Who's got the oldest workbench?

[dittle fart around]

View media item 11151Built my first workbench when I was 19 out of some scraps and a sheet of 1 - 1/4 inch plywood. Who's still using their grandpa's workbench. I know someone out there is sitting at a hundred year old bench reading this. Post your antique work bench here.

 

[back2class]

Well, I left it behind..but an old 1901 house my mother had as as rental had a banch with big old Prentiss bulldog that I am sure was about 100 years old. I left the bench (forgot to take the wood vise) but did take the Prentiss and still have that.

 

[rickairmedic]

Well I dont know if they are the oldest but I like them .

Mid 50's Geneva metal kitchen cabinets which best of all I got for free off of craigslist .I guess that would make mine roughly 50 years old .

Rick

 

[denis4x4]

I picked up the larger Amish work bench several years ago and use it to display a collection of wooden measuring devices. Doubles as a side board in the dining room. The smaller bench is being modified as a bathroom vanity counter with a vessel sink. Lunch box holds extra TP and the suitcases has additional towels. P-trap will be satin stainless. Both of these benches are over 100 years old.

 

[dittle fart around]

I picked up the larger Amish work bench several years ago and use it to display a collection of wooden measuring devices. Doubles as a side board in the dining room. The smaller bench is being modified as a bathroom vanity counter with a vessel sink. Lunch box holds extra TP and the suitcases has additional towels. P-trap will be satin stainless. Both of these benches are over 100 years old.

Wood working benches are very cool looking. It's like getting your first welder, the first thing you do is make a rolling cart for it. Go through your apprenticeship as a wood worker in the 1880's and make a workbench as your first project.

 

[John in OH]

While this is not my workbench, it is an oldie!! My son-in-law is from Sweden and three years ago we went to Sweden to visit his family. They live on a farm that has been in their family since the 1200's! In one of the old outbuildings there is a wood shop where my son-in-law's father has gathered a lot of the old tools from around the different farm buildings. This bench is certainly not from medieval times, but it is at least over 100 years old and pretty cool.



This bench has obviously seen a lot of use. Wouldn't it be neat if this old bench could talk and give a description of all the items built and repaired on it over the many year? Practical items for the house and farm, emergency repairs to keep the daily farm work going, toys and gifts lovingly made for children ... the list could go on and on!

 

[Zeke]

I live in a house built in 1930. I bought it from the son of the lady that built it. He grew up here. I'm actually the 2nd owner. The lady married a cop who liked to dabble in woodwork. His bench is my bench. Not much to show, but I won't tear it out for something better.

The top is 2" x 6" lumber. Not 2 x 6's.

 

[jerseywild]

I picked up the larger Amish work bench several years ago and use it to display a collection of wooden measuring devices. Doubles as a side board in the dining room. The smaller bench is being modified as a bathroom vanity counter with a vessel sink. Lunch box holds extra TP and the suitcases has additional towels. P-trap will be satin stainless. Both of these benches are over 100 years old.

Makes working on your projects in the house a breeze.

 

[mormit]

Not the oldest but my dad has a workbench my great grandfather built sometime around 1920. Not much to look at - my grandpa painted it orange - but it's solid as heck!

I'm planning on it going to my son.

 

[dittle fart around]

While this is not my workbench, it is an oldie!! My son-in-law is from Sweden and three years ago we went to Sweden to visit his family. They live on a farm that has been in their family since the 1200's! In one of the old outbuildings there is a wood shop where my son-in-law's father has gathered a lot of the old tools from around the different farm buildings. This bench is certainly not from medieval times, but it is at least over 100 years old and pretty cool.

OK you just might win!

 

[dittle fart around]

I'm working on my second workbench, there wasn't a problem with the first one. It lasted for 36 years. I've seen some cool benches over 100 years old. How old is the workbench you're working on?
View media item 10149New in front old in back.

 

[Steevo]

I'm working on my second workbench, there wasn't a problem with the first one. It lasted for 36 years. I've seen some cool benches over 100 years old. How old is the workbench you're working on?
View media item 10149New in front old in back.

dittle fart,

Do you have a thread here that shows the build of that bench? I an curious about the wheels and how they are affixed to the square tubing.

 

[ZRX61]

Mine has only been a bench since '91, prior to that it was a WWII Hamilton Standard prop stand that was destined for the landfill..

 

[StaggeringGoat]

Geez, I thought mine was old. My uncle built it for me as a gift in 1993, when I was seven. Been pounding on it ever since....

 

[dittle fart around]

Yo Steevo, I welded some 1/4 stock to the bottom of the square tubing then drilled and tapped it for the 3/8" stud of the caster.

 

[magnusk750]

This is not mine but I saw the beauty in an antique shop this winter for ridiculous money. Took some pictures and think I will make something similar when builds and restos have come that far that it's time for a work bench. Same principle can also make cool shelves. Sorry for picture quality, cell phone pics and tight space.

