KCSteve
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Hey Moderators!
I think I see a link that needs to get added to the 'Resources' sticky!
I think I see a link that needs to get added to the 'Resources' sticky!
New Bench
- Thread starter KCSteve
- Start date
White Raven
Member
Thank you Allen for the lead to that page of work benchs . I have learned two things : 1, abench can be anywhere and many things as long as you are comfortable : & 2, I do not have anywhere enough tools. Thankx Ron
AllanFink1960
Member
Well the Ganoksin Project site is amazing in many ways. Jewelers and metalsmiths can learn a lot there. I got lost in it for days.
And I found that if you drag the bench photos from the site pages to your desktop, you can open them in "windows pircture and fax viewer" and zoom in closer. -- Or open them in a paint program if you are on the mac. It takes a little longer but you can see a lot more that way.
One question I have for you guys:
In looking at these benches from all over the world, I noticed the europeans and australians have a deeper circular curve where their bench pin is. The benches available from american retailers seem MUCH more shallow - like just a couple inches compared to a couple FEET deep on the european ones. So my question is, what is your preference, and what is the advantage to having such a deep curve. I like the look of the deeper curve, and I had guessed you could put several bench pins or other benchmate type tools around the curve and not have to ever move them...they would just always be there within reach. Also it seems like more of a tool cockpit, rather than just a table.
I am considering re-making my own bench top designed around a two-curve semi circular design, with one curve for an engraving block and another for a benchmate.
Any ideas?
And I found that if you drag the bench photos from the site pages to your desktop, you can open them in "windows pircture and fax viewer" and zoom in closer. -- Or open them in a paint program if you are on the mac. It takes a little longer but you can see a lot more that way.
One question I have for you guys:
In looking at these benches from all over the world, I noticed the europeans and australians have a deeper circular curve where their bench pin is. The benches available from american retailers seem MUCH more shallow - like just a couple inches compared to a couple FEET deep on the european ones. So my question is, what is your preference, and what is the advantage to having such a deep curve. I like the look of the deeper curve, and I had guessed you could put several bench pins or other benchmate type tools around the curve and not have to ever move them...they would just always be there within reach. Also it seems like more of a tool cockpit, rather than just a table.
I am considering re-making my own bench top designed around a two-curve semi circular design, with one curve for an engraving block and another for a benchmate.
Any ideas?
Last edited:
AllanFink1960
Member
okay one more link on bench building:
http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/200305/msg00355.htm
Steve Satow is kind of a do-it-yourself-toolmaker (arent we all) on Ganoksin. This bench plan probably wont suit everyone but it does have some interesting solutions for some problems.
http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/200305/msg00355.htm
Steve Satow is kind of a do-it-yourself-toolmaker (arent we all) on Ganoksin. This bench plan probably wont suit everyone but it does have some interesting solutions for some problems.
seriously after a whole bunch of years you will tweak the bench, make tiny changes, make all kinds of adjustments, and without knowing it, the bench becomes almost a living thing . it takes on the personality of the lady or gent that built it. it just about becomes one of your children ! i never watch tv, and when lifes' miseries get the best of me, you'll find me at my bench, leaning quietly, contemplating whatever wisdom the bench will offer.
pilkguns
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
I guess I missed this initiation of this thread while I was on the road at the Junior Olympics, but reading through this morning, I feel I really should say this, to keep other beginners out of trouble who may see this thread later.
No disrespect meant to KCSteve, as it is an enthusiastic attempt, and informative post with pictures but I wish there was more research done prior to attempting this bench project because quite honestly, this bench is poster child of just about everything you DO NOT want as an engraving bench. And this is why I feel I must say something lest another beginner attempt something similar and soon realize there is more needed.
Monk and some the Ganoskin articles have a lot more inspired ideas for the specifics required for our needs as engravers. I know I have posted some more indepth threads on some of the engraving forums before, and I am pretty sure even here on the Café there has been some good discussion of bench design that I participated in. Whether you are standing up or sitting down, using hammer or chisel or power assist, hand rotation, feet rotation or body rotation, using microscope, optivisor, or nothing for a visual aid, there are numerous solutions that to meet the specific needs for the specific approach, but I do’n t believe this particular approach is useful for any of them.
I am sure a search will turn up some useful thigns, but I have to run an errand right now with my wife.
No disrespect meant to KCSteve, as it is an enthusiastic attempt, and informative post with pictures but I wish there was more research done prior to attempting this bench project because quite honestly, this bench is poster child of just about everything you DO NOT want as an engraving bench. And this is why I feel I must say something lest another beginner attempt something similar and soon realize there is more needed.
