Thread: Custom Woodworking Bench with HNT Gordon and Benchcrafted Vises

Open to offers guys, need to move this thing before March!

You need to provide more details: length, height, depth, how thick the top is, and leg vice dimensions at a bare minimum.

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

You need to provide more details: length, height, depth, how thick the top is, and leg vice dimensions at a bare minimum.

Of course, my apologies.

Length = 130cm
Height = 95cm
Depth = 70cm
Top Thickness = 12cm

Leg vise = 93cm x 12cm x 4.5cm

Only things to mention in terms of anomalies.

1. The leg vise is a little bit wobbly, still holds very tight so its never bothered me to try to fix it. Just when adjusting the vise its not as smooth as it could be.

2. The two sections on the top are not perfectly flush. The gap in the middle of the top is 4.5cm at one end, and 5cm at the other end.

I have no skin in this and I am trying to be objective as I can.

Originally Posted by sentionaut

The two sections on the top are not perfectly flush. The gap in the middle of the top is 4.5cm at one end, and 5cm at the other end

A 5mm deviance is no minor discrepancy over 130cm. Either the two tops are not parallel to each other or the base itself is out of square.

- I know you probably built it to suit a small space, however at 130cm it's short, most benches are 180cm to 220cm in length, sometimes as much as 300cm.- The height would suits someone between 5'.5" to maybe 5'.8" feet tall (Average height males are above 5'.8"). My bench is 100cm and I am 6'.1" and I feel it too short for my arthritic spine. I plan to build. new bench closer to 105cm in the future. Your bench is very close to a chair makers bench in terms of dimensions.

It would be great to recoup 100% of the money invested, but realistically getting 50% back might be a better starting point possible around $1375, considering its length, height and timber choice.

If the bench was say 200cm plus long, made from Rock Maple or Beech, then maybe you could ask $2000.

You might consider stripping out the expensive hardware, selling the bench as is and then hold on to or sell the fancy vice hardware separately.

Sorry for my pessimistic assessment.

P.s. you also might tell us, how the bench members are joined, dominos, mortise & tenons, metal fasteners, can it be dismantled for shipping or is it one single mass.

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

I have no skin in this and I am trying to be objective as I can.A 5mm deviance is no minor discrepancy over 130cm. Either the two tops are not parallel to each other or the base itself is out of square.

Sure, its noticeable and not ideal. I had the bench custom made for me and noticed that after delivery unfortunately. For the type of work I did it didnt make much difference so I powered on....

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

I know you probably built it to suit a small space, however at 130cm it's short, most benches are 180cm to 220cm in length, sometimes as much as 300cm.- The height would suits someone between 5'.5" to maybe 5'.8" feet tall (Average height males are above 5'.8"). My bench is 100cm and I am 6'.1" and I feel it too short for my arthritic spine. I plan to build. new bench closer to 105cm in the future. Your bench is very close to a chair makers bench in terms of dimensions.

You're right, it was built to suit a small space specific to my needs. I'm 5'11" and the height suits me well. I picked the height from the likes of the Sjobergs Bench at 90cm and the Benchcrafted at 86cm, which seems to be the standard height for roubo style benches. And then considered Peter Sellers preferred height of 96.5cm and wanting one higher than usual settled on 95cm.

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

It would be great to recoup 100% of the money invested, but realistically getting 50% back might be a better starting point possible around $1375, considering its length, height and timber choice.If the bench was say 200cm plus long, made from Rock Maple or Beech, then maybe you could ask $2000.

You could be right, I may have paid too much for what it is. I make guitars so am not a traditional woodworker.

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

Sorry for my pessimistic assessment.

Not at all! I appreciated the frankness.

Originally Posted by sentionaut

Open to offers guys, need to move this thing before March!

This was posted early on. It's pretty unambiguous isn't it?

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

The height would suits someone between 5'.5" to maybe 5'.8" feet tall (Average height males are above 5'.8"). My bench is 100cm and I am 6'.1" and I feel it too short for my arthritic spine. I plan to build. new bench closer to 105cm in the future. Your bench is very close to a chair makers bench in terms of dimensions.

Not wishing to hijack a for sale thread into a discussion about workbench height any more than it already has - in fairness to the seller - I am 184cm tall and my 92cm workbench suits me and my bad back perfectly. I made it quite a lot higher than the plan called for, and being a Klausz design the original dimensions were designed around a woodworker of similar height to myself. Workbench height is a very personal thing and depends on the type of work being done on it. My metalwork bench is much higher than my woodwork bench as I do different things there. I also raise the work above my woodwork bench with a moxon vise for various tasks but for planing I am glad it is not higher. It is comforatble for me to stand at or to sit at on my perch stool.

Originally Posted by doug3030

Not wishing to hijack a for sale thread into a discussion about workbench height any more than it already has - in fairness to the seller - I am 184cm tall and my 92cm workbench suits me and my bad back perfectly. I made it quite a lot higher than the plan called for, and being a Klausz design the original dimensions were designed around a woodworker of similar height to myself. Workbench height is a very personal thing and depends on the type of work being done on it. My metalwork bench is much higher than my woodwork bench as I do different things there. I also raise the work above my woodwork bench with a moxon vise for various tasks but for planing I am glad it is not higher. It is comforatble for me to stand at or to sit at on my perch stool.

Appreciate the input!

I guess it all comes down to personal preference, but at 5'11" the 95cm bench suits me perfectly.

If you are making guitars then the length makes more sense. Yes height is a preference. Chris Schwarz is like 6.4 and he likes low low benches.

Are you giving up the craft or are you moving overseas? If not I would try to hold on to it. Having a solid bench is worth keeping and having.

Even if moving them can be a pain. I had to move my workshop before Xmas and it was a pain in the bumb but I am glad I did not sell my key machines and my bench.

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

Having a solid bench is worth keeping and having. Even if moving them can be a pain. I had to move my workshop before Xmas and it was a pain in the bumb but I am glad I did not sell my key machines and my bench.

I moved mid-last year after 5 years in the same shed and bogged down by clutter for most of that time.

I moved to a place with less physical shed space but more usable shed space and have not looked back. I took everything with me. Who would have thought I had 5 cubic meters of timber stashed away?

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You are always going to lose money on a selling a second hand bespoke item [apart from commissioning Karl Faberge]. But it can still be excellent value for money if you factor in how much enjoyment you got out of it whilst you had it. If Sentionaut got $1,500 worth of pleasure from it then even if he only gets thumbsuckers price guide he is still in front.

However I think thumbsucker is correct you may maximize the price by parting it out.

If you do decide to part it out, I'd be interested in the HNT Gordon Tail Vise if it's the 150mm version.

Also, does the BC leg vise use the Criss Cross mechanism ?