OK Guys I tried to get this going in the around the workbench thread and no one is replying. So here is the deal. Get your camera go out to your shop do not clean off your bench and snap a shot of your current workbench. Show us how you use it and how you leave it when your not there . Show us what you use for a bench is is a kitchen table a card table a real bench or a quickie bench. I want to see this stuff and then I want you to post photos of the bench of your dreams. In the morning I will post my bench photos I know every one has a bench they would love to own tell us why you think the bench of your dreams is the right choice. Be ready for some honest feedback from your friends. and most of all keep coming back to this thread to see what is new. OK Guys do it now !   

Lance,

Currently I do not have a workbench.

I use the bed to my skid-steer trailer, tailgate on the pick um up truck, available floor space, .....whatever comes up handy at the moment of need.

Dream workbench...

  I guess that's why it's called a dream. Something to be done someday.

 

Larry

Old Woodworking Machinery Forum Host

Not sure if I can get this handled today Lance, but I'll be out there tomorrow for sure! I'll get a photo posted asap!

---

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

Here is a couple shots from today. I just cleaned things up a bit this morning.

---

Good, Better, Best never let it rest
Till your Good is Better and your Better is Best.

Currently, I do not have a workbench either.  I mostly use a set of saw horses and some LVLs or planks to top them off.  I do have dreams of a workbench and have been looking at different designs.  Even have a pile of red and white oak in my garage to build it from.  Thinking about a front vise and and end vise but have been looking at different vise options. Was planning on using the white oak for the top and the red oak for the framework.  Still not sure if the white oak is a good choice when I see most benches use birch for the top.  I know the white oak will add weight and make the bench a solid fixture.

I'm with Larry in that I hope that dream will happen someday and hope it is sooner than later.

Steve

Nice Scandinavian bench how thick is the top, did you make the bench your self or did you have it made for you if you made it how many hours went into it ?

Mark Dorman said:

Here is a couple shots from today. I just cleaned things up a bit this morning.

---

Good, Better, Best never let it rest
Till your Good is Better and your Better is Best.

The top is about 3 1/8" thick and 24" wide. I don't know how long it took to build. A few hours during the week and on the week end eventually it was done. Took about three hours sorting the select lumber at the lumber yard to find enough 2 x 4 and 2 x 6s to make it. I figured this was my starter bench and eventually I would make one out of better wood.

So far one change would be having two sets of dog holes in the end vice. When your a 1/4" from being able to clamp a board and you have to back it up 6 " to get to the next dog hole it just seems like a waste of time. I may try and rework it.

Mostly though it's working very well.

The bench in the background on pic 2 is made from 10 2 x 6s and took about 5 hours including buying the wood.

 

 

---

Good, Better, Best never let it rest
Till your Good is Better and your Better is Best.

Here is a link for the 2 x 6 bench. I made mine a full 8' so 6 boards didn't need cut at all.

http://www.grampasworkshop.net/workbench.html

---

Good, Better, Best never let it rest
Till your Good is Better and your Better is Best.

That's a nice bench Mark, great job. So, what would you do with the Dogholes in the future to alleviate that issue?

---

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

Just add one to the pusher on the end vice. That way you have two that are 3" apart so you have half the travel distance.

---

Good, Better, Best never let it rest
Till your Good is Better and your Better is Best.

Thanks! I do plan on building a bench in the next year or two, these are the little dings and dongs that I like to hear about, great tips Mark.

Mark Dorman said:

Just add one to the pusher on the end vice. That way you have two that are 3" apart so you have half the travel distance.

---

Good, Better, Best never let it rest
Till your Good is Better and your Better is Best.

---

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

Yeah ya do Larry! It's called the kitchen table!

Larry Buskirk said:

Lance,

Currently I do not have a workbench.

I use the bed to my skid-steer trailer, tailgate on the pick um up truck, available floor space, .....whatever comes up handy at the moment of need.

Dream workbench...

  I guess that's why it's called a dream. Something to be done someday.

 

Larry

Old Woodworking Machinery Forum Host

---

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

John,

That's the wife's workbench!

Larry
John Morris said:

Yeah ya do Larry! It's called the kitchen table!

Larry Buskirk said:

---

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

OOOHHHH!!! I'm telling! Was that a sexist comment!

Larry Buskirk said:

John,

That's the wife's workbench!

Larry
John Morris said:

---

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

---

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

No it wasn't, we have an old fashioned kitchen with furniture type cabinets.

The table is the only counter space,  so I would be in trouble if I used it for a workbench.
Larry
John Morris said:

OOOHHHH!!! I'm telling! Was that a sexist comment!

Larry Buskirk said:

Our kitchen table Is my wife's workbench. She usually has it full with a quilt project.

Seems the more she learns about quilting the less she remembers about cooking.

I'm okay with that because our hobby used to be Whiskey; quilting and woodworking may not be cheaper but it's a whole lot more productive and fulfilling.

P.S. Don't care if you do; don't care if you don't; I just pray it doesn't have control.

---

Good, Better, Best never let it rest
Till your Good is Better and your Better is Best.

 Went from using the top of my tablesaw to a Nickleson "English"  Planning bench. Tablesaw "bench"Old Barn beams to build a bench.   A "leg vise" from scratch.    Top is a simple four board glue-up.   Nowadays, it is also my "work center" for when i re-hab a plane or two:Hey, it IS in use.    Still working on a "Wagon" vise on the end.     Have some of the parts, thoughIF I can get the planes to move out of the way long enough, I  MIGHT just get this old bench finished.    

---

'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

looks sturdy Steve, those barn beams look good.

---

Good, Better, Best never let it rest
Till your Good is Better and your Better is Best.

Steve White oak will make a wonderful bench top I will perpose that birch is not a popular choice for a bench it is often maple both hard and soft I know Several people who are building benches using white oak as the top and you should use the lighter color wood as the top sounds like you have the wood do you have a design yet I have to tell you the design of the benches I am making are great they can be knocked down and are very strong I can help you get a copy of the plans if you want to see them


Steve Caudell said:

Currently, I do not have a workbench either.  I mostly use a set of saw horses and some LVLs or planks to top them off.  I do have dreams of a workbench and have been looking at different designs.  Even have a pile of red and white oak in my garage to build it from.  Thinking about a front vise and and end vise but have been looking at different vise options. Was planning on using the white oak for the top and the red oak for the framework.  Still not sure if the white oak is a good choice when I see most benches use birch for the top.  I know the white oak will add weight and make the bench a solid fixture.

I'm with Larry in that I hope that dream will happen someday and hope it is sooner than later.

Steve

Hey big Lance, have you checked your email lately? You got a couple messages from me. Hope all is well buddy.

Lance The Dude Granum said:

Steve White oak will make a wonderful bench top I will perpose that birch is not a popular choice for a bench it is often maple both hard and soft I know Several people who are building benches using white oak as the top and you should use the lighter color wood as the top sounds like you have the wood do you have a design yet I have to tell you the design of the benches I am making are great they can be knocked down and are very strong I can help you get a copy of the plans if you want to see them

Steve Caudell said:

---

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops