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I am a hobbiest wood worker and as a result my time in the workshop is limited. So rather than build a workbench I plan to purchase one. Recently I had an opportunity to view a new bench offered by Garrett Wade. It sells for $780 (not including tax and shipping), almost $600 less than the Ulmia. Although the top is not as thick as the Ulima it has many of the same features and is very well made for the price. On the other hand this will most likely be a lifetime investment, therefore I want to spend my money wisely.
Keeping in mind that I build furniture and do general wood working for my home, I would be interested to hear what the do’s and don’t are regarding workbenches.
Replies
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Jay, Altho' I haven't built a bench, the bench that I do have I have taken apart and put back together so many times to improve upon it or redo the finish that I feel it is partly of my own manufacture. I can't stress enough the value of building your own bench (or hand tools) of your own design, becoming so familiar with it that it is just like your left hand. With that said and out of the way, understanding how my wallet feels, the purchase of a bench (or hand tools) isn't such a bad idea. I would choose and shop carefully, spending a huge amount of cash doesn't always mean you'll get what you want and how you want it. In a perfect world I would want to lay my hands on anything that I was going to purchase for that amount of money. I would want to inspect all of the hardware, how well made are the joints and any metal to wood fittings or junctures. Is it a stable bench? How heavy is it and will it be sturdy enough to do what I am asking of it, such as the joining of some long peices of lumber along the length of the bench and will it remain in place when I'm chiseling some rough cuts against the width of it? I wouldn't accept anything warped, stripped or twisted either. I would want the table at a comfortable working heigth too, that heigth will play big in how well you feel after working at it for a half or full day, me I like to be able to rest my hands comfortably on the bench with a slight downward bend in the elbows. A cross bar or foot rest is also key in keeping the back, feet and legs unstressed, or as little fatigue as possible. I know that I haven't covered everything here and I'm sure that someone else will pipe in. So I'll give him/her some room.......
*Thanks BillJay
*Jay, as a hobbiest you have no deadlines to complete work. A bench (I've built several) is the most important piece of furniture you'll ever have. Design and build one which fits you and the work you do.
*That Garrett Wade bench is the best deal I've seen. Wish I had the scratch to buy it. Is this the one with built-in storage bins below? It would be fun to build one, but it's still just a tool. I suppose you could hand make all your tools, but whose got the time? Lets face it, we use power tools we don't make ourselves because in general they work faster and more efficiently than handtools. (Please no flaming from handtool purists on this one, just my opinion) For me, this is a hobby, and I simply don't have the time to develop all the hand skills I'd like to, so I trade money for time to enjoy myself. Go for the prefab workbench or turn making one into your next project. Good luck.
*I have looked at many such a commercial bench and found them all to frail and light duty. The wookbench needs to have some stable mass and features to allow you to work the way YOU WANT TO WORK.As a result, I am building my workbench from IPE lumber for the top and domestic lumber such as walnut and maple for the base unit. It also allows me to install the vises I like to work with.
*Get one heavy and stable and built like a sherman tank (abrams tank??). I could not work on a workbench that wiggles or moves.
*In my opinion, a woodworker should build his own bench. As someone already pointed out, you have no deadlines. (except from SWMBO) I don't think I could look myself in the mirror if I bought a workbench rather than building it. That said, I don't have a workbench yet. I'm moving soon, and that's one less thing to move. I've been making do with a Workmate and my Dad's aluminum workbench. When I move into the new place, my first project will be a nice, sturdy workbench built from pine 2x4's and a plywood top covered with hardboard. (or four-squared 2x4's turned on edge and edge glued. I haven't decided yet.) Since this is my first workbench, I'm just going to make it simple and strong. I'll worry about the craftsmanship side of things when I've built up more skill. This bench will probably cost me less than $250, including the vise.
*Man, build you one. I did and never have regretted it. It is going to give you confidence and credibility with all who see it. It isn't a Newport Secretary anyway. It is just a glorified table, after all. You don't need a high degree of skill. You can make it the height you want and the length and width that will fit your space. (word of advice here: Like a shop, build it as big as you can afford and handle.) Mine is not just the place I do all my hand work. It is the CENTER of the shop for everything that I don't do at a stationary tool.You build it and every time you walk in and flip the light switch it is the first thing you see and you never get tired of looking at it. Some day you are going to be hunched over it with a chisel, parring some razor-thin shaving from a dovetail pin and you are going to say to yourself, "THIS is what it feels like to be a real cabinetmaker" and you will be correct.
