Workbenches

[billw]

Apologies if you've erm, seen these elsewhere.

Workbench 1205x600 (haven't trimmed it yet, might not bother) and Router table 600x599 (oops). Plenty of mistakes but they look nice at least. Made with 18mm BB ply and 19mm Valchromat.

Bench only needs finish applying to the Valchromat, but it's far too cold to do it. Router bench has had holes and grooves done, but I'm waiting on a router bit to fit the t-track and router plate.

Both on castors too. This are the first things I've made using ply, and my first attempts with a track saw. Didn't go too badly unless you look close up.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Interesting colour mate, have you chosen that or is that the natural colour of Valchromat?

Have you used a Parfguide to do the holes or your own method?

 

[billw]

Interesting colour mate, have you chosen that or is that the natural colour of Valchromat?

Have you used a Parfguide to do the holes or your own method?

Valchromat comes in about 10 or so colours, I have that and blue as they were closest to my football team's colous.

The holes were indeed done by Parf MkII. I intended to do my own, but after using that system and realising how efficient and accurate it was, I'm glad I didn't bother trying to do it any other way. Obviously not cheap but, given my propensity to make errors, it's testament to the product that I've successfully made about 130 holes.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Good to hear, I treated myself to a ParfII in the Black Friday sales so cant wait to use it.

Blue/purple, what team is that then?

 

[RogerS]

Good to hear, I treated myself to a ParfII in the Black Friday sales so cant wait to use it.

Blue/purple, what team is that then?

Villa ?

 

[AndyP]

Burnley and West Ham, off the top of my head, but considering location Villa most likely.

 

[Mike G]

Amazing hobby, this. There are so many different ways into it. Your workshop, Bill, could hardly be more different from mine if you tried. I have no idea how that system works, but lots of people swear by it.

You've some nice looking chisels on the wall. If you wanted to use them, how would you hold down the workpiece? Is there a vise anywhere in the equation?

 

[Cabinetman]

Amazing hobby, this. There are so many different ways into it. Your workshop, Bill, could hardly be more different from mine if you tried. I have no idea how that system works, but lots of people swear by it.

You've some nice looking chisels on the wall. If you wanted to use them, how would you hold down the workpiece? Is there a vise anywhere in the equation?

Mike G, I never thought I would see the day when you used an American spelling! And it’s one that particularly gets on my T… Ends, vise Predictive texting? Ian

 

[Lons]

Mike G, I never thought I would see the day when you used an American spelling! And it’s one that particularly gets on my T… Ends, vise Predictive texting? Ian

I suspect the possibility of a smidgen of self-flagellation happening today.

 

[Mike G]

.......Mike G, I never thought I would see the day when you used an American spelling! And it’s one that particularly gets on my T… Ends, vise Predictive texting? Ian

My computer updated last night, and switched itself back to American English. The keyboard got all stuffed up too. Rather than thrash myself with birch and stinging nettles, I shall try to beat some sense into the damn computer.......but it is stubbornly resistant to instruction. It is indeed, as we all know, a viCe. My apologies.

 

[billw]

Good to hear, I treated myself to a ParfII in the Black Friday sales so cant wait to use it.

Blue/purple, what team is that then?

Villa ?

Correct!

 

[billw]

Amazing hobby, this. There are so many different ways into it. Your workshop, Bill, could hardly be more different from mine if you tried. I have no idea how that system works, but lots of people swear by it.

You've some nice looking chisels on the wall. If you wanted to use them, how would you hold down the workpiece? Is there a vise anywhere in the equation?

Clamps in the dog holes, or stops held by dogs/pups. I do have a bench with a vice on it just out of view, it’s an ancient and somewhat rickety thing though and on my list of things to be replaced.

This bench was designed more for the process of getting things squared up and finely tuned more than the rough work, the ability to ensure things are exactly 45/90deg is where it excels. Also good for track saw work, although knowing me I’d cut the bench in half.

 

[Lons]

Blue/purple, what team is that then?

Villa ?

Correct!

My commiserations Bill Never mind though there are always people worse off, I'm a lifelong Newcastle supporter .

 

[9fingers]

Never mind purple Valchromat, Net Curtains in the workshop posh or what :lol:

Bob

 

[Doug]

Never mind purple Valchromat, Net Curtains in the workshop posh or what :lol:

Bob

I’m not surprised Bob I’ve been to Sutton Coldfield or as I was firmly informed when I arrived there Royal Sutton Coldfield :lol:

 

[RogerS]

Good to hear, I treated myself to a ParfII in the Black Friday sales so cant wait to use it.

Blue/purple, what team is that then?

Villa ?

