Portable work bench

[Kaptin-Jer]

Hy guys,
I have been looking for a folding work bench similar to the Black and Decker Workmate, but better quality. For some reason I see quite a few in England, but non in the states. I need it to take to the marina to work then bring it back to use in the garage. Has anyone seen anything that they could recommend?

[the1much]

i bought 2 at once ,,,,, i got double whammied.,,,,,im just replying so i dont have extra clicking to subscribe this thread ;)
i would like the answers too hehe ;)

[Kaptin-Jer]

yea Jim, I know your pain. They actually work pretty good for about a week then parts start falling off and the mdf boards blow up, and you get a hernia from lifting them. Festool has a good one, but you have to take a second mortgage to afford it, maybe someone has an idea. I saw one on the DIY network when they were doing the tool show, but I haven't been able to find it again.

[DGreenwood]

Kaptin
Those Harry-Homeowner workbenches are a load of junk.
I have an 8 foot 2" x 10" plank of hardwood I have setup with holes to take a metal vice, and the hardware to accept two wood vises (one at each end). Its heavy as hell but when I put it across two horses...I got something I can do some work on. With both vises in place I can plane the edges of a 16' plank, no sweat. When you go to pound on something with a heavy hammer, it stays put, unlike those cheap pieces of garbage that bounce around the boat yard and make you look like as ass. It has counter-bored holes to allow fastening it down to the horses. A second 2" x 2" laid on the same horse or a second set will give a great spot to cut sheet material. I put a sheet of melamine across the two and I have a table to do laminations and vacuum bagging. I use those cheap plastic horses but they seem to hold up OK and they fold up easy to throw in the truck.
I didn't invent it---it's the way the old timers been doing it for a hundred years---seems to work.

[the1much]

im gonna go out tomorrow,, and take a few pics of my work bench's im using to build a peacock coop,,,hahaha,,,then 1 of my alternator shop,,,,,i have 2 of them plastic horses with a cheapo "closet" door laid across,,,,,,,have my arbor press and drill press on them,,,,,,,,,and hold both when used,,hahaha ;):)

[Kaptin-Jer]

Kaptin
Those Harry-Homeowner workbenches are a load of junk.
I have an 8 foot 2" x 10" plank of hardwood I have setup with holes to take a metal vice, and the hardware to accept two wood vises years---seems to work.
Agreed,
But I do a lot of varnish and big item restorations. A 10" plank doesn't work, I need about 30", But a solid core wood door with some bench dog holes drilled thru it and sitting on a couple of plastic saw horses is a step in the right direction..

[the1much]

i'll sell ya my 2 work bench's,,,,cheap,,haha :D
http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q333/the1much/080708_1840.jpg
http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q333/the1much/080708_1839.jpg
http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q333/the1much/080708_1837.jpg

[Landlubber]

Hey much,


I can see from your wood working skills that you would be suitable to open a yard in China....interested in going into business with me, we always need quality builders and they are hard to come by. You would also be able to teach woodworking here... (well maybe just chook houses), but after 5 minutes of building them you too would be an egg spurt.

[the1much]

hahaha,,,,thats a BEFORE pic,,haha,,,thats why i gotta fix it,,,,the ole lady thought she could build,,,hehe,,i built the green 1 you cant see,,hehe,,but,,,,,,,,im sure mines not gonna look much better,,,so maybe i might take that offer,,hehe,,,,could teach em yankee enginuity,,,,see how my plank is a shelf i ripped out of the well-house,,haha :D:D:D

[BHOFM]

Wish I had an oil well in my back yard!:mad: :mad: :mad:

I bought two of the little work tables at NAPA and they are
not much, but I have used them over 20 years and they
are still together and work fine!

They have gone up a bit!:p :p :p

http://www.napaonline.com/NOLPPSE/(S(ercyln45mzonzd55mkce4dqb))/Detail.aspx?R=BK_8995219_0006398482

[the1much]

i have a couple of those TOO :( ,, mine didnt last long with real work,,hehehe :p
theres (on mine,,dont think it was napa brand tho) theres a plastic piece that connects the "wood top" to the "screws that adjust" and that died pretty fast.


P.S.
no you dont wish you had a well in ya yard! :(:(

[BHOFM]

There is no plastic but the little blocks that stick in the
holes on the wood top to clamp things with! All metal
construction!

I looked at them tonight, and they look like hell but
still work as well at the day I got them!

The stupid link has expired.

here is a pic!

[the1much]

my braces,,the angled ones,,,died too,,hehe,,,,maybe i shouldnt have put a 400lbs pipe on it,,,hehe :D

[the1much]

i looked,,,i got 2 different kinds left,,,,the first 1 shows the plastic piece,,the second shows it gone a wood there,,haha,,, and the third one is all metal,,,but just says "workbench" on it,,,,if its close to what your looking for i'll pull it out and look REAL good,,,hehe ;)

[Kaptin-Jer]

Jim,
I think I have decided to build my own. A portable wood shop table. About 30 x 40 from a solid core door with a couple of wood vises built in it,-- a bunch of dog holes and then use the good plastic saw horses. Should work fine.

[the1much]

yuppers,,,, i would,,,thats why mine are all "junk tables" ,,, couldnt ya even "hinge" the table top to make easier to take along with ya?.

[Kaptin-Jer]

don't get too technical on me-now you want me to engineer a hinge?? I guess it would have to stay open too.---I think you just went beyond my capabilities. Back to buying one.---you really know how to take the wind out of someone's sails.

[Kaptin-Jer]

This probably the best out there, but $600.00??
http://www.festoolusa.com/Web_files/Getting_the_most_from_the_MFT_multifunction_table.pdf

[the1much]

i was thinking more along the lines of paying someone else to engineer it,,,,ch!t,,, between you and me,,,we couldnt FIND a hinge in a hardware store,,hehe :P
and i'd have to be some bored and rich to buy 1 of those for that much,,,,60.00 would still make me hesitate,,hehe ;)

[Kaptin-Jer]

check this out Jim,
http://www.shopnotes.com/issues/082/extras/tool-tote-sawhorses/
Throw a top on and your good to go.

[the1much]

i think i kinda like those,,,,even looks simple enough to make if they cost more then 100 bucks,,hehe ;)
especially with the shelves,,, not them damned pockets that you cant get anything in or out,.

[Kaptin-Jer]

I think we got a dirction. (to the local bar. We have to pounder this a little more.)