The Luthiers Workbench - pics?

My main bench is so small (2' x 4' that a good friend helped me build several years ago) that I have to constantly put things back in their proper spaces to be able to work at all on it. But one good thing is that it makes me very organized. I have since expanded that space but I have to tell you, I just luuuuuve my little work bench! A workshop is like a purse, the bigger it is the more things you put in it!
 
Timbuck said:
Whatever you start with will soon change...if there is a flat surface something will be placed on it..if the item has a flat top something will be placed on top of that if there is a space anywhere something will be put in it..and so on and so on.. untill you can't find place for anything..so you extend the workshop:)..and it all starts again.:(
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Ha ha. Spot on Timbuck!
 
I have about 30 sq foot of bench and I seem to have about 4 foot of it to work with....this is what I had to face this morning..
I have started to tidy up since then..But I still don't know where to put stuff :(
PICT0012-4.jpg
 
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This is my upstairs bench. All material except the frame around the pegboard was rescued from dumpsters. The drawing shows the shelves I'll be adding, cubby holes for plans and illustration board /art pads on the left, three small drawers in the center and three large drawers on the right. It's 36 inches high and a little over 5 1/2' x 2 1/2'.

I watch craigslist for bamboo flooring when I have the cash. Eventually it'll have a bamboo top, bamboo pole sides and a tiki hut top with lighting. Tiki bench.

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And these are the dungeon benches. The Stanley planes are the first thing I look at when I enter the dungeon. They don't know it but that stack of cherry below them is their future home with room for other occupants. I wonder if I'm the only one on the builder's forum with a roll of toilet paper on my bench.
With my carpentry skills and this house being built in 1904, there's not a single flat surface to be found, that's why if you look close you'll see glass plate and 1/2" thick sheets of acrylic here and there... all saved from dumpsters of course.

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Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:
Make sure you get the cork lined jaws for it too. I got mine cheaper at Grizzly.
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I got mine off of Amazon for about the same price as Grizzly's & "free shipping" since I use Amazon Prime. It was one of the tools that Kathy Matsushita mentions:

http://home.comcast.net/~kathymatsushita/amateurluthier/htmlpages/toolshtmlpages/versavise.html

And Frank Ford talks about here at frets.com:

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/ProductReviews/Tools/ParrotVise/parrotvise.html

Gradually building up a set of tools & loving this workbench thread.
 
I have two Zyliss vices - latest video shows the last incarnation before they were discontinued from their line. Parrot vice is great; however these, for me, work better.
 
Pete Howlett said:
I have two Zyliss vices - latest video shows the last incarnation before they were discontinued from their line. Parrot vice is great; however these, for me, work better.
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I bought a Zyliss based on the recommendations I read here. I hated it and dumped it after a couple of months. Good for some things I suppose, but not for me.
 
Timbuck said:
Here is a bargain..But it's too far for me to collect.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ZYLISS-MU...t=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item336d311a42
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Watch out. I bought mine "brand new in the box" from ebay and could never get the jaws to line up properly.
The nice thing about the Parrot vise is it's unique swivel locking mechanism. Plus the ability to quickly change the jaws to a horizontal position (which I never use.) You can also adjust the jaws to line up perfectly. A Lot of vice for the bucks.
 
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My Swiss made zyliss are precision made, faultless. That eBay auction is expensive but they did cost the £200 he claims and all the bits are there. I got my original for £120 in 2000, my vintage for £30 and a spare for £45 both on eBay. Horses for courses as they say. I used to have a pattern makers vice whenn I worked in Ohio - useless!
 
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