So these folks have been emailing me for a few weeks about their workbenches. I get a lot of these types of email and frankly, many of them get ignored as how many reviews ...
To read the rest of this blog entry from The Garage Journal, click here.
- Thread starter Ryan
- Start date
So these folks have been emailing me for a few weeks about their workbenches. I get a lot of these types of email and frankly, many of them get ignored as how many reviews ...
To read the rest of this blog entry from The Garage Journal, click here.
sberry
Banned
I built a couple hundred benches for a factory and used the H with a top angle like a block letter A concept where I made the ends in a jig and added it to a plate flipped up on saw horses, the stiffener steel was angle not tube stitch welded to the plate.
We used tube for the legs cause they fancied that but the rest of it was angle with 2 bottom braces at 18 inches where common sheet could be cut to fit for a shelf.
The benches above are well crafted but I could make it with 8 bolts and every other section clear span on the bottom if it didn't have shelves.
If I was building it in my shop and didn't have to ship it would weld up the connections.
When I did them went to the steel yard and cut several sheets on the shear and gang sawed angle and tube. I shortened one leg for an adjuster and still have a few scraps 20 yrs later.
I knew the guys in the fab shop and had a cut list, they had a bid dept who didn't know squat but I could pay for stuff by the hour. So I gang up 4 or 5 1/4 plates at a time and ram them thru the shear to a pallet, put in my truck, and 10 angles and 10 tubes, I could gut in 45 minutes, some times 2 machines at a time,,, ha. Maybe a ton or so, over 100 cuts and shears.
I could be back home in a couple hours and my helper would make about 3 or so before lunch without too much trouble. A guy could flip them around by hand, almost all the welding was hidden and simple, we dressed the edges with an air sander.
We used tube for the legs cause they fancied that but the rest of it was angle with 2 bottom braces at 18 inches where common sheet could be cut to fit for a shelf.
The benches above are well crafted but I could make it with 8 bolts and every other section clear span on the bottom if it didn't have shelves.
If I was building it in my shop and didn't have to ship it would weld up the connections.
When I did them went to the steel yard and cut several sheets on the shear and gang sawed angle and tube. I shortened one leg for an adjuster and still have a few scraps 20 yrs later.
I knew the guys in the fab shop and had a cut list, they had a bid dept who didn't know squat but I could pay for stuff by the hour. So I gang up 4 or 5 1/4 plates at a time and ram them thru the shear to a pallet, put in my truck, and 10 angles and 10 tubes, I could gut in 45 minutes, some times 2 machines at a time,,, ha. Maybe a ton or so, over 100 cuts and shears.
I could be back home in a couple hours and my helper would make about 3 or so before lunch without too much trouble. A guy could flip them around by hand, almost all the welding was hidden and simple, we dressed the edges with an air sander.
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sberry
Banned
I made the thing modular and the supports were th only thing that changes, we made a lot of them 5 ft long and on those simply went a thickness heavier in material vs changing design. Each unit had about 5 minutes of weld time on them and most of it came off the back of my truck to the jig and welded
stsmytherie
Well-known member
I've purchased some fitness stuff from Rogue. Well made. Reasonably priced IMHO compared to others. Nice folks as far as I've had dealings with them, and seem committed to building a business and jobs in their home town.
They provide all of the racks and equipment for the Crossfit Games regionals and finals.
They provide all of the racks and equipment for the Crossfit Games regionals and finals.
LegacyIndustrial
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I like this type of bench. I have a Gladiator bench (similar construction) that I picked at a garage sale and modified to fit my space. Love it.
marty_p
Well-known member
Those are some nice industrial-looking workbenches, but I would be concerned with two specs: the depth of their top is 36" which would make against-wall placement cumbersome for reaching anything on pegboard or slatwall behind the bench, and the 35" height is really low and would be a back breaker for many folks. Nonetheless, thank you for sharing these workbenches with us, Ryan! 
bsaint
Well-known member
I prefer Little Giant.
manwithtools
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Those are some nice industrial-looking workbenches, but I would be concerned with two specs: the depth of their top is 36" which would make against-wall placement cumbersome for reaching anything on pegboard or slatwall behind the bench, and the 35" height is really low and would be a back breaker for many folks. Nonetheless, thank you for sharing these workbenches with us, Ryan!
FYI, they have another model line they call "Stand up workbenches" that are 42" high. I agree with your point that 35" high is too short to comfortably work standing up, I'm not so sure that 42" might be a tad too high for me. But then I'm only 5' 7" tall, taller folks might be just fine with that height.
tcush
Member
Makes them modular/expandable/reconfigurable. I'm sure it's to the same standards as everything else they make, which means you could set a car on that bench and the bolted connections would hold.
nwdustin
Well-known member
Exactly. Just like their crossfit stuff. Buy the "base" piece of the equipment and then everything else you buy in the future can connect to it easily. Will have to keep an eye on this line of their stuff since I'm a fan of their fitness stuff!
