Best bang for the buck
I have just arrived back in Az for the winter and have decided I need a good workbench. The one I have at home in Canada is great but it's too big for my little carport shop here so I have redesigned it a little and am going to take it on as a challenge to build the"best bang for the buck"workbench.
It is really a challenge for myself but if anyone wants to take it up and give me a run for it you are absolutely welcome. With luck the outcome will be a cheap, easy to build, excellent bench that even a beginner with a low budget can tackle.
The rules I'm using for myself are:
1) Cost........ I want to be honest about the cost so all material will be accounted for as well as the cost of the tools that the builder would have to acquire to build it. Additionally, I will stay away from "good deals" I was lucky enough to come upon and bits of hardware that I "just happened to have", the thinking being that at my finished cost, anyone could do it, lucky or not.
2) Function...This is going to be my bench and I expect it to be full function (although small) and be capable of all the clamping and supporting roles that I ask of my bench at home.
3) Simple Construction.. I want this to be a bench that a relative beginner with a few tools can feel confident to build.
4) Flexible Design..... My bench must fit in a small shop but that is not the case for everyone. The design has to be easy to scale up or down.
5) Accessible Materials.. All materials will be common readily accessible BORG quality stuff.
When I'm done I will post a full Sketchup and anyone who likes the idea can have full free access to both it and my help.
So here's my starting point.
It is two sheets of so-so 3/4" plywood off the top of the pile at HD, some glue and about all the tools I plan to use. I will likely have to add a few tools and parts later but I think the basic bench can be built from these.
The vices will probably involve a little solid wood but I may even try to get them from PW.
I call the one I have at home The V8 Workbench after it's vertical 8 degree wedge vices. This smaller clone I have dubbed The short Block V8.
Thanks for looking in .........and wish me luck…....
Paul
I have just arrived back in Az for the winter and have decided I need a good workbench. The one I have at home in Canada is great but it's too big for my little carport shop here so I have redesigned it a little and am going to take it on as a challenge to build the"best bang for the buck"workbench.
It is really a challenge for myself but if anyone wants to take it up and give me a run for it you are absolutely welcome. With luck the outcome will be a cheap, easy to build, excellent bench that even a beginner with a low budget can tackle.
The rules I'm using for myself are:
1) Cost........ I want to be honest about the cost so all material will be accounted for as well as the cost of the tools that the builder would have to acquire to build it. Additionally, I will stay away from "good deals" I was lucky enough to come upon and bits of hardware that I "just happened to have", the thinking being that at my finished cost, anyone could do it, lucky or not.
2) Function...This is going to be my bench and I expect it to be full function (although small) and be capable of all the clamping and supporting roles that I ask of my bench at home.
3) Simple Construction.. I want this to be a bench that a relative beginner with a few tools can feel confident to build.
4) Flexible Design..... My bench must fit in a small shop but that is not the case for everyone. The design has to be easy to scale up or down.
5) Accessible Materials.. All materials will be common readily accessible BORG quality stuff.
When I'm done I will post a full Sketchup and anyone who likes the idea can have full free access to both it and my help.
So here's my starting point.
It is two sheets of so-so 3/4" plywood off the top of the pile at HD, some glue and about all the tools I plan to use. I will likely have to add a few tools and parts later but I think the basic bench can be built from these.
The vices will probably involve a little solid wood but I may even try to get them from PW.
I call the one I have at home The V8 Workbench after it's vertical 8 degree wedge vices. This smaller clone I have dubbed The short Block V8.
Thanks for looking in .........and wish me luck…....
Paul