While this is not my workbench, it is an oldie!! My son-in-law is from Sweden and three years ago we went to Sweden to visit his family. They live on a farm that has been in their family since the 1200's! In one of the old outbuildings there is a wood shop where my son-in-law's father has gathered a lot of the old tools from around the different farm buildings. This bench is certainly not from medieval times, but it is at least over 100 years old and pretty cool.


This bench has obviously seen a lot of use. Wouldn't it be neat if this old bench could talk and give a description of all the items built and repaired on it over the many year? Practical items for the house and farm, emergency repairs to keep the daily farm work going, toys and gifts lovingly made for children ... the list could go on and on!

I cut one like this into firewood the last summer... Really hated it but it had been standing in mud for decades, legs and even part of the bench top was rotten.

 

[Boyd]

This is not mine but I saw the beauty in an antique shop this winter for ridiculous money. Took some pictures and think I will make something similar when builds and restos have come that far that it's time for a work bench. Same principle can also make cool shelves. Sorry for picture quality, cell phone pics and tight space.

I cut one like this into firewood the last summer... Really hated it but it had been standing in mud for decades, legs and even part of the bench top was rotten.

Thanks for posting, that's a nice bench.

 

[dittle fart around]

That looks like an easy design to duplicate. I'm looking at building some closed shelving for my next project.
Thanks for the post.

 

[eldirector]

One of my benches is an old chemistry lab table that the university sent to auction. Dated 1952, and made of solid oak. They don't make them like THAT any longer!

 

[Nick M]

Terrible phone pictures, but I love these two benches. They were in my grandfather's shop for years. The story I was told was that my great uncle got them from a trade school years ago. The fronts have a roll up door with a skeleton key, and drawers. the backs of both benches have three compartments with doors and locks, inside is a hook, I assume where one would hang an apron can't see them because I put them back to back). The drawers are filled with wicked cool old tools.

Some kid carved his initials in it.

Questions:
What is the square hole opposite the woodworking vise for? and,
How do you go about picking a skeleton key lock? The front bench roll door is
locked and I want to see what cool stuff is in there.

 

[bl00]

Questions:
What is the square hole opposite the woodworking vise for?

Bench dogs

 

[dittle fart around]

I'm thinking that bench vise is just about big enough!

 

[TurboCup87]

While this is not my workbench, it is an oldie!! My son-in-law is from Sweden and three years ago we went to Sweden to visit his family. They live on a farm that has been in their family since the 1200's! In one of the old outbuildings there is a wood shop where my son-in-law's father has gathered a lot of the old tools from around the different farm buildings. This bench is certainly not from medieval times, but it is at least over 100 years old and pretty cool.



This bench has obviously seen a lot of use. Wouldn't it be neat if this old bench could talk and give a description of all the items built and repaired on it over the many year? Practical items for the house and farm, emergency repairs to keep the daily farm work going, toys and gifts lovingly made for children ... the list could go on and on!

That's really awesome! Great to see old stuff still being useful.

 

[wolflrv]

The square hole in the bench top matches the square hole in the vise. They are called bench dog holes and a metal or sometimes wooden tapered peg is inserted into the holes standing up off the table. This is then used to "clamp" pieces onto the table for planing and sanding. Do a google search on bench dogs and you'll find lots of examples.

 

[ericburns4]

That’s a nice work bench that you got. It’s old but it’s good. A varnish work on it and it will look as good as a new one.

 

[All Systemz]

This bench built in the 20's sits in my basement right now.
Once I get organized it will be an addition in the garage.

 

[Lippyp]

My dad has an old one in his shed, it was in a falling down wooden shed when we moved into the house...in 1970. Eventually he replaced the wooden shed with a sectional concrete one and after he'd had the concrete slab put down the bench went back in and the shed was built around it. I suspect it is of a similar age to their house which was built in 1927. It might even pre-date that. It had a woodworking vise with a massive wooden screw thread! When he cleaned out under it when the old shed came down he found about 50 years worth of Gordons gin bottles, seems like some things don't change, previous owner must have escaped from the wife to his shed for a sneaky G&T.

 

[action fab]

Back in 07 when I moved here to AR. I had to get rid of a lot of shop furniture (basicly all of it). Ended up loosing an early 70's 4x8 table, and a few 50's era 11ga metal selves that were 36" tall and 36x36 square. The table was wood and I don't miss it. But I wish I could have found room to bring up those shelves/work benches. I had 5 of them that when bolted together made one hell of a work bench. They had 11ga tops with ribs and were covered on 3 sides with 11ga making them very stought! It was all press broke and welded so when I say they were solid, They didn't move. They didn't weight a hole lot each but once bolted together the entire thing was well over 1000lbs.

Wish I had some pictures even.

 

[Matt M PA]

My bench was my later Father's. I'm sure it's better than 40 years old. He added a red curtain under the edge to hide things stored on the shelf below. I often get comments about the "puppet show theatre"...but that's how Dad had it...and how it stays.