Work Benches

[OlderGiantFan]

We all have one or two, I have an long one out back under a covered area complete with bench grinder and vice for the heavy stuff but inside under the house I have a custom made one for delicate jobs, made to fit between two doors. I had it made to my height, so no stooping over it, and it incorporates a back-board and shelf up top, a draw for small odds and ends. If I had the thing made today I would have gotten more draws! It has a shelf at the bottom too, totally cluttered of course

Post up yours, it might give us some ideas?



magnetic strips to hold the little stuff handy

 

[Epithemeus]

If you have the ability custom is definitely the way to go IMO. Getting it the right height is so nice. Doesn't have to be complicated either. I made mine with just a circular saw, drill, and cheap wood/mdf. Not pretty but hella sturdy.

 

[Papa]

My 'preferred' outside metal fabricating and welding/brazing requires a steel bench so I bought this very robust, stainless steel BBQ'er at a secondhand for $15. Then simply discarded the upper burners and clam shell. Has protective lower storage for tools. Wheels removed & loaded with 200+ pounds of ballast. It has performed so well, I'm considering pouring a cement slab for it.



Edit: Truth be known, I bought 3 BBQ's and converted the second for a my miter saw (wheels still intact for mobility), and the third has a small lathe attached.

 

[OlderGiantFan]

Looks pretty to me! I'm a hopeless carpenter, it's why I had to get one built. But it wasn't expensive, just some guy in Brisbane, 'Colin' working under his house and selling on Gumtree. He had a lot of stuff advertised so I reached out and asked if he'd knock one up to my specs. I think it was a walk in the park for him, only cost $400 odd back in the day. A good investment.

I see he's still at it too. For anyone in Briso, there is the link. He's the seller in Paddington.

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-tool-storage-benches/brisbane/workbench/k0c20094l3005721

 

[marty]

I'm considering pouring a cement slab

Concrete slab? Cement is part of the recipe for concrete.

 

[marty]

Like to go here and dream of tables with 3/4" steel top.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

 

[Papa]

Like to go here and dream of tables with 3/4" steel top.

I assume the OP was soliciting real examples of work 'tables' in actual use....
Not inanimate objects on computer screens that induce erections.

 

[marty]

Like to go here and dream of vises. I have a lot of vices.

AI Overview

A vice is a persistent bad habit, immoral behavior, or character defect.

https://wiltontools.com/mechanics-pro-vise-8-jaw-width-8-1-2-jaw-opening-360-swivel-base

 

[marty]

work 'tables' in actual use....

Sorry no pictures. Just cleaned out a 1350 sq ft shop. Was renting. Moved to a 2 car garage. Now working on what goes where. Thinking of putting 220V air compressor somewhere far away and running air hose/pipe to garage.

best pipe for compressed air?

Threaded pipe. Black or galvanized. Yes could use that. Got threading equipment. Takes way lot of time. Thinking red rubber air hose from Harbor Freight would be way faster to fish through walls and ceilings. What is best flexible pipe for compressed air?

Pipe to use with my air compressor

Will learn about this PEX-AL-PEX Where to buy? What color is it? Same fittings as PEX water pipe? Great thing about air is if it leaks a little? No water damage

Also want new lighting in the garage. Should do that before the air lines.

OK back to the "work table" Picture a cheesy steel table. Think it is 30" x 72". Someone welded 1/4" steel top on it. Bought it from a used machinery guy. [Please don't put your wet glass of liquid on my bare steel table top.]

Bolted a nice vise to the table. Sorry no pictures. Here are some pictures of a vise just like mine.

