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I moved into a new (to me) house in October 2003 and built myself a “temporary” bench so I could get up and running quickly. 7’ long and 2’ wide made of 4 layers of 3/4 MDF and wrapped in Southern Yellow Pine with a veritas twin screw for the end vise and a traditional front vise I also got from Lee Valley.
Here I am 16 years and 3 houses later still using that “temporary” bench. It’s still in decent shape. Still heavy as hell. The vises still work and the top hasn’t sagged a lick. After 16 years I’m still trying to find my Round Tuit to finally build my “real” bench. Maybe next year...
-Marc
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Location: Wapakoneta, OH
No need to fix what's not broken......
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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I sympathize. Years ago, I built a "temporary" bench. A out of MDF and oak. After a lot of research, and asking a lot of dumb questions, I built a split top Roubo out of birch and gave the old bench to my SIL - who cut the legs down and uses it to repair ar engines! My advice to you is; if you're thinking of a new bench, do a lot of research. There are a number of styles out there - find the one that suits the way you work. Good luck.
Jim
Demonstrating every day that enthusiasm cannot overcome a lack of talent!
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10-14-2019, 09:35 AM
(This post was last modified: 10-14-2019, 10:43 AM by jteneyck.)
I see nothing wrong with a utilitarian bench. The bench I use most is not much different than yours except it has no woodworking vise, only a metal working vise at one end. I've used that bench for 30 years and still have no reason to repace it. I built a fancy schmancy Euro bench with two vises 20+ years ago to satisfy whatever need my ego had, using a design from Frank Klauz. Nice bench but I almost never use it. The ugly duckling one is taller and larger and just fits the way I work better.
John
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Location: Santa Rosa Beach, FL
Years ago our company was in the midst of remodeling out building and decided to tear down the storage shop. Inside were three pretty solid workbenches built out of 2x4s and particle board tops. Since they were just going to throw them away I asked if I could take one. It's not pretty but it's been very functional and has moved with me from Iowa to Idaho to Maryland back to Iowa and now in Tennessee. Yeah, I'd love to have a "pretty" workbench but I'd almost be afraid to use it! The old bench is kinda like a Timex - takes a beating and keeps on ticking. My neighbor even mistakenly sawed off a corner of the top. He felt bad about it but I told him no biggie. When that top gets used up, I'll take it off and put a new one on. Not bad for a free bench!
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Yeah after all these year mine has developed a pretty nice patina. (That’s actually what prompted this post, I took a picture of a kids table I just finished sitting on the bench and I noticed the spills splashes and stains.)
-Marc
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(10-14-2019, 12:31 PM)WaterlooMarc Wrote: ..... and I noticed the spills splashes and stains.
To me, that's one of the best parts of woodworking. Every splash, spill, gouge, nick, stain has a memory attached to it....
"One should respect public opinion insofar as is necessary to avoid starvation and keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyrany, and is likely to interfere with happiness in all kinds of ways."
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I built a pretty bench a few years ago for two reasons. I wanted a dry run at my “lifetime” bench and because I want to use it as a kitchen island in my man cave. I used poplar glue up for the top both because that is what I had in 2” material and because it is soft enough to take on a worn and used look pretty quickly. I do not sweat the nicks and gouges because I want them there. They do make me second guess the usefulness of a bench made out of maple or some other hard wood that I would cry about when it gets those marks and bruises in it.
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Location: Perth, Australia
It depends on the way you use your bench. A hand tool user requires a way to hold the work piece securely for chisels and planes. This may require hold downs, which use dog holes. Dog holes need supporting timber. MDF or ply will not be good enough. Further, the bench must not rack when planing, and pounding is better on something solid. If these requirements are not a priority, then the design and material choices for the bench are much wider and less demanding.
Regards from Perth
Derek
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I bought a Sjoberg bench on sale at Woodcraft twenty years ago and it has served me well for those two decades. When I built the new shop I added a couple benches, one from 2x4s for assembly, and a second with a 3/4 ply top holds a grinder and belt/disc sander. The sjoberg top tells the stories of projects past and has stains, gouges, and an extra hole or two. It's still the center of the action in the shop.
Jim in Okie
You can tell a lot about the character of a man -
By the way he treats those who can do nothing for him.
