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I've been sharpening on an old workbench, but since I use water stones, I want to make a change.
I don't want the water to ruin the old bench, as I have yet to find time to build my dream bench, so it is the only bench I have right now.
So I think I need to build a sharpening bench first.
I am thinking of something with a storage cabinet below, and maybe a 36 by 24 inch top of scrap granite, big enough for my stones and maybe a Tormek someday.
If anyone has built a dedicated sharpening bench, I'd sure like to see it and hear your thoughts on good/bad ideas to make it user friendly.
Thanks!
...Naval Aviators, that had balz made of brass and the size of bowling balls, getting shot off the deck at night, in heavy seas, hoping that when they leave the deck that the ship is pointed towards the sky and not the water.
AD1 T. O. Cronkhite
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I took an old chest of drawers, put it on casters hung some vises on it and put a marble/granite tile top on it. Works well. I wrote a blog about it Here 
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Great idea using the tiles on the top. I've been wanting to make a dedicated sharpening station myself for sharpening stones ( I use oil and diamond stones ) and also attaching my saw vise to it. No matter what design i end up with, I believe I'll use your idea of the tiles for the top. Thanks for that!
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Here’s mine:  It’s nothing special. It’s made with 2x material, plus a sheet of plywood for the lower shelf. Here’s how I deal with water:  It’s a very shallow wooden box that sits under a wooden platform that the waterstone sits on. When I built it, I used a heroic amount of silicone caulk to make it watertight, but over time enough waterstone residue has built up at the bottom of the box that no water leaks out. The surface of the table is finished with Waterlox. It has worked really well.
Hail St. Roy, Full of Grace, The Schwarz is with thee.
Blessed art thou among woodworkers, and blessed is the fruit of thy saw, dovetails.
Holy St. Roy, Master of Chisels, pray for us sharpeners now, and at the hour of planing.
Amen.
$300 is a lot of Money!
giant Cypress: Japanese tool blog
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Wilbur,
Do you like having the Tormek on a table lower than your workbench?
I think I remember Norm building some sort of sharpening station where he put in a step to get him higher to use the Tormek more comfortably.
...Naval Aviators, that had balz made of brass and the size of bowling balls, getting shot off the deck at night, in heavy seas, hoping that when they leave the deck that the ship is pointed towards the sky and not the water.
AD1 T. O. Cronkhite
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Mine is not always this neat. Someday I'll get around to building drawers to go on the left hand side. Anyway, it was quick to build and very steady.   " />
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 My five foot sharpening bench was just built.It is based upon a Wood Magazine "Back to the Basics" worktable-shelf added. An air hookup is nearby. I do wet sharpening on the outfeed table of the tablesaw(has no electrical near where I use water). A separate drawer holds small items. Several plastic storage boxes and open wood boxes allow me to move stuff around. I find that the workshop sink makes sharpening easier. Things are mostly hung on the wall where I can spot them in a flash. DMT diamond stones, waterstones, and sandpaper are used. I do not use a Tormack, etc. The shop is in a large basement.
Paul from the beautiful mid-coast of Maine (USA)
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Man.... I wish I had the room for a sharpening station.
Andy
I am quickly realizing that I have NO natural talent... But I am trying to fake it.
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Martin S. said:
Wilbur,
Do you like having the Tormek on a table lower than your workbench?
I think I remember Norm building some sort of sharpening station where he put in a step to get him higher to use the Tormek more comfortably.
Yes, I like the Tormek at a lower height, especially for using it in the mode where the jig is on the top of the Tormek. Same for using waterstones: it’s good to have them lower. As a matter of fact, if I was to remake this table, I’d lower it by a couple of inches.
Hail St. Roy, Full of Grace, The Schwarz is with thee.
Blessed art thou among woodworkers, and blessed is the fruit of thy saw, dovetails.
Holy St. Roy, Master of Chisels, pray for us sharpeners now, and at the hour of planing.
Amen.
$300 is a lot of Money!
giant Cypress: Japanese tool blog
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Look, if Wilbur is going to post here, then I am as well!  I have used his set up and it works well. Actually my own is similar - just a different bench height ... stones ... bench ... country ... otherwise it's the same ... sort of ... Tormek, 8" grinder (half speed), waterstones, water, sunlight.   Tormek BGM100 system ..  My bench is a few feet away. I prefer the grinders raised up high - no bending and better vision. Regards from Perth Derek
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