Benches and tools

[sberry]

One of the reasons I pick on some treads is been there and done it. Benches is one. One needs a suitable and good work bench but tossing money at perfection doesn't have much to do with it and it may become so specialized that it is a liability rather than a general hi use tools it should be in small shops. Its not a law kind of thing but you violate certain principles at your own risk.
I mentioned before I am a career welder but not a fab shop. I may fab anything at any time but as likely to wire or plumb, auto, truck and tractor too.
My benches are so scrap some of the welding never even got finished on additions of plates to enlarge the top to the area that finally became comfortable. It didn't start right was too small and too light and still is but falls in to the works well category and not going to save any money to make it any better.
3 holes I needed 20 yrs ago for a vise rarely been used since could be closed. I really wouldn't mind starting right over with a new 1/2 42x 72 and build the grate in with some minor features cut in to the end overhang for bending.

 

[sberry]

Rather than how fancy they are is their location and dual purpose as tool holders. I am going to change the hammer hangers, those never were right and could be tripled in the same space. If a guy has a big bench or often along the wall bench a vise works well on it but one in this walk around friendly size is really a 2 bench scheme. One smaller with vise and attachment so on it allowing for plain clean work space on fab bench.
Bench bolted and welded to the floor. The only real improvement is for my size would have been a vise 1 size bigger possibly but that rotator is perfect.

 

[shanny19]

I for one always appreciate the "experienced" voice of reason you provide to the welding table threads.
The guy who was looking for a way to put 700 holes in his table made me laugh and think of what you might say.......

build the grate in with some minor features cut in to the end overhang for bending.

That's in my future too, the combination swage block/fab table that Tom Lipton built is way overkill for my needs but shows the concept that I'm maybe gonna use:

 

[sberry]

Its easy when you start to think the fab world revolves around cutting square tube but its really rare I design with it unless I have to. After a while it isn't precision miter at every joint but clipping it all up in to very little useless bits. Almost none I toted home from a supply house in 20 ft but most from salvage and any new I would buy today would pretty much have a specific purpose.

 

[ladrones]

Here is what we did for shop benches at work. 1/2 6x6 tube with a 1/2 full sheet on top. You have to move them with a forklift but they can take a beating and hold some weight.


Here is more of a cart out of scrap for my shop. Bowling alley landings for the top. Casters so I can roll it around on my own.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sberry]

I really like a simple solid top with 4 inch overhand and a modified overhang at one end. I really should start over just for the sport of it to build the somewhat ultimate vise grip of tables. The thing in the pic above is art. If one notes in the simple most likely stolen 1/4 top on mine the 1000's of nicks from hundreds and 1000's of jobs. Never fell down from overload or pounding etc. I really have a basic anvil for real beatdowns and 99% of the work becomes simple bench, holder of tools.
The ergonomics are way more than the flatness. 2 men can work together without elbowing it all, this particular set up has been moved and tuned till its about as smooth as any I ever worked around.

 

[sberry]

Here is what we did for shop benches at work. 1/2 6x6 tube with a 1/2 full sheet on top. You have to move them with a forklift but they can take a beating and hold some weight

. I really like that first one, its very close to what I would build for an "ideal"