Help, please: What to look for when building an engraving bench
- Thread starter dlilazteca
- Start date
mitch
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2007
- Messages
- 2,636
personally, i'd be talking to a welder, not a carpenter. then ask the carp, or a cabinetmaker, to make some drawers.
BrianPowley
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Mitch is right, I can't swing a barrel---at least a very long one. If I do any barrel work, it has to be done: A little on the left-a little on the right. Make 'em meet in the middle.
Actually, for rifle/shotgun barrels, I prefer the method taught to me by my good friend Ron Smith: I just don't do them!
When you remove all the distractions from my workbench, it's just a couple of Kitchen cabinets with a Formica counter top. The drill press stand was a Grizzly with the head removed and the post was cut to fit just under the front edge of the counter top. The drill press stand is bolted to the (concrete) floor and not attached to anything else.
Any Home Improvement store would have these floor cabinets available and most likely would have some that are either blemished or rejected by the customer. They also have oodles of scrap countertop material.
You could literally get your bench set up today for next to nothing.
Don't overthink it.
Actually, for rifle/shotgun barrels, I prefer the method taught to me by my good friend Ron Smith: I just don't do them!
When you remove all the distractions from my workbench, it's just a couple of Kitchen cabinets with a Formica counter top. The drill press stand was a Grizzly with the head removed and the post was cut to fit just under the front edge of the counter top. The drill press stand is bolted to the (concrete) floor and not attached to anything else.
Any Home Improvement store would have these floor cabinets available and most likely would have some that are either blemished or rejected by the customer. They also have oodles of scrap countertop material.
You could literally get your bench set up today for next to nothing.
Don't overthink it.
Last edited:
leo
Elite Cafe Member
a good set up that I seen is the one that JJ has and Roland Batiste I know JJ has picture of his shop in here and Roland has some in his web site but I always see they have two working station
Carlos,
You have to look and "put together" all ideas from the forum and create your own variant witch works for you.
At least for a start. In the future, I am sure, you will rebuild everything, because you will get more experience and money too. If I understood this is (temporary) problem #1. Am I right?
You have to look and "put together" all ideas from the forum and create your own variant witch works for you.
At least for a start. In the future, I am sure, you will rebuild everything, because you will get more experience and money too. If I understood this is (temporary) problem #1. Am I right?
Mike Fennell
Elite Cafe Member
I got tired of being pinned in a little corner in the coldest room in the house, so last week I moved my workspace from the small backroom to a larger front room -- more space, better light, better view out the window, better heat and air and more pleasant surroundings.
I have built a temporary plywood bench that I will use and continue to modify until I get all the details worked out. Tool chests and cabinets are modular, so I can move them around until I find the best placement. When I'm sure I have the most efficient layout, I will reproduce the whole thing in white oak to match the floor and woodwork.
The plywood bench will then get a formica top and be banished to the back room where the messy projects and fabrication take place.
I use a drill press stand and work sitting down for most things. Near a side window I will install a stand-up european-style vise for hammer and chisel work and barrel engraving.
Bob Strosin seems to have the best bench for barrel engraving. He posted photos on a thread long ago. Search for the threads and you will see hundreds of layouts used by members of this site. There are so many ways to set up a shop that you just have to look at dozens of photos and play with yours till you have what works for you.
I have built a temporary plywood bench that I will use and continue to modify until I get all the details worked out. Tool chests and cabinets are modular, so I can move them around until I find the best placement. When I'm sure I have the most efficient layout, I will reproduce the whole thing in white oak to match the floor and woodwork.
The plywood bench will then get a formica top and be banished to the back room where the messy projects and fabrication take place.
I use a drill press stand and work sitting down for most things. Near a side window I will install a stand-up european-style vise for hammer and chisel work and barrel engraving.
Bob Strosin seems to have the best bench for barrel engraving. He posted photos on a thread long ago. Search for the threads and you will see hundreds of layouts used by members of this site. There are so many ways to set up a shop that you just have to look at dozens of photos and play with yours till you have what works for you.
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