View attachment 210167-columbian-604-m2-machinist-bench-vise-swivel-base-4in-jaw-made-in-usa-46-lb.jpg

View attachment 210167-columbian-604-m2-machinist-bench-vise-swivel-base-4in-jaw-made-in-usa-46-lb-5.jpg

View attachment 210167-columbian-604-m2-machinist-bench-vise-swivel-base-4in-jaw-made-in-usa-46-lb-6.jpg

View attachment 210167-columbian-604-m2-machinist-bench-vise-swivel-base-4in-jaw-made-in-usa-46-lb-7.jpg

View attachment 210167-columbian-604-m2-machinist-bench-vise-swivel-base-4in-jaw-made-in-usa-46-lb-10.jpg

Way long time ago I was bad. Don't remember what I did? Punishment was community service. Like to do what I want to do. Asked a Rabbi if I could build some furniture for a temple. Built a big table top from particle board and some saw horses for legs. It was the same height as a table saw. Never finished the furniture. Still have the heavy particle board top and saw horse legs.

I an a saw horse type of person. Table anyplace any time. Use these everywhere all the time.

 

[marty]

Height of table is really important. Was building something from wood. My back was hurting. Raised table 2 inches. Back problem solved. Should be a doctor.

 

[Papa]

Height of table is really important...

Absolutely.
BBQ table bench pictured above is 37" ground to bench top surface, and 44" from ground to vise jaws. Near perfect for my height.

 

[marty]

Near perfect for my height.

So how tall are you? 37" is too high for me. I usually prefer something around 34". I dream of a big heavy steel table around 24" high just for pounding on stuff.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

30" High—30" high tables are standard table height.
32" High—32" high tables are standard table height.
34" High—34" high tables are the same height as most workbenches, making them a comfortable height for most standing tasks.
36" High—36" high tables are the same height as most workbenches, making them a comfortable height for most standing tasks.

 

[99t4]

magnetic strips to hold the little stuff handy

Great feature! Is it easily removable for when you have to go mobile?

I bought 3 BBQ's and converted the second for a my miter saw (wheels still intact for mobility), and the third has a small lathe attached.

Thanks for the idea! Folks around here leave their old BBQs out on the curb quite often. Time to repurpose one.

 

[lnanek]

Why pick a height when you can just use an electric adjustable height standing desk

 

[OlderGiantFan]

Deciding on the height was the interesting part, I'd never thought of it before but I did have another little bench I used that was so low it was a real pain. In the end I just went around checking heights of things until I found something I could flat-palm with my back straight and arms out at 45-deg. That was 39" for me, for comparison my kitchen benches are 36". I do lots of fiddly little jobs on the bench and it's an added pleasure to be able to do them standing fully erect. My back that is.

 

[OlderGiantFan]

Great feature! Is it easily removable for when you have to go mobile?

?? The magnetic strips? Nothing is easily removable aside from the tools themselves, but I probably have triple that many all over the place. That "set" is just designed for working in the garage on small devices or parts off them. Not e-bike specific at all, the e-bike work station is in another dedicated room with it's own dedicated tools

 

[99t4]

?? The magnetic strips?

Yeah the magnetic strips. I don't have many multiples of tools so was thinking of a setup like yours but with the magnetic strips easily removable to be put in a tool bag when needed for projects outside the workshop.

 

[OlderGiantFan]

Yeah the magnetic strips. I don't have many multiples of tools so was thinking of a setup like yours but with the magnetic strips easily removable to be put in a tool bag when needed for projects outside the workshop.

Personally I doubt they would work for you. While they hang there nicely, it doesn't take much to pull -or bump- them off. The downside of course is now they are all magnetized, a minor issue with the dremil bits and the little files but nothing a stronger magnet can't pull off because those strips are pretty weak. For all the screwdrivers etc I find that quality quite useful.

 

[lnanek]

I put big stuff on magnet strips all the time:



Maybe just that model is weak?

 

[OlderGiantFan]

The strips I used are weak, they were just some I had laying around and I have no idea what their original function was. If you have too strong a magnet you'll impart a strong field to the tools, especially if you 'drag' the tool off the strip. That could be a real problem around metal filings and shards. It's why most of my tools are clipped into plastic holders or hung on PK screws. Tin snips, hacksaws, wire cutters and rulers etc used on metal could end up covered in small metal particles, carrying them to areas you might not want.