Looking for work bench recommendation.

I don't use a bench per se. At the time my budget wouldn't allow for anything too fancy. My choice was (and still is) an older kitchen table from the 60's or 70's. You know the type ...steel legs, plastic top with metal edging, center leaf removed. It is made with 3/4 " plywood. It measures approx 3' x 4'. You probably saw this style in every second house way back then. It has worked well for me and I haven't thought about "upgrading". Can still be found for free or a few dollars in local buy and sells.
 
I picked up one of the old wooden office desks, they work great!
They're very heavy & sturdy.
With a little cabinet making skill (which I don't have) you can mount your press & still open the thinner middle drawer.
 
I got one at Canadian Tire with 2 drawers, a pegboard back and a built in light and power bar for about $100. Its pretty good. And its higher than a normal table which in my opinion makes it more ergonomic for working on. Its sitting in my car port now though since we have moved to a place with built in work benches. If you want to pick it up in Chilliwack, you can have it for a large double double.
 
Simpson Steel Tie's

I've used the Simpson Brand of steel tie's that are available at Home Depot. These are industrial steel brackets that are designed to be used with standard lumber (2x4, 2x6's etc). You simply screw the brackets onto the ends of wood you are using.

For instance, you can buy a corner braket that is designed to make use of a vertical piece of 2x4 and 2 horizontal pieces of 2x4. You would need a total of 8 of these brackets to be able to construct a bench which would allow for a lower shelf and a top. You could use 3/4" plywood for top and shelf.

This is a very simple method to put together a super strong and sturdy workbench. You can always remove (unscrew) brackets later in the future if need be and take your bench with you or build another.

Good luck,
fortuna
 
I just use the dining room table. Keep my supplies in a metal cabinet beside table. When I have people over(which is rare), I simply put pillow cases over the presses.
 
You can use a Workmate if room is an issue, with the advantage that it can be folded up and put away when not in use.

I think you are better off making a loading bench then you are attempting to use a table or general purpose work bench. There are plans available on the NRA's website. This type of bench will prove to be much more rigid than a gerry-rigged table and should be a more convenient working height. Remember you need the front of the bench top to extend a couple of inches beyond the frame to give the press's linkage room to articulate. I inletted the front 8" of mine for a steel plate I then bolted to it. A hard surface you can pound on is always handy. I welded bolts to the steel plate in order to mount the press, and used a thin piece of plywood to act as a gasket between the two steel surfaces. One element of the bench you should not neglect is a shelf at eye level for your scale, concentricity gauge, or other measuring tools which work best when viewed at eye level.
 
Edward Teach said:
You could always knock together one yourself.
Click to expand...

That's what I did.

I laminated 2x4's together to make two 4x4 legs. Tapcons into the basement wall to mount a board to which the back of the bench is supported on.

For the work surface, I scrounged a couple of pieces from Home Depot in the cull lumber section. I laminated a thick piece of ply-wood to a piece of pre-finished shelf board.

It fits my space perfectly, was cheap to build, and is solid!

Good luck!

SD
 
Just picked this industrial workbench up at Costco. It has lockable cabinets and a 1" thick butchers block top cost $339 and is solid!!!

bdb6d461.jpg
 
redddogg69 said:
Just picked this industrial workbench up at Costco. It has lockable cabinets and a 1" thick butchers block top cost $339 and is solid!!!

bdb6d461.jpg
Click to expand...

Can that be set-up without the wheels? Wonder how stable it would be on a concrete floor....would the wheels slip. Granted can also bolt to the wall.

Going to have to look into this one.
 
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