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Benches

Paul

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Oct 22, 2013
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1,053
Location
Kent
I know I should "make" one, but my carpentry skills have not been tested.... I like this products Sjobergs Nordic Plus 1450 Bench - Benches - Benches, Vices & Storage - Workshop Equipment | Axminster.co.uk. Partly because of the storage model. I know Clare's do a far cheaper version. Clarke CHB1500 Wooden Workbench - Machine Mart. I was wondering if someone had an alternative, or indeed had the sjobergs and could vouch for the investment?

I am torn because to make my own would be fantastic, but would no doubt require a whole new set of tools..... Skills and knowledge. Hmmmmm
 

Neil

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May 21, 2013
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Hitchin, Hertfordshire
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Neil
Paul,

My opinion! Nice bit of kit, lovely finish, nice set of drawers (4) and a small cupboard. Woodworking kit is supposed to be functional, not pretty. My workbenches are constantly evolving when I change equipment and my benches are made of old pallets and b and q damaged kitchen worktops. Dont mind cutting holes in them or dont mind sticking a drill through them, but if Ive paid £325 I'm going to be upset!

Ive made a load of storage bins out of cheap plastic boxes and made runners out of strips of mdf glued to vertical sections so all mty stuff is best described as workshop fitted furniture! If you like it and it fits the bill for you, then great, but I would spend the money on a new toy myself!

You stand a better chance of maximising the limited space that most of us have by Damaging it Yourself than buying individual items that are very limited in their ability to be configured to your style of working, fames of 2 x 4 bolted to walls and covered in worktops are cheaper, more functional and you wont mind getting it wrong.
 

paulm

grave manibus faciendum
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Oct 7, 2013
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12,046
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Sandford
First Name
Paul
I agree with Neil entirely. £300+ would get you a nice toy. I am a bit posher than Neil though in that I bought a piece of MDF for the worktop and have a fully custom bench as big as I could make with shelves underneath. You don't need to be an expert to make one, I'm certainly not and all I did was to screw some 4X2 batton on the wall, and then around the front and side of the MDF (B&Q cut it to size), screwed a leg on the corner and one in the middle and that's it. I did add shelves underneath but you don't have to do that. To build mine, I needed a saw, a screwdriver and a drill + the wood which cost about £50 in total. Oh, I had a bit of skirting in the garage so I put that around the front to tart it up a bit, but there's no need.
 

Grump

Grand Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Posts
10,504
Location
Stevenage
First Name
Brian
Join Freecycle and grab a few old chest of drawers being thrown out.
Raid the skip at the local kitchen fitters for damged worktop there is your new bench for zilch.
spend £300 on yourself init?
 

edlea

Lobbygobbler
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Aug 1, 2013
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Blackpool
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Ed
Neil has a valid point .. at that price you wouldn't want to even put your cup of coffee down on it just in case you mark it . Like Neil my work benches are evolving, mine from the original slatted 'out of favour' flower pot decking ...thinks :thinks: must fill those gaps in to stop stuff from falling through.
 

Pete B

Registered
Joined
Apr 22, 2013
Posts
264
Location
Almost in Northumberland
Hi,

i've have that exact model, given as a gift form Wifey i think several years ago.
Its nice, but it is small, the vices are good but not quite as powerful as the old fashioned woodworking vices.
The holes on the top are very useful but they are just holes.
The top of the bench is very solid and very good quality. The draws are ok but the grey you see are plastic fittings that are on all four corners holding the drawers together,my older one has red plastic, the plywood slides in. No bearings or runners i think, but they do get very stiff. The doors are plywood sliding in a channel that gets full of dust. So much so that i intend to change the doors to hinges.
It is good, but you can make something simple like i used to have, which was mdf or 18mm ply i can't remember which, timber frames, and better vices and much larger for a lot less cash.
Or other plans.
The size up against a wall as mine is, has been a problem as they could be bigger, i could do with a bigger one.
But i would make another myself next time.
Hope this helps

Pete
 

Doug

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Aug 25, 2013
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In the wood shop
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Take a guess
The woodwork required for making a bench doesn't need to be complicated, overlapping timbers bolted together will make a sturdy frame for a top that can be made from a multitude of materials, such as MDF, plywood, chipboard or solid timber.

