Work bench

[bruce johnson]

My cutting table is an old "free to haul off" desk from along the road. I covered the top with particle board, and have a smaller piece of poly to cut on too. It is raised with pieces of PVC pipe that slip over the ends of the legs. My wife got this idea from "Martha". It does make it a nice height. The drawers hold stuff, and the open space underneath seats two plastic scrap tubs. The knives and blade tools all hang next to it, and away from the general tool population.

My workbenches are a Gorilla rack setup like Barra described, as are the other benches and storage shelving. The work bench has a metal tray above it. I stick cow magnets to it, and then put small things like cordless screwdriver bits, awl wrenches, the most used punches, etc to them.

My stamping bench is a used office furniture store find. It has enough room to get my legs under, and it a simple cube type construction. Plenty durable and surprisingly little bounce. It is a nice height with my rock on top of it, although I wish I had a bit more room on top. Tools are in cups on the wall behind it, along with mauls, an easy reach.

[barra]

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/Wor...rkshopHome.aspx

I was once in a newsagent and saw a wood working magazine that had the most amazing workshop. I think you would glean many an idea from similar magazines.

I'd have natural lighting that could be changed via windows or skylights opening or closing depending on outside conditions. I like a place for everything and everything in it's place (to a point, it is a workshop). For years I went with the traditional backboard and tools mounted with leather straps. Now I have a shelf at the back, still within arms reach and I have drilled various holes with auger bits. The smaller tools are at the front and the longer ones at the back. Similar tools are still in groups together. I also have my hand sewing threads in jars with plastic lids. Each lid has an SP1 eylet to feed the thread out of. I like peg board and plastic maxi bins for storage. On the front of my bench I have an adhesive 1 metre /36" ruler I obtained from my sewing machine mechanic. This is the type they stick on sewing machine tables. My bench top has a false top and slide out draws are installed like the pull out cutting boards you see in kitchens. If it were me and space was not a major concern I would have my bench mounted tools on a seperate bench to my main cutting or sewing bench. I like being able to have a completely flat surface with no bumps in the way. As a compromise I have mounted my splitter and rounder via clamps and can still have them firmly on the bench but removed in seconds. IMHO the best thing in the workshop is adhesive velcro. All my round and head knife pouches are stuck where I can get to them easily with a strip of pile on the wall or bench and hook on the pouch. This makes it very easy to move if I change my mind. I also have stuff stuck on my draw down stand with velcro. You can even use an old blanket stuck to a wall (this is in effect a huge peice of pile velcro) and attach items to it with the hook.

If you are in a store that installs kitchen cabinets or just other businesses in general you will get many ideas from how things are made and or set up. If you have a phone camera, take a snap.

[leatheroo]

hi bruce, i wish i had a set up like yours, but my question is ...whats the blue thing hanging from the drip stand ?

[whinewine]

hi bruce, i wish i had a set up like yours, but my question is ...whats the blue thing hanging from the drip stand ?

roo,

sorry to pop in, but it looks like a fordham (a flexible shaft dremel tool on steroids)

[tonyc1]

My cutting table is an old "free to haul off" desk from along the road. I covered the top with particle board, and have a smaller piece of poly to cut on too. It is raised with pieces of PVC pipe that slip over the ends of the legs. My wife got this idea from "Martha". It does make it a nice height. The drawers hold stuff, and the open space underneath seats two plastic scrap tubs. The knives and blade tools all hang next to it, and away from the general tool population.

My workbenches are a Gorilla rack setup like Barra described, as are the other benches and storage shelving. The work bench has a metal tray above it. I stick cow magnets to it, and then put small things like cordless screwdriver bits, awl wrenches, the most used punches, etc to them.

My stamping bench is a used office furniture store find. It has enough room to get my legs under, and it a simple cube type construction. Plenty durable and surprisingly little bounce. It is a nice height with my rock on top of it, although I wish I had a bit more room on top. Tools are in cups on the wall behind it, along with mauls, an easy reach.

Bruce, I envy a workshop so neat and tidy,I really do. Mine stays like that for a day after I clean up and then it rapidly goes downhill again!

Tony.

[kseidel]

I have my work stations set up in a U shape with work benches on each side out from the wall and a tool cabinet on the wall between the benches. My saddle stand is in the middle. Tools are easily accessible from either workbench as well as the saddle on the stand. One bench is 30" wide, the other is 4' x 8'. Both have a center shelf and a shelf at the floor. They are made of 3/4" particle board shelving and 4 x 4 legs, with 2 x 4's on edge around edges and two in the center under each shelf for support. Bench tops are tempered masonite, or butcher plastic, or white melamine coated particle board. I use other cutting surfaces on the board tops. My stamping bench is a separate bench made taller to allow tooling either seated or standing. Attached are some pics.

Keith

[leatheroo]

keith, i think you posted these photos in the wrong place.....they should be under a heading of....LEATHERWORKERS HEAVEN....

[moriver]

I built my main working bench out of lumber from a barn I tore down. It's massive and heavy. Lot's of 4x4's and 2x6's. The best part however is the top, I found a granite countertop that was a second due to a small miscolored spot. It's 30" by 48". I can tool on it, stain on it, set rivets, etc. It cleans up with a rag, even dried glue comes up with a razor blade box cutter in a snap. I'm looking for another top like it for one of my other benches. My main layout/cutting table is a solid core door with a masonite cover that I got for 38 dollars at a yard sale. I use a 2x2 cutting board that I slide around on top when needed.

[Duke]

it isnt much but it works for me.

[Kevin]

When I saw Keith's pictures, I said to myself, wait a minute, that looks familiar. Anyone that goes to Sheridan needs to take the time and go to Cody also. There you will find Seidel's Saddlery. Downstairs is the retail store with lots of wonders and upstairs is the workshop that Keith will happily show you. The day we were there, he was trying to finish up a saddle to enter in the show the next day, but he still took the time to show us around and talk to us. Kevin