Monk and some the Ganoskin articles have a lot more inspired ideas for the specifics required for our needs as engravers. I know I have posted some more indepth threads on some of the engraving forums before, and I am pretty sure even here on the Café there has been some good discussion of bench design that I participated in. Whether you are standing up or sitting down, using hammer or chisel or power assist, hand rotation, feet rotation or body rotation, using microscope, optivisor, or nothing for a visual aid, there are numerous solutions that to meet the specific needs for the specific approach, but I do’n t believe this particular approach is useful for any of them.
I am sure a search will turn up some useful thigns, but I have to run an errand right now with my wife.
KCSteve
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Scott,
Appreciate the feedback! I know how to build a good, sturdy bench but as you've seen I don't know how to build an engraving bench. Fortunately this thread has turned up (and continues to turn up) lots of good resources showing various ways of making engraving benches. At some point this one will get in my way enough that I'll move it aside and make one that's better for engraving - at which time I'll make use of all the great info that this thread has turned up.
Appreciate the feedback! I know how to build a good, sturdy bench but as you've seen I don't know how to build an engraving bench. Fortunately this thread has turned up (and continues to turn up) lots of good resources showing various ways of making engraving benches. At some point this one will get in my way enough that I'll move it aside and make one that's better for engraving - at which time I'll make use of all the great info that this thread has turned up.
thekoabenchgoldsmith
Member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2007
- Messages
- 46
Compressors
Aloha Mike,
Did you see the postings to maryw (I think) regarding her compressor question?
The notes there may help you with your compressor query. I really like my Sil-Air though the $1000+ price was a hard pill. It is very quiet though and comes complete from GRS (all tubing, water and oil traps, fittings, everything).
Aloha,
Robert Booth
The Koa Bench Goldsmith
Aloha Mike,
Did you see the postings to maryw (I think) regarding her compressor question?
The notes there may help you with your compressor query. I really like my Sil-Air though the $1000+ price was a hard pill. It is very quiet though and comes complete from GRS (all tubing, water and oil traps, fittings, everything).
Aloha,
Robert Booth
The Koa Bench Goldsmith
thekoabenchgoldsmith
Member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2007
- Messages
- 46
I love it when people take pictures of projects along the way. Makes the description so much better and easier to follow.
I hate it when people take pictures of projects along the way. Points out one of my major failings: i can't enjoy a project long enough to pause and snap a shot or two even given the ease of difital photography.
Thank for sharing your bench. Love the simplicity andoverall design.
I found it on Craigslist here in Seattle that I like. But then I went to Ikea and found comparable/better chairs in their refurbished/clearance section. The thing I like about mine is all the adjustability. I can change the height of the seat, the height of the seat back, the tilt of the seat, and the tilt of the seat back. It has a foot ring on the bottom. The adjustability lets me vary my position to reduce strain and pressure points.
I hate it when people take pictures of projects along the way. Points out one of my major failings: i can't enjoy a project long enough to pause and snap a shot or two even given the ease of difital photography.
Thank for sharing your bench. Love the simplicity andoverall design.
I found it on Craigslist here in Seattle that I like. But then I went to Ikea and found comparable/better chairs in their refurbished/clearance section. The thing I like about mine is all the adjustability. I can change the height of the seat, the height of the seat back, the tilt of the seat, and the tilt of the seat back. It has a foot ring on the bottom. The adjustability lets me vary my position to reduce strain and pressure points.
thekoabenchgoldsmith
Member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2007
- Messages
- 46
The final paragraph of that note was about the chair I am using.
For anyone wondering about bench design...
The is a thread somewhere in the cafe that has pictures of people's benches. The variation you will find proves that there is no one perfect bench (like, I guess, there is no perfect tool). Benches that are designed to be task specific (say one built to allow a gun engraver to do his work) will not be easily adapted to the needs of a jeweler, and vice-versa. Likewise, a general bench like Steve's will serve for a wide range of applications but not easily or "perfectly" for any of them. When I was looking around for ideas on my own bench design I came across a website that had pictures of jewelers benches. None of the people were engravers as far as I could tell. But there were over 200 pictures. With the several dozen I found here in the cafe I think I looked at close to 300 different bench photographs. I concluded that an engravers bench (no matter what type of engraving) will be different that a bench jeweler's bench. And a jewelry engravers bench will be different from other types of engraving. For instance, I mostly engrave precious metals. That means my chips are precious too. I want them to stay close to where I work because I want to collect them. Therefore, I installed my bench in a corner. And I made the angle a little skewed so the chips, which generally fly to the left will hit the wall and fall. This will make collection easier. But I dont just engrave so I needed a space designed so I could comfortably use a bench pin for sawing and such.
