Bench Plans…”tmac1956″

[tmac1956]

All:

I’m currently having a bench built for my lathe and next, hopefully, a decent watchmaker’s bench. When I get them completed, I’ll post a few picks of something like the beginings of a shop in a small extra bedroom. Until then, I thought I might post my/the drawings up for your perusal. Comments are always appreciated. If you find something in error, I can still make changes. The lathe table is my work, while the watchmaker’s bench was by another. I don’t have the link here at home but I can post it later. I did ask for and received permission to use his plans.

Lathe Bench:
[attachment=3:o7qh98bw]<!– ia3 –>TomS1.pdf<!– ia3 –>[/attachment:o7qh98bw]
[attachment=2:o7qh98bw]<!– ia2 –>TomS2.pdf<!– ia2 –>[/attachment:o7qh98bw]

[arutha]

That lathe bench looks like it will be very well made!
The watchmakers bench looks great too, certainly better than mine. I also have some bench space set up at 4 feet high, this way I can stand at it, sit with my chair low so the work is at eye level and also sit with the chair up so I am at a normal desk level. It gives you more working positions which, if like me, you have a bad back is priceless. Good luck with these and look forward to seeing them in your workshop
Paul.

[achipo]

If I were building a watchmaker’s bench from scratch I would seriously consider higher back and sides, a shelf at the back for a timing machine and staking set to get them off the benchtop, a roll-top tambor cover, fore arm padding on the front, and the top would protrude out toward me about 6 inches x 12 inches.

I like the design of this top:
http://danspitz.com/spitz-bench/

And the fore arm pads like this bench:
http://www.ottofrei.com/Maple-John-Frei-Deluxe-Custom-Watchmakers-Bench-with-Armrests.html?gclid=CNTL8e20trYCFYFxQgodknMATQ
Here are some old roll-tops, but I’d like a shelf above the top to put large frequently used stuff on.
https://www.google.com/search?q=roll+top+watchmakers+bench&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari#biv=i%7C6%3Bd%7Ckn8osdn05n-ERM%3A

[tmac1956]

@ACHiPo wrote:

If I were building a watchmaker’s bench from scratch I would seriously consider higher back and sides, a shelf at the back for a timing machine and staking set to get them off the benchtop, a roll-top tambor cover, fore arm padding on the front, and the top would protrude out toward me about 6 inches x 12 inches.

I like the design of this top:
http://danspitz.com/spitz-bench/

Wow! Incredible… it’s out of my price range at the moment, but I’ll hang on to the link. I’m getting a deal on mine. Because I am an educator at a community college in our state, I can get the cabinet making students to build anything for the cost of material + 20% + state tax.

I like the idea of back type storage so I plan on getting one of these to help get things off of the bench but still keep them close at hand.
https://twincitysupply.net/product.php?productid=19951

@ACHiPo wrote:

And the fore arm pads like this bench:
http://www.ottofrei.com/Maple-John-Frei-Deluxe-Custom-Watchmakers-Bench-with-Armrests.html?gclid=CNTL8e20trYCFYFxQgodknMATQ

I was planning of getting a couple of these, having them padded and covered, and using them for arm rests.
http://twincitysupply.net/product.php?productid=19001
Not as nice (or as comfortable) as those in the link, but I need a drill press so I’m cutting corners wherever I can.

@ACHiPo wrote:

Here are some old roll-tops, but I’d like a shelf above the top to put large frequently used stuff on.
https://www.google.com/search?q=roll+top+watchmakers+bench&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari#biv=i%7C6%3Bd%7Ckn8osdn05n-ERM%3A

Now those are REALLY nice! I think I can add something like that to mine when I get the funds.

Thanks for all of the advise and information!
tmac

[tmac1956]

@Arutha wrote:

That lathe bench looks like it will be very well made!
The watchmakers bench looks great too, certainly better than mine. I also have some bench space set up at 4 feet high, this way I can stand at it, sit with my chair low so the work is at eye level and also sit with the chair up so I am at a normal desk level. It gives you more working positions which, if like me, you have a bad back is priceless. Good luck with these and look forward to seeing them in your workshop
Paul.

Paul:

I really appreciate your charity and I hope it turns out well too. The only way I can afford to have something like that built is because I can get it basically at cost plus tax.
Oh… I have the back thing as well.

