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I'm assuming that some of you gentleman have a full featured workshop. On the other hand, I'm sure some of you work on card tables and kitchen tables. Recently, I've been looking into buying or building a workbench for some light woodworking, home repairs and razor restoration. What type of workbenches do you guys work on.
I am a woodworker and joiner. I make furniture and cabinets and anything else that meets my fancy. I started out as a Carpenter. I went to a woodworking supply house and asked the question, "should I purchase the bandsaw or the Ulmia workbench". The answer I was given and that I am thankfull for is buy the saw and use it to make the bench.
This is probably the best answer I have ever had for anything. I did build the bench and more, and more, and more.
The best benches are made in Germany by Ulmia, a close second a scandanavian company named Sjoberg. Excelent benches although pricy, but the best advise was "buy the saw and use it to build your workbench"
I work on many things from furniture to restoring straights. I have an excellent cabinet makers bench that I built myself to several special purpose benches for sharpening tools to restoring antique wood working tools to glueing up and finishing and varnishing.
I say that you should build your own bench if you do enough work to warrent a workbench, but just to let you know I use my kitchen table to hone my razors.
I am getting into rescuing older razors and for this I use a very basic workbench that my father made for me and my brothers.
Bottom line is that you dont need anything fancy, all you need is the heart to get it done.
I recycled my 15 year old computer desk. It is built like a brick s. house. 1.5" thick table surface and rectangular tube metal legs.
It is about 3 ft. by 6 ft. surface that is nice and solid. I bolted on some fixtures, attachments, etc. right to it. As far as size it is more than enough for light work like razor restoration, electronics and other tinkering.
My whole workshop for light work is an 8 by 8 ft corner in the basement. I did add lots of lighting for the bench.
For anything bigger or dustier I carved whatever space I could from the garage.
Before we sold our house 6 months ago I had a 2 car garage for the heavy workshop and a 12 x 20 office for the light work. I can tell you I am more comfortable now.
I do miss my floor standing drill press the most. It is now in storage in my parents' garage :cry:.
Kitchen Table.......lol. Lynn
I've access to a full shop at work (Veritas bench and a full line-up of Grizzly tools) and a fairly complete shop at home (bench is handmade with a 3" thick red oak laminated top and two veritas vises.
Even so, most of my work on razors is done on the countertop at my wet bar in the family room. I find that the height of the bar is most comfortable for me when honing or tightening scales (I have a small 1.5 pound mini-anvil). Best yet, I'm always within reach of a Guiness or a glass of scotch :p .
Ed
Kitchen table also. Now if I could only hone like Lynn.:D
My sharpening bench is my wifes recliner. My anvil is a thick stainless plate. Man I wish I had a wet bar.
Keaton
TV tray in front of my recliner.
AMEN BROTHER Finally a thread I can relate to :) OK, maybe not the first thread, but....Quote:
Originally Posted by ForestryProf
Jeff
table in the living room. Nailed the scales on my knees with an hammer as anvil. Last friday I bought a 5kg anvil. Think this will improve my nailing :)
I use the kitchen table and my desk, soon I'll make some room in my garage. Once I'm in the garage I will have the room to really make a large bench look small, with my constant clutter.
Rex