Thread: Show off your workbench

Started about this time last year and not finished yet.

The top is 1900x600x70 and made from old, rusty nail infested, hard as buggery, tear out prone, bowed, out of square demolition yard timber.

I cleaned and dimensioned all the timber by first removing as many nails as I could find then using a Scrub Plane (to find the nails I missed ) then HNT Gordon Jack and HNT Gordon Try Plane. It's all very easy really.

The top has 5 bolts going through it width ways and these were used to clamp each piece as it was glued on (about one a day) and are still there because I didn't see much point in taking them out.

The other tools I used were a Bandsaw, Drill Press, a couple of Handsaws, Circular Saw and a few other hand tools.

Pics:
1. Off cuts
2. Bench
3. Raw materials

That's very nice Dan, especially considering the timber you started with. I've come up with a design for my bench, which I think is finished (although I tinker with it every couple of weeks), and it is pretty similar to yours but I want some drawers under it as well. This thread is great for someone about to build a bench. I have to say though, that I'm going to build a small bench first, so that I have somewhere to build the big one.

If you need inspiration (apart from this thread) have a look at what Stephen Andrews has done. I used his method to build my top.

G'day Dan,

Your link doesn't work.

I was going to reply pretty much the same as Poppa's first sentence, but clients distracted me, then I got distracted with something in the shed.

Hi BobL

Like the bench, Did you use a back on your sliding draws/cupboards does it need it? if you were to put shelves there do you think a back is required?

I was going to do sliding draws similar to yours with a cut out for both side access ... but you uses only half as much timber for the side/centre with a great result.

Thanks for the pix

Andy

This may be a little off the topic, but are there any reason why the vices are mostly towards the left hand side of the bench, to me it seams a little awkward if right-handed. I am about to make a bench so I am getting a few good ideas from this thread.
Zelk

G'day Zelk,

Being right-handed, I like a vise on the right side of my bench so you can get right up and close as you work on whatever by coming in from a bit behind the whatever.

Originally Posted by zelk

This may be a little off the topic, but are there any reason why the vices are mostly towards the left hand side of the bench, to me it seems a little awkward if right-handed.

I put a vice on either side of the bench and find that I use both about equally. The best of both worlds.


Peter.

Originally Posted by Sturdee

I put a vice on either side of the bench and find that I use both about equally. The best of both worlds.


Peter.

Good idea Peter, or even have them both on the same side, one on the left and the other right hand side of the bench, to support long pieces of timber. As I am considering a mobile bench, one side would have no vices.
Zelk

Nice work there Dan, you have a real silk purse there.

With the vise on the left, the left hand catches the offcut when sawing, and the right hand has heaps of benchspace for handtools. I like the idea of having 2 vices. Esp. the LV twinscrew at the RH end.

Originally Posted by TassieKiwi

Nice work there Dan, you have a real silk purse there.

With the vise on the left, the left hand catches the offcut when sawing, and the right hand has heaps of benchspace for handtools. I like the idea of having 2 vices. Esp. the LV twinscrew at the RH end.

I like the idea of 2 vices, but OTOH, when you want to put something long in one vice, the other vice can get in the way. I'd be interested to know how often this happens.

My first bench had a vice on the right, then I read about how a right hander should have a vice on the left. So, that's what I did on this latest bench, but so far I would still prefer it on the right.

Originally Posted by zelk

Good idea Peter, or even have them both on the same side, one on the left and the other right hand side of the bench, to support long pieces of timber. As I am considering a mobile bench, one side would have no vices.
Zelk

Sorry I wasn't clear enough. My bench is fixed against the wall so the vices are both on the front on either side.

In addition I have a raisable bench stop on one side and a small 5" vice on the other end side. However I seldom use them as they are more for darksiders.


Peter.

Originally Posted by BobL

I like the idea of 2 vices, but OTOH, when you want to put something long in one vice, the other vice can get in the way. I'd be interested to know how often this happens.

If the piece is long enough for the other vice to get in the way, you would clamp it with both vices. In my case as the bench is over 3m long it doesn't happen very often.


Peter.