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Webb

Webb

Well Known Member
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I’m using my woodworking bench I built years ago.

4” laminated maple top trimmed in pecan. All joints are dovetails or mortise and tenon with drawpins.

Weighs a few hundred pounds and won’t budge after lifting the castors.

Three different vise jaws have been extremely useful extra set of hands.
 

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I made my table using six 4x4 posts for legs and 2x8 boards for the frame. The top consists of 2 sheets of 4' by 8' -3/4" plywood and one sheet of 3/4" MDF board. There is a cutout for the "C" frame so large pieces could be easily slid in place. The MDF is nice for drilling into and Clecoing parts in place for assembly on the table. The legs have blind nuts and bolts on the bottom to facilitate leveling. Built this table in 2002 and still use it today. One airplane and 3 boats were born on the table.:)


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Modified EAA benches

I made two benches based on the EAA plans, but wider (just wanted more space), and taller (more comfortable working height for me). I also added a drawer to one of them.

Had both now for 30 years, currently living in my hangar. And I recently made a third one for my garage at home. :rolleyes:
 

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Webb, Awesome bench. I need to make one like it. What is the function of the steel fittings inserted through the nearest leg in the photo?
 
Webb said:
I’m using my woodworking bench I built years ago.

4” laminated maple top trimmed in pecan. All joints are dovetails or mortise and tenon with drawpins.

Weighs a few hundred pounds and won’t budge after lifting the castors.

Three different vise jaws have been extremely useful extra set of hands.
Click to expand...

Very nice bench. Be a shame to drill holes in it to cleco things down, though.
;)
 
aturner said:
Webb, Awesome bench. I need to make one like it. What is the function of the steel fittings inserted through the nearest leg in the photo?
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Those are hold downs. Put a board on the bench and then the hold down. Hit it with a mallet and it ain’t going anywhere.
 
Even an ugly bench is loved by someone….
The case of Pacifico probably helps.
 
You guys hardly ever miss a thing. There were TWO benches in the picture.
 
36x36 steel plate, 3/4" thick, with four legs welded to the underside, on HD casters. Simple as dirt.

I have a couple standing height wood benches, but this steel table is the best ever. Flat, and stays that way. Lots of mass; no wiggle jiggle. No practical max load. Easy to clamp parts and fixtures. Hammer on it, weld on it, dump dirty parts on it and clean with ease. I even back rivet on it.

Here supporting a big rolling toolbox project, which is also a pretty good bench.
.
 

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OK, so I believe that whatever makes you happy and does the job is what you need/want….. there are lots of “rights” and only a very few “wrongs.

You can see my workbench - made almost entirely from repurposed material - starting at about 4 minutes into this video:

https://www.kitplanes.com/metal-magic-special-paul-dye-shop-tour/

For me it comes down to priorities - with to many airplanes to maintain and work with, I don’t have the time to build beautiful benches. Mine are functional, and if they get to the point where they aren’t then I can get rid of them and build something that is. And yea - I want a nice metal-topped welding table, but metal prices are out of sight these days!

Paul
 
BillL said:
DAN!!!

Metals depot says that steel plate is $750! $3/lb. Sure is nice though.;)
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Mine from the scrapyard. Montgomery yards are paying $7 per hundred today. Gotta be some scrap plate in the area around a Cat plant. Most happily resell.

Helps to have a friend there. Leave a request and phone with a case of malted beverage....
 
I used 2 strips of 3/4” X 8” plywood, glued together, for the stringers. Factory edges of plywood up. I wanted to make every effort to have it as perfectly flat as possible. It is the foundation of everything that gets built on it. Also bolted a 3X3X 1/4” angle to one side that works great for trailing edge back riveting.
Overhang on one edge is a must for clamping.
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Here's the sort of thing Paul was talking about. There are some really beautiful wood benches here, but ugly dogs get the job done too. 8'x2', basically one sheet of 3/4" ply split down the middle. When pictured they were tied together for their third project, a 24 ft one-piece Skybolt wing.

Paint the tops with cheap white latex. Draw full scale parts and layouts right on the table. Next project, paint again
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What also works well is a office door, they ae oversize and usually solid, maybe at the Habitat For Humanity store.
 
DanH said:
I have a couple standing height wood benches, but this steel table is the best ever.
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and when Dan says "standing height", he means chin height for the rest of us. I had to reach up to put down the glass of spirits we were drinking.
 
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