Thanks!
tmac

[david pierce]

Tom,
There should be a wealth of information available from the woodworking instructors at your college. Consult with them first before sinking a lot of money into the project. A mortise and tenon joint is the strongest woodworking joint due to the amount of gluing surface area. In ancient times mortise and tenon joints held in place with wooden pins were used to hold ships together without glue. Even in modern times destructive tests have shown that mortise and tenon joints have only been surpassed by adding metal reinforcements to the joints. Check out SAM MALOOF chairs. His chairs were held together with a special joint he designed that incorporated a metal screw. Woodworker Lonie Byrd used metal threaded rods through the struts in his woodworking bench in addition to mortise and tenon joinery to stabilize it. A watch repair bench will not be subjected to forces anywhere close to a woodworking bench (hand planing) but look into it and ask the woodworking instructors at your school.
david

[tmac1956]

@david pierce wrote:

Tom,
There should be a wealth of information available from the woodworking instructors at your college. Consult with them first before sinking a lot of money into the project. A mortise and tenon joint is the strongest woodworking joint due to the amount of gluing surface area. In ancient times mortise and tenon joints held in place with wooden pins were used to hold ships together without glue. Even in modern times destructive tests have shown that mortise and tenon joints have only been surpassed by adding metal reinforcements to the joints. Check out SAM MALOOF chairs. His chairs were held together with a special joint he designed that incorporated a metal screw. Woodworker Lonie Byrd used metal threaded rods through the struts in his woodworking bench in addition to mortise and tenon joinery to stabilize it. A watch repair bench will not be subjected to forces anywhere close to a woodworking bench (hand planing) but look into it and ask the woodworking instructors at your school.
david

david:
Will do. The reason I did the design without metal is that this particular instructor works at our prison extension campus – they can’t have access to anything metal lest they form it into some kind of shank. (seriously) However, I will check out your sources as this is my first wood design.
Thanks!
tmac

[willofiam]

hey tmac1956, I think the basic construction using most any technique in joinery will suffice for your bench, I use lamellos and pocket screws for joining panels together, you can add screws if you want but they can effect the appearance, the idea with joinery is that the wood will break before the glue joint, if properly joined. I would look at how far in detail do you want to go, for instance the panels can be raised panels made out of solid wood or you can use flat sheet of veneer plywood, your drawer boxes can be made with solid wood and a dovetail joinery, I usually use 1/2″ soft maple, dovetails and have the bottom housed in a dado for strength, the drawer fronts can be part of the box or a separate piece for either a raised look or a inset look, hardware can be added or a groove cut for a finger pull, ect.. ect… all these things can increase price. for the craftsman it is the time involved in how it is to be made, it sounds like that wont be an issue for you, as for the material cost going with solid wood can increase the price but sometimes it is not very much and of coarse depending on the type of wood you use. I have 3 watchmakers benches, a really old one I refurbished, it has the raised panels and knobs (I think it is on my shop site), one of the others is a design similar to your drawings, I find that there is not much need for having it “super strong” unless I was going to use a big hammer on a pocket watch (that could happen at times) but I think most woodshop techniques in building a cabinet will be strong enough unless they did really bad work (I say that because these benches are tied together with so many pieces). Maybe another thing to think about would be making sure you end up with one suiting your body size storage and organizing needs, If I made one I would make it much wider than what I have and maybe even an inch or two taller. I like being able to get things off the top. you have a great opportunity here to make a unique piece of furniture, as I have told my customers in the past, use your imagination and build a one of a kind, you wont be disappointed ! All just my opinion, I cant wait to see what you end up with, as for me, you have my creativity boiling on this subject, thanks, William

[tmac1956]

@willofiam wrote:

