This project comes by way of Sweden. Let’s check out Jorgen’s workbench:
Hello Marc! First let me say how much I enjoy reading your blog and watching the videos at your site. They are very informative and interesting! I found you by searching for woodworking resources via Google and I am following you from Sweden.
I thought I’d take a chance to send you a viewer project to see if you’d be able to fit it into your probably large stream of viewer projects? I spent the last month or so building a new workbench for my shop. It’s a pretty straightforward design which has been inspired both by traditional workbenches and also from newer designs, such as the “21
Century Workbench” by Robert W. Lang.The base is made out of pine with dust covers made of thin MDF boards. The sides are joined using mortise and tenon joints and they are attached to one another using horizontal bars. The bars are attached using bolts that go from the sides into the bars. Small holes are made in the bars where the bolts come out and they are tightened using
a locking nut and a square washer. The sides also have height-adjustable feet so that I can level the bench out in relation to my very unlevel floor :-)The bench top consists of three laminated layers. The bottom and top layers are 22 mm thick MDF board and the middle layer is 11 mm thick OSB board. I then nailed 6 mm MDF to the top and sides of the top for covering up screw heads and such. Since they are only nailed to the bench top they can easily be replaced when they’re worn out. The bench top is also split into two pieces where the back piece can slide back and forth on the base. This creates a gap where, for instance, the blade of my plunge saw can run when I need to cut down large sheets to size. It also gives a larger effective area for the bench top when working with large work pieces in general. I still have to make drawers, I haven’t decided though whether to have two or four drawers… :-)
Note from Marc: If you are interested in seeing more detail of Jorgen’s workbench, check out his blog at MyTinySteps. He has posted the drawings for the workbench in case anyone wants to build it themselves.
11 Responses to “Jorgen’s Workbench”
Very nice Jorgen. Love to hear from woodworkers around the globe.
Question for the audience. Jorgen used bolts and there was another bench with threaded rod. Could lag screws be used to strengthen the connections or am I missing some other aspect of bolts and threaded rod? Thanks in advance.
Marc-
I know your website is free to us, and I am certainly grateful for all the content you provide, but I have a suggestion for a slight improvement.
On another woodworking forum, when users post multiple pics, they can be viewed as a slide show, rather than having to access each picture individually. Is that something that can be done economically, or is that a cost for you that makes it unfeasible? Just a thought.
Hey Tom. You aren’t seeing the lightbox slideshow when you click the pics?? When you click the picture, does the background darken? If so, look near the bottom of the screen and you will see the lightbox navigation. Just hit the right arrow to move to the next picture in the lineup.
Marc
The only time the slideshow occurs is within your reply to my OP. If I just click on the original link, all that shows up are individual JPEG’s. So what’s the scoop?
I think I am confused. The code for the images is the same on the comment reply page as it is on the main page. So in theory, it should behave the same way. Can I ask what browser and operating system you are running?
I’m using the latest Firefox, and MAC OS 10.5
Now I am really at a loss Tom. I pretty much run the same system…… I also run an older mac with Safari and several PC’s with everything from Chrome to FF to IE and all of them show the lightbox functionality.
To everyone: Is anyone else having this issue? Please let me know.
I’m using Firefox and 10.5 as well and see no indication of a slideshow option on this page. Although, I’ve never cared for sites that open images over top the page, so I think I like it the way it is…
So much for compatibility I guess, lol.
Marc am in the Process of Planning My very first Project a Workbench if you were to build your workbench tomorrow What Materials would you use and what design different from your bench you have know I have Bought a couple of Books The Workbench by Scott Landis Workbenches By Christopher Schwarz Making workbenches By Sam Allen all great books giving me a Loads of ideas for designs But I was thinking of Aroko for my Base and Beech for my table top and Mable for my Side Vice and Veritas Twin Vice but not sure if to have solid wood for table top or laminated sheeting have just renewed my Guild Subscription early Love your Site Would like your thoughts on Workbenches and would be great if you where planning a project on building a new work bench
Many Thanks
Harry
Hi Harry. I do plan on building a new bench in the future, but I haven’t made my mind up on a design or features yet. My mind seems to change every month or so, which tells me I am not ready to build a new one. So eventually, I will sit down and plan it all out for the show. But I think you have some great resources on your hands. I think the Schwarz book was the most useful for me in my thought process.