$41.00 Work Bench

[nnickusa]

I decided that I need to organise my work areas, and started by Digging thru my stacks of building leftovers. All the parts for this bench came from salvaged timbers, except the top, which is the $41 sheet of plywood. Prior to this, my bench was a slab of anything I had at hand thrown over a couple saw horses....My goal is to actually get organised down there, and you can see form the background that the chaos will take some effort to reign in....Ah well, baby steps....

I've made a section into a router table, which is the white spot you might be able to see, and may add workstations down the track.

[GregL]

Looking good, Nick!
"A man needs a bench!"

Thanks,
GregL.

[charangohabsburg]

That look pretty good. I like it.

Cheers,

[rocket]

No dust on the bench either, nice one Nick, one of my benches is a door across two trestles, i can put it out the way when i need the space. Enjoy your new workbench there's nothing like a nice clean flat surface is there?? .
Rod.

[P Bill]

looks good Nick, I like all the bracing, can't have too much.

If run a 4x2 down the underside center, you can bore holes for hold downs. Essentially clamps out in the middle

http://www.google.com.au/#hl=en&gs_rn=7 ... 59493710c5

[nnickusa]

Thanks, it is nice to have a clear, dedicated area to do stuff on, without having to move everything around to find a space to work. I mean, I do have a five tier shelving unit on one wall, but everything seedms to end up left out....

Marcus, unfortunately, it doesn't fold itself into a briefcase for easy travel, like your table....

Rod, I'm afraid to use it now, but I'll try to keep it neat and tidy....

Bill, thanks for the link. I do have a centre rail as well, so that's good thinking....

Greg, A bench I now have, but if we ever actually move, the next resident can have it the bloody thing weighs a tonne....

[charangohabsburg]

Marcus, unfortunately, it doesn't fold itself into a briefcase for easy travel, like your table....

True, but you have a bench which serves to place on it a drill and a cup of coffee at the same time!

Bill's hint regarding the hold downs is a very good one, I already have missed this possibility on my "bench" several times .

You certainly will also think about the best possible bench-vice(s) and its (their) location(s). There is a lot of room for individual solutions on a non-sophisticated bench.

[nnickusa]

True, to all that. I'm waiting to think about vices, and other stuff until I get the electrics and lighting up to par. I've put a few extra power points where i think they'll be useful, and have a couple safety switches from my building days, so can have 8 powerpoints from each double outlet, and keep them from getting overloaded. I want some good lighting over the bench too, then I'll work on the other stuff. Just happy to have a workbench Who's top I can see-----for the timebeing

[charangohabsburg]

I'm waiting to think about vices, and other stuff until I get the electrics and lighting up to par.

The very first vice you will really need is a resawing vice:





On a more serious note, and looking at those gorgeous bench legs, although an even less specialised luthier's vice than the "resaw vice" would be a leg vice:



Probably combined with a St. Peter's cross:



You can even buy very nice bench leg vice kits - a "real bargain" regarding the amount of money you have not spent with the bench itself...

Who's top I can see-----for the timebeing