Anyway, because of the preciousness of our scrape jewelers need a space they can nestle into. That is the reason for the curve cut into the front of a jewelers bench, and why there is usually a leather "drape" under the cut-out. Something I noticed in the other "jewelers' website" that had many pictures of benches from all over the world was that most, maybe all Europen benches had the circular cut-out and drape. Most american benches (and many canadian benches) were flat across the front and had a tray to pull out. I thought the cut-out and drape made better sense to me. With my bench in the corner I have (almost) a built in curve to nestle into. I made the height such that a GRS bench pin hits at my mid-sternum when my chair is at the height that allows the top of my thigh to be horizontal when my foot is sitting on my foot-pedal. And I adjusted the block shelf so the top of the black is at my mid-sternum. The benchtop is about 4 inches thick fronted by a 2 X 8 so it is very solid. I wanted it solid as I am mounting a microscope on it and don't want to have much, if any vibration. The bench does not go all the way into the corner but stops about 14 inches away so there is room for hoses and cords and such I am going to attach a splash board to help prevent anything from slipping off the back side. Because I decided to go with a Sil-Air from GRS I have my compressor on a small rolling pad under the bench. The pad is big enough for the Graver Mach pedal, the Foredom pedal and the rotary tool pedal. My O-2 and propane fit under there too. I plan on putting benches along the walls to left and right. A short (30"), low (27" high), narrow (16") bench to left for my power hone, and grinder, and a long (9') higher (35") wide (24") bench to the left for other bench tools, ring sizer, drill press, small foredom polishing lathe, etc.
When I get the wall benches installed I will take a couple pictures.
Aloha,
Robert E. Booth
The Koa Bench Goldsmith
For anyone wondering about bench design...
The is a thread somewhere in the cafe that has pictures of people's benches. The variation you will find proves that there is no one perfect bench (like, I guess, there is no perfect tool). Benches that are designed to be task specific (say one built to allow a gun engraver to do his work) will not be easily adapted to the needs of a jeweler, and vice-versa. Likewise, a general bench like Steve's will serve for a wide range of applications but not easily or "perfectly" for any of them. When I was looking around for ideas on my own bench design I came across a website that had pictures of jewelers benches. None of the people were engravers as far as I could tell. But there were over 200 pictures. With the several dozen I found here in the cafe I think I looked at close to 300 different bench photographs. I concluded that an engravers bench (no matter what type of engraving) will be different that a bench jeweler's bench. And a jewelry engravers bench will be different from other types of engraving. For instance, I mostly engrave precious metals. That means my chips are precious too. I want them to stay close to where I work because I want to collect them. Therefore, I installed my bench in a corner. And I made the angle a little skewed so the chips, which generally fly to the left will hit the wall and fall. This will make collection easier. But I dont just engrave so I needed a space designed so I could comfortably use a bench pin for sawing and such.
Anyway, because of the preciousness of our scrape jewelers need a space they can nestle into. That is the reason for the curve cut into the front of a jewelers bench, and why there is usually a leather "drape" under the cut-out. Something I noticed in the other "jewelers' website" that had many pictures of benches from all over the world was that most, maybe all Europen benches had the circular cut-out and drape. Most american benches (and many canadian benches) were flat across the front and had a tray to pull out. I thought the cut-out and drape made better sense to me. With my bench in the corner I have (almost) a built in curve to nestle into. I made the height such that a GRS bench pin hits at my mid-sternum when my chair is at the height that allows the top of my thigh to be horizontal when my foot is sitting on my foot-pedal. And I adjusted the block shelf so the top of the black is at my mid-sternum. The benchtop is about 4 inches thick fronted by a 2 X 8 so it is very solid. I wanted it solid as I am mounting a microscope on it and don't want to have much, if any vibration. The bench does not go all the way into the corner but stops about 14 inches away so there is room for hoses and cords and such I am going to attach a splash board to help prevent anything from slipping off the back side. Because I decided to go with a Sil-Air from GRS I have my compressor on a small rolling pad under the bench. The pad is big enough for the Graver Mach pedal, the Foredom pedal and the rotary tool pedal. My O-2 and propane fit under there too. I plan on putting benches along the walls to left and right. A short (30"), low (27" high), narrow (16") bench to left for my power hone, and grinder, and a long (9') higher (35") wide (24") bench to the left for other bench tools, ring sizer, drill press, small foredom polishing lathe, etc.
When I get the wall benches installed I will take a couple pictures.
Aloha,
Robert E. Booth
The Koa Bench Goldsmith
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