Workbench Ideas

[BentleyLeather]

I’m giving my garage interior an overhaul and would like some opinions. Hindsight is 20/20 so to speak and I’m sure some of you have good advice. I’ve been using 2x4’and 2x8’ tables to spread out on. With larger hides the 2’ tables leave you wanting more room. 
I’m looking to build a dedicated leather working table. I’d like storage underneath for both tools and leather. I’m thinking 3/4” MDF for the top, around 6’x4’ and with casters that can raise and lower. 

I mostly make wallets by hand stitching and hand cutting, so tools are pretty limited at this point besides a creasing machine and hand tools. 
I kind of know what direction I’m leaning but thought I’d throw the idea out for opinions or ideas others have incorporated. 
 

Thanks, 

Bryan

 

[gojosh]

On my 3/4" MDF topped work table I added a sheet of 1/8" tempered hardboard (Masonite is a trade name) and trimmed it with a laminate router. It makes a wonderful surface that's more resistant to damage than MDF alone.

Consider trimming the edges out with solid wood, edge banding or filler+paint as the raw MDF isn't super durable.

I also ordered a massive self healing mat from an online signmaking supply company.

It's a wonderful table.

[zuludog]

Search YouTube for 'leather workshop tour' and 'leather workshop ideas' - there are several videos, which will dive you plenty of ideas & suggestions

[gojosh]

This is a rather poor shot of the top. It's massive - something like 75" long and nearly 30" deep.

Edited January 20, 2020 by gojosh

[RockyAussie]

20 hours ago, BentleyLeather said:

With larger hides the 2’ tables leave you wanting more room

Just my experience.....The larger tables tend to get stuff left all over them and when I want to lay out a hide I never have enough room. Solution ....I bought 2 of them large plastic foldaway tables that come out for just those occasions.

[BentleyLeather]

Thank you all for the input. I had thought about putting an edge board around the MDF. 
my grandfather used some as an out feed table to a saw and besides the random spills it’s held up fairly well for 20+yrs, besides it’s ugly now. The hardboard is a good idea too. 
 

2 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Just my experience.....The larger tables tend to get stuff left all over them and when I want to lay out a hide I never have enough room. Solution ....I bought 2 of them large plastic foldaway tables that come out for just those occasions.

I understand. I had 12’ of workspace before and large parts were always covered up with tools. This time I’ll have 2 tables against the wall for all of my random hobbies and one rolling floor cart for leather. Hopefully I can organize stuff better. 
Debating size still and 4x4 or 4x5 may work just as well 4x6’ per the point you made. 

[KDR]

We made this thing years ago.  It's 96" by 48".  Edges are wood trimmed.  It is, as you can see, a bit a of magnet for clutter, but I always know where stuff is.  On the table!  The shelf underneath is good storage.  The space at the end was designed in to hold a spool of rope on a bar.  We have a tool hanging bar down the centre, a power bar at the far end and an overhead light, er, overhead.  This table gets used mostly for smaller, lighter projects and assembly.  There's another one, the same size but slightly lower, at the other end of the workshop that we use if we're hand cutting a hide.

[LumpenDoodle2]

Instead of using a self healing mat, I use a polyethylene cutting sheet the full size of my workbench.      I’ve found that if you use a round knife, the cutting sheet doesn’t ‘grab’ it the way a self healing mat does.   

[mike02130]

On 1/20/2020 at 4:16 PM, RockyAussie said:

Just my experience.....The larger tables tend to get stuff left all over them and when I want to lay out a hide I never have enough room. Solution ....I bought 2 of them large plastic foldaway tables that come out for just those occasions.

Exactly!!!  Well said.

[BentleyLeather]

I see this ended up being revived so I better give an update: 

Not long after this post I ended up building a 4' x 5' table using 3/4" plywood, 4x4's and 2'x4's with a framed edge and slight "Lip" around the top so my tools would not roll off. It has a bottom shelf as well that as mentioned above gets cluttered but I have a few pull out plastic bins and a big tote I keep leather scraps in. 

The table is also on casters so I can roll it into and out of my garage. I worked on it outside today because I needed better light and it was really nice outside. I did have an issue with stain + poly coat as it was in the 40 degree range when I built it and I was too impatient to let it sit days without drying (I sanded it lightly and applied a thinner coating). Overall I am happy with it, besides the finish being messed up in a few places and the fact that I was not ambitious enough to add drawers and storage for leather as I had originally intended. 

It gets cluttered often but it is now my only work space for leather so it forces me to keep it clean. I have not needed to cut any large items since making my wife a purse (thank goodness that is over). 

The only issue I see with it now is that we had thought about moving and I realized it would always remain a garage table because I did not design it to be taken apart and it's much too large to fit through most doorways. 

[ABC3]

BentleyLeather: Where are you in GA. I'm in Gainesville. Mayb e we can  get together and swap war stories.