Correct!

Bit of a no-brainer for me as I did my Masters at Aston Uni !

Have you been to Whitmore's, Bill? Not that far from you.

 

[billw]

Bit of a no-brainer for me as I did my Masters at Aston Uni !

Have you been to Whitmore's, Bill? Not that far from you.

I'm in my final undergraduate year at Aston Mature student of course, well... "mature" student.

Whitmores? Nope not familiar with the name, where is it?

 

[billw]

Never mind purple Valchromat, Net Curtains in the workshop posh or what :lol:

Bob

I’m not surprised Bob I’ve been to Sutton Coldfield or as I was firmly informed when I arrived there Royal Sutton Coldfield :lol:

"The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield" if you don't mind sir

I am wholly not responsible in any way for the net curtains. I'll ask the butler to check which of the housemaids put them up.

 

[RogerS]

Bit of a no-brainer for me as I did my Masters at Aston Uni !

Have you been to Whitmore's, Bill? Not that far from you.

I'm in my final undergraduate year at Aston Mature student of course, well... "mature" student.

Whitmores? Nope not familiar with the name, where is it?

They're near Lutterworth. Excellent timber merchant.
https://whitmores.co.uk

What are you reading ? Aston Uni have always supported mature students as I was also one. I have to thank the missus for pushing me to apply as I didn't have a first degree.

 

[billw]

They're near Lutterworth. Excellent timber merchant.
https://whitmores.co.uk

What are you reading ? Aston Uni have always supported mature students as I was also one. I have to thank the missus for pushing me to apply as I didn't have a first degree.

Will check them out, thanks!

International Business and Management, it's been interesting and had some great experiences in Hong Kong and Singapore as a result. Also beats working!

 

[Doug]

Never mind purple Valchromat, Net Curtains in the workshop posh or what :lol:

Bob

I’m not surprised Bob I’ve been to Sutton Coldfield or as I was firmly informed when I arrived there Royal Sutton Coldfield :lol:

"The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield" if you don't mind sir

I am wholly not responsible in any way for the net curtains. I'll ask the butler to check which of the housemaids put them up.

:lol: :lol:

I used to do the maintenance on some flats on Blackroot Road (?) the folks were frightfully posh though it was the gaff in Little Aston I worked at that had the butler :?

 

[billw]

I used to do the maintenance on some flats on Blackroot Road (?) the folks were frightfully posh though it was the gaff in Little Aston I worked at that had the butler :?

Very small world then, I used to walk down that road every day on my way to school! Little Aston is even posher than Four Oaks.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Bit of a no-brainer for me as I did my Masters at Aston Uni !

Have you been to Whitmore's, Bill? Not that far from you.

I’m not having it. Purple isn’t claret nor anywhere near it!

 

[billw]

I’m not having it. Purple isn’t claret nor anywhere near it!

Yeah it's not perfect but the thought was there!

 

[Doug]

I used to do the maintenance on some flats on Blackroot Road (?) the folks were frightfully posh though it was the gaff in Little Aston I worked at that had the butler :?

Very small world then, I used to walk down that road every day on my way to school! Little Aston is even posher than Four Oaks.

I moved north 30 years ago, I imagine the places have changed a lot since I was last there, did my apprenticeship at Brooklyn Technical Collage in Great Barr, seem to remember spending more time in the Drakes Drum pub than in the college :? :lol:
Funny I’ve not thought of those days for donkeys years until I read your post, happy days. Is Blake’s Barn still going? I dated a really posh lass who lived round there, way out of my league but fun while it lasted

 

[TrimTheKing]

I’m not having it. Purple isn’t claret nor anywhere near it!

Yeah it's not perfect but the thought was there!

I’ll give you that. [emoji6]

 

[billw]

Funny I’ve not thought of those days for donkeys years until I read your post, happy days. Is Blake’s Barn still going? I dated a really posh lass who lived round there, way out of my league but fun while it lasted

It is indeed! Been in there maybe once in 20 years but it was one of our haunts when I was at school (late 1980s) as one of my friends lived nearby.

 

[MattS]

I know not to the tastes of a lot on here, but I really like the look of some Valcromat colours. Got a sample box, it seems like really good quality MDF too. Did you buy in small quantities was it easy to get hold of?

 

[billw]

I know not to the tastes of a lot on here, but I really like the look of some Valcromat colours. Got a sample box, it seems like really good quality MDF too. Did you buy in small quantities was it easy to get hold of?

It's not MDF Sanded at 400 grit it's fantastic to the touch, I'm really happy with it.

I got two full 19mm sheets from Avonply (now Sydenhams) because their prices are way lower than anyone else, but organised my own courier (£55 instead of the £125+VAT they wanted).