My Old Tools
Well-known member
I have built two of the Steevo benches, 96" long Ikea butcher block top, two 44" HF boxes in each one. They come in at less than $1035 each. So no, that isn't a good price for a simple work table in my book.
Steel for two benches with material left over -- $200
(12) inserts and feet -- $144
(2) Ikea 96" tops -- $330
(4) 44" HF boxes -- $1396
Bigblue&Goldie
Well-known member
Nice benches, but the price is over the top for what they are.
CSRPenFab
Well-known member
$209 for the 6' Seville at Sam's Club and worth every penny. Nice hard maple top. Mine has held up very well for the past 6 years:
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/ultra-heavy-duty-workbench/prod1490086.ip?navAction=
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/ultra-heavy-duty-workbench/prod1490086.ip?navAction=
A**holes Garage
Banned
My nephew bought a couple of those. Very stout benches for the money!
icsamerica
Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2013
- Messages
- 16
Work benches seem fine, the story is BS...you aint making it to the front page of GJ for a week with out some money changing hands.
Don't insult us with a contrived story.
Don't insult us with a contrived story.
Dragfluid
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Those are some nice industrial-looking workbenches, but I would be concerned with two specs: the depth of their top is 36" which would make against-wall placement cumbersome for reaching anything on pegboard or slatwall behind the bench, and the 35" height is really low and would be a back breaker for many folks. Nonetheless, thank you for sharing these workbenches with us, Ryan!
Huh?
Who, Herman Munster?
35-36" is the standard height of any professional workbench. I'm 6'2", and it's perfectly comfortable. Go measure your kitchen counter. That's going to be 35-36" as well.
That said, the OP's benches are overpriced, in my opinion.
Russ G
Active member
It does seem pricey for guys on here that would likely have the equipment and skills to build it themselves.
milkovich
Well-known member
I've been using these and 2x8s for a work bench you can put an engine on for less than $150.
OP
Hey man... I don't take bribes for content. I've closed your account for you.
kellycurry
New member
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2016
- Messages
- 1
Hi Ryan - first time poster here, and a woman to boot (egads!). Did icsamerica really get banned for his comment?
Trey T
Well-known member
Ryan: it's okay to take money for content if it's justifiable and I didn't see any harm in that one person's comment. If you removed his account, you're overreacting.
Anyways, back to topic: it's a study bench and the ability to lengthen the table is very useful
Anyways, back to topic: it's a study bench and the ability to lengthen the table is very useful
Re: The workbench topic. I have a welder, two actually, both inexpensive, however, it's not necessary to weld a bench together. someone could get angle iron of their choice, cut pieces to size, drill appropriate holes, use hard steel bolts and bolt the sucker together. A tape measure, a framing square, and a level are all that is necessary for final assembly. My custom is to try to scrounge material when possible.
Top: I have the woodworking equipment to make a butcher block top and have done so.
At a minimum a table saw and a wood planer is needed if starting with rough lumber. If using purchased or scrounged dressed lumber only the table saw is needed. If good straight dressed lumber is found only a cut off saw is needed and a handsaw and framing square could be used instead of the cut off saw.
Nominal 2 inch lumber is needed for a top. AFIK building supply places have only softwoods like pine available. A trick is to buy large long pieces since to make, say, a 2 x 12 board 10 feet long a large tree is needed and that size tree will be old enough to have some dense, knot free lumber, at least that should be found fairly easily.
Another possibility is to skip all the searching and get a solid door, maybe from a Habitat for Humanity store or one of that type. That will give a nice flat surface.
KEH
Top: I have the woodworking equipment to make a butcher block top and have done so.
At a minimum a table saw and a wood planer is needed if starting with rough lumber. If using purchased or scrounged dressed lumber only the table saw is needed. If good straight dressed lumber is found only a cut off saw is needed and a handsaw and framing square could be used instead of the cut off saw.
Nominal 2 inch lumber is needed for a top. AFIK building supply places have only softwoods like pine available. A trick is to buy large long pieces since to make, say, a 2 x 12 board 10 feet long a large tree is needed and that size tree will be old enough to have some dense, knot free lumber, at least that should be found fairly easily.
Another possibility is to skip all the searching and get a solid door, maybe from a Habitat for Humanity store or one of that type. That will give a nice flat surface.
KEH
hemifalcon
Well-known member
Wow--this whole thread has been a catastrophe. I think overall the opinion is that this bench is way overpriced. Afterall-it's only a workbench. Meant to hold stuff, get hammered on, get dirty. Price is way high. Glad to see stuff made in the USA--but the prices are out of hand for such things which is why the items from the big-box stores become a good value in most people's eyes. Besides--the table legs aren't adjustable when such a design inclusion would be extremely simple with intended "modular" design. The feet have no adjustments for fine tuning the level of the benches either. All in all--not a great design for a simple item-and price is absolutely too high.
richard hybels
Member
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2008
- Messages
- 10
$600-700 for that? Please. YouTube is loaded with ways to make benches with 2x4's and plywood tops for dirt cheap.
avayan
Active member
I am going to have to put my vote with the "Too Pricey". They surely look good, but it seems like I would be paying for a bunch of holes! Holes is one of the commodities I actually hate paying for ;-)
I can also go to the metal store and pick up enough material to make this bench for way less than $100, I think. Yes, I do have to cut it and assemble it, but some of us have a workshop precisely for that reason!
