Looking for a bench - What to get?

[future_jack]

I have come across this on ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Heavy-Duty-Wo...hZ011QQcategoryZ46704QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

The surface is only 16mm chipboard though so I am thinking it will probably be rubbish for a vice.

What should I be looking at?

 

[Archie]

The bench I have at home is 16mm chipboard topped with 3mm sheet. I just bolted a spare bit of sheet underneath the top surface where I put the vice on. It's absolutely fine.

I think when it says 'industrial workbench' it might be overselling itself a bit though!!!

 

[Mikey D]

Personally id steer clear ,doesnt look too sturdy to me . i reckon it would be wobblier than a wobbly thing

 

[future_jack]

Personally id steer clear ,doesnt look too sturdy to me . i reckon it would be wobblier than a wobbly thing

Right...I'm thinking the same myself. I suppose you get what you pay for.

What kind of surface would be ideal for installing a vice on top of?

 

[Baz-Cem]

My your own from angle and box to your own sizes and it will be alot stronger than that one.

I'm doing one for myself and the top is going to be two 20mm ply boards screwed together.

 

[future_jack]

My your own from angle and box to your own sizes and it will be alot stronger than that one.

I'm doing one for myself and the top is going to be two 20mm ply boards screwed together.

I'm new to welding. My first project was going to be an off road buggy but I suppose I could try a bench. Any good plans you know of?

Cheers.

 

[fingers99]

This looks "adequate". Probably use more stock than your buggy, though.

 

[Dangle_kt]

good old warehouse direct have an even cheaper option.

Not sure if it's what your looking for, but at £45 plus only £8 postage, it aint exactly pricey!

http://www.whdirect.co.uk/product.php?productid=3057&cat=277&page=1

Have a rumage round there, its all chinese stuff, but cheap as chips!

 

[Afterimage]

I used a set of old kitchen base units and worktops for a long bench at the end of my garage,cost me the price of the petrol I used to take them home (got matching wall units too).
A good kitchen unit is probably stronger than a cheap workbench too.

 

[malcolm]

I've mounted a vice on 1/2 inch chipboard in the past. Worked OK.

Main thing about a bench for me these days is hammering. Great big hammer on my old chipboard bench just made a great big hole in the bench.

It's really handy to have a decent thick mild steel bench top with a straight edge. Fantastic for hammering bits of metal around the edges, straightening bits of metal on, or even just attaching the earth clamp to so you can weld whatever is on there.

My current bench is 1/2 inch thick and maybe 5 feet wide and 4 feet deep. Came from an auction. These days anything so heavy would probably be weighed in for scrap before it made it to auction, but it wouldn't be much more than budget to get a 3/8 inch sheet of a suitable size and weld some square box section legs on it. With some bracing across the bottom maybe.

 

[hareng]

Make your own and rawl bolt to the walls, its solid and can be made to exact requirements.
Have to do such a thing shortly but getting steels at the right price, lead time and minimum order is becoming a pain. RSA 50X50X3 and RHS 50X25X3.
Used to pay £1.95 for 6M of 25x25x3 RSA just the job for making shelf brackets.

Think i better paint the floor this time.

 

[Baz-Cem]

How long ago were you paying £1.95 for that?

 

[Archie]

Last century I should have thought!

 

[hareng]

15 years Baz
Did used to buy and use 300 to 500 tonne a day though from various sources inc rolling mills.
Could get anything at the right price, the company i worked for had bargaining power.

 

[English Steve]

I've recently been told by our buying dept that we are expecting a steel price increase in the region of £160/tonne anytime soon

 

[storm monkey]

Expect a shortage too!

 

[Baz-Cem]

Forgive me for asking but why the shortage and who's causing the shortage?

Baz.

 

[Baz-Cem]

Also,

Steel has already gone up £150 per tonne this year. Are you talking about this increase or is there another increase coming?

Baz.

 

[English Steve]

Another increase coming, and it's all going to the far east

 

[Archie]

The supplier I get my steel off tells me that the price ups are no longer because of far eastern demand (though they definitely used to be) but because the mills are purposely producing too little steel to drive the prices up. Not sure how true that is but I can see the logic!