Official Luthiers Forum!

Anybody got any pictures of their custom setup bench to post. I'm thinking of building something that will hold the guitar up off of the bench sort of in midair, yet support the guitar well enough to hammer in frets and level the fingerboard/frets. I'd like a bench below the guitar for holding necessary tools and such. Hopefully mine will be accesable from both sides. If you have one I'd sure like to see it before I get started. TIAJohn How38558.5993171296

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Here are some rather cluttered pictures of my main work bench. The main bench is 30" wide x 10 feet long. The "L" shaped extension is 4 feet long and is where I do 75% of my work. Both benches are accessable from both sides.







The above tool rack is an arms reach from by "L" bench extension. It also has several T nuts inserted in it so I can jig up a guitar and neck while setting up the neck. See below.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

Tim,

Nice setup! I'll be looking at your pics again when I arrive in Indiana next Monday and begin setting up my new shop. One quick question--how do you anchor your workbench so it doesn't move all over while working? I have my current bench screwed to the wall to keep it from shaking all over while doing things like heavy planing, etc. I would love to have access from both sides of the bench.

Cheers!

John

I just built myself a mobile workbench, after I saw the nice Stew-Mac Shopstands in use at the ASIA meeting. Their stand was sitting on a concrete slab, but I wanted to roll mine around the shop to get it out of the way when I wasn't using it, or put it where I wanted when I was trying to do something. I was thinking about what I would use as a starting point...then, on the Grizzly website I saw their Engine stand and I had my answer. I just made the wood parts for it, and had my shop stand- it can move all around the place and with my vice bolted on the end it works great! Plus, it's rated at 1000 pounds for those heavy guitars. <G> This stand from Grizzly cost a whole 37 bucks. Sorry, but my shop is cluttered too!
Mark Swanson38559.9594444444

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

I knew you guys would come thru with some great idea's. Thanks, and keep'm coming.

_________________
Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

[QUOTE=John Elshaw] Tim,

Nice setup! I'll be looking at your pics again when I arrive in Indiana next Monday and begin setting up my new shop. One quick question--how do you anchor your workbench so it doesn't move all over while working? I have my current bench screwed to the wall to keep it from shaking all over while doing things like heavy planing, etc. I would love to have access from both sides of the bench.

Cheers!

John[/QUOTE]

Hi John:
My 10' bench [with a 2" laminated maple top] is so heavy it takes "two men and a boy" to move it. No anchoring is necessary. The small "L" extension is just C clamped to the main bench and it has a 1" dowell supporting leg at the other end.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com