First Bench?

The Duk

My new shed will be put in place next week and I'm looking at a few cheap benches. I was wondering if anyone on here could recommend one?

Here’s what I've been looking at:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-Beech-Work-Bench-558647.htm

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=142157

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=132131

Thanks in Advance.

lionela

Try ...www.Gumtree.ie ...or ...Dublin Waste.ie for freebies
They often have steel and wooden benches for free .
I have seen some brilliant gear going for little or nothing. Clearouts of offices workrooms etc. You could also post an add for free..;) looking for something suitable..mabye you could modify an item to suit your needs.

Good luck anyway

dubtom

I have the exact same one as the axminster. Made from solid wood,two good vices,not good drawer runners and a little light,so stability an issue,if it was a foot wider it would balance better. Easily solved though if secured to the floor with triangle brackets All in all a good bench for the money,I got mine in Mcquillans of capel, can't remember the price,but not expensive. They have a cheaper version,made of ply which I'd avoid.

The Duk

I am getting a steel shed so will need to bolt it to the frame. Hopefully this will reslove the sability issue.

I'll check out Mcquillans in Blanch over the weekend and see whats on offer.

ennisa

I do believe that I saw one like the axminster one in maquillns in blanchardstown and that it was €150 It wasn't properly put together in the shop so it was pretty wobbly but properly assembled and glued i would imagine it would be pretty stable. If you have the time and the inclination though I would highly recommend building your own though.

This thread had somebody looking for a bench as well:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055438194

dubtom

Unfortunatly alan even norm abram couldn't get that baby stable out of the box. Although I'm no math expert the dimensions just don't lend them selves to stability. The suggestion of a bag or two of heavy sand would sort the problem out though,or extending the width with either triangle barckets or more bench,really wouldn't be that difficult. I enclosed mine in some pine board,sides,back and bottom,it's better,I have no room to extend it though. Please don't be put off by the stability debate OP,it really is good value.

ennisa

Tom,
Yeah it looks a bit tippy, but as you say it is good value and if you look at how much a new ulmia bench might cost you then you begin to see the value. I made mine from 2x4's and a plan that i got online from here.

http://www.plansnow.com/wwrkbnch.html

it was very easy to build. The hardest part was laminating 2x4's for the top. The plans recommend using an old solid core door and if you have one handy or can get a damaged one cheap from one of the door stores then I would reccommend that I just did not have easy access to one. It is very easy to adjust the plans to suit the space that you have. All you have to do then is decide what vice you want to add. Face vice, leg vice, tail vice etc... Obviously this is only if you have the time or the inclination. The plan was a couple of dollars and in total (including the top) I used eight, eight foot 2x4's, glue, screws and some bolts and coach screws and I think about €15 for the screw for the face vice (and i would buy the cheaper/shorter one next time) I can't imagine it all came to more than 75 euro plus I can take it all apart if I have too..

If you are felling a little hard done by then have a look at this link to a competition for the most pathetic workbench, done by woodworking magazine: LINK

dubtom

Actually made a bench years ago Alan,I say made,probably an over statement.It's a machine pallet, made from 4x2's with an 8x4 board top,which I bolted four legs onto from decking posts and a tray for whatever underneath. The pallet on it's own weighed about 8 stone,so it surprises me sometimes that it's still standing.

ennisa

whatever gets the job done at the end of the day, it doesn't need to be pretty in the workshop. I can use it to make the pretty things

take care

misschipp

Hi Duk, try this:
http://www.woodworkersinstitute.com/page.asp?p=461

I made my own benches years ago and they have withstood time. There is nothing that gives more pleasure than to work on benches you made yourself

The Duk

I've been to Mcquillins and looked around on the web, but I think I should atleast attempt the self build route first.

The shed arrives tomorrow (hopefully) so I'll measure it up and see what I can do. Thanks again for all the advice.

congo_90

I saw that one in maquillns and was tempted something terrible as of lately I do a lot of woodwork myself. Right now i'm working a small project.

A small bird house lol.

As for my work bench at the moment, I used a kitchen press door and some scrap bits of wood left by the builders (house was new) and built it into my shed. I've only one pic of. It. 3 years on, it's never let me down. Steady as anything.
Not gonna bother buying a work bench though. Instead i'm going to build onto the walls and place a vice on it.