I am going to make a small desktop bench to work on watches.

Assuming sitting up and looking straight ahead, where should the top be in relation to my chin?

Well it makes sense to me.

Thanks

start here and look at the pictures:

https://www.google.com/search?...t.html%3B1280%3B1024

my bench is raised up by 4 bed risers from walmart:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/1510...=78307269752&veh=sem

Lorne checked one of the old watchmakers bench i have in storage and they measure 38 inches to the work top.

I made the one i use and it,s 39 inches tall and 6 feet long. What i did was build a cabinet on each end with plenty of drawers and made the top out of a white kitchen cabinet formica counter top.

how funny mine is 38 inches.

Mine is also 38" high. I find it very helpful to use a chair that can be raised and lowered easily.

My bench is 36" and my chair is an antique 4 leg piano stool with a round seat and long acme threaded seat post. I can adjust my seat height from 16" to 26"... and I do change it for different kinds of work, or just for a change of pace/position.

Thanks boys, I am 5'8", did a mock-up and it seems 37" is about right.

I do have an adjustable chair and will have the option for adding a 1" plinth should I need it.

I just have to quit thinking about what it looks like and build it.


Picked up some choice wood when my visit to the dump coincided with that of a local cabinet maker.

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Here is where I am at this point, since I am just making this up as I go there is a lot of sitting, thinking and trial cutting. You can see the top in the background.

I just have to make the drawers now, all the strips are cut and I have a drawer lock bit but it has been a while so have to relearn the procedure.

The question I have is about the slide out tray you see top centre on a lot of these benches.

Is it supposed to have a soft surface to catch dropped parts or is it just another work surface.

I can still add it however the way I have set up the drawers it will not be as wide as most I see.

Lorne the slide out is something you will need mine is pulled out a little any time i work on a watch,, they were made to catch anything that might fall off the front of your bench mine has saved several movements and parts from hiting the floor.

On all the old benchs they are nothing more than a slide out frame with a canvas or some similar material for the bottom of the drawer,,i can take a picture of one if you want. Looks like you are off to a good start on your bench

I think what I will do is just glue strips around the edge of a piece of plywood so the surface is inset then glue a piece of leather to it.

That way there will still be a raised edge and anything that lands on the leather won't bounce as readily.

I have pool table cloth as well but like the idea of leather.

How far do they usually slide out?

It seems anything more than 6 or 8 inches would just get in the way.

Lorne the slide outs on the old benchs were about 14-16 inches deep and the front of them is curved in the center ,,that way they can be pulled out quite a bit and not be in the way ,,also by being that deep they are stable when pulled out..

The canvas material was attached on the bottom of the slide out that way there is a little lip on the sides,,The canvas material works good when something falls on it it stays put no bounce at all.

Later today i will try and get a picture for you of one of the slides.

Thanks Samie, much appreciated.

I have thought about this and decided not to put the slide in this bench.

The way I have configured the drawers makes a slide too narrow to be of any use.

I will go with the Dave Abbe method of using an apron attached with velcro.

hi Lorne,
could you or David describe for me the velcro and apron method.
i just today set up a new bench that sits at 35 inches because working at my desk was giving me a sore back and neck.
it is just an old butcher block from our old kitchen before the last reno.
what a difference it makes. still rudimentary i know but getting better every day.
thanks
todd

Todd, a search for velcro didn't bring anything up.

As Dave describes it, while at his bench he wears an apron with the bottom attached to the underside of the front lip and it catches any parts before they hit the floor.

Perhaps he will chime in with a photo.

EDIT: Found it!

Butterfingers...

that is a beautiful solution!
but i have to delete this before my wife sees it or i will end up velcroed to the kitchen table!

Lorne here is a picture of the slide ouy on a old bench I have in storage

I am kind of pleased with myself, just waiting on some brass knobs from Lee Valley.

Some dividers that have been sitting in my shop for years. I should have made one of the drawers double deep, next time.

This centre slide out is pretty well useless but it made the whole thing look better and was fun to make.

The grain on the top is beautiful but the camera doesn't capture the 3D effect, it's like you are looking down on a mountain range.

Sadly it will be covered with that no bounce white stuff.

Beautiful job Lorne! well done!

Lorne beautiful work.Something to be proud of.

Roger

Very nice Lorne,

What kind of wood? Looks like oak, but has an exceptional grain.

Yes it is pretty well all oak and all scrounged from various places. Not like I'm trying to save the earth I just like re-using old wood

Top is plywood, drawer fronts and trim are old table legs I found at the dump long age. I cut them to take advantage of the quarter sawn grain.

I had one little freak out.

When I was cutting the saw kerf for the drawer bottoms I made mistake and cut the front rather than the inside. I then cut them all and glued in that little strip of mahogany, it actually worked out quite well.

Nice work Lorne! It is nice to have the skills to make your own furniture.

Beautiful job Lorne!! You are a pretty talented guy. I think you will be surprised at how often you use that little pull out drawer. My bench has a little drawer in that spot and I am always setting something on it to look at when I have a watch dismantled on the bench. John

Very nice Lorne. No gaps. We will expect some fine work to be made on that bench!

Yah it's all fun and games until I am expected to actually repair something.

I did have to shim one drawer with a piece of edge banding.

Thank you for all of your kind comments.