*Hi Jay--Well, I am going to go completely against the grain here, and I won't mind being griped about accordingly. I've been in business for myself full-time for 5 years now, and to this day, I don't have a workbench. Furthermore, I plan to be in business for a while and I don't think I'll ever have one.(Gasp! How can that be? Unthinkable!) I can hear the objections already...Let me preface these remarks by saying that I don't want to generalize "one-size-fits-all" advice about this sort of thing, and I do respect the many folks out there who appreciate the value of a good bench-- that it is a tool in and of itself, and needs to be on par with the quality of work you'll want to do, that building your own allows you to address your own working preferences, and that having a really nice one can give you satisfaction sheerly by being an attractive object. I acknowledge that these reasons can really motivate some people, and wouldn't ever try to convince anybody otherwise. Whatever floats your boat, I say.However, I would like to weigh in and say that, hey, it is possible to do really fine work on (gasp!) a couple of heavy duty folding tables that you found on the side of the road. I know that this is absolute blasphemy, and I will probably never get published in Fine Woodworking as a result of this admission, but I've got these awesome tables that I just love. One is about 24" high x 6' long x 42" wide (it makes a lovely assembly bench for casework), and the other is slightly smaller but a lot taller, about 36" high (it is nice for working on parts prior to assembly). Both are extremely strong, and are big enough to allow me to climb on top of to work on something tall if need be. A great attribute of the tables is that I can (and do) fold and unfold them according to need-- sometimes I'm building really big stuff (like a 30' long wall full of built-in cabinetry), and having a fancy bench would not be useful to me. So being able to move things around my shop a lot is really handy. And when I do need to do a lot of intricate, smaller scale work, I get out the taller folding table.As a professional, I am very interested in having tools that keep me working efficiently, and if I felt that a better bench would improve my workflow somehow, I'd get one. I don't cheap out when it comes to tablesaws, blades, etc., but I can't even imagine spending $500-2000 on a bench. Could I possibly get that back in terms of increased profitability or increased personal satisfaction? For some people, there is a very attractive cost-benefit ratio here, it is absolutely worth their while.Maybe I could get a bumper sticker for my shop saying "One less bench".Regards to all,Chris GleasonGleason Tableworkswww.interestingfurniture.com
*Jay,I built my bench and the one before it and the one before it. The bench, I think, is the heart of my shop and I tend to use a lot of hand tools.Even the third evolution of my bench isn't perfect and I've modified it a few times. I wonder if there is such a thing as a perfect bench. I sure can't see a problem with buying a good bench that suits your needs. For years, I planned on making a rolling tool chest to go with my bench. A practical look at available time, the labor and materials in the tool cabinet and the cost of purchasing a machinists style metal tool chest made my choice obvious.My metal tool chest isn't anything to write home about and there are thousands of them out there just like it. It's not as friendly as a wooden one would be and maybe not as custom as I'd like but it works. I'd probably still be putting off building one if that was my intent but now all my tools have their own place. Edge tools stay sharp and aren't banged around. For a couple years my working life has been easier because I bought a metal tool chest. It was a move forward and that's what was needed.Like everything else in wood working a bench is a matter of personal preference. If a purchased bench will work for you and get you from point A to point B, anyone who has a problem with it has too much time on their hands.
*Should I mention the 'Hoary old chestnuts' thread? Do a search and check it out. A bench is a bench, is a bench. Slainte, RJ.
*Unless you have to flatten it! :)Scott
*Chris, I couldn't agree with you more. A bench is a tool and the primary measure of a tool's worth is its productivity. The classic bench was designed to augment the productivity of hand tools. If that's your game, it's the correct bench to have, but it really isn't ideal in the context of modern shop methods. At least not in shops that employ power tools to perform most functions.As for that bit about Fine WoodWorking...Yah, you might want to come up with a topic that's a little less practical.
*Hell, sounds good to me. Which road do you find these by?
*Even though it appears you like to be a rebel :), I don't think you are. You have 2 workbenches that fit your needs. Isn't that what all the others are saying?
*Heh heh, I suppose you caught me red-handed. My 2 benches are perfect for what I do, so I'm guilty as charged. Its just that my needs are evidently pretty different than many other people's: I want to be able to slop some glue around while I assemble stuff and not have to fret about ruining my perfect work surface. What's that they say about casting the first stone?? I suppose it is just fun to get a little uppity once in a while.
*Amazing what some people throw away. I'll keep my eyes peeled and start stacking up the extras for you.
*Whats the trouble? Just plane the masonite down level with the metal edge, and you're all set!
*I believe that the work bench is the most important part of your shop. I don't believe one has to spend a fortune for a good work bench. After working for several years without a bench because of space considerations, I built my bench. The material I used was left over yellow pine from our house construction. The reference article I used may be found on the following web site: http://www.terraclavis.com/bws/beginners.htm.This bench meets all the criteria for a good bench heavy, stable, and flat. Take a look and see what you think.
*One of my favorite work benches I have in my shop[if you can call it that] is an extension table to my bandsaw. I paint,stain,and sand a lot of small items there and do a lot of my asembly at this table. It is a piece of hardboard 3/4" thick about 18" by 36". A piece of 2 by 4 is bolted to the right side of my bandsaw and a hinge is connected to the 2 by amd the hard board and at the right end of the hardboard is another hinge connected to leg supports. The whole table can be folded down and out of the way. I like this table because it is at a good hight for me to work at. I also have a large bench with two vices attached. Do you ever have a need for a vice on your work bench and maby have one attached to one of your tables? I would have a hard time with out a vice on one of my benches. Tammy
*I think you need to work to your priorities, and I think I know how you feel. I normally build the things I can't buy, or build it if I can't buy something I like. A work bench is a tool. If you'd rather be working on something else, then I'd buy the workbench. If you're like some of the other folks here who just can't bear to part with money for a workbench because only their super-duper custom built one will do - then build one.Me, I'm one of those people who have gotten along with a Workmate and two folding tables. Every so often I say, "why if I had a workbench..." and then I forget about it and just finish the project. I'm sure if or when I buy or build one (depending upon my time and priorities), I'll wonder how I ever got along without it - until then, I'll just keep working with my trusty el cheapo setup. I always look at what my time is worth plus materials. Price out the materials to build what you'd like, figure the amount of time it will take, and then see if you'd rather point proudly at your workbench, or point at some other project you finished instead of the workbench.I built my own darkroom sink years ago because it was the only way I could get one that did everything I needed it to do, and still fit in the darkroom. Having the money to buy one, I'd probably still build it, because there aren't any made that are exactly the right size with all of the features. Having a custom-built stainless steel one made is a $10k cost that doesn't do more than the one I've built for $400.However, I don't think you'll find that same kind of cost differential between the materials required for you to build a workbench and one that you'd purchase.
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