[BentleyLeather]

1 hour ago, ABC3 said:

BentleyLeather: Where are you in GA. I'm in Gainesville. Mayb e we can  get together and swap war stories.

I’m about 2hrs south of you. I’m on here off and on but you can send me a PM

[Spyros]

On 5/31/2020 at 10:05 AM, BentleyLeather said:

I see this ended up being revived so I better give an update: 

Not long after this post I ended up building a 4' x 5' table using 3/4" plywood, 4x4's and 2'x4's with a framed edge and slight "Lip" around the top so my tools would not roll off. It has a bottom shelf as well that as mentioned above gets cluttered but I have a few pull out plastic bins and a big tote I keep leather scraps in. 

The table is also on casters so I can roll it into and out of my garage. I worked on it outside today because I needed better light and it was really nice outside. I did have an issue with stain + poly coat as it was in the 40 degree range when I built it and I was too impatient to let it sit days without drying (I sanded it lightly and applied a thinner coating). Overall I am happy with it, besides the finish being messed up in a few places and the fact that I was not ambitious enough to add drawers and storage for leather as I had originally intended. 

It gets cluttered often but it is now my only work space for leather so it forces me to keep it clean. I have not needed to cut any large items since making my wife a purse (thank goodness that is over). 

The only issue I see with it now is that we had thought about moving and I realized it would always remain a garage table because I did not design it to be taken apart and it's much too large to fit through most doorways. 

Yeah that's very nice, I don't think you need much more than that?  Maybe later you can add a steady  bench if you end up getting a tabletop splitter or an arbor press as these things need a solid surface.

You could also add under the table a couple of 5" or 6" PVC pipes for leather storage, just drill them straight into the wood.  Even on the sides it would work, drill them into the legs.

What is this creaser you're using?  Doesn't look like a Regad

[Toadlord]

I have a question that, I think, would fit this thread.  If I'm wrong, I apologize in advance.

 

I'm new to leatherworking and looking to build my first bench.  I live in a house and rent a room on the second floor.  This makes noise a big concern for me.  My landlord's bedroom is right under mine.  As much as is possible I want to make sure he can't hear me when I'm hammering away stamping or setting rivets etc.

I've looked at several pictures, on here and elsewhere, and the consensus seems to be just using plywood (short of those that actually went with a full on cutting board or marble top).  Is this sufficient?  I was thinking about two layers of plywood with a rubber mat of some sort in between.  I'm I overthinking this?  I've got a little money to spend, but trying to keep costs down as much as possible too.

 

Ideas?  Suggestions?  Thanks for the help in advance.

[BentleyLeather]

What are you wanting to make that might be a better place to start? 

As far as noise rivets are very noisy especially setting anything larger than#14. 
you could probably get away with a small table and get a small slab of headstone and use some rubberish mats for punching stitching holes. I have a set of the pliers that punch holes but I was never happy with them. Some people like the round hole type you might could use a chunky thread and hand punch? 
You could also mark the holes and use an awl. 
just a few ideas to ponder..

 

[Toadlord]

Right now I'm so new I don't know what I want to do yet haha.  Small items for now, not making saddles or armor or anything that big or extravagant yet.  I'm working on a Vape case at the moment and plans to make a belt or two, a camera strap, maybe some dog collars and leashes, belt pouches.  That sort of thing.

 

I have a slab of granite I got from a countertop store already.  Currently I'm literally working off of a folding TV tray so vibrations carry quite well.  That's why I ask if maybe I'm overthinking.  Would just a solidly built bench be sufficient in itself to cut the noise?  Also how thick for the plywood? 3/4" sufficient?  I noticed that's what Spyros mentioned he used.  Is that about right? overkill? underkill?

For holes I have a simple hole punch for my smaller rivets and snaps that came with my beginner set.  I also picked up a cheap Rotary Hole Punch from Harbor Freight.  I know I'll want/need better later on, but to get me started it seems to work ok.  As far as holes for stitching, I haven't gotten that far yet really.  I've got a set of 4mm stitching chisels with my set.

[BentleyLeather]

I used something like 3/4”. No I don’t think anything will soften the noise up that much. You end up with a pop or a thud either way. A rubber mat / punch pad would help. I work outside a lot and in reality you can punch most holes for a wallet within 10 minutes.  Cutting, stitching and edge work will occupy more of your time than punching holes. 

 

[LumpenDoodle2]

Earlier this year, I moved my leather stamping workbench out of the conservatory (concrete floor), and into another room (wooden floor).    I wanted to make sure there was no chance of the sound travelling along the floor joists, and annoying my next door neighbour, so I put thick anti vibration pads under the legs of the stamping block.   I also put a big pad of the rubber under the granite block itself.

Being a bit anal, I used a decibel meter, to test the difference, and these measures did noticeably deaden the ‘air borne’ noise.   As to noise travelling along the floor joists, my neighbour says she never noticed anything prior to my noise dampening anyway.

Made me feel happier knowing I had made the effort though.