Woodworking benches (head is swimming)

[Mr. Woodside]

Hi, this is my first post here and I'm sure the topic has been discussed before. I'm a hobbiest woodworker who works out a professional cabinet shop (my father's) when it's free on weekends. The shop is set up predominantly for dealing with sheet goods and power tools, but I'm focusing much more on hand tools. The heart of he shop is the 4x8 assembly table placed to also receive the out feed from the table saw (like you do). Anyways at the moment I've been using a sjobergs smart vise to give me some clamping power with dogs. I've had my eye on the sjobergs junior-senior bench because of its smaller footprint in the somewhat diminutive New York City shop I work in, and the lack of freight charges to get it to me. I would plan to built a plywood cubby hole cabinet underneath it for storage and strength. The other thing I was thinking about was the festool mft mini in combination with my vise. I know building is also an option, but I don't have all the time in the world and a trip to my lumber yard in the Bronx for hardwood is probably gonna set me back at least a few C-notes. Thoughts? Suggestions?


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[dandan111]

Welcome! Have you looked at grizzly? http://www.grizzly.com/products/H7723

 

[Mr. Woodside]

I also put forward he idea to put vises and dog holes on a redesigned 4x8 table, but the table is also used as a cutting surface for the festool track saw. I have the work bench book too... God so many options...


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[Bret888]

There are often benches on Craigslist, used, which might be an option. You might find one already close to what you had in mind, and modify it as needed. Some are sorry homeowner built, and some are very well done. Some are also salvaged from our lost industry, and commercially made.

 

[neophyte]

The Festool MFT work tablesoffer a lot of options for clamping. Multiple MFT work tables can also be locked together for a larger clamping surface. The Festool MFT tables are expensive, but they give you more versatility. If you find you don't like the Festool tables in the future, as long as it hasn't been abused beyond belief it should have a decent resale value.

Popular woodworking did plans for an inexpensive bench made for laminated 2x4s at one point. I think the total cost was around $200. You might have to modify the plans, but method could let you experiment with bench designs without wasting expensive lumber.

The workbench book you have, is it one of the Taunton ones? Taunton actually published two different books on workbenches with different authors. christopher Schwarz of Popular Woodworking also published a workbench book.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1561585947/?tag=atomicindus08-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1561582700/?tag=atomicindus08-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1558708405/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Mandres]

Mine's based on these plans: http://www.woodsmithshop.com/download/206/heavy-duty-workbench.pdf

It's cheap, easy to build and rock solid. Someday I'll do a nice Roubo style bench out of hard wood and make it a real show piece. In the meantime, I'm very pleased with what I've got.

 

[Regnar]

Mine is based on the Ron Paulk Workbench II. I love it! Works with all the festool clamps and kreg accessories. If I had more space I would build a small army of these.

I forgot to add that I don't use it for a table saw stand or router table. Workbench only. The storage under the table is very handy.

Took 3 sheet of plywood at 32.00 a piece. HD cheap cabinet grade stuff.

 

[woody 73]

Hi and welcome to the GJ.

This is how I make my work benches fast and cheap (the metal ties and 2 x4's come from HD):

 

[woody 73]

If you think your head is swimming look at what this guy is asking for the same bench that I just showed you how to make for $80.00 Dollars...

http://columbus.craigslist.org/tls/4115115889.html

 

[dandan111]

^$300 for that bench. Wow. Wonder of he sells any.

 

[Voi]

There was a really good thread on Sawmill Creek a few years back about the various pre-fab wood working benches. I just took a quick look and couldn't find it but I'd recommend looking around over there if you can.

One thing for sure, the hand tool guys often take years to settle on a bench with all of the features they prefer. With that in mind, many recommend starting with something simple so you can start to zero in on what you don't like and/or what you really need. Don't try to design your ideal bench and later learn you left something out.

Some of the books linked to are excellent. I have a couple of them. I'll see if I can dig them up and jog my memory as to which one I liked the best.

 

[gahrajmahal]

Hey Regnar, any photos of your table in action? That design has really peaked my interest.

 

[Mr. Woodside]

Well thanks for the Craigslist suggestion! I'm now the proud new owner of a sjobergs duo work bench for less than a third of what it would cost new. I've been avoiding that site for a while. Sometimes things don't go so smoothly. The bonus is that the bench works as the in feed table to the miter saw. Basically the rent I pay to have it in the shop .

 

[Regnar]

GahragMahal, here is the photos you asked for. Nothing really cool going on but I am building a corn hole set for the neighbor.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Build your own. If you are serious about woodworking, and it seems you have the genes or at least pedigree, you will never regret the experience of building your own bench to your specs. Especially true for hand tool work. You said you don't have the time but the "practice" you get from the build will make your future projects even better.
There are so many types and forms for DIY workbenches. Pick one, modify it to your needs and budget, affix a couple of good vises and you will never look back. Materials can be found all over. Recycle, repurpose, scrounge. But by all means have fun doing it. My latest greatest bench has been my best and favorite project thus far.

 

[dandan111]

Handy to have that bench on saw horses just in case you want it out of the way.