OT - Workbench of mine

Some people requested me of the measurements of my jewelers workbench shown in the "workbench-thread".

So here we go - keep in mind to vary the measurements to fit them to your personal needs!

Mario

Hi Mario,

Thanks for sharing the dimensions of your bench with the cool cad drawings! I am having a 3'' (7.62 cm) butcher block being made for the steel bench I've fabricated, but am unsure about the cutout size and shape. There are so many possibilities for the cut-out; half round, ellipsis. Here in the states, many benches don't have any cut-out or a very shallow one.

Before I had asked you with a pm, i had made a cardboard template last week for the cutout of my bench top which is surprisingly similar in dimension to yours. The dimensions of my top are 26'' x 62'' (66.04cm x 157.48cm) and the half round template for the cut-out was 9'' x 24'' (22.86 cm x 60.96cm). It seems like a very large cut-out but I am very tall guy.

How do you like the shape and size of your cutout? Are you able to support your arms on the sides and comfortably work? What I see on many European style benches is a leather catch which looks like it conforms perfectly to the body. By the way, I've never seen a 4.72" (12cm). It is most impressive and looks to dwarf other benches!

Anyone else care to chime in on what they prefer?

~Doug

Looks nice, thanks

mario: very kind of you to post your drawings. how long did it take to make yours ? it looks like a real challenge to build one as you have. could you send a photo, please-- of the finished bench.

Thank you Mario, yes me too i' m interested in see a photo of the bench

I use a similar one. An old watchmakers bench. Mine has a straight front rather than curved but I've grown to like it. As a jeweler/engraver it serves dual purpose and all the drawers are nice. Luckily mine was gifted to me as they are ridiculously expensive new.

ede said:

... It seems like a very large cut-out but I am very tall guy.

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Doug, my body height is about 190 cm (my weight something about 250 lbs) and the bench fits well to me. If you're taller or if you even have more weight, make it higher or somewhat deeper.

ede said:

How do you like the shape and size of your cutout? Are you able to support your arms on the sides and comfortably work?

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I can move my chair up and down very quickly - depending to the kind of work i have do do.

ede said:

What I see on many European style benches is a leather catch which looks like it conforms perfectly to the body.

Click to expand...

This is something i really love - no hard edges, always save with catching the precious metals.

ede said:

By the way, I've never seen a 4.72" (12cm). It is most impressive and looks to dwarf other benches!

Click to expand...

Of course, this isn't necessary really - a plate of 5 or 6 cm will do the job as well. But ... i can tell you, this bench is like a rock and i enjoy work with it

monk said:

mario: very kind of you to post your drawings. how long did it take to make yours ? it looks like a real challenge to build one as you have. could you send a photo, please-- of the finished bench.

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I did - it's in the (should be?) "workbench-thread". These benches (there are five) was build decades before i was born ...

edit ... i found them here and here.

Below you see a picture of the bench-array in my studio. I know, there are a lot, who do all work at one place. But hey, these benches are available to me and i enjoy to work with each

I have the euro style workbench with the deep cut out that I have made from two 3/4 inch plywood sheets glued and screwed together with masonite on the top. I have an extra deep cut out to accommodate the bench mate system. This then attaches with brackets to a horizontal 2x4 on the wall and 4x4 legs. I built one with three cut outs, good for 3 workers, whatever, this works very well. I much prefer this style with leather or naugahyde hanging beneath to the flat front with drawer type bench for jewelry work.

Doug, my body height is about 190 cm (my weight something about 250 lbs) and the bench fits well to me. If you're taller or if you even have more weight, make it higher or somewhat deeper.

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I'm 198 cm so yeah, I think I may go with a slightly wider cutout.

Of course, this isn't necessary really - a plate of 5 or 6 cm will do the job as well. But ... i can tell you, this bench is like a rock and i enjoy work with it

Click to expand...

These benches (there are five) was build decades before i was born ...

Click to expand...

And they should last for many more decades/generations, a bench that "belongs to the ages".

I use a similar one. An old watchmakers bench. Mine has a straight front rather than curved but I've grown to like it. As a jeweler/engraver it serves dual purpose and all the drawers are nice. Luckily mine was gifted to me as they are ridiculously expensive new.

Click to expand...

Yeah one can never have too many drawers! I like the idea of re-purposing old benches. Speaking of watchmaking benches, check out Dan Spitz's, the lead guitarist from the famous 80's heavy metal band, Anthrax: http://danspitz.com/spitz-bench/

I have the euro style workbench with the deep cut out that I have made from two 3/4 inch plywood sheets glued and screwed together with masonite on the top. I have an extra deep cut out to accommodate the bench mate system. This then attaches with brackets to a horizontal 2x4 on the wall and 4x4 legs. I built one with three cut outs, good for 3 workers, whatever, this works very well. I much prefer this style with leather or naugahyde hanging beneath to the flat front with drawer type bench for jewelry work.

Click to expand...

My first bench I ever made was from the plans in the back of Tim McCreight's book. It had a single piece of Masonite glued to a piece of plywood. Unfortunately I'm guessing because of the large size and the fact that it had only one sheet of plywood, it warped heavily. Yours, however, sounds solid and very accessible.

I may or may not do a leather catch as I somehow would like the idea of a curved catch tray with a metal liner.