# Show your work bench



## photorob (Apr 26, 2007)

So this is how my work bench currently lays. I don't own a Lathe or any fancy machinery. Nothing special just a desk with allot of random stuff all thrown together. If you look closely you will see three separate projects in the making.


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## customh (Apr 26, 2007)

My workbench is in several places in a 20 mile radius.


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## nein166 (Apr 27, 2007)

I spy with my little eye...
The 3 Cree bike light with heatsink in the making.

And might that be a Aleph 3 ready to take on 3 27mm reflectors?

What intrigues me is the large black heatsink with a post attached.

Is it a fixed lighting project with 4 LEDs to cover 360° 

Or a mod to a RR lantern?


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## PoliceScannerMan (Apr 27, 2007)




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## PhotonFanatic (Apr 27, 2007)

PSM,

Looks good--when are you going to use it?


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## PoliceScannerMan (Apr 27, 2007)

PhotonFanatic said:


> PSM,
> 
> Looks good--when are you going to use it?


LOL, that pic is from where I first moved in and got it setup. Its got crap all over it now, trust me! That bench came from sams club, solid 2" maple top, I bolted that craftsman vise to it. That vise comes in handy all the time! (Especially for light modding)


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## missionaryman (Apr 27, 2007)

Nothing but solid Australian Hardwood for me:


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## tinkerer (Apr 27, 2007)

Here's a part of my shop. Harbor Freight 8 X 12 lathe in corner and a Taig lathe with Sherline mill on rolling cabinet. There's also a welding/metal working area left of the yellow safety curtain. A Harbor Freight mini mill is going next to the lathe in a month. Shop is still a work in progress because I just bought the house a year ago and my "honey do" list is long


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## powernoodle (Apr 27, 2007)




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## Energie (Apr 28, 2007)

A lot of stuff to play with the small SF-E1e


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## jtice (Apr 28, 2007)

These pics are kinda outdated, but it gives you an idea.... of how messy it is LOL














~John


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## modamag (Apr 28, 2007)

Those bench makes me green with envies.

*photorob & powernoodle:* You know a messy bench is a bench with work in progress.

*PoliceScannerMan:* Your bench looks like the Maytag Gladiator but done right. my friend got the same thing but it's missing the middle legs so when you put a bench lathe on it (~500lbs) it sags in the center.

*missionaryman:* Let me know when you have the next shipment to San Francisco. Those hardwood looks ridiculously nice.

*Energie:* Wow a real life Austrian Emco machine. Shop is small but "tight" (aka nice!)

*tinkerer: *I thought I was the only one collecting lathe 

*jtice:* John, how many meters do you have? Don't u trust your Fluke :nana:


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## gadget_lover (Apr 28, 2007)

I swore I was not going to do this. Then I saw how beautiful some of these workbenches are and I just had to make those folks feel even prouder of their workspaces.

I have two benches. One is mainly for machining. The other is for electrical, woodworking, whatever. There is, of course, some overlap.

Daniel

If you look closely there IS a mill and Lathe on the bench. There's floor standing drill press to the left of the mill. The metal working workbench is a "Gorilla Rack" system, with multiple 18 inch by 4 foot segments bolted together.


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## jimjones3630 (Apr 28, 2007)

Just a started set up.


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## missionaryman (Apr 29, 2007)

Sorry Jonathan, I no longer work for Boral - moved to a different timber company who import but don't export. The timber in the top is Spotted Gum, very hard stuff.







modamag said:


> Those bench makes me green with envies.
> 
> *photorob & powernoodle:* You know a messy bench is a bench with work in progress.
> 
> ...


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## will (Apr 29, 2007)

I just cleaned this off, I do some woodwork and some metal work - for the most part with bench tools. This work bench was one of my early builds, I needed something completely flat and very strong. 






In use while I was making the wood mini-mags


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## photorob (Apr 29, 2007)

Hey gadget lover what brand mill and lathe are those. I found this crazy looking thing the other day while trolling the internet. I'm starting to get curious in regards to machinery lately. I think it's the natural step for a flashaholic.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DD25P/?tag=cpf0b6-20


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## IsaacHayes (Apr 30, 2007)




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## photorob (Apr 30, 2007)

IsaacHayes said:


>


I love the site of those little white boxs


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## ICUDoc (Apr 30, 2007)

+1 photorob- LOVE those LWBs!!!!


