A Guide to Building your own Bench for Noobies?

[tommy]

Why not build the leg frame out of beech but with a MDF or ply top? Then you can experiment with the dog holes for a few months and then build the beech top when you know where you want them. I've just built a cheap but very sturdy bench, next stage is to turn it onto swiss cheese with dog holes!

Regarding the front dog holes they can be very useful for holding tabletops for working on the edge. A series of holes all down the front of the right leg is good for that, but your leg will need to be flush with the front apron.

Here's my bench, weighs a ton and cost me about £35, the top is 1 1/2" industrial flooring chipboard.!

Tommy.

 

[Steve Maskery]

The problem with front aprons is that it is difficult to clamp to the top. What I like about the PW bench is that there is a front apron, but it is lowered several inches, so that there is good access to the top for clamping.

S

 

[OPJ]

Thanks for the video link, Steve. I quite like the idea of having a lower apron rail. I was planning on having a rail just below the top, to give me some shelf room for storage of shooting boards and things.

What do you think of two layers of 18mm MDF with ex. 2" bearers below, all encased by a 3"x2" outer frame? I was gonna suggest a torsion box-type construction but I don't think a single layer of MDF for the top would be strong enough. I know, three sheets are ideal for the sake of keeping the top balanced... But, then you'd have to buy two 8x4 sheets!

Tommy, how are you finding the softwood jaws on your vice? Is it worth scrounging some beech offcuts from college?? :wink: I mean to ask you how you planed up all the timber for this as well - did you take it in to college or do it by hand?

 

[Nev Hallam]

Just to add to what was stated earlier, I think mdf is a good workbench material ideally 30mm but 18 cool too, i'm about to build myself one in me garage, as for bench design or layout i've worked in alot of workshops etc and know what kinda design i prefer I think everyones different and has different preferences in how they like to work. Ie I remember the ones that were used in my college back in the day! with a lower area in the middle, it used to water me off not having a totally flat area to work on.
I like overhanging edges to your bench so that you have an area to clamp stock etc if needed, or position of your vice, height bla bla.
Like the idea of an mdf top though because once you've butchered it up real good you can just replace it! And like someone said draws are cool but you know they will get full of rubbish and sooner or later you'll be emptying them out searching for stuff!

 

[MickCheese]

Hi all

I have resurrected this thread for some opinions.

Should I buy the Christopher Schwarz, Scott Landis or the Lon Shleining book on bench construction before I begin to build my bench.

I am restricted by space so about 1500 X 600 is going to be the size.

Which is best in your opinion.

They are all quite expensive so I would rather not buy all three.

Mick

 

[Boz62]

I only have the Schwartz book but really liked the way he describes operations that you need a bench for and what tool/accessory/method works best for each. This helped me decide what compromises to make on mine when I designed my new workshop. He only gives two full designs, but lots of ideas and "discussion" as well.

Boz

 

[MickCheese]

Hi Boz

Thanks for the reply.

I remember your WIP for your bench and still looks great.

I will be stealing some of you ideas. This is a first attempt bench so don't want to spend a fortune and find out it is wrong so will do it on the cheap and then when I know the pitfalls make another that will be better.

Mick

 

[Boz62]

I learned a lot making mine. I think the one warning I would give is that if you drill dog holes, make sure of your method for making them straight and vertical DAMHIKT . So test thoroughly on scrap before drilling them all. I thought I had, but in practice it wasn't so straightforward

Whatever you do, it's always a compromise to suit your own space and what you will use it for - and no doubt that will change over the years so you can then make another one anyway

Good luck
Boz

 

[Chems]

I have the Schwartz bench book and its really good.

 

[OPJ]

That book by Chris Schwarz does look very good. I own the one from Scott Landis and would highly recommend it. In fact, if you can afford to buy two books, make sure it is these two! :wink:

I also had a WIP on my workbench build last summer, right here, on my old blog... But, that part of UKW is down at the minute. Still, you could always take a look at the photos, here. :wink:

 

[MickCheese]

The Scott Landis one is on its way to me now and I have a Waterstones voucher and with that I may buy the Schwarz one.

Thanks for the replies.

Mick

 

[Lons]

Chems , for secondhand beech (and record vices) why not a used school bench. Leg the bench up to a comfortable height, buy the Scott Landis book and tackle some projects with an insight to how the benches in the book work for their owners
Have a look at "holz-cnc-epple" website their hobelbanke(benches) are as state of the art as I can find currently
Matt

Shrubby

I think you'll find these are now as scarce as rocking horse s***.
Most of the schools demolished their woodwork rooms and science labs years ago to make multifuction "rubbish" subject classes.

I aquired one of these benches 25 years ago and although it had been well hammered it and the excellent record vice are still going strong.
I've kept an eye open for years for a second but haven't found another locally.

As an aside, I was very lucky about 5 years ago to get a large trailer load of teak benchtops from a high school throwing out their science labs. a lot of it is 30mm thick (well carved with kids names). I rescued what I could but recon at least 4 times as much was thrown in the skip. - Broke my heart.

I've got mine stored and haven't decided what to do yet.

I also rescued 6 sets of drawers and cupboards, solid oak frames / veneered blockboard sides, chucked out by a local technical college. The drawers were full of petre dishes, test tubes and science misc. Again around 20 of these cupboards were scrapped and wasted. :shock: