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  1. #1
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    Thumbs up Redefining the Aussie WorkBench

    Gidday

    I'd like to invite all forum members to help me re-define the concept of the modern workbench.

    Although Workbenches have traditionally had a great run on our forum their tends to be a fairly traditional take on design, materials and execution. For the traditionalists out their this thread is not going to be for you!!!

    Although once seeing making a traditional workbench a right of passage; After much deliberation I just cannot justify making a hardwood benchtop outta stock I could use for better purposes.

    So heres the brief:

    1. Bottom section to be made outta solid stock but not necessarily using traditional joinery methods.

    2. Benchtop to be made of MDF with tempored masonite top or similar alternative to hardwood top!

    3. Benchdog holes are to be replaced with T-Track for sliding Benchdogs

    4. Bench design must incorporate some kind of holddown

    5. Benchtop must include an area for inlaid magnets & Vacuum Clamp

    6. Exploration of placement & best vices to use

    At the end you'll all get to see me make the Design ............. So I'll be the Guinnea Pig for anyone interested in making something the same or similar. This will be the showpiece of my new Shed

    The most important thing to remember is that I'd like her to be a real workhorse that you can bang the odd screw nail etc etc into without having a heart attack.

    Storage is not a consideration as our ultimate aim is to create the most durable; versatile and efficient worksurface possible. Please feel free to contibute I'm espically interested in design ideas outside the square.


    Regards Lou
    Just Do The Best You Can With What You HAve At The Time

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  3. #2
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    Default

    The most practical wood bench is 45mm thick pine with a centre tool well.
    Once you get used to working with a well you will find them very worthwhile.
    Cheap, strong and easily affordable.
    Regards, Bob Thomas

    www.wombatsawmill.com

  4. #3
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    Default MArkseys take on a workbench

    Gidday

    Heres how Woodworks presenter David Marks approached the workbench design. Dimensionally I like it with almost Spartan benchtop space he seems to get everything he needs from his Bench.

    Be a Woodworks fan I watch a lot of his work and the dimensions of his Benchtop allow tasks to be attacked from either side of the Bench. Even more importantly to me is how he has gone about the base.

    I think many Bench designs are overbuilt particularly base designs. But Markseys approach appears solid and allows for pleanty of legroom etc. No doubt shes weighty and solid enough to prevent racking?

    What do you think?

    Regards Lou
    Just Do The Best You Can With What You HAve At The Time

  5. #4
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    Default

    personally I'd rather have 4 legs roughly on each corner
    I like a shelf down the bottom as it stiffens the whole lot up and its storage
    Regards, Bob Thomas

    www.wombatsawmill.com

  6. #5
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    Default

    What do I think? It's way too shiny. I should post a pic of my current "bench". And I would...if not for the pile of old hardwood on sawhorses (waiting to be de-nailed) that obscures it.

    Good luck with the Brave New Bench, Lou; you're on to something...

    Rusty.
    The perfect is the enemy of the good.

  7. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by echnidna
    The most practical wood bench is 45mm thick pine with a centre tool well.
    Once you get used to working with a well you will find them very worthwhile.
    Cheap, strong and easily affordable.
    Agree with that: my first bench I built that way. Getting somewhat decrepit now, so am thinking of making a new one, but keeping the old 'un for glue-up, finishing, etc.

    That well is hugely handy.

    The new one will have lots of dog holes though....

  8. #7
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    Thumbs up Dazzler's bench.

    Haven't seen him here for a while but Dazzler built a ripper. If he sees this he might like to show and tell. I won't presume to give details as it's his baby. But I was mightily impressed at how solid it is.
    If you never made a mistake, you never made anything!


  9. #8
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    Default

    This is a good thread, Lou. I agree with Rusty - you're on to something here.

    Couple of thoughts

    - If you followed David Marks' design, you'd have to be very accurate with the joinery of the refectory table type leg and base arrangement. If you didn't get this right, the whole thing would be a tad wobbly.

    - On the other hand, the foot and leg room it provides is an attractive feature.

    - So, if you modified the leg and base design so that the two end frames were inverted A frames fixed to wide feet, would that be simpler and less likely to rack and wobble?

    Col
    Driver of the Forums
    Lord of the Manor of Upper Legover

  10. #9
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    Default

    Seen Wongo's masterpiece?

    Something like that, but with the top made up from a mosaic of whatever you can lay your hands on - and don't forget the well!

    Even, possible a lift off hardwood top (might be a bit heavy) for fine work, and an "ugly duckling" underneath for heavy work; one that can be resurrected with another layer of pine or what-have-you.

    As per Driver's comments, without a stabilising lower shelf (frame) racking might be an issue.

    Cheers!

  11. #10
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    If you are trying to redefine the bench, and are happy to use MDF for the top, why not REDEFINE it instead of dicking around copying traditional styles??

    For the "end legs": two sheets of 10mm MDF, with 35mm kitchen sink cutouts (free) sandwiched between to form a solid gable.

