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Workbench - Buying better that building!

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Mark Garrett

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Sep 19, 2011
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Ireland
I have seen some excellent welding tables and workbenches on Garage Journal and they have often inspired me to build one of my own.

I have always wanted to build my own bench and make it at least as good as the one I had when I lived with my parents. After pricing some materials and then finding the bench below on Gumtree I decided (within about 10 seconds) even though I really wanted to build a bench in this instance buying was a lot cheaper than building and it meant I could get on with some projects immediately.
The bench cost £110, has a 12mm steel top which is incredibly flat - the only blemishes being some paint on the surface.
When I bought it it needed a good clean underneath with a wire brush on a 9" grinder and some undercoat, paint (cockpit green) + a vice.
Money and labour saved and a very happy owner!


url]
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https://www.flickr.com/photos/k_garrett/22592598118/

Drilling some holes for the vise - using an old Kango/Wolf Magnetic drill

https://www.flickr.com/photos/k_garrett/23872003770/

The Fortis UNBREAKABLE (that's what it says) vise

https://www.flickr.com/photos/k_garrett/22558514520/

Sorry I don't seem to be able to upload the photos only the links (I know it is a pain having to click them instead of view instantly)
(I'm new to posting - please be patient)
I know I'm not posting anything new and that a lot of people have a lot better benches but I just thought I would share something on GJ which has taught me a lot
 
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Mark Garrett

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The vice was a great find - I got it in an old military surplus yard about 15 years ago £40 I love it almost as my father's Record 36
 
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Mr_B

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Good solid looking bench for money and saves time and money, can't turn down a worthy buy these days .
 
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Mark Garrett

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Mr_B said:
Good solid looking bench for money and saves time and money, can't turn down a worthy buy these days .
Click to expand...

It's hard to beat just going for a bargain on the very odd occasion one comes along. Time is more precious than money - the older we get!
 
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Brad54

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Yeah, I'm with these guys--building is a lot of fun, and usually gives a great sense of satisfaction, but sometimes it's just better all the way around to buy something.

Now instead of having the "i built it" story, you've got the "I got a SCREAMING deal on it!" story--and sometimes those are better!

Congrats on the score. Time and money VERY well (and smartly) spent.

-Brad
 
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Mark Garrett

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Brad54 said:
Yeah, I'm with these guys--building is a lot of fun, and usually gives a great sense of satisfaction, but sometimes it's just better all the way around to buy something.

Now instead of having the "i built it" story, you've got the "I got a SCREAMING deal on it!" story--and sometimes those are better!

Congrats on the score. Time and money VERY well (and smartly) spent.

-Brad
Click to expand...

Thanks, you have said it perfectly 😀
 
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Mark Garrett

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cheechi said:
I have to say your Flickr was very entertaining some really cool stuff in there.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your kind comment on my Flickr account.
I have a lot of garage related stuff still to post - mainly older tools and my incomplete collection of Wolf Power Tools.
I have tried to organise the whole thing in albums (Land Rovers, Projects, tractor brands etc) so people can see what they are interested in without having to go through everything.
There is a budget built storage shed on there as well. 😎
 
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Mark Garrett

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Bought another one!
This time a small bench - far from perfectly made but for £30 it isn't bad as it can be taken outside (my cheap version of the portable dirty room).
Working outside by K Garrett, on Flickr

I should have said the vise/vice wasn't included - I think it cost £10 at an army surplus dealer's yard about 15 years ago!

Paramo Vice by K Garrett, on Flickr

Thought I would add some photos of the vice/vise as there wasn't an up close shot.
It is Ex-MOD (Ministry of Defence) as the 'crow's foot' marking indicates.
It appears to have been made in March 1984 - I think!

Paramo Vice by K Garrett, on Flickr
 
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Mark Garrett

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Thought I would share some more photos of my best score in worktops!
This cost £200 weighs 800kg and is approximately 24" x 30" - it is certainly a workbench that it would not be possible to make!
The long term plan is to put it on a stand to make it the same height as the first bench in this thread - to use it to straighten out parts such as a tractor front grill guard - that will be one of the first jobs that awaits it.

If anyone has any suggestions as to what kind of stand would be best I would love to hear from you. I have been thinking about heavy box section or a round pipe frame and even heavy wooden blocks?

