New workbench

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srhardwoods

New User
Chris
Well, now that my daytime government job is done with, I'm going to be able to spend more time at the sawmill and in the shop. I decided I needed a new workbench. I didn't really have any particular type or style in mind, so I just drew something up quickly and modified it as I started. It's Hard Maple and Walnut. I'm still modifying it as I go, but hope it turns out nice and useful. More to follow
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Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
I like the pin stripes.

Is your floor covered with horse stall mats? I've been wanting to do that in my shop.

How do you like it and have you had any problems with it?
 

srhardwoods

New User
Chris
Thanks Mike, the workbench/assembly table will be a combination of Hard Maple with Walnut accents throughout it. The flooring isn't the thick horse stall matts, they are a harder plastic puzzle type flooring. I like it, easy to sweep, at least easier than the concrete. I bought it on special and it's the coin top.....wish I bought a different pattern but works well for me
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
What kind of vises are you planning on using?

Mike, check out the interlocking mat sets Sams sells.
Seems I pick up a pack about everytime I go......eventually my whole shop will be covered!
 

kave

Kettrell
Corporate Member
Chris, that's gonna be beautiful! Regarding the ending of your "Guv-mint job" I'm excited for you and 23 months 15 days and counting behind you!!!
 

srhardwoods

New User
Chris
Thanks, I've been looking forward to this day for quite a while.
I'm using a older vise I got off a workbench from IRS auctions for $5, will work just fine for what I do
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Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Mike, check out the interlocking mat sets Sams sells.
Seems I pick up a pack about everytime I go......eventually my whole shop will be covered!

I want to cover the whole floor and for them to be tough enough to move equipment around.
 

nn4jw

New User
Jim
I want to cover the whole floor and for them to be tough enough to move equipment around.

I had a couple of them on concrete in my shop. They killed my feet. The two I have are 4x6 ft. each and came from Tractor Supply, took two people to move around, were hard, and have no give at all. They are tough enough to move equipment around on though. They are made to stand up to 1500 lb horses wearing iron shoes. Right now they are outside my shop on gravel. Good for when I'm working on my lawn equipment or my pickup.

The interlocking ones from Sam's are kind to feet. I have them all over the shop but don't sit equipmenet on top of them. They are easy enough to reassemble that it's no problem to reconfigure them as needed.

If you really want to try out horse mats then you can have the two I have for just coming to pick them up. I'm on the edge of RTP. You'll need a pickup and they do not fold at all. They'll have to lay flat in the bed.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
My wife's dog training club has them on the whole floor of their facility, I have walked on it and found it more comfortable than my concrete shop floor. I think there must be different grades of stall mats.

We also use something similar under heavy equipment at work, they cushion vibration and keep things from moving around on the concrete.

I have a couple of the soft ones that lay where I stand most of the time and they are too soft.

I just want to be sure I get something that will hold up to moving my equipment around and wont hurt my chisels when they fall on it.
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
Going to be a nice work bench. I like the maple walnut theme. Maple and walnut seem to go together - good choice. Congrats on your retirement.
 

srhardwoods

New User
Chris
Jeff, i wish I retired. I'm 41, and with all the major government cutbacks, my billet's time came to an end. So i'll be running the mill full time, and knocking off the furniture/cabinet building list for my family that has built up over the past 7 years while working both the gov and the mill. Will miss a check but I can feel the stress lifted and I'm sleeping much better at night. We'll see if that's the same feeling in a month or so :dontknow:

I should have the top flattened out tomorrow and start putting a finish on it and turn to the drawers on the bench and wiring a couple receptacles I'm building into it. looking forward to finishing it to take a stab at that long list
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
I want to cover the whole floor and for them to be tough enough to move equipment around.
I don't know of an anti-fatique mat that will allow that. I've owned horses and had trailer mats. There's even some cushion to them but I still don't think they would allow something heavy to be rolled around. Good luck.
 

jazzflute

Kevin
Corporate Member
The flooring isn't the thick horse stall matts, they are a harder plastic puzzle type flooring.

OK, this is starting to freak me out. First the slider, then bidding against each other in what turns out to be an apparently large number of auctions for the same items, and now the floor too? Weird.

Does yours generate static in enough quantity that you worry about igniting spontaneous dust fires when you strike an arc each time you touch ferric metal after walking across the room? I'm thinking of building a Faraday cage on wheels that I'll put on along with my safety glasses each time I enter my shop.

K
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
OK, this is starting to freak me out. First the slider, then bidding against each other in what turns out to be an apparently large number of auctions for the same items, and now the floor too? Weird.

Does yours generate static in enough quantity that you worry about igniting spontaneous dust fires when you strike an arc each time you touch ferric metal after walking across the room? I'm thinking of building a Faraday cage on wheels that I'll put on along with my safety glasses each time I enter my shop.

K
You will be alright - this to shall pass.
 

Sealeveler

Tony
Corporate Member
Gonna be a nice bench.
Quote;Kevin; I'm thinking of building a Faraday cage on wheels that I'll put on along with my safety glasses each time I enter my shop.
I'm seeing a weird picture there.

Tony
 

Roy G

Roy
Senior User
Chris, are you going to have an end vise and dog holes in the top? And a Moxon vise to cut your dovetails?

Roy G
 

srhardwoods

New User
Chris
Hey Roy, yes I have a end vise, and will drill dog holes once I'm done doing final sanding. I won't have a moxon vise. I don't do handcut dovetails. I can appreciate those who do, but I tend to turn towards the leigh for that. This is a combination of work bench, assembly table, storage ......most likely will be a catchall, but we'll see if I remain disciplined. I have a bunch of cabinets to build for dedicated tools next, thinking curly maple and walnut combination of some sort but still playing around with that. need to finish this first. I should be putting a finish on the top tomorrow and building drawers in between coats drying. I'll try to remember to take some pics
 
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