the_fbi
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 10:02 AM |
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Workbench, build or buy?
I've still not sorted out a workbench since I moved house, so looking for ideas.
Do I buy, something like a Sealey AP12600
link which is around £108
although I'd probably want 2 of them.
Or build something.
If build, out of wood or metal?
I was previously thinking something out of 50x30 RHS so its nice and stable, but the cost of material and a decent thickness top will easily be more
than the Sealey, although probably more stable and of a size which fits/suits.
Thoughts, plans, experiences appreciated.
It'll be in a double garage, one side of which is used for a car, the other as the workshop.
ta
Chris.
[Edited on 22/8/09 by the_fbi]
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BenB
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 10:05 AM |
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I got some nice long lengths of 2*2 and a big chipboard panel and some screws and made it myself..... With a power jigsaw and a power drill it was a
quick job.... Bolted a vice to it and job's a good'un. Regularly swing big spanners on things mounted to the vice and no problems...
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James
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 10:15 AM |
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I'm building mine across the end of the garage.
The frame came from wood I've got out of a skip from a loft conversion down the road.
The worktop is kitchen stuff from next door when they re-did their kitchen.
So apart from the screws and wear and tear on tools (and body!  ) it's free.
Will take a bit of time but it's a chance to practice some wood working skills before precision becomes really important for the car build.
HTH,
James
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"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights."
- Muhammad Ali
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gottabedone
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 10:17 AM |
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Know anyone having work done on their house?
In our previous place I got the builder to put aside the roof joists ind I ended up with a 15 foot long, 2 foot deep bench with a shelf between floor
and top. I got a job lot of the plastic storage boxes and it was job done with massive amounts of tidy storage. I covered the top in 3/4" MDF
that was pva'd (i could turn it over or chuck it if it got ruined). stick in some extra strengthening where your vice goes!
Screwed to the wall this was a mighty bench.
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garyo
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 10:20 AM |
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The Sealy one looks limp to me. Given the amount of abuse you'll probably give it I'd recommend fishing around on ebay for a sturdy old
skool one like this:
huge bench with vice
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nasty-bob
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 10:21 AM |
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I built mine from 50mm equal angle. cost about £120 total and I made an 8ft x 3ft work bench a 8ft x 4ft build table and a shelf unit.
If I hade bought them all it would have prob cost about £600 and they wouldn't be as rigid either.
Defo build your own, cheap steel at Parkersteel.
Rob
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Madinventions
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 10:56 AM |
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Built mine form some spare 3"x3" for the legs, and a load of 2"x2" for most of the other bits. The rest came from an old bed
which got cannibalised. The top is a sheet of 18mm marine plywood which I can flip over or replace when it get's knackered.
I've got a 6" vice bolted to the top and it's survived all sorts of abuse so far without any problems. Total cost - about £20 for
the plywood top!
Don't buy one, make one! At least that way you'll get what you want and it can be big enough to do the job on. I don't know if I
could've survived without an 8' x 4' bench for my build!
Ed. 
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the_fbi
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 11:04 AM |
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Thanks for the thoughts, seems like DIY metal is the way to go, I just liked the convenience of a Sealey being delivered, the inbuild
drawers/pegboard.
There's always plenty (of generic heavy duty) on ebay but delivery/collection is a pain.
Thanks.
Chris
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mark chandler
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 11:16 AM |
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Few old scaffold tubes and chop down some scaffold boards and bolted on top.
A bench needs to be really heavy so you can abuse things in the vice!!!
Any local buildings going up? They will sell you this stuff for a few quid.
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coozer
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 12:18 PM |
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Mines made of 3x2 with drawers for storage. Bits of chipboard to divide each 'unit' and old kitchen worktop on top. Vice is rock solid on
the top. Same at the other end with a freezer on top and piles of junk
 
Rescued attachment Bench.jpg
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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liam.mccaffrey
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 12:44 PM |
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I built mine, but I was lucky enough to scrounge the thick angle and 10mm steel plate for top. You cna't see it here because of the 3/4"
chipboard top.
I have bought workbenches before but been really dissapointed, so in the same garage as the pic below i built about 15 linear metres of heavy duty
wall benching from 4x2 and 3/4" ply. You can just see it in the background, it was brilliant, I'd never buy again unless money
wasn't an issue
[Edited on 22/8/09 by liam.mccaffrey]
Build Blog
Build Photo Album
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Dangle_kt
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 01:18 PM |
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worth a look?
£42 each
http://www.whdirect.co.uk/product.php?productid=3057&cat=277&page=1
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designer
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 01:40 PM |
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Build your own, and build in wood: not metal. For a good bench you need weight to cope with all the hammering.
Use cheap 3 x 3 for the legs and and top surround and 2 x 2 for cross pieces.
And remember never to fix a bench to the wall. A well used bench will destroy any wall it's fixed to.
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the_fbi
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 01:54 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Dangle_kt
worth a look?
£42 each
http://www.whdirect.co.uk/product.php?productid=3057&cat=277&page=1
2mm angle isn't going to be up to much though. Be OK for a parts assembly bench.
Thanks
Chris
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SeaBass
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 05:43 PM |
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Build it! You know you want to...
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the_fbi
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 06:04 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by SeaBass
Build it! You know you want to...
Yum, thats nice craftsmanship. Very nice.
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BenB
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| posted on 22/8/09 at 06:33 PM |
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Very nice. But SeaBass- you're picture looks rather more like a SeaBream than a SeaBass......
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nick205
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| posted on 24/8/09 at 04:00 PM |
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Build your own - you'll get the size and shape you need rather than what's on offer.
Mines built out of 4x2 timber reclaimed from a stud wall I removed in the house. The top is 40mm thick kitchen worktop, again reclaimed from the
kitchen I removed when we moved in. Solid as a rock, cheap as chips and only a weekends work.
One thing I do like though is my 4 drawer metal filing cabinet for storing power tools and other bits and pieces. Free after dragging it out of a
skip
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