Thank you for looking :)
More or less as found.
Cast Iron Table as found by K Garrett, on Flickr
Removing some of the dirt with the Kango 9" grinder and wire wheel.
Cast Iron Table getting a clean with the wire wheel on the 9" grinder by K Garrett, on Flickr
Useful slots in the side.
Cast Iron Table looking better by K Garrett, on Flickr
Still some work left to do - a lot of work - including building the perfect stand.
Cast Iron Table still some way go go by K Garrett, on Flickr

Not sure what the table was from?
 
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Mark Garrett

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Fatboy148 said:
While the others are nice, this one is most impressive!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comment.
I have to agree. The first big one is the one that will see most use.
This one however is going to be hard to beat as far as being a good score is concerned. It is impossible to make one and the chances of stumbling upon another are quite small.
I hope to make a stand for it over the next few months - I have 4" box tube and 4x2 channel iron which I will use if the lockdown doesn't end soon.
Hope to post some picture of the process and final result.
Should I paint it or let it stay as is?
 
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dutchgray

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The cast iron one with the T slots is a machining block, its meant to go on a machine so you can clamp stuff to it, because of its size and it has a hole drilled into it I would guess it was once on a radial arm drill.

Military stamped dates are put on by the military when they processed the item into their inventory, not when the item was made, their is known cases where the stamped date is years after when the item was made. I would not expect the vice to have been hanging around for that long though.
 
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Mark Garrett

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dutchgray said:
The cast iron one with the T slots is a machining block, its meant to go on a machine so you can clamp stuff to it, because of its size and it has a hole drilled into it I would guess it was once on a radial arm drill.

Military stamped dates are put on by the military when they processed the item into their inventory, not when the item was made, their is known cases where the stamped date is years after when the item was made. I would not expect the vice to have been hanging around for that long though.
Click to expand...

Thanks,
Yes the T slot table is definitely from a radial arm drill. I said above that it would be hard do get another one and at the same time I have seen one sitting outside just waiting for someone to pick it up!
The table may even be a little bigger than mine.
Radial Arm Drill by K Garrett, on Flickr

Thanks too for the info on the military stamps.
I just assumed that military orders would be quite substantial and that the manufacturers would have been the ones marking them. What you say makes perfect sense.
I just discovered recently that the stamp on the larger Fortis vice on the first bench isn't from the 80s as I thought but the from October 1964 and as you say it could have been made earlier!
Fortis Vice with Military Stamps by K Garrett, on Flickr
Fortis Vice with Military Stamps by K Garrett, on Flickr
Fortis Vice with Military Stamps by K Garrett, on Flickr
 
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M635_Guy

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Make sure the URL is http vs. https - just delete the "s" in the provided URL

Nice work table!

I like having a wood top, so I just grabbed a butcher block countertop from the local woodworking supply place when they went on sale. Building the base was a learning experience, but I can't say I wouldn't want something like you have to fall into my lap!

That vise rocks btw - call that stuff is awesome actually...
 
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M635_Guy

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That cast iron table is insane.

Elevating it will be a trick - maybe something made from railroad ties (sleepers?) that is wider than the table for stability. Probably not hard or expensive to make and would look consistent in terms of patina/etc.
 
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Mark Garrett

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Ireland
M635_Guy said:
Make sure the URL is http vs. https - just delete the "s" in the provided URL

Nice work table!

I like having a wood top, so I just grabbed a butcher block countertop from the local woodworking supply place when they went on sale. Building the base was a learning experience, but I can't say I wouldn't want something like you have to fall into my lap!

That vise rocks btw - call that stuff is awesome actually...
Click to expand...

M635_Guy said:
That cast iron table is insane.

Elevating it will be a trick - maybe something made from railroad ties (sleepers?) that is wider than the table for stability. Probably not hard or expensive to make and would look consistent in terms of patina/etc.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comments and complements on the vise.
I like the butcher block myself and would hope to have a wooden top workbench some day for the 'cleaner' stuff but it will not be any time soon.

You made me smile with the comment about the Railroad ties/sleepers - just the way things are called by different names and the first workbench I built on my father's farm consisted of 3 railway ties with a piece of 1" steel plate to set the vice up on. The plate was welded to a beam in the shed - it wasn't going anywhere.
I like the railroad ties idea - for the patina. If the lockdown continues much longer I will probably build a stand out of steel as that is all I have to hand. I think the table is wide enough not to be unstable but I would leave space for 6mm plate feet just in case.

I'm not very computer literate - sorry I'm not sure what you mean about leaving out the 's' I know how to do it but what is the difference? Hope you don't mind me asking - I just don't have a clue about these things.

Do you have a photo of your own workbench build? I would be interested to see it.
Thanks again
 
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