If you want anything less than full sheets it's difficult to get a good price, if at all. Then again you could probably offload any unwanted material on ebay.

 

[MattS]

It's not MDF

I think it is MDF, it’s board made from fibres but with a dye in it. Although happy to be proved wrong!

Thanks for info on sourcing.

 

[billw]

It's not MDF

I think it is MDF, it’s board made from fibres but with a dye in it. Although happy to be proved wrong!

Thanks for info on sourcing.

I think they say it's not MDF, it's more like MRMDF but they try to distinguish it even from that, perhaps just to justify its higher price? I'm not expert enough to comment.

Perhaps saying it's a stronger, more water-resistant variance of MDF might be a good compromise. Plus it comes in nicer colours than brown.

 

[Woodbloke]

This bench was designed more for the process of getting things squared up and finely tuned more than the rough work, the ability to ensure things are exactly 45/90deg is where it excels.

This to me is the problem with these sorts of benches with 'oles. We hope and expect :eusa-pray: that our work will be at the angles stated, buy life ain't perfick and so often our work ('specially yours truly) is slightly 'out' or sometimes a lot 'out'. In that case you need to have a 'work around' to get you out of a deep hole(s) which is where a traditional bench, much thought processes and sucking of the teeth comes in handy.
I have one of those 'tables with 'oles' but rarely, if ever use it, much preferring the 'old skool' methods - Rob

 

[Mike G]

.....Perhaps saying it's a stronger, more water-resistant variance of MDF might be a good compromise........

There is such a thing as HDF (high density fibreboard). I've no idea what this bench is made of.

 

[billw]

I have one of those 'tables with 'oles' but rarely, if ever use it, much preferring the 'old skool' methods - Rob

You know Rob, I do agree with that to some respect, but that Parf kit is pretty much as accurate as you can ever hope for if you're at the stage of education in woodworking that I am. If you rely on the fixings that go into it then yes there's opportunity for error but as thing go I think it's good enough for virtually everything I'll ever do.

Plus I'm not "old skool" anyway, but if you've spent a career getting stuff right then absolutely a table full of holes is going to make the square root of F all difference to your ability.

 

[Woodbloke]

You know Rob, I do agree with that to some respect, but that Parf kit is pretty much as accurate as you can ever hope for if you're at the stage of education in woodworking that I am. If you rely on the fixings that go into it then yes there's opportunity for error but as thing go I think it's good enough for virtually everything I'll ever do.

Plus I'm not "old skool" anyway, but if you've spent a career getting stuff right then absolutely a table full of holes is going to make the square root of F all difference to your ability.

The other thing that occurred to me about those 'tables with 'oles' is that they automatically appear to condition the user to work at 90deg, but what happens if you want to do, f'rinstance, some chair work? Unless you build a very simple, rectilinear shape, almost any chair that I've ever seen contains compound angles that are nowhere near 90deg, in which case a 'table with 'oles' is about as useful as a chocolate teapot :lol: - Rob

 

[AndyP]

That purple stuff is evidently made with no formaldehyde, a real plus IMO.
Had a look on line here, over 300 euros for a 19mm full size 8x4 sheet! :shock:

 

[Doug]

That purple stuff is evidently made with no formaldehyde, a real plus IMO.
Had a look on line here, over 300 euros for a 19mm full size 8x4 sheet! :shock:

That does sound expensive Andy it’s around £90 this side of the channel, I’ve a top made in it



A mate made it for me on his CNC, I’ve been using it getting on a year now it’s much denser than standard MDF so also heavier but it seems to bear up to the rigours of use better than standard stuff so probably worth the extra expense.

 

[MattS]

I also have a workbench with holes alongside a traditional bench. In my mind these benches are designed for making carcasses and other similar cabinets out of sheet goods when you’re almost always working to 90 degree angles and with materials that have little movement and so can be machined to tight tolerances.

 

[Doug]

I don’t see why a few more holes than a standard bench should limit its use, it not like it obligatory for you to use the holes whenever you use the bench, it’s just another work surface. In fact the ability to place clamps every 96mm at any angle would be more useful when doing non square glue ups than a standard bench, the holes really don’t dictate its use they are an added bonus.

 

[Mike G]

As I say, I've no axe to grind on this one at all. This is a whole other way of working which is not better or worse than any other. I just know that holes in my bench mean stuff dropping through. Lots of holes would, for me, mean lots of time looking for lost screws and washers, and lots of time vacuuming out the space below. I'd be fascinated to see how this bench works out in the long run, and whether it alters the way the woodwork is done.