WorkBenches

[Lodds]

Guys
I'm in the market for a Workbench.

I'm considering either the Axminster Premium AS Workbench or the Sjobergs Elite 2000 Cabinetmakers Workbench.
The Sjoberg is twice the price of the Axminster one and I am not sure if I get twice the product.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-pr ... nch-508223
http://www.axminster.co.uk/sjobergs-eli ... h-ax724459

Does anyone have any experience of an Axminster Workbench regarding quality.

I currently have a small Sjoberg bench and really can't fault it.

Thanks once again

Tony

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Use your small bench to build a bigger one? You can build better for a fraction of that money.

 

[Lodds]

Use your small bench to build a bigger one? You can build better for a fraction of that money.

Not sure if I have that capability to make it as I would like it. I have costed the materials like Beech plus hardware like vices not sure I would be saving that much really.
I did think about plywood as a top but concerned it was too soft for the job.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It doesn't have to be beech, and two or three layers of ply is fine. Some people make a top out of mdf, chipboard or anything they have surplus (old fire doors) and put a sacrificial layer of ply on top - it's harder in many cases, flat, and a few years down the line if it's tatty you can change it. There are plenty of bench builds here and on youTube - have a look, they're not rocket science - and you don't need to spend a fortune on hardware, decent Record is all you need.

 

[memzey]

Wow. The prices of those benches is eye watering and neither of them look particularly sturdy to my eyes either. You don't need hardwood for a bench although it is true that it will look tired more quickly if you use softwood. A good compromise might be a top from something like beech with a base and frame from whatever cheap softwood you have available to you. As for not being able to make something better yourself; trust me on this, if I can make one (without another bench to help) anyone can - evidence at this link: topic102325.html

 

[transatlantic]

Wow. The prices of those benches is eye watering and neither of them look particularly sturdy to my eyes either. You don't need hardwood for a bench although it is true that it will look tired more quickly if you use softwood. A good compromise might be a top from something like beech with a base and frame from whatever cheap softwood you have available to you. As for not being able to make something better yourself; trust me on this, if I can make one (without another bench to help) anyone can - evidence at this link: topic102325.html

With all due respect buddy - you have quite a few nice tools there helping you out, not to mention a lovely selection of quality clamps! probably not the best evidence of 'anyone can do it'.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I made mine working on the lathe stand before the lathe was put on it. I had no mortice chisel, no mortice gauge, and one sash cramp. Oh, and by the way - I was working from a wheel chair. Of course you can build one.

 

[DoctorWibble]

Seeing as you already have a bench I expect you're probably looking at something more upmarket than a belegged firedoor

But don't be so quick to dismiss building your own. You'd be surprised how much better even a beginner can do than the factory benches.

I found a couple of video builds that put me on the right path and showed anyone can do it really.

The Pauls Sellers bench build videos are free on YouTube. He exaggerates how easy his is but only a little. H

The Richard Maguire video build of a traditional bench is also excellent (though costs £26). The Maguire design is easier to build than the Sellers as it doesn't involve laminations (and so few clamps) and uses half lap joinery instead of M&T.

These are pine benches but you could easily (if you really wanted to) use some beech in the top of either. Beech in the legs or aprons serves no real purpose but again if you really wanted to...

Shouldn't cost you more than £2-£300. in pine. Second hand vices £20-£80 for really good ones - the difference between high and low usually being a pick up. Or Maguire shows you how to make a vice if you want to be traditional.

 

[dzj]

The benchtops look fine on both models. The legs a bit flimsey.

 

[Sailormantom]

30 odd years ago Sjoberg used to sell the tops on their own for you to build a base for. Much cheaper and mine's still going strong! Not sure if they or any other company still do this.

Cheers, Tom

 

[MikeJhn]

The legs on my Sjoberg did flex until I assembled the underside cupboard and reinforced the racking moment with a diaphragm of full depth 6mm MDF, it has never flexed since in the four years I'v been using it, also put two piece's of 100mm x 50mm on both ends to support castors, used the original cross brace's to make a tool slot on the back.

