Thread: Mediocrity is my Middle Name

This is how I started WW. I made this workbench from whatever timber I could find on street. I didn’t have much tools and I didn’t want to spend too much at the time. It costed me almost nothing except the vice. Well, you have to start from somewhere. I don’t have a big workshop at the moment so I have to put up with it for another few months. Can’t wait!!

The coffee table was my mother-in-law’s 60th birthday present. The poster frame was a present for my wife on mother’s day and the chair is for my daughter. They are very practical and costed nothing.

SilentC, I like your workbench mate!

Sounds like you will get on like a house on fire with my kids.

- Wood Borer

(sorry it's Friday)

Here is a link to my contribution to this thread on a mediocre work bench.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ight=workbench

And this is my workbench. It was rebuilt from my original bench about 30 years ago and is now in need of a renovation.

As you can see the surface is an original with a lovely patina including paint and oil stains, scratches, cuts and holes.

After I finish building my woodstore it will be the next major improvement. As the shelving is good I will only be replacing the top.


Peter.

Here's mine too.

I have made some minor changes to it since but it is pretty close. I made it about 15 years out of radiata with a hardwood top from an old desk.

- Wood Borer

Nah! not game to take a pic of my workbench, can't see it anyway, it's all covered with shavings. The floors clean though.

Peter

Just to back you guys up, Here is the primary work bench, top made from finely crafted and finished "jandovik" carefully sized legs from "pardoo". Shelves underneath from formply (we shall now call this "hand selected transitionally layered jandovich mix") 10 yrs old lived in 3 workshops and handles any abuse I can dream up.

Here is what we like to call the "ancillary" workbench (interpret as ex sewing table). believe or not in the pile of timber behind is my old "flogging" bench disassembled, top solid piece of ironbark 24"x4"x4' yes you read it right and 2 legs from 28"x4" its shelves are 4@12x2", once up it DOES NOT move ever. All it takes to assemble is 4 very large coach bolts and 10-15 of your closest mates (or small mobile crane)to lift and position the 3 main pieces.

Originally Posted by E. maculata

Just to back you guys up, Here is the primary work bench, top made from finely crafted and finished "jandovik" carefully sized legs from "pardoo". Shelves underneath from formply (we shall now call this "hand selected transitionally layered jandovich mix") 10 yrs old lived in 3 workshops and handles any abuse I can dream up.

I actually like the plethora of wood working tools that abound in the area.

5 Hammers of varying sizes for fine panel work.
3 long handled colour coded planes leaning against the bench.
2 regular planes correctly on their sides, and the can of "if the hammers don't shift it" WD 40 in the background.

Thanks ,
you should see it before the cleaning lady comes in, it's a real mess
As for the hammers WD etc......... well I do work with "steel butt" box, iron bark and some of the old guys call some of the spottys "irongum".

Bruce
I love it, but wd40 is way too subtle for a buggerupper like me, I like your collection of gentle persuaders, those long handled planes aren't too bad at persuasion when applied backwards.

I reckon they'd coax me when used frontwards too.

Well here is my bench! made about 25 years agoo originally out of reclaimed oregon and a "lump" of "hardwood" well seasoned and then planed. Since then it has traveeled around the world (twice to Europe and back and once to the US). making it probably the best travelled bench in this thread. The "floating top" is a hard maple laminated top that is eventually to become part of the "new bench", but in the meantime it is wonderful to have the flexibility of a "variable overhang" bench top, doesnt move when it shoudn't but can be slid on command. The second picture shows my "end-vice equivalent", a pair of wonderful clamps that have been very useful over time.
Jacko

This is not so much a bench as a platform within my tool storage area.

I use a venerable old (31 years old) B&D Workmate as a bench and I've got a demountable work table that's made from an old door and two cheap Workmate copies.

When I can free up some space in the garage, I'll dedicate part of it to woodwork and then I'll build a proper bench.