But of course, if your garage/workshop goal is to do something else, then it may be OK to pay the ~$700 and not have to worry about those steps.
I can also go to the metal store and pick up enough material to make this bench for way less than $100, I think. Yes, I do have to cut it and assemble it, but some of us have a workshop precisely for that reason!
But of course, if your garage/workshop goal is to do something else, then it may be OK to pay the ~$700 and not have to worry about those steps.
AMCguy
Well-known member
Fortunately for many of us here, we can build our own work bench. But there are others here and elsewhere that simply can't or aren't set up to, or have just moved in, you name it.
I think this product is right up the alley of someone who has the money and wants a solid product that's instant, and has factory built style.
I think this product is right up the alley of someone who has the money and wants a solid product that's instant, and has factory built style.
I would not pay $700.00 for one of those benches for my home shop. In my professional life I bought many workbenches for a lot more than that because a manufacturing area had to be set up ASAP. We could have built them in our shop but it would be a waste of talent building something that you can buy off the shelf. In the real world it's not smart to build something you can buy.
sberry
Banned
They are not well designed as shop bench, they would have been ok if it had 2 cross braces to incorporate a shelf. That part shows lack of experience to get function right, they wrnt for form first and adead a bunch of adjustments that added a lot of cost don't do anything.
Pretty at first look but amateur design for shop.
Pretty at first look but amateur design for shop.
A good workbench is the most used tool in a shop. I have to ability to weld up my own so that's what I do and a steel top [ 1/4 inch plate ] is a must for me. Having said that those benches may be worth the asking price. I wouldn't even consider making one that size for that price and if I did you'd need a fork lift to move it.
PECVD2
Well-known member
I have a Rogue Concept II rower. made in USA and damn good quality as mentioned above. I could have bought a Wally World Chicom unit for half the Franklins but couldn't see it lasting long plus resale value of Rogue items is incredible if for some reason you needed out.
They could use some modifications on this bench as mentioned above (leveling feet, double lower braces or mid outriggers to accommodate a lower shelf better) and I bet Rogue is watching and "listening" here as they seem to be able to quickly adjust to market segment needs.
sberry
Banned
It got so carried away with modular bolt together features that it missed good design and was done by someone who never really had the floor time to get a feel for what makes it work well.
Someone gave me an old Rubbermaid maids cart, a janitorial kind of thing. I was converting it to a battery equipment tender and the height of the center shelf was off. It reall6y wasn't o0bvious at first glance but I wasn't the onlist one had this idear,,, there was 1 adjustment on the whole deal.
Ity wasn't super easy, had to be done during assembly or reassembly but it was there. As simple as it seemed they really refined it down to the inch over some real repetition and time study to the point it was as good as it was going to get and as simple as humanly possible.
They actually charged for it, someone copied the thing for sure eventually,,, then they all started adding features and ruined the perfect form.
In hindsight there may have been 2 adjustments, there were a couple ways to configure the handle.
Someone gave me an old Rubbermaid maids cart, a janitorial kind of thing. I was converting it to a battery equipment tender and the height of the center shelf was off. It reall6y wasn't o0bvious at first glance but I wasn't the onlist one had this idear,,, there was 1 adjustment on the whole deal.
Ity wasn't super easy, had to be done during assembly or reassembly but it was there. As simple as it seemed they really refined it down to the inch over some real repetition and time study to the point it was as good as it was going to get and as simple as humanly possible.
They actually charged for it, someone copied the thing for sure eventually,,, then they all started adding features and ruined the perfect form.
In hindsight there may have been 2 adjustments, there were a couple ways to configure the handle.
Not only mods but actually strip some in a sense.
Attachments
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sberry
Banned
I've been using these and 2x8s for a work bench you can put an engine on for less than $150.
I like that, the shelf could be a plank. If I was horsing heavy loads on a regular basis may add a minor brace to it and would be tempted to screw the plank to the cross braces. But minor and affordable at any rate.
I looked at the rouge again. its ok and the shelf could be planked. Its certainly well bolted. I do like the fact they seem to realize the top was strong enough without a gob of framing.
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MoparTrucks
Well-known member
Way to rich for my humble shop but I can imagine that would be a nice bench for a higher end business or for someone wanting a very clean modern industrial looking garage.
I have Snap-On tastes with a Harbor freight budget....my lot in life!
I have Snap-On tastes with a Harbor freight budget....my lot in life!