hey tmac1956, I think the basic construction using most any technique in joinery will suffice for your bench, I use lamellos and pocket screws for joining panels together, you can add screws if you want but they can effect the appearance, the idea with joinery is that the wood will break before the glue joint, if properly joined. I would look at how far in detail do you want to go, for instance the panels can be raised panels made out of solid wood or you can use flat sheet of veneer plywood, your drawer boxes can be made with solid wood and a dovetail joinery, I usually use 1/2″ soft maple, dovetails and have the bottom housed in a dado for strength, the drawer fronts can be part of the box or a separate piece for either a raised look or a inset look, hardware can be added or a groove cut for a finger pull, ect.. ect… all these things can increase price. for the craftsman it is the time involved in how it is to be made, it sounds like that wont be an issue for you, as for the material cost going with solid wood can increase the price but sometimes it is not very much and of coarse depending on the type of wood you use. I have 3 watchmakers benches, a really old one I refurbished, it has the raised panels and knobs (I think it is on my shop site), one of the others is a design similar to your drawings, I find that there is not much need for having it “super strong” unless I was going to use a big hammer on a pocket watch (that could happen at times) but I think most woodshop techniques in building a cabinet will be strong enough unless they did really bad work (I say that because these benches are tied together with so many pieces). Maybe another thing to think about would be making sure you end up with one suiting your body size storage and organizing needs, If I made one I would make it much wider than what I have and maybe even an inch or two taller. I like being able to get things off the top. you have a great opportunity here to make a unique piece of furniture, as I have told my customers in the past, use your imagination and build a one of a kind, you wont be disappointed ! All just my opinion, I cant wait to see what you end up with, as for me, you have my creativity boiling on this subject, thanks, William

William:

I just went back and revisited your shop pics. Wow… which bench do you like best? Your shop is huge. I’ll be using a spare bedroom so mine won’t even compare. I do appreciate the comments. I think I’ll probably add drawers to the lathe worktable – never too much storage right?

Thanks!
tmac

[willofiam]

hey tmac1956, I started out in the spare bedroom, now after 2 more shop spaces I am planning a bigger nicer space, I have managed to fill up the floor and wall space already, you are right about not having too much storage….some things I like out in the open yet off the bench, seems to make finding what I need a little faster being able to see it verses looking into drawers. my wife had bought me the one I refurbished, the one I decided to stain a maroon color, as a gift for our anniversary, what a woman!!!!! I have to like that one best and is my main watch repair bench, the others have designated jobs, the old jewelers bench is my solder, benchblock, pounding, filing and tool storage area, the other is my clock bushing machine area, storing bushings, clock tools, oils, ect ect….I like them all, the one has a groove on the top front edge which has saved clock gears and bushings from rolling off, the other has a flat pull out drawer that has a piece of tin on it for soldering ect…non of them are wide enough to fit my taste, not that I am wide but it appears I am getting there… just had a thought, maybe find a chair you would like to use and be comfortable for several hours of sitting and make the height of your bench accordingly, I think I need to think about that as one of the stools I use cuts off circulation in my legs after long periods of time. I better stop for now, see yah and have fun, William

[tmac1956]

@willofiam wrote:

hey tmac1956, I started out in the spare bedroom, now after 2 more shop spaces I am planning a bigger nicer space, I have managed to fill up the floor and wall space already, you are right about not having too much storage….some things I like out in the open yet off the bench, seems to make finding what I need a little faster being able to see it verses looking into drawers. my wife had bought me the one I refurbished, the one I decided to stain a maroon color, as a gift for our anniversary, what a woman!!!!! I have to like that one best and is my main watch repair bench, the others have designated jobs, the old jewelers bench is my solder, benchblock, pounding, filing and tool storage area, the other is my clock bushing machine area, storing bushings, clock tools, oils, ect ect….I like them all, the one has a groove on the top front edge which has saved clock gears and bushings from rolling off, the other has a flat pull out drawer that has a piece of tin on it for soldering ect…non of them are wide enough to fit my taste, not that I am wide but it appears I am getting there… just had a thought, maybe find a chair you would like to use and be comfortable for several hours of sitting and make the height of your bench accordingly, I think I need to think about that as one of the stools I use cuts off circulation in my legs after long periods of time. I better stop for now, see yah and have fun, William

William:

Thanks for pointing out the height issue. I’m 6′-2″ and I have a nice adjustable padded stool. After going back and measuring my situation, it looks like my work benches (if the work is up high enough to not be stooped over all of the time) need to be 50″ high. This is 14″ higher than the standard height.

THanks!!!!
tmac

[willofiam]

hey tmac1956, I built custom furniture/cabinets for 25 years, every job had its subtle differences, I learned to ask myself all those questions before building something, I guess that goes for just about anything else in design as far as I am concerned. Drawings, prototypes, brainstorming will save time and money and put a smile on everyone’s face. William

[randy]

TMAC.
I’ve been toying with the idea of adding something like this to my exsiting bench for armrests.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380221613201?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

[tmac1956]

@Randy wrote:

TMAC.
I’ve been toying with the idea of adding something like this to my exsiting bench for armrests.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380221613201?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Nice – if you do, please let us know how they work.

Thanks!
tmac

[randy]

Will do !

[Author]

Posts