the 90's, I got a cut rate, knockoff, European WW bench. Hardware was OK, it was made of plantation Teak and cost way less than a Sjoberg's. Later, when we built our current home, I modified it with a 52" scrap cut off a Fir Beam to replace the useless tool tray. Couple of 4x4 legs were added in back to support the extra weight.
Two other 7' cut-offs I made into a big bench with 4x6 legs. Later added the vises. There was also an 8' piece of Glue-Lam beam left from the Garage door header. A 42" piece made a bench for my Foley saw sharpener. The remainder became a grinder/vise bench in my garage.
I hand cut top of the legs to fit large dovetails cut in the bench top. This makes a very solid work bench.
Or you could make 2 good saw horses and lay a premade countertop from one of the big box stores on it, then add a good vise. Don
What's that green thing on the bench in the 4th pic? Your saw sharpener?
General cabinet table saw. Nice.
05-01-19 | 12:27 AM
#55
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Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Soviet of Oregon or Pensacola FL
Bikes: Still have a few left!
Yes, a saw sharpener, I traded my old Bosch miter saw for it. That General saw was a floor model on "after Christmas" sale at our local Western Tool store. Had been checking in weekly, watching the price get near something I could talk myself into. One day Mrs. Ollo says "You should just buy it" Then, on the way out, she called me over to ask "is this thing something you can use? It's half price." So I bought a Delta sawdust collector too. The General is well built & nicely finished, but manufacturer's customer service was stereotypically French when I was retrofitting a Unifence onto it. Knowing what you want and getting them to sell it to you are 2 very different things. Don
05-01-19 | 12:35 AM
#56
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From: Soviet of Oregon or Pensacola FL
Bikes: Still have a few left!
Iab's 42" bench is similar to some of my tall friends. Mine are all something like 33 1/8" which was close to perfect for me, but the exact height of my radial arm saw tables. Had to raise the store bought ones a bit. Don
05-14-19 | 04:00 AM
#57
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Joined: Sep 2012
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From: NEW ZEALAND
Bikes: Marin Bolinas ridge, Carlton Corsa 5, Falcon Olympic 12, 98 Shesh Rockhopper,
Great threads these ones.
My bench was free, re did the top with 30mm with melamine coating to both sides, a 12mm piece of MDF painted in automotive primer on top of that so the melamine does not crack, the vice was free, the tool board is self explanatory but the length of 4x2 houses all my scanners in front and then in holes drilled are my screwdrivers and freehub tools, I found many variations of it online and am pretty happy with the result. I will build a frame up behind the bench and attach the tool board, with room under to store my end caps, ferrals, ball bearings etc.
08-18-19 | 01:37 PM
#58
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Joined: Aug 2013
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Finally got most of the stuff out of my garage and into the almost finished shed. I get my work area back now! 
Stiffened up my Blackburn Workstand with some steel guide rods from an old crib:
Red and white shelves at the end will get a truing stand.
Stiffened up my Blackburn Workstand with some steel guide rods from an old crib:
Red and white shelves at the end will get a truing stand.
08-21-19 | 06:47 AM
#60
Strong Walker
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,407
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From: Black Forest, Germany
Bikes: too many
moved to a new place, setting up my new shop; quite a change, the old place had more room but was a humid hole in the ground.
Nowhere near finished, only installed the new workbench, the vise, and the workstand so far (and yes, i know one shouldn't put a fork in the vice like this)
Nowhere near finished, only installed the new workbench, the vise, and the workstand so far (and yes, i know one shouldn't put a fork in the vice like this)
Last edited by martl; 08-21-19 at 07:25 AM.
of course, we were taught the queen's english at school, my dear ladies and sirs.
08-21-19 | 09:03 AM
#67
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,364
Likes: 456
From: Baton Rouge La
moved to a new place, setting up my new shop; quite a change, the old place had more room but was a humid hole in the ground.
Nowhere near finished, only installed the new workbench, the vise, and the workstand so far (and yes, i know one shouldn't put a fork in the vice like this)
Nowhere near finished, only installed the new workbench, the vise, and the workstand so far (and yes, i know one shouldn't put a fork in the vice like this)
08-21-19 | 09:19 AM
#68
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 400
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From: Upstate NY, USA
Bikes: ENVE MOG, Jamis Endura, Cannondale CAAD, Raleigh Cross, Fausto Coppi.
I wish I would find this thread before....Just finished building this summer in the basement,
and in the garage
and in the garage
Last edited by Andrey; 08-21-19 at 09:21 AM. Reason: added a pic
08-21-19 | 10:09 AM
#69
Strong Walker
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,407
Likes: 616
From: Black Forest, Germany
Bikes: too many
Got it for free, just neaded some tlc with a rotary braided wirebrush
and a new paintjob (factory color).rusted-in BB cones are known to have jumped out of the frame voluntarily at the sheer sight of it.
Last edited by martl; 08-21-19 at 10:12 AM.
08-21-19 | 10:15 AM
#70
Strong Walker
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,407
Likes: 616
From: Black Forest, Germany
Bikes: too many
08-21-19 | 10:20 AM
#71
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From: Seal Beach Ca. On the right , next to Long Beach
Bikes: 86' Centurion Ironman
[MENTION=86899]martl[/MENTION] , I have never seen a bench vice like this one before and I'm a machinist . Is there a jib for the dovetail ?
08-21-19 | 10:45 AM
#72
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Joined: Sep 2017
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From: Eastern Shore, MD
Bikes: Road ready: 1993 Koga Miyata City Liner Touring Hybrid, 1989 Centurion Sport DLX, "I Blame GP" Bridgestone CB-1. Projects: Yea, I got a problem....
Haven't had a chance to organize for a while, but so far this year 2 bikes have been built up from frames, a complete restoration and overhaul of another completed for a friend and load of fleet maintenance has happened. Hopefully over the winter I will have another 200+ sqft of barn space closed in for bike stuff and the wood shop can get its fair share of the floor back. Its been 8 years but I still use the disclaimer that my last shop space was an 80x80' aircraft hanger.....
08-21-19 | 11:20 AM
#73
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 400
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From: Upstate NY, USA
Bikes: ENVE MOG, Jamis Endura, Cannondale CAAD, Raleigh Cross, Fausto Coppi.
08-21-19 | 12:01 PM
#75
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,321
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Leinen cast iron toolmakers vise on an optional rotary stand, 125mm jaws, 32kg assembed.
Got it for free, just neaded some tlc with a rotary braided wirebrush and a new paintjob (factory color).
rusted-in BB cones are known to have jumped out of the frame voluntarily at the sheer sight of it.
Got it for free, just neaded some tlc with a rotary braided wirebrush
and a new paintjob (factory color).rusted-in BB cones are known to have jumped out of the frame voluntarily at the sheer sight of it.