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## sortafast (Apr 30, 2007)

wow I feel a lot better knowing that I am not the only one with a messy bench. But I am too embarassed to take a pic of mine, its totally wrecked right now.


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## gadget_lover (Apr 30, 2007)

photorob said:


> Hey gadget lover what brand mill and lathe are those. I found this crazy looking thing the other day while trolling the internet. I'm starting to get curious in regards to machinery lately. I think it's the natural step for a flashaholic.
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DD25P/?tag=cpf0b6-20


 The mini lathe is a Cummins 7x12 (brethren to the Harbor Freight 7x10 but 4 inches more capacity) and the micro mill is from Harbor Freight. Both have been discussed in several threads here.

The G4105 is a lot bigger and heavier than the models I have. A couple of our people have similar models and have fun with them. 

Yes, machining is the next logical step for flashaholics.

Daniel


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## Atomic_Chicken (May 2, 2007)

Greetings!

Presenting... The Atomic Workcoop!

*THESE ARE THUMBNAILS... CLICK FOR FULL-SIZE PHOTOS*



 

 




 

 



*THESE ARE THUMBNAILS... CLICK FOR FULL-SIZE PHOTOS*

Photos start facing north (upper-left photo), and were then taken sequentially as I turned clockwise around the shop. Lathe and mill are on the East wall, electronics/computer bench on the west wall.

Hope you enjoyed the tour!

Best wishes,
Bawko


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## Luxbright (May 2, 2007)

Wow! Really, so many impressive work bench from you people!

Cheers,
Terry


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## will (May 2, 2007)

"Greetings!

Presenting... The Atomic Workcoop!"

I though I had lots of small parts in lots of places. It is amazing how much stuff we all collect after a few years. I tend to have larger plastic containers and then break down the parts inside the box, In some cases - the dump and find method. Over the years, when I would need one of something, I would get two, and keep the other as a spare. These were not expensive things and it was cheaper to do it that way.


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## ICUDoc (May 2, 2007)

Dear AtomicChicken
Please send me all your wine. And your lathe (with tools).
No need for payment-happy to help!


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## jtice (May 2, 2007)

Wow Chicken, that is really impressive.
Nice setup, nicely organized, looks like you have everything there!

~John


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## Atomic_Chicken (May 2, 2007)

Greetings!



ICUDoc said:


> Dear AtomicChicken
> Please send me all your wine. And your lathe (with tools).
> No need for payment-happy to help!



Sorry... no wine in those boxes. I know someone who works at a local liquor outlet - and he gets me free wine crates whenever they become available. I find that they're perfect for storing tooling, circuit boards, raw materials (plastic, aluminum, etc.) and batteries. They're more rugged than cardboard boxes (although I have quite a few of those around too! ), and they'll hold a lot more weight and look nicer.

As for sending you the lathe and tooling, it's taken me a little over 10 years now to get that lathe tooled-up, I'd like to play with it a bit before shipping it off, if you don't mind! 

Best wishes,
Bawko


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## customh (May 2, 2007)

That is amazing Bawko. The electronics area is particularly sweet. Hope I have the money to use some of your mods someday...


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## Mirage_Man (May 2, 2007)

>



Chicken,

I'm really impressed with your shop. The organization looks tremendous!

I particularly like you lathe tool holder storage. It's hard to tell what is protruding from the plate to hold the holders. Are they metal pins?


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## cy (May 2, 2007)

bawko, very impressive shop! seems you're one of the few that's fully equipped with a full sized machine shop and electronics lab.


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## PEU (May 2, 2007)

What impresses me the most about the chickenlab besides the completeness/tidyness is the WILLINGNESS to keep it clean 

I think Im capable of having a nice shop setup, but 30minutes after, its a complete mess again...


Pablo


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## jtice (May 2, 2007)

Thats why I have just completely given up on ever cleaning mine again 
Its healthy to come to grips with reality LOL

~John


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## Atomic_Chicken (May 2, 2007)

Greetings!



Mirage_Man said:


> Chicken,
> 
> I'm really impressed with your shop. The organization looks tremendous!
> 
> I particularly like you lathe tool holder storage. It's hard to tell what is protruding from the plate to hold the holders. Are they metal pins?