Unless you spend a great deal more than £300 on a pre-made bench all you will get is a quite small,insubstantial bench.

I have some photos of my bench build I would happily post up if it is of any use.
 

PhillH

Little Grandad
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Jun 18, 2013
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Solihull - A Tyke in Exile
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I was going to say "get Doug to photo his"

You beat me to it.

I made mine from 4x4 for the legs , 4x2 for cross pieces, MDF for the top.

50 quid and I'm no carpenter, all cut to length for me by the timber merchant, drilled the holes and screwed it together.

About an hours work and it's rock solid.

Give it a bash it's not that scary.
 

Kardav

the PENsioner
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Jan 26, 2014
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Nottingham north
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Dave
Mine's just a basic 4" X 2" frame with builders planks on top and the top covered with hardboard to smooth it out. A couple of 'junky' chests of drawers complete the set-up. Dead easy.
 

Paul

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Joined
Oct 22, 2013
Posts
1,053
Location
Kent
The woodwork required for making a bench doesn't need to be complicated, overlapping timbers bolted together will make a sturdy frame for a top that can be made from a multitude of materials, such as MDF, plywood, chipboard or solid timber.

Unless you spend a great deal more than £300 on a pre-made bench all you will get is a quite small,insubstantial bench.

I have some photos of my bench build I would happily post up if it is of any use.

Hi Doug

That would be good to see. Thank you
 

Paul

Fellow
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Oct 22, 2013
Posts
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Location
Kent
Paul,

My opinion! Nice bit of kit, lovely finish, nice set of drawers (4) and a small cupboard. Woodworking kit is supposed to be functional, not pretty. My workbenches are constantly evolving when I change equipment and my benches are made of old pallets and b and q damaged kitchen worktops. Dont mind cutting holes in them or dont mind sticking a drill through them, but if Ive paid £325 I'm going to be upset!

Ive made a load of storage bins out of cheap plastic boxes and made runners out of strips of mdf glued to vertical sections so all mty stuff is best described as workshop fitted furniture! If you like it and it fits the bill for you, then great, but I would spend the money on a new toy myself!

You stand a better chance of maximising the limited space that most of us have by Damaging it Yourself than buying individual items that are very limited in their ability to be configured to your style of working, fames of 2 x 4 bolted to walls and covered in worktops are cheaper, more functional and you wont mind getting it wrong.

Thank you. You are of course all right. And yeah I would be gutted if it got damaged!
 

Paul

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Oct 22, 2013
Posts
1,053
Location
Kent
Were in kent are you im in Romford i could bring whatever tools you need and help you .

Hey turnaround. That is extremely kind of you. I'm about 30 mins from the dartford crossing. near Tonbridge. Right so, i gotta clear the garage up first to create space!!!
 

Paul

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Oct 22, 2013
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Kent
Thanks to everyone for their help and advice ( again ). I'm going to do it as you suggest. Right so what toy, I mean tool, to get instead..... I think Phil likes his bandsaw......
 

Paul

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Joined
Oct 22, 2013
Posts
1,053
Location
Kent
What machines have you got already Paul?

circular saw, mitre saw, (lathe and pro edge.) so I guess I have most for what you suggest unless I want fancy tenon joints etc.

So I guess at some point bandsaw, and router?
 

Doug

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Take a guess
circular saw, mitre saw, (lathe and pro edge.) so I guess I have most for what you suggest unless I want fancy tenon joints etc.

So I guess at some point bandsaw, and router?

Mortise & tenon joints are fairly straight forward with a router & mitre saw, but a bandsaw would allow you to cut the tenon cheeks more quickly.
 

Paul

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Oct 22, 2013
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1,053
Location
Kent
It seems so inevitable that I need more kit, that I may as we'll not bother fighting the urge..... I appreciate from your pictures that you are a professional furniture maker, is there a brand your would recommend for a hobbyist like me for router and bandsaw. ( I appreciate Phil is an expert now in bandsaws)
 
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