Work Bench

[Kiwicanfly]

Hi all I'm new to guitar building. I'm at an age that it is time to hang up my tool belt and stop building full size boats. My plan is to down size my workshop and set it up to build guitars. From your experience are you able to give me some ideas as to what I should have?
For instance what size work bench would you recommend?
Love the work you guys do.

[Tod Gilding]

Nice to have you along "kiwicanfly" what's your real name (friendly first name basis here)

I wont recommend a bench size or number if your anything like me you will need several benches because they get covered in S&%t

[rocket]

Yay!!! i'm not the only one
Rod.

[nnickusa]

sweet, nor am I....I've still got two other portable ones

[nnickusa]

Hey Fly, and welcome. Sorry for my somewhat flippant reply. I just made a new bench--mostly because I couldn't find the old one. See me $41 Work Bench thread. Mine is 2400x1100, cause I cut some strips off the side for another use. I reckon that would be a good size, if you have the space.

I'd guess that you could go around 1800x900 if you needed to, but I wanted to incorporate some items, like a router table insert, and still have some extra room to work around that when it's in place. I'd guess that $200 or so from Bunnings with regular pine and ply would see you done....Show us a pic when you get it done, and say byebye to your spare time, if you go down this path.....can get addictive

[Gerry Coon]

Good day, Kiwi.

Here are a couple that I've found usefull and reasonably easily set up by someone of your experience. Sharpening station, Shooting board, and assembly table. Primary bench made from reclaimed building timbers.

Cheers and warm welcome.

Gerry

[Jeremy D]

I just built the one below. I am on my second guitar and it was frustrating building the first without a nice flat surface. This one is solid to say the least. I like the overhang on the vice side I can clamp stuff directly to it and walk around scraping etc. from different angles. It is also very flat being that it is 2 pieces of thick MDF laminated together. The tool drawers are also very handy. I have other benches with metal working vices and what not on them but this is my main assembly bench.

[Kim]

Very Norty bench Jeremy

[Lillian]

I'm seriously contemplating this one. http://www.shopnotes.com/plans/small-workbench/ I think it's large enough for guitar bodies. But its not so massive that it takes up all the floor space and I lose things on it. It'll have enough weight to stay put while I plane. I like the integrated vises and all the storage. It will be first on the list of things to do just as soon as my son moves out and I get my shop back, which is start to looking like a real possibility. Keep your fingers cross, burn some fragrant wood shavings, whatever, that he gets the promotion and his own place soon.

[n~dl]

I imagine the size of your bench is sort of a personal thing depending on the size of your shop, how you personally build, etc. I figure a lot of you have multiple benches dedicated to certain things?

I'm going to be out of school in a few months and a work bench is the first on my list as well. I've been creeping around twin cities craigslist postings and it looks like with a little patience I should be able to find a pretty darn cheap bench. If you're willing to haul it, sometimes people just want to get RID of their stuff. If you're close enough to any of the bigger cities in WA, Lillian, I bet you can find some good, cheap stuff, too.

[Kamusur]

Very Norty bench Jeremy

Yes, very nice Commando Jeremy.

Steve

[Jeremy D]

Very Norty bench Jeremy

Yes, very nice Commando Jeremy.

Steve

Thanks guys. Here's another little pic just because.

[colburge]

I'm seriously contemplating this one. http://www.shopnotes.com/plans/small-workbench/ I think it's large enough for guitar bodies. But its not so massive that it takes up all the floor space and I lose things on it. It'll have enough weight to stay put while I plane. I like the integrated vises and all the storage. It will be first on the list of things to do just as soon as my son moves out and I get my shop back, which is start to looking like a real possibility. Keep your fingers cross, burn some fragrant wood shavings, whatever, that he gets the promotion and his own place soon.

I have that issue, I reckon that it would be perfect as well.

Col

[P Bill]

This is a link to a small bench I just put up

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=5266

[DarwinStrings]

Nice little bench Bill.

I make my bench tops 820mm by around 1800mm, the reason I use this dimension is that when the bottom of a external solid core door rots and someone replaces their door all you have to do is whip 200mm or so off the bottom of the discarded door and there you have it, free bench top. Also I drive screws into, drill into and hammer on my bench tops so regard them as disposable and replace them for nicks.

Jim

[pat foster]

Wow! Handmade guitars and Norton Commandos! Sounds like a song Richard Thompson might write.

Some folks like a narrow bench perpendicular to the main bench so there's access to three sides of the guitar, sort of like a clothes ironing board. Mine is on a reclaimed base cabinet from our kitchen remodel, with a pull-out bread board. I thought it would be too wobbly, but as it turns out, the part of guitar work I do on it has mostly to do with fine stuff, like setups and fretwork and it's stable enough for that. It's convenient, and slides into the bench/cabinet when not in use.

Pat

[Kamusur]

Thanks Jeremy she looks pretty clean, but already suffering from GAS, WAS and TAS I hope i don't catch MAS as well.

Steve