Opinions needed re: old workbench

[Lons]

Finally made a start on sorting and organising my workshop. Will take me at least 6 months :roll:
(Stuff all over the place while I move cupboards - not always so untidy - despite what my wife says :wink: )

I haven't had a "proper" bench for many years and always intended making one. What I do have however is a very old bench I was given more than 25 years ago by a retired teacher who I assume aquired it from a school. It hasn't seen the light of day in all that time having been stored and until I unearthed it this week, I didn't realise what a state it's in, however, it's pretty solid and if I can reasonably refurbish the top, it will do until I can make another at some future date.
It's pretty small ( 1360 x 620mm with the main beech top at 250 wide x 40mm thick ) Fitted with a small Parkinson Q/R 8" vice which seems ok.

The top has been drilled, sawn, chopped and god knows what else and I decided to plane the beech until I discovered numerous nails embedded, so..I punched them down and a quick go with a belt sander gives the result in pics. It already has some filling but my current thinking is just fill all holes, sand down and flatten to give me a useable top without spending too much time. The centre section is t&g covered with a layer of hardboard which I can just replace.

I'm very open to ideas and opinions if anyone wants to chip in.
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[Jacob]

Looks OK to me. If it was mine I'd use it until I felt I needed a better one, probably for a long time. The well looks a bit shallow - most tools are a bit fatter but it'd still be useful for keeping shavings, nails screws and small tools from getting stuck under the workpiece.
You could easily improve it (bigger?) by adding new top beams and new apron but keeping the leg frames and vice.

 

[marcus]

+1, looks perfectly serviceable, should do very well for a while.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

+ another 1 for keeping it.

The underframe looks quite sturdy and heavy, which is more than half the battle with benches. Try living with it for a year or so, and only do anything drastic if you find it has shortcomings you really can't live with.

 

[Paul Chapman]

That bench looks fine. As long as the top is flat and the bench is sturdy, it will serve you well. If it were mine I'd fit a vice on the right-hand end to use as a tail vice and drill a couple of rows of 3/4" holes for dogs, because I find a tail vice really useful.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Lons]

The well looks a bit shallow - most tools are a bit fatter but it'd still be useful for keeping shavings, nails screws and small tools from getting stuck under the workpiece.
You could easily improve it (bigger?) by adding new top beams and new apron but keeping the leg frames and vice.

Hadn't thought about the well but good point. I'll look tomorrow to see if it's reasonably easy to drop the well. Should be as it's only t&g s/w and won't compromise the sttrength of the bench.

I'd fit a vice on the right-hand end to use as a tail vice and drill a couple of rows of 3/4" holes for dogs, because I find a tail vice really useful. Cheers Paul

Hadn't thought about that either, (Only unearthed the bench a couple of days ago). Will look at that as well though I only have 500mm clearance between the right side and the cupboards. Any more would make it difficult to pull out the sawbench and planer/thicknesser stored at the left hand side. Any suggestions as to which tail vice I should look at?

Just had another thought: I might be able to fashion a drop down extension to the left hand side in case I need extra length!

As an aside, my daughter has just been to visit and her words "what a cute, dinky little bench" doesn't really inspire me much. :roll:

Thancks for the input guys

Bob

 

[Jacob]

The well looks a bit shallow - most tools are a bit fatter but it'd still be useful for keeping shavings, nails screws and small tools from getting stuck under the workpiece.
You could easily improve it (bigger?) by adding new top beams and new apron but keeping the leg frames and vice.

Hadn't thought about the well but good point. I'll look tomorrow to see if it's reasonably easy to drop the well. Should be as it's only t&g s/w and won't compromise the sttrength of the bench.

I'd leave well alone

...... Any suggestions as to which tail vice I should look at?

I wouldn't bother. If you want a fancy bench I'd start from new. It's OK as it is. Silk purse, sow's ear etc.

Just had another thought: I might be able to fashion a drop down extension to the left hand side in case I need extra length!.....

Nope! Extra length you just rest on anything convenient - saw horse, old chair, box etc. I used to have an ammo box 12x18x24" which was handy as an accessory, giving three heights as well as being a seat, step-up, carrying box. So useful in fact I ought to make a replacement for it.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Any suggestions as to which tail vice I should look at?

If you haven't much room, the Veritas inset tail vice would be good. It works like a wagon vice and it doesn't need any extra space beyond the length of the bench to operate. Richard Maguire fits it to his new, small bench http://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/?p=500

Richard also posted a good dodge about drilling vertical dog holes http://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/?p=309

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Grahamshed]

Nah. Its rubbish. Chuck it away.



I dont actually think that, just wanted to say something different

 

[Nick Gibbs]

I hate tool wells, and tend to cover them over, usually with birch ply if I can afford it. The bench looks fine. I agree with Paul about the end vice. The Veritas one is excellent, though it's a pity the handle doesn't separate from the screw thread.

Nick

 

[condeesteso]

all agreed then, looks good. I don't like tool wells either, and a shallow one is probably more annoying than useful.
You could easily resurface top with 12 or 15mm ply, fit a new face to the Record,(sorry Parkinson) and for a few quid another Record in tail position, then drill the 3/4 holes for dogs etc. See you a good few years I suspect.

 

[herriott67]

i wouldnt use the bench for final finishing work as it will scratch your work but i would just cover it with thin plywood maybe 9 mm

 

[Lons]

Thanks again for all the comments fellas, much appreciated.

The situation isn't ideal for me as I still work fulltime (only around another 18 months though ). It means that much of what I need to do and store is not condusive to good woodworking, especially as I need often to work with metal. I have quite a lot of storage capacity but the main workshop is my double garage and the only place I could fashion a metalwork bench for the moment was against the woodworking one.

Anyway, had a proper look today and the bench isn't as bad as I first thought. It really is very sturdy indeed so I've filled the top and will see what it's like when sanded. As suggested, I can face the tops if necessary and I already have a 1200x1200x9mm sheet of mdf to cover both bench tops and give me a flat assembly surface.

It's many years since I've had the pleasure of using a tail vice and it brings back fond memories but the veritas inset doesn't look all that sturdy and it seems a bit expensive for what it is (only looked on the internet). Been poking about on the net and i think I've probably already got many of the bits to have a go at making one so might give it a try unless I can find something local.

I'm happier now that it will do me until I retire when I'll probably make a new bench and donate this one to my son.

cheers

Bob