| |

Cheap Work Bench

ByBruce Sharp

Stable Work Surface

Jobs in wood offer incredible variety. My brief, on this occasion, was to make a strong and serviceable workbench. It was to be big enough and stable enough for multiple workers to use hand planes. It wasn’t to cost too much for it would be disposed of after three days of use.

Free Materials

Granite and marble are shipped to Australia in sheets that are 2 metres by 3 metres. It is packaged in wonderful timbers 100mm x 80mm. The local stone warehouse throws the wood away. Thankyou!

Roubo bench makers will scoff. Pragmatists will be encouraged at seeing what is possible for such little outlay in money and time!

It is remarkable to pick up timber of these dimensions for free. It is usually sent to land fill.
Two metres long and 850mm wide, the bench has wonderful inertia.
Diagonal bracing keeps the construction rigid. Lots of 150mm batten screws also help.
Fixed to the top are three cheap sash cramps. These serve as vices.

Similar Posts

  • |

    Clocks Finished

    ByBruce Sharp

    Each clock is a joint project. Each clock is a reinforcement of personal skill in dexterity, patience, and communication. We are delighted by ourselves and with ourselves! Our plan is to put these on sale at a local hardware shop. It is fair to say that all of us had fun: clients, carers and volunteers.

  • |

    Serving Tray

    ByBruce Sharp

    Good Ideas Don’t Need to be Complicated Serving Tray For an object to complete the journey from initial musings to touchable reality requires a certain fidelity, on my part, to the original idea. Discouragements take the form of excessively complex prototypes. It is difficult to let simplicity rule. The journey of the serving tray couldn’t be shorter….

  • |

    Chairs and Table

    ByBruce Sharp

    Fairy Furniture Grand daughters leave grandpas with the privilege of doing cool stuff. Here is the furniture with which she can join Alice at afternoon tea in the backyard. Even though this is made from decking boards, a life outdoors will see the timber eventually split and fall apart. So, a decision has to be…

  • |

    Work Bench

    ByBruce Sharp

    Enthusiastic, beginning woodworkers look for a place to discover their skills. They read about traditional benches; material costs and required skills are both intimidating. Such great fulfilment can be had when woodworking that I hope the people to whom I talk feel encouraged to go out and experiment with their own creativity. How simply and…