Work bench ideas! Help guys, pics would be great. [Archive]

View Full Version : Work bench ideas! Help guys, pics would be great.

james3

07-07-2006, 07:42 AM

OK so I am going from working on my wife's dryer to having a garage and a little shed outback. This is more workspace then I have ever had in my life so I ask you guys for advice, pics, experience, whatever. She got to decide the rest of the house but these spots are mine! ALL MINE!!![:D][:D][:D] OK I am coming back down for now. So how about it, what would you do with the space?

<center>http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e370/Dadof3/kotor2.jpg</center>

supertrogdor

07-07-2006, 07:49 AM

congrats on getting some space james
when we bought a house(or at least closed and moved in) i had a garage for the first time, not wanting to park in the weather during the winter months, i built a fold down bench for my garage so i could use it when needed, but still park both vehicles in the garage. It is good to have the space, both for vehicles and to work.
cheers

xwingband

07-07-2006, 08:24 AM

Ooo... I'l get pics later. I made a nice large bench out of plywood and 2x4's that is great for all I need it to do. I'll detail some of the stuff that I think helps specifically for saber building. Along a similar vein I'll show my "box-o-saber-stuff" that I recently organized.

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Madcow

07-07-2006, 08:59 AM

Congrats James!
My shop is the size of the ****pit of the Millenium Falcon... literally!
http://www.freewebs.com/genesis_sabers/lightsaber%20dream%20shop.JPG
I just realized that this looks like the work bench from KOTOR!!!

Dude sometimes you can find used kitchen counters and cabinets free, from prople who are doing reno's. I'd call around to kitchen reno contractors.
And I dream of getting a used glass display case from a jewelry store!

MC

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You want to go home and re-think your life

Do-Clo

07-07-2006, 10:06 AM

Since you asked I would recomend two work areas. One area with a vice and a mini drill press so you can do you cutting and fiting there, that way all of your metal filings will be in one spot and not where you are doing your assembly work. Also if you can swing it a small table top scroll saw can be a big help in cutting designs. I have the drill press and scroll saw and would not want to work without them. The second work area would be for assembly with a good solder station and your hand tools in a nice rack where they are easy to get at, then some pull out drawers for small parts and electronics finally a organized box as Xwing mentioned for other things.

<center>http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f217/Do-Clo/DoCloSig.jpg</center>
<center>Darth Technous Sith Lord</center>
<center>Give yourself to the Dark Side</center>

xwingband

07-07-2006, 02:48 PM

Do-Clo brings up a good point. I often work in two places also. I work in my room when I'm soldering and doing electronics stuff, and for doing metal work I go to my workbench in the garage.

I prefer this because I solder on the same desk I have my computer so I can pull up diagrams really quick. For actually soldering on I have a glass sheet and a huge piece of 4-ply chipboard. I cut out places for holding my iron and flux tub in the chipboard. Also I've found lately a little tool I bought for my architecture has become a useful tool for the electronics. I got a butane soldering iron with the intention of using it for glazing edges of plastic. I found though that I love using the heat gun aspect for heatshrink. It takes seconds to shrink with it.

Here's my "box-o-saber-stuff":
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/853/box2zi.th.jpg (http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/853/box2zi.jpg)
I've divided it into Electronics, Other, and Hardware. It's a simple 12" x 12" storage box I picked up at target. It holds every "saber specific" thing I have.

I'll just detail what I think helps in a workbench as I have to go clean mine a bit before I take pics.[:p] As Do-Clo said a miter box and vise clamp mounted is great. I have yet to get a clamp but it's in the back of my mind. If you have heavier tools keep them near at hand. The other tools that may/may not be used for lightsabers should fit in shelves near too.

I LOVE PEGBOARD too! It holds lots of little stuff like screwdrivers, pliers and saws. The little touches I put that I really like might help too. Since I use my dremel with snake attachment a lot I have an extra long peg on the board mounted to the wall I hang it from and a simple hook on the bottom of the benches top to store it on. Also I mounted a power strip on the edge too. I can then have multiple items plugged in at once.

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xwingband

07-07-2006, 03:35 PM

Okay, here's our workbench in the garage. I say "our" because my mom uses it when I'm at college and my MOM is decent carpenter.[:p] Note: This is a quick let's clean it a bit because a tornado looked like it came through.[:D]

Clear saber is sitting there waiting...[:p]

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/4033/bench5dv.th.jpg (http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/4033/bench5dv.jpg)

The bench itself was made with 3 8' 2"x4" and a sheet of 1/2" plywood. It came in under $50 for a pretty darn stable workbench.[:)]

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Luke-SkyMarcher

07-07-2006, 03:38 PM

xwingband posted <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">This is a quick let's clean it a bit because a tornado looked like it came through.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I think just about everyone's work bench looks like that... I know mine does.[:D]

You'll find I'm full of suprises. -Luke, ESB, Anakin, AOTC

xwingband

07-07-2006, 03:44 PM

I partially blame my mother as she just finished a bathroon vanity and desk. She left lots of sandpaper, brushes and varnish all over the bench.

Other stuff was purely mine... like speakers and sound boards, lol.[:D]

<center>Read the FAQ (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/sabers/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=552) or x-wing won't be happy. :(
Before posting did you check the Thread Index (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/sabers/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=577)?.

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Mi Gin Gonn

07-07-2006, 04:13 PM

nice to see the Lee filters in the drawer, Xwing [:D]

-------------------------

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some idea-balls to remove from a manitee tank."

Do-Clo

07-07-2006, 05:01 PM

My outside work area is pretty small, a little bench beside the dryer but it works for what I need and the Drill press and scroll saw are set up there. I found my drill press on ebay and it cost $60 with shipping it is a big help with saber making. I have a larger desk with my computer and that is where I do my soldering and assembly work.

<center>http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f217/Do-Clo/DoCloSig.jpg</center>
<center>Darth Technous Sith Lord</center>
<center>Give yourself to the Dark Side</center>

WeirdoTransvestite

07-07-2006, 05:08 PM

X-wing I think I have that yellow soldering iron.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
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-End of Evangelion

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xwingband

07-07-2006, 05:38 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by WeirdoTransvestite

X-wing I think I have that yellow soldering iron.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Which one? If you look closely I have two. The Butane one torwards the right and back and the normal one near the center. I have the 40W version... I've seen the 25W version at Lowes and Wal-Mart. Both are pretty darn good.

<center>Read the FAQ (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/sabers/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=552) or x-wing won't be happy. :(
Before posting did you check the Thread Index (http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/sabers/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=577)?.

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WeirdoTransvestite

07-07-2006, 05:40 PM

The electric one. I have the 25 watt.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Asuka Langley Soryu: I'll kill you. I'll kill you. I'll kill you. I'll kill you. I'll kill you. I'll kill you.
-End of Evangelion

Gott weiss ich will kein Engel sein
-Rammstein
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a15/WeirdoTransvestite/LaughingManROTATE.gif Contains 100% your daily recommended dose of Laughing Man

james3

07-07-2006, 09:37 PM

WOW guys! Thanks a ton for the info and xwing, the pics rock. For Fathers day I got a small set of pieces that go on a pegboard since there is one already in the garage. I will make use of that for sure. The parts box is an awsome idea right now I just keep everything in the boxes Tim ships them in until I can do my thing.
Very awsome input.

<center>http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e370/Dadof3/kotor2.jpg</center>