jbkim Posted December 30, 2003 Report Share Posted December 30, 2003 I'm getting sick of working on this POS table. I want to make a proper work bench. I found some plans for a simple generic work bench here... and I like the bench that Kathy Matsushita made (I found it linked from projectguitar.) What are your designs/layout for the ultimate guitar work bench? Pictures? Diagrams? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted January 6, 2004 Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 just an idea but put lockin wheels on it if its not too big, currently in my workshop we got like 4 moveable benches bout 2 1/2 to 3 feet wide by like 4 feet long mayb a lil bigger im not totally sure and then one huge long bench agaisnt the wall that way if ur workin on different projects u just skip to different tables that way you dont hafta keep moving stuff around just a thought MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted January 6, 2004 Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 i can get dimensions and such if ya want em just let me kno MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Luthier Posted January 6, 2004 Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 My work bench is basically my bed and floor of my room. I have a shop full of tools down stairs where I just machine stuff, then upstairs in my bedroom is my LARGE router table, that I also use as a bench for my bandsaw, and for free hand routing. But I basically use the floor or my bed pretty much as a bench. Here is my shop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted January 6, 2004 Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 I've found that my benches that are against the wall, basically just get used to set things on, and I always prefer my 'luthier's workstation' from StewMac plans. I have it so I can walk around it, with only one end near the wall. I have a regular vise mounted on one corner, pipe flanges screwed to one end for a pipe clamp vise like Kathy Matsushita has (which I'm sure we both got the idea from Stewmac's 'trade secrets'). The top rotates. http://www.onlinerock.com/services/soapbar...//workshop7.jpg http://www.onlinerock.com/services/soapbar...//pipevise1.jpg http://www.onlinerock.com/services/soapbar.../neck-jig2b.jpg http://www.onlinerock.com/services/soapbar...fret-work30.jpg If I had to do it all over, I would have made it out of used wood, because the new maple shrunk, and I had to square up all the pieces with a router after a few years to get 'em all fitting tight again. Also, if I would have used old "banged up" wood, I wouldn't have been so afraid to drill holes all over to mount jigs, etc. I would have made the top out of solid core door (dense particle board), then made those slats screwed on to it out of boards off pallets. I'm slowly gathering scraps that people throw out (solid doors, cabinets, pallets) and when I get enough, I might build another one. Nothing beats a rock-solid bench that you don't mind beating the piss out of. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted January 6, 2004 Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 a good material to make the top out of is old kitchen tables that have the laminate stuff on top of particle board usually there is a bunch of em layin around in the dump if ya go a dump near ya MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryeisnotcool2 Posted January 7, 2004 Report Share Posted January 7, 2004 i built a bench that is 2.5' x 4' and it is on wheels, then it has three drawers that can slide open on either side of the bench, the drawers are about 12" wide, the rest underneeth is used for storing some of my smaller power tools like drills and routers and sanders, its a very handy bench, i attached a vise to it and it works well, the only bummer is i made it out of old pine that is 2" thick, so its a little softer than id like but since the wood was free and all i had to buy were the wheels im not to bummed about the wood! i also have a L shaped bench along the wall wich is made out of a few 2x12" but the penninsula part is a Corian counter top that i got from a kichten remodeling a few years ago! it works nice , and looks nice!lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbkim Posted January 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2004 Wow! This topic took a while to take off... but, thanks for all the posts. Keep 'em comin' . Lot's of useful info. I'm remodeling my kitchen so I'll be saving the old counter tops, cabinets, etc. to use for my shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted January 7, 2004 Report Share Posted January 7, 2004 another idea for those moveable benches is to put an outlet in them and then run a 12 gauge lead chord to plug into the wall wherever so u dont hafta run lead chords all over the place MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FajiiNako Posted January 7, 2004 Report Share Posted January 7, 2004 I'd probably have a regular table up against a wall, with any tool i need neatly organized, and hanging in front of me. Of course there would be an angular vice clamped to the table, along with a fret press Right now, i'm happy with what i got though. I have a regular office desk with all my wiring schimatics*sp* in the filing drawer, all my metric tools in a smaller drawer, and all my standard tools in another. Soldering station is in the corner, and i have 2 nonwheeley chairs. I keep a clipboard hanging on the wall for any schimatics i need to look at while i'm working. So that always helps. So ya ^.^ nothing special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted January 7, 2004 Report Share Posted January 7, 2004 i now have an old teachers desk from a school that i was working on renovating..it is my fit up and wiring table,i put a piece of carpet on it to protect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Luthier Posted January 7, 2004 Report Share Posted January 7, 2004 another idea for those moveable benches is to put an outlet in them and then run a 12 gauge lead chord to plug into the wall wherever so u dont hafta run lead chords all over the place MzI That's a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj_gant Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 Here's my piece. I was blessed to have recieved this bench base which is an old letter press bench from 1957. I restored it and built the nifty bench top out of layers of birch ply and poplar edges. The top allows clampling of instruments for dressing, etc...the other side serves as a soldering station, light work area. These are high res pics, very long load PGW M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted January 12, 2004 Report Share Posted January 12, 2004 M, Those are some clever looking hold-downs, with those steps. I'm envious of the 10 outlets ( I only got 3 and have to kneel down between the bench and drill press to get at 'em), and all that nice peg-board (since I too should have pegboard just like that from a house my brother owned, which was torn down, even though it was a big, 1950's , well built brick home, with a workshop room in the basement, with pegboard on 2 walls from ceiling to floor, but I wasn't allowed to take anything that was "connected" to the house. The guy who bought the house, tore it down, and built a mansion on the lot is now on the run from the law for arson) But,I took all the hooks and do-dads off the peg-board You got 2 notched straight edges ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj_gant Posted January 13, 2004 Report Share Posted January 13, 2004 Those are some clever looking hold-downs, with those steps. Thank you. I used to work in a machine shop like place and we had a milling machine. I got the idea of the step blocks from that machine. The table top was kind of inspired by the "neck jig" thing. This doesn't tilt or have micrometers to monitor the neck, but is excellent for holding down a guitar securely without hurting the finish. You got 2 notched straight edges ? Yes. For different scale necks. I made both of them at my old job with some surface ground steel and, you guessed it, the milling machine. Thank you for looking!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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