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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Age
    82
    Posts
    135

    Default Another bl***y workbench

    I am in the process of putting the final refinements to a workbench I have just made. It is the first time I have tried something on this scale, and I am pretty happy with the result.
    The project started when I found a discarded tabletop on an industrial site. It was made from strips of finger-jointed hardwood It measured a little more than 1500mm square, with a thickness of around 46mm.
    It was slightly distorted by being in the weather, and had a few small splits at one end. My first action was to cut it along the centreline, and also to remove about 25mm from the split end. I then placed the two pieces back to back, with a strip of hardwood in between, and used large clamps to pull the slabs into line as much as possible. I then screwed the two pieces together with large bugle screws (plenty of them). Next, I flattened the top using a Stanley No. 7 plane with one of Thumbsucker's magnificent blades. This entailed taking off a hump in the centre which was about 3mm high at its highest point.
    I edged the whole top with Merbeau, fitted a couple of Dawn vices, and then made a hardwood base to sit it on. Finally I installed a set of wheels, as I am limited to using my garage as a workshop, and the bench needs to be wheeled back and forth each day. I tried first with a set of cheap Chinese wheels, very heavy duty, but absolute 'carp' as far as keeping the bench still when locked. I admitted my error, and bought a set of Fallshaw wheels. These lock absolutely solid, and hold the bench very steady. The fact that it weighs in excess of 120 kg probably helps also.
    Final dimensions are 1500 x 700 x 88mm thick.
    The internal space will eventually have either a set of drawers, or two doors, depending how much time I can find. I am considering a couple of small shelves at either end under the overhang, but nothing finalised yet.
    I apologise for not following precedent by making pictures at each stage of the build. I simply became too much immersed in the work to allow myself to be distracted by my camera, but have attached a few shots I took today.
    If anyone sees any major mistakes in my construction, break the news to me gently. If you have ideas that I can add at the finishing stages, I would be pleased to hear them.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Dundowran Beach
    Age
    76
    Posts
    19,922

    Thumbs up

    Great bench, made even greater by the fact that youare now an official member of the Recyclers' Union!!

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Armadale Perth WA
    Age
    54
    Posts
    4,524

    Default

    It looks very well ...

    I'll fire a few qns off:

    - what type of work are you thinking of it for?
    - does the weight of the stationary bench sit on the legs? or wheels? or is it shared?
    - do you think the inside end of the angle-iron bolts might need a plate support rather than just the washers? (I'm imagining repeated or heavy hammering)

    Thanks for sharing the photos!

    Paul McGee

  5. #4
    cookie48 is offline Old Fart (my step daughters named me)
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Mallala S.A.
    Age
    75
    Posts
    1,455

    Default

    Looks very well done.
    1 question/thought tho.
    Do you not think that your castor brakets do not need to be reinforced by adding a brace on top of them onto the leg?
    Just a thought about constant work/pressure on the castors flexing your brakets.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Age
    82
    Posts
    135

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by pmcgee View Post
    It looks very well ...

    I'll fire a few qns off:

    - what type of work are you thinking of it for?
    - does the weight of the stationary bench sit on the legs? or wheels? or is it shared?
    - do you think the inside end of the angle-iron bolts might need a plate support rather than just the washers? (I'm imagining repeated or heavy hammering)

    Thanks for sharing the photos!

    Paul McGee

    Thank you for your comments. I will be doing any and all types of work on the bench. The weight at the moment sits all on the wheels, which are rated 300kg each. I set it up this way, as it must be moved away from its corner before I can use it. If I ever achieve a permanent workshop, the wheels will be removed, (and the bench become 10mm lower). Your point about the inner end of the bolts is valid, and I will keep a close eye upon this area, especially if I get to use a steam hammer sometime. Nevertheless, the bench top alone is around 100kg, so the inertia within that will probably absorb any blows I rain upon it.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Age
    82
    Posts
    135

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by cookie48 View Post
    Looks very well done.
    1 question/thought tho.
    Do you not think that your castor brakets do not need to be reinforced by adding a brace on top of them onto the leg?
    Just a thought about constant work/pressure on the castors flexing your brakets.

    Thanks for the compliment. The brackets have my full confidence, because of the way I made them. They were formed from a length of BHP steel 'U' channel. One flange was cut off, and then the 'L' shaped remainder cut into 105mm slices to form the brackets. The vertical flange is 12mm thick, and the horizontal one is 7mm. Between the two is a substantial radius. I cannot imagine there will be any flexing unless it starts raining locomotives, and even then I think it will need a direct hit by a very large one to do any damage. The weak point, if any, is the inner end of the support bolts, as pointed out in the preceding post. Yet I am pretty confident that even these will be up to the job.
    BTW, 'constant work/pressure' is an expression not found in my vocabulary.

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