workbench/interior furniture? Any dual use guys?

[Matt Lau]

Hey guys,
I was dimensioning an alaskan yellow cedar neck blank last night, and thought it'd be really interesting to build a desk/workbench for my bedroom.
Do any of you guys:
1. Do apartment/bedroom woodworking?
2. Have any "incognito" woodworking setups?

Currently, I just work on the floor and carry most of my stuff in systainers. Need to refine my floorbench.
Eventually, I'd like to create some tool cabinetry that wouldn't look out of place in an interior design magazine. Looking for some design ideas. :p

[Rob Luter]

My bench is dedicated to woodworking, but I have seen antique benches repurposed as kitchen islands. If I did any woodworking in the kitchen my bride would not be pleased.

[William Adams]

I've set up a Workmate clone in the dining room on top of a sheet of cardboard a couple of times (needed the natural light to cut dovetails (my regular workbench is at one end of a basement laundry room) and it was too cold (single digits) to work out on the deck as I usually do).

I've like to work up something a bit more practicable, and am contemplating the Lee Valley apartment workbench, though I'll probably start w/ a simpler version of the portable "Milkman's workbench".

[Jim Koepke]

A workbench can double as a dining table or even a bar.

My memory is a bit foggy on the subject but it was either in Seattle or Portland where old work benches were used as such.

jtk

[Rick Malakoff]

I only have a 10' x 12' room attached to a 5th wheel, my bench is less than 2' x 4' but I just use it for a workbench and sometimes as a staging area.
Rick

371447

[mike holden]

I join my SAPFM group at the Detroit Institute of Arts for an exhibition each year, and use a bench on bench to demonstrate from. It is placed on a folding table and is secure enough for doing planing and sawing on. Google "milkman's bench" for a neat, easily stowable bench that is used on a table. (just watch out for the "free plans" scams)
Mike

[Carl Baker]

Hey guys,
I was dimensioning an alaskan yellow cedar neck blank last night, and thought it'd be really interesting to build a desk/workbench for my bedroom.
Do any of you guys:
1. Do apartment/bedroom woodworking?
2. Have any "incognito" woodworking setups?

Currently, I just work on the floor and carry most of my stuff in systainers. Need to refine my floorbench.
Eventually, I'd like to create some tool cabinetry that wouldn't look out of place in an interior design magazine. Looking for some design ideas. :p

Google “Apartment Workbench”. Lee Valley offers a plan based upon an old design (not sure where it comes from). Very cool concept for combination tool chest and workbench.

http://shedplanscourse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/woodworking-bench-tools-2.jpg

[Dan Hulbert]

I built the Apartment Workbench from Lee Valley. It works great, very solid bench. It's about 90% solid maple, so it's quite heavy. I still have it out in the shop, but it's ready to move into the house for winter working if I can get it moved. This was the "scope creep" project. Instead of simple joints for the drawers (there are 10 of them), I opted for half blind dovetails. Then to prevent catching myself on the knobs, I opted for inset ring pulls (17 of them).371482 371481

I've since added a caster system to allow me to move it about the shop.

[Rick Malakoff]

Great looking piece, Dan.
Rick

[William Adams]

Very, very cool --- looking forward to hearing how it works out for you --- as I noted, I'd love to build one myself, and hope to after retirement.

[Ken Martin]

The original bench was by Melhuish in England. Hammacher Schlemmer & company built a similar one.

Ken

371484

[Matt Lau]

Nice workmanship, Dan!

And here I was thinking of just popping lee valley cast iron legs on a nice slab.

[Matt Lau]

Hey Rick,

I'd be most likely to build something like your workbench.
My only changes would be to take out the front lower stretcher/shelf so that I can tuck a chair underneath.

overall, it looks very sturdy and functional.



I only have a 10' x 12' room attached to a 5th wheel, my bench is less than 2' x 4' but I just use it for a workbench and sometimes as a staging area.
Rick

371447

[Rick Malakoff]

Hi Matt,

The only thing I would change is the 2''x 8'' skirting, I used construction grade lumber with a high moisture content and it shrunk considerably.
The top is K-D 2x3 Douglas Fir and the legs were reclaimed porch posts that were 30 years old.
371504The shrinkage about 3/16' in 8 months otherwise I'm very happy.

[Dan Hulbert]

The bench is in regular use out in the shop.

Thanks for the complements, it did win a blue ribbon at the Colorado State Fair a few years back.

This is what it looked like on Sunday morning.371505

[Matt Lau]

Is that a homemade lathe?

[Carl Baker]

The bench is in regular use out in the shop.

Thanks for the complements, it did win a blue ribbon at the Colorado State Fair a few years back.

This is what it looked like on Sunday morning.371505

Excellent work Dan!
I love the design and it looks like you’ve pulled it off masterfully!

[Dan Hulbert]

The lathe is a mid 1950's Craftsman along with tools that were bought new by my grandfather. I built the stand from some used boards from a small deck I replaced at the back of my house. It all seems to work well enough for the level of work I do. Clamped to the far end of the lathe base is a hand-cranked grinder for sharpening.