Mike

Pic:

 

[memzey]

Wow. The prices of those benches is eye watering and neither of them look particularly sturdy to my eyes either. You don't need hardwood for a bench although it is true that it will look tired more quickly if you use softwood. A good compromise might be a top from something like beech with a base and frame from whatever cheap softwood you have available to you. As for not being able to make something better yourself; trust me on this, if I can make one (without another bench to help) anyone can - evidence at this link: topic102325.html

With all due respect buddy - you have quite a few nice tools there helping you out, not to mention a lovely selection of quality clamps! probably not the best evidence of 'anyone can do it'.

I suppose that's fair enough in one sense although, to be fair, as the OP has a bench already it's reasonable to assume he has some gear to go with it. I was referring to skills and experience not being a barrier to making your first bench. You are right though, in that having the right stuff certainly helps.

 

[deema]

If your a hand tools person, who does a lot of hand planing, then in all likelihood the benches you've highlighted are likely to move due to their mass being fairly low / thin legs. If your a power tool person, who only uses the bench for say making the joints / assembly either bench would be a very good companion.

There is a lot of pleasure making your own bench, one of them being that you will always be tinkering with it and modifying it as your skills and style of woodworking develop.

To keep the cost low, my work bench has a frame made from fence posts - that conveniently come 4" square, planed up with cross members made from fencing rails. I prefer a traditional english woodworking bench, and have a front of the top made of Douglas Fir, which is a 'hard' softwood, a tool well that's cheap tongue and groove and a back edge made of anything I had lying around.

I don t have dog holes or a tail vice. I hold things by simply either nailing a batton on the end of the bench, or making a sacrificial jig that's held in place on the work top by the face vice. Since I made the bench, and can easily replace the top, it allows me to not feel guilty about using and abusing it. I'm certain if I had a bench with a beautiful beech top or something I'd spent hours adding a tail vice into my inclination to find the most expendiant holding method would be framed differently. We are all different in our needs for work holding, my only recommendation would be to try as many as possible before spending the proposed amount of money on a bench.

It's sounds like your existing bench could be a donor for the front vice and anything else you need. Equally, you could extend the length of the frame to accommodate your larger top.

 

[Lodds]

Lots of good useful comments, thank-you.

After reading the comments I have decided to try and make my own bench, after all what is the worse that can happen.

Thanks again

Tony

 

[Bodgers]

It doesn't have to be beech, and two or three layers of ply is fine. Some people make a top out of mdf, chipboard or anything they have surplus (old fire doors) and put a sacrificial layer of ply on top - it's harder in many cases, flat, and a few years down the line if it's tatty you can change it. There are plenty of bench builds here and on youTube - have a look, they're not rocket science - and you don't need to spend a fortune on hardware, decent Record is all you need.

Beech is one of the cheapest hardwoods around. You could easily get the Beech for a decent bench for less than half the price of one one of these.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Certainly - but there's no necessity for it to be hardwood.

 

[memzey]

Good choice Tony! I found my bench build enormously satisfying. I hope you do too. I've found it extra rewarding every time I use the bench knowing that I made it myself to meet my own needs as a woodworker. It is carrying a number of battle scars already and is my most used tool. Enjoy the build and don't be scared to post a work in progress thread as you go. Everyone loves a bench build thread!

 

[ED65]

After reading the comments I have decided to try and make my own bench, after all what is the worse that can happen.

Good call!

Here are a few of the more recent workbench threads that might be of help with some of the design and construction decisions:
optimum-height-for-my-self-build-workbench-t99227.html
advice-please-work-bench-and-vice-t101083.html
building-a-workbench-out-of-softwood-t103378.html
workbench-design-ideas-t104133.html

 

[Phil Pascoe]

As always - don't get too hung up about the first one, the second one'll be better.

 

[Lodds]

Guys, Just an update.

Due to the advise from you guys I took the plunge and built my own bench.

I was concerned that softwood would add no real weight and due to this lack of weight the bench would be quiet wobbly. My concerns were unfounded, so far there is no movement at all. Okay it is very basic build a bit of dowling and dado joints and lots of screws and glue.
I still have the Beech top to add and vices to purchase and fit but so far so good.

It is far more stable than the Sjoberg I bought some time ago the Sjoberg, I had to bolt to the concrete floor to give it stability, and it still wobbles.

Very pleased and thank you all so much. I would have spent up to £1300 had I not built it myself. I estimate that this home built bench would have cost me about a third of that and a lot less had I chosen something other than Beech for a top.

Just attached attached a few photos of the story so far.