Some time ago I posted a question regarding buying/building a workbench. I have never built or even used a decent bench before so part of my dilema was spending money (a small fortune really) when I wasn’t quite sure what exactly what I wanted.
Sooo…I put off the project until I could find time/money/design i really liked. You all also convinced me to build my own bench. Well a few months ago I stumbled upon some HUGE floor joists taken from a local remodel. The trees for these joists were cut and milled locally in 1904. (so I’m thinkin’ it’s probably pretty stable)
So it took me a little over a month, but I just finished my first bench. Not counting the vices (birthday gift from the wife!), Veritas Dogs, and the Holdfasts, I have about $50 into this thing!
The base is out of HD stud grade 4x4s and 4x6s with a shelf from some pine reclaimed from a local lake…also cut and milled over 100 years ago.
I made this thing big and simple. I intend to build another narrower, more traditional one in a few years when I can spring for the Maple, but this will do for now.
I also found, at the local antique stor two blocks from the house, an old Sargent #7 plane. Cleaned it up and surfaced the bench top with it. worked quite well.
The bench is 86″ x 38″ with a 3″ top and 5″ side collars and 6″ end collars. I wound up having to glue additional material to the bottoms of the end collars for the vice jaws, which doesn’t look grat, but functions just fine. I got a regular and large front vice from Lee-Valley Tools (quick release of course) and attached jaws of 24″ and 16″ respectively. The large jaw has three rows of holes and the regular one has two. It’s not real pretty, but it is dead-
flat and can hold about anything.&
#160; I am figuring around 350lbs total weight. I uploaded some photos…first time, so hope it works.
So to those of you who shamed me into building instead of buying: Thanks!
MTS
Replies
Nice job! I made a bench from reclaimed lumber too. It was a last.
Are you left handed?
Bill
M,
I felt a pang of guilt but don't remember if was shaming ye a while back, but likely. Great project building your own bench eh? I learned a ton and now have some maple that's just about ready. Only problem I'll need a bigger woodshop.
I'll have to take a look tomorrow as I'm on dial-up now and it'll be sunup afore I could see em. :-)
I think you made a wise decision not to skimp on the vises. I like their vises too, especially the twin screw.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Edited 10/27/2009 9:24 pm ET by KiddervilleAcres
Very nice, I made mine out of reclaimed lumber also, my lumber was from the roof rafters of my 1930s vintage house that I saved when we added a second floor addition. The rafters were full dimension doug fir 2x4s and it seemed like they weighed the same as a new 2x8. Anyway very heavy and dry. I have since added drawers so now it must weigh 3 or 4 hundred pounds. It's nice to have a flat surface that does not move around to clamp your work to when planning.
Troy
Hey, Montet, good job on the bench! Congratulations on completing it.
When you take a hammer and whack a piece of scrap board that's laying on the bench, doesn't that rock-solid rebound from a thick top feel great?
--jonnieboy
That's a nice, solid-looking bench. How tall are you? I'm 5'-10" or something like that and found my 36" bench about as wide as I'd like. Make sure you keep that lower shelf clear of clutter! (Yeah, right!)
and www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Thanks for the feedback. To answer a few questions: Yes, I am left handed. The bench is 34", same as my tablesaw, so it will support material being fed into the saw.
I will probably, at some time, add a tail vice to the corner opposite the face vice. I have the room due to the width, but I didn't have the time to put it in now.
I was working on a wine cabinet for a Christmas gift when I threw up my hands and went after the bench. I have a bench out of 2x4s and two 3/4 sheets of ply that is 4'x8' that I have been working on. Good bench, but not flat. It is for assembling things now. So I was in a bit of a rush to get the bench done and working well so I can get this other project done...then back to perfecting the bench.
I plan on a cabinet for the handtools I use that I want close by. They were in a huge drawer under my last bench and am now finding myself grabbing for a drawer pull that isn't there and having to walk to find my marking tools, chissels, etc...
Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated. I have already poured over the three books: The Workbench Book, Workbenches, and the other one by Chris Schwartz...great bathroom reading!
Take care!
Montet202,Great bench, nice and solid looking. Glad to see the dog holes near the edge, I didn't and often need them for planing a bevel on the back side of panels.I did build a drawer with top mount hardware (no frame, just hangs)that measures about 12x16x5"...its terrific for the measuring devices, candles, crackers, etc. It can be a pain when it comes to clamping something so be careful on placement but all in all it's extremely handy. Also I built a large(5'x28") cabinet with double 4" deep box doors on the front. The cabinet holds the power tools in cubbies(drills, sanders, etc. along with C-clamps and glues and the doors accomodate double tiered rows of chisels, etc. Honest, it functions extremely well and allows for cleanup in about 2 minutes.Again, your bench looks terrific, good luck
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