    Two sheets of 10mm (or an 18) as a solid gable joining the end gables exactly half way (lengthwise).

    Now you have heavy and IMPOSSIBLE to rack, and you can build shelves/cupboards at half the bench width, which will be very sensible and usable.

    Why not do the top in the same sandwich style? Scrounge a heap of sink cutouts, use 10mm top and bottom, and end up with a 60mm thick SOLID MDF top?

    There you go... redefined!

    cheers,

    P

  12. #11
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by NewLou
    I think many Bench designs are overbuilt particularly base designs. But Markseys approach appears solid and allows for pleanty of legroom etc. No doubt shes weighty and solid enough to prevent racking?

    What do you think?

    Regards Lou
    Plenty of legroom for what? Why try to be different?

  13. #12
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DPB
    Here's some shots of the work benches just made at the Holmesglen TAFF. I was rather impressed with the simple joinery used. Constructed from clear Radiate Pine, with a tempered Masonite top over the solid timber sub.

    These benches are very deep, so that two students can work at a bench, one on each side. The tool-well separates both work surfaces. The vices were not installed at the time these pictures were taken.

    Perhaps these might be a source of some inspiration. (I have more pic's if anyone is interested.)

    Good looking practical workbenches
    Regards, Bob Thomas

    www.wombatsawmill.com

  14. #13
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    Default

    [QUOTE=NewLou
    The most important thing to remember is that I'd like her to be a real workhorse that you can bang the odd screw nail etc etc into without having a heart attack

    Regards Lou[/QUOTE]

    G'day NewLou,

    My opinion exactly. I've posted it many times before, it's based on my Dad's workbench and exactly what I think a bench should be - tough and durable, nothing woosy that's a show pony that you wouldn't be cared to ding. It also has to have drawers to hold things, like tools - now there's a strange idea! :eek:

    And a shelf to hold bits of timber.

    My bench has something like 64 3" coach bolts to hold the top down (140 x 49mm lumps of good old Aussie hardwood) to 5 pairs of redwood bearers that run the length of my 3m bench. 3 sets of legs each (of various wood - whatever I could find from various places, skip bins, torn down verandahs etc.) with 2 stretchers a piece (again Aussie hardwood)

    But each to their own, it's what you want out of it that you make it to.

    (Bugger, I'm told I've already posted this pic , so I can't upload it again! :confused: ) http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=25750

    So here's the link to it.
    I make things, I just take a long time.

    www.brandhouse.net.au

  15. #14
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    Default

    [quote=echnidna]The most practical wood bench is 45mm thick pine with a centre tool well.
    Once you get used to working with a well you will find them very worthwhile.
    quote]

    Have to agree about the tool well. I originally found mine a PITA, always full of crap and shavings etc. Once I became more practised and disciplined I now find it invaluable.

    Not convinced about having it along the centre line tho. Mine is at the back. Its about 50mm deep and my next one will be closer to 100mm, if the design allows
    Bodgy
    "Is it not enough simply to be able to appreciate the beauty of the garden without it being necessary to believe that there are faeries at the bottom of it? " Douglas Adams

  16. #15
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    Lou Great topic.

    This is partially what i have and partially what i want to add.

    The criteria for me is - A workbench is to be used not admired. So screwing and drilling holes in the top on a daily basis will occurs.

    Its NOT a storage unit for timber and off-cuts, so its to have a full bank of drawers not shelving.

    The base leading to the floor will not be open, it will be covered with ply. I love covering the bottom rails to the floor with ply as it doesn't build up with dirt and rubbish under the bench which i HATE

    I favor a 2.4 x 1.2 melamine covered mdf top, overhanging 150 (with kd glued and screwed under to add bulk and strength) on the sides, front and back so their is ample room to fit clamps in for easy clamping.

    Im getting sick of massonite as i like the light background of white so i can write and draw over it and easily sand any glue/crud off. And their is good contrast with a pencil/scribe line on white but hard to see with a brown background. And its tough and cheap to replace when the top gets to shabby.

    One 230 mm quick action vice is all i need. Not interested in tail vices.

    Strategically placed holes all over for stops, jap-bench hook, lamps and drawing straight-edges for accuratly drawing up scale drawings of projects and designs (its my favorite bench add on - you can produce very accurate images of what you are trying to make very quickly)

    45 x 95 kd legs and 35 x 95 kd rails housed into the legs and screwed - no need for tenons. And at least five rails at the top for extra top density.
    Triangular x-bracing on the ends and back.- pines ok.

    6mm ply covering the entire back and sides to the floor. bottom rails up around 200mm of the ground and covered with ply at the front to the floor.

    The internal space will be divided and drawers added with heavy duty full extension runners

    And lastly, but very important two lots of double fluros for very strong light.

    Also i hate tool wells. they are just built in little rubbish bins and totaly unessasary. I have a tool/accessory trolly with clipboard on wheels behind me for "tools in use storage" i do have a pic, ill find it and post it

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