Thank you!!! The lathe quick-change toolholder storage is something I custom-made, there wasn't anything like it on the market... so I improvised. It consists of pieces of 3" X 0.5" Aluminum bar stock, with precision drilled holes that are spaced correctly for the toolholders. The metal "pins" you are talking about are 5/16 diameter X 2" long precision "dowel pins". They are pressed into holes that have been drilled and reemed 0.001" undersized, and were forced into place with a 2-ton arbor press (which is in another of the photos). The spacing between dowel pins is just wide enough to allow the QC toolholders to slip over them, but not wide enough that they can rotate to any significant degree. The whole setup is mounted to the shelving angled slightly back (about 10 degrees) so that gravity keeps the toolholders from falling off, vibrating loose, or slipping forward. If I ever get enough free time (like THAT's going to happen! ), I'll eventually try marketing that holder and see if there's any interest.

Here's a closeup photo of the toolholder

*(Thumbnail... click for full-size image):*





*(Thumbnail... click for full-size image)*

Best wishes,
Bawko


EDIT: Added toolholder photo.


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## PEU (May 17, 2007)

Here is my homemade bench:















And Im in the process of making a couple more 


Pablo


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## customh (May 17, 2007)

NICE POO!!...I mean PEU....I'm just jealous...


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## greenLED (May 18, 2007)

My humble workstation:








Some day I'll have my own dedicated room in the house.


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## missionaryman (May 31, 2007)

I just finished building another one - this time twice as big and at 490lbs twice as heavy as the last!






And here's my current project - a junior bed for my son made from recycled fence posts:






In order to get it finished I need to buy a Beadlock - which cost $100 over here :thumbsdow but only $29.99 in the USA :thumbsup:, is there anyone who would care to buy one and send it to me from the US:candle:? 
I'll reimburse via .


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## yclo (May 31, 2007)

I just realised, I actually don't have a hammer.




Bigger picture

-YC


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## RCatR (Jun 23, 2007)

This is the cellar I have taken over since I was 6...It's part Mr. Fix-It; part computer repair; part flashlight factory.

Enjoy the mess!


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## Draz (Jul 9, 2007)

wow..my workbench is the carpet in my computer room :duh2: I live in an apartment so no "shop" until we get out of school:shakehead


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## Illum (Jul 9, 2007)

bawko: what? no atomic egg brooders in the shop?

my pics coming along....my camera refuses to take good pictures unless the battery is at least 50% full:thinking:
pics hosted on photobucket...imageshack keeps giving me a dead hang, I cant find the thumbnail link

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h38/Rssl_wei/IMG_0007.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h38/Rssl_wei/IMG_0008.jpg
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h38/Rssl_wei/IMG_0010.jpg


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## eidolen (Aug 14, 2007)

Truly some inspiring setups. :wow:

Even though I'm still new to the term "Flashaholic" I think I may have the illness. This thread shows me just how many more toys...err I mean tools I need. (Have been positively diagnosed with toolaholism for many years)

I had to get rid of most of my big equipment when I closed my shop a few years back but I did manage to hold on the the custom bench which I still love and use constantly. I laminated the top with white Formica and edged it with some molding to keep all the wee parts on top of the bench. By far the most useful surface to work on is the solid silicone mat that came from a local surplus store. It's difficult to see in the picture but it covers the middle third of the bench. I swear the only thing that can damage that mat is an exacto knife. (The reason for the cutting pad on the right third of the bench)
You can lay an iron on it and walk away and solder doesn't stick to it. If you do a lot of soldering and never tried silicone I can't recommend it enough.

I hope more people post their setups. Seeing a person's workspace is awesome for getting ideas to improve you own. Looking forward to more.

Eidolen








Photorob: I just caught this but I have that exact same heatsink sitting on the far left corner of your bench, even in the same acrylic case. I could have sworn the surplus store I where I got mine listed it as an old Xerox piece. (And I thought I found something unique. =P


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## parnass (Aug 15, 2007)

I have a woodworking shop but no recent photos of it.

Here is a photo of my electronics prototyping and test bench. In addition to the equipment in the photo below, I have several other pieces of test equipment set up on wheeled carts which can be moved close to the bench when required.


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## eidolen (Aug 15, 2007)

Parnass: I'm speechless. I can admit I'd be over my head at your bench though that doesn't mean I wouldn't have a blast trying to figure it all out. 

Photorob: I was at that store again today and it seems my phonics based memory failed me. It was a Zenith Processor heat-sink. Still a bargain at $4 for a mostly copper finned heat-sink. They were down to their last 2.

Eidolen


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