The Framers Forum

Hi,
I am looking to source a new workbench and see there are a fair few options available. I was looking for anyone’s suggestions based on the vast experience there is to be had on this great forum.

Any suggestions most welcome

Chris

I think you will find most framers/forum members make their own benches, that way you get what you want at a fraction of the price, mine are made with tops that are full sheets of chipboard 8'x4' and 4'x4 with legs 4"x4" and 4"x1" frame work, with storage below. our CMC is one a 8'x4' 3/4 ply top with the same frame work, but we have rolling storage boxes (4) for mountcard storage under this bench. Our main bench is cover in carpet, we cut glass on this bench and assemble on this bench, all my benches are in a row down the centre of the workshop, these photos are from when I first opened, so the CMC is bigger, takes up the whole of the ply bench and load more rubbish around

Thanks for info and photos Steve. The ready made option has some appeal due to perceived ease but I can certainly now see the greater options by making my own and designing to my own requirements from scratch

I've got various benches for different operations. As it happens I have recently remodelled my 'clean' working area.

For years I have used two plan chests back-to-back as a general design/assembly bench. They were covered with carpet and
for years I have been niggled by the fact that the chests are not exactly the same height, resulting in a bump in the middle.
So I put a new chipboard top on which is 6" wider and a tad longer. About 6'6" x 4'6". Amazing what difference the extra area makes.
At the same time I moved the mountcutting bench nearer. This is also two plan chests, but arranged so I have a 8'x5' area. I can now
get the mountcutter completely on the bench with no part sticking out. Around this I've built shelves.

To cover the benches I've used some Flotex carpet which perfect for the job IMHO. It's quite pricy - about £60 sq metre, but I managed
to get a remnant that was much cheaper and covered the whole issue. I'll post some piccies later.

If it's a bench that doesn't have to look too posh then it's a fairly easy job to knock one up using a load of 3x2 and some 3/4" chipboard.

My home made bench comprises of two 8x4 sheets of 22mm MDF and six 4x2 timber legs covered with carpet underlay. Solid and smooth as a billiard table.The important thing for me was to get the height right and be able to work all the way around the bench.

Underneath, are two snuggle fitting cheapo pine drawer units for small tools, lg roll of bubble wrap, henry cleaner and silent compressor.

Peter.

Hello, my name is Steven and I enjoy looking at other peoples workshops! It's been an unhealthy obsession of mine since I first encountered a post on a web forum specialising in picture framing, I come over all peculiar when there's even a hint of workshop pic! Whew! I just had to say it

welcome to the group Steven, knowing yo have this illness is half the battle

I have different benches for different uses, usually the intention is to keep the tools and equipment that relate to the tasks performed located on the relevant bench for that particular use, or uses. More recently I've not done quite so well maintaining that particular system, this all started when I sold the plan chest where my mountcutter was located and I found myself "hot benching" moving bits and pieces for one bench to another as needs dictated.

The shop which was mine until a few days ago, was vary small and presented me with some serious space problems, which led me to abandon the idea of an 8ft x 4ft bench. I came down to a 6ft x 4ft bench and eventually down to a 4ft x 3ft bench, with the capacity to fit a temporary extension section when required. I can't say that this is an ideal arrangement, but it has proved workable for just about all jobs I usually encounter.

I'm in a transitionary mode at the moment waiting to move into another shop very close to my original shop and will soon be re-making my work benches. Some of these benches where not possible to store in their broken down state, due to lack of space, so sadly I will be starting again from scratch, which was not what I wanted, but life tends to be like that.

My new main bench will be made in 2ft wide sections which bolt together and contain internal mountboard storage with built in dividers to enable be to separate and organise the range of boards and colours that I stock. I have not fully decided every detail of how this bench will be constructed, but I have quite a lot of slat wall board sitting around and doing nothing, so I might use some of that in the construction.

As well as flat benches I have two sloping benches. I use one for mainly cutting glass (by hand) and the other has my manual mount cutter on it. Being of Tom Cruise height and age but far better looking, I find the sloping benches allow for an easier reach when cutting large sheet materials.

My thanks to everyone for their suggestions and the very useful photos. The self made variety now has my vote, not only for cost but for customisation. I will be spending the next couple of days measuring and planning and then setting in motion.

Like David I have one bench which is angled, which has my mountcutter on it, I was not sure about this at first but after a bit of use I really like it.

Most of the storage area under my benches is used for antique frames, apart from the glass cutting bench which is used for storing bits of glass, plastic glazing, mountboard, and backing board.

One bench has my underpinner on the end, which supports bigger frames while being joined.

Oh and I share featurepiece's enjoyment of looking at other peoples workshops!

Sharing this in case some of you not seen this neat idea before
Alfa in the corner of a work bench.

My new workshop setup....

Very nice Peter. I also noticed a drawing board and stand in one of your pictures. I recently bought a secondhand one of those myself and I would guess it's near enough identical to yours. I kind of like the idea of using it for hinging mounts and artworks, etc. I'll probably add a lip on the bottom to stop anything from sliding off the board.

I was just wondering what you use yours for?

Keith Hewitt wrote:Sharing this in case some of you not seen this neat idea before
Alfa in the corner of a work bench.

In the post above yours Keith you can see an alfa in the end of a bench, on a corner like that looks a bit awkward to use to me, the corner of the bench is where you would stand, so you will have to lean far over just to reach... better on the side if you ask me. But I guess the framer who uses it finds it works well for them, maybe they are very tall and with long arms!?

Framemaker Richard wrote
" maybe they are very tall and with long arms!?"

Exactly what I was thinking, I've seen a similar setup, where the corner of the bench is cut off and the underpinner is placed against it, but this one look really uncomfortable to use