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Shortly I will be making a workbench to go in my back room. Above and beyond the obvious storage and vice, I was wondering what a custom made bicycle workbench should include. Who better to ask than the Singletrack forum, where all wisdom resides.
Bottle opener
Maxxis calendar on the wall behind the bench.
Pudding.
A tool board behind, and a workstand. But that's obvious. Less obvious: A hook for balancing your wheels on while you inflate tubeless.
Kettle
If your workbench is large enough then sink a small parts washer into it, [url= https://www.ishop247.co.uk/rhyas-parts-washer-3-5-gallon-degreaser-cleaner-cleaning-tank-solvent-bench-top.html?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=CPfRidzrg8oCFQn4wgod-XkNLw ]something like this is ideal[/url] for bike stuff.
More seriously, I find a bench grinder handy (though not for routine bicycle stuff). A lamp or light that doesn't cast a shadow over the bench when you are working at it is also a consideration.
Lighting, very bright lighting.
Also a replaceable top to the bench. It will get destroyed over the years, so its nice to be able to swap out a top sheet every now and then.
Power outlets right next to or above the workbench are also a must.
..pile of boxes, small parts that no longer fit anything, springs, oil spill, glue spill, holes drilled in it, and some swarf pile up in the corner.
Is that correct? What do I win?
DrP
Good lighting, space underneath for compressor or bigger tools, a good clamp and tool rack behind it so everything is in front of you and to hand when working.
Fray Bentos pie tin ashtray.
If you another bench in there already make it the same height. Not as important for bike stuff, but handy if you do any bigger joinery type stuff and in the future.
5 foot deep pile of crap on every available surface
Mine is a random bit of inch thick perspex I found, balanced on top of a motorbike. This doesn't sound ideal, but, every so often it all falls over and throws everything on the garage floor and that prevents the endless buildup of detritus, dirt, swarf, broken bits etc that otherwise eats every work surface I have. Perfect!
Sub woofer, got to have the tunez going when you're working right?
a good quality bench vice is money well spent! don't get a cheap one as they always crack at the wrong moment
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A hook for balancing your wheels on while you inflate tubeless.
I disagree. I always inflate tubeless outside because when the tyre blows off the rim in a confined space you can forget about hearing anything but a ringing sound for about 3 days.
Also, really tricky ones are best inflated on their sides so the un-seated bead falls against the rim and seals easier.
Cup holder and paper towel dispenser
Couldn't live without my TV/DVD combo in the garage.
How can you tinker without music DVD's playing in the background?
Every good workbench should have a………???
Swear box. It'll pay for itself in a surprisingly short time.
Large margarine tub for storing all those lube bottles, loctites, shimano brake fluid bottle etc that always fall over at the slightest movement......oh and a decent vice with soft jaws.
A little hanging hook for a Dremmel and baby wipes.
Never fails to surprise myself at what i can fix/improve/bodge with a Dremmel. Turned a 17mm come wrench into a 19mm today!
And baby wipes because I've not found a greasy component they won't clean. Don't stint though. Johnsons are waaay better than Huggies.
Magnetic parts dish.
Stainless work surface with folded and upright back and sides to prevent all those hard to find bits rolling off the edges into oblivion.
Radio.
"What I'd do for a 19mm come-wrench " Time probably.
A kick plate, stops things that you want disappearing under the bench
A nice old-skool British made vice built like a super tanker anchor.
come wrench.....And baby wipes
Is this a work bench or a massage table?
Where'd you get those soft jaws from Esher shore? Been after something like that for a while and those look bob on.
hatter - look like magnetic soft jaws, plenty on eBay. If you have a Record vice they do their own soft jaws, may also fit other vice makes but they are a bit more £££.
Ive got some draper soft jaws off the bay and they are useless. The magnets aren't big enough to hold them in place, just a word of knowledge on these things
a square of contract flowtex carpet on the floor or similar so when stuff is dropped it doesn't bounce also nice to stand on in the depths of winter and bare footed in the summer.
The biggest f-off roll of kitchen towel you can find. You'll be amazed how quickly you'll get through it.*
*Especially if you use the come wrenches too often.
A hole for axles to fit in for when you are faffing with wheels on the bench.
I know there a plenty of soft jaws on Ebay etc ec, but most of what I've been able to find have looked a bit shonky and the ones in Esher's picture looked perfect.
Hence the question.
Mine isn't too far off being finished! fairly limited space so got to make the most of it.
It definitely needs a good vice though if I can fit it in
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(the cabinet on the left isn't for 'growing' it's a biltong drying cabinet!)
Usually has this in it as well
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... pile of offcuts, tools and general crap rendering it unusable.
Tub of wonder wipes (make baby wipes look like single ply toilet paper)
Massive roll of kitchen roll
Jar of petrol/diesel (a mix of the 2 works well) for cleaning threads and the like of grease, nothing else works as well
On the subject of vices...
I have my engineers vice mounted to a bit of hardwood which I can clamp into a bench vice on the front. Thusly...
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Nice way of keeping a clear work surface when you're not using the vice, as I find they are in the way most of the time when nor being used. 8)
Downside is you can't jump up and down on it with a big wrench quite as much, but that's possibly not a requirement if you are just doing bike stuff... 😉
Definitely a bench vice, they are worth their weight in semi-precious metals.
I added a large sheet of ply behind my bench to hang my tools on and some small trays for all the fiddly screws, nuts and bolts. Ah yes, and a pillar drill.
...good selection of unfinished projects! 😐
I've had one of these for over 30 years now, very handy, and I treated myself to a pillar drill a couple of years ago.
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I assume you made that bench yourself..? Looks great, and very much like Paul Sellers design.
Every good workbench should have some weight to it so it doesn't move when you need to exert some force...
Coffee machine, paper dispenser, wet wipes, shelf on top.
Vice, I'd like one but it ain't essential.