Uglier than B & D workmate? Hardly! Talk about a glorified sawhorse. I've worn out a couple of those back in my youth.
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Double Bass Bass oriented benches
- Thread starter toman
- Start date
Matthew Tucker
Commercial User
- Aug 21, 2002
- 2,686
- 387
- Disclosures
- Owner: Bresque Basses, Sydney Basses and Cellos
*I* think your bench looks quite elegant in a rustic log-cabin sort of way.
I've been using the jigs John Sprague mentioned a few posts back in this thread and they are great, too. Probably THE most useful jigs I've built yet. They would probably need clamping for fingerboard dressing but for everything else so far, they've been magic. Now I'm thinking about whether a pipe clamp might work on these ...
I've been using the jigs John Sprague mentioned a few posts back in this thread and they are great, too. Probably THE most useful jigs I've built yet. They would probably need clamping for fingerboard dressing but for everything else so far, they've been magic. Now I'm thinking about whether a pipe clamp might work on these ...
I'm into simplicity. In my old shop I had several benches including one that was extra high to save on my back. When I moved to Mazatlan I bought a hollow door(cheap) and put it on burritos(saw horses...literally little burros). Recently I found a piece of hardwood about four inches thick and long enough and wide enough for a bass, bought more burritos for it and plan on cutting into the bottom of the wood to set the horses or burrows into the wood for stability.
I finished making my bass on the hollow door, but have converted it into a bench for my sharpener etc. It's obviously not heavy enough and not good for drilling holes in for dogs and other jigs.
I'll also add a piece of @ 1x6 to the neck end of the new bench to lay necks in there for planning. If you make one of these, be sure to pad it. I'd love to see pictures of anyones devices for holding the bass securely and safely to keep it from moving around while working on it.
Arnold's idea of carpet remnants is sound and a lot of stores sell little ready made carpets about 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 feet that have backing on them. You can put two or three of these on your bench and you have it made. They can even be thrown in the laundry for cleaning. Right now I'm using a heavy beach towel.
I finished making my bass on the hollow door, but have converted it into a bench for my sharpener etc. It's obviously not heavy enough and not good for drilling holes in for dogs and other jigs.
I'll also add a piece of @ 1x6 to the neck end of the new bench to lay necks in there for planning. If you make one of these, be sure to pad it. I'd love to see pictures of anyones devices for holding the bass securely and safely to keep it from moving around while working on it.
Arnold's idea of carpet remnants is sound and a lot of stores sell little ready made carpets about 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 feet that have backing on them. You can put two or three of these on your bench and you have it made. They can even be thrown in the laundry for cleaning. Right now I'm using a heavy beach towel.
Really, when I say "ugly" I mean it in almost praise-worthy way. It's obviously highly functional and it works great.
For over a decade I made furniture and stuff (not basses, not yet) on work surfaces placed on horses and -- yes -- a WorkMate. Ugly as sin. It was pretty useful, though, to have alternate work surfaces depending on the job -- flat ones, soft ones, jigged-up ones, ones that I could hack up. Now I'm pretty darned happy with my current bench -- a sort of modern take on a traditional cabinet-making bench. I have to admit, though, that it's not the greatest for working on basses. Your bench, mojo, in its functionality reminds me of that guitar-working stand that Dan Erlewine hawks in the Stewart-Macdonald catalog -- solidly holds the instrument the way you want it and lets you move all around it.
But I still say it ain't pretty!
For over a decade I made furniture and stuff (not basses, not yet) on work surfaces placed on horses and -- yes -- a WorkMate. Ugly as sin. It was pretty useful, though, to have alternate work surfaces depending on the job -- flat ones, soft ones, jigged-up ones, ones that I could hack up. Now I'm pretty darned happy with my current bench -- a sort of modern take on a traditional cabinet-making bench. I have to admit, though, that it's not the greatest for working on basses. Your bench, mojo, in its functionality reminds me of that guitar-working stand that Dan Erlewine hawks in the Stewart-Macdonald catalog -- solidly holds the instrument the way you want it and lets you move all around it.
But I still say it ain't pretty!
Oh, you're in Winnepeg, that explains everything. It's true that my wife has never suggested I put it in the livingroom. . .
My guitar fixture, made by Bill Schmidt (no schmidt, sherlock) and called "the Apprentice", is the inspiration behind my bass fixture.
My guitar fixture, made by Bill Schmidt (no schmidt, sherlock) and called "the Apprentice", is the inspiration behind my bass fixture.
I forgot to say that I can appreciate space problems. I'm currently in a two bedroom and one of the bedrooms doubles as my workshop, I may eventually try to find some space outside my home to work. I've been putting off buying a belt sander becauses that means I'd have to buy a shop vac. So I've been doing everything the real old fashion way. It takes longer, but I don't have the dust. I used to have a fixture for holding a bass bridge if I wanted to plane it by hand. I've done one in my new place by holding it in my left hand as I planed. Worked fine.
At one time I owned an old chruch. No space problems there, but I couldn't afford to heat it. In Iowa I converted my gargare into a shop and heated it with a wood stove and never had a problem with any of my wood or the basses I made there. I insulated the space, put in AC and skylights, everything I thought I always wanted and it still wasn't the perfect place to work. Down here in Mazatlan the perfect place would be on my flat roof. Great light there!
At one time I owned an old chruch. No space problems there, but I couldn't afford to heat it. In Iowa I converted my gargare into a shop and heated it with a wood stove and never had a problem with any of my wood or the basses I made there. I insulated the space, put in AC and skylights, everything I thought I always wanted and it still wasn't the perfect place to work. Down here in Mazatlan the perfect place would be on my flat roof. Great light there!
I Agree tool wells are the junk catch all. Great in theory but everyone i've ever known either the cover them with plywood or have, like myself, a boat full of shavings scraps missing rulers pencils and general daggy bits. A clean clear bench is heaven.
Im aints no luthier. But I've used work benches quite a bit in my job. I would say above anything else the height of the bench is paramount. If it can be adjustable for different jobs then thats even better. A bench thats too high or too low is just a pain in the back.
As for the tool well, would a small tool belt do? Just for keeping the tools you use regularly for a certain job at hand. I know if your hanging drills and hammers and loads of tools in a belt your on the way to a hip replacement. So hence it being small. I would agree drawers and the like will just amass crap. Maybe if the tool well was arranged so that it would only hold tools and nothing else with every tool having its place it might work. (Think of a socket and ratchet set in its case) But thats just a quick idea not a well developed plan or anything, so i dunno if it would work or not
As for the tool well, would a small tool belt do? Just for keeping the tools you use regularly for a certain job at hand. I know if your hanging drills and hammers and loads of tools in a belt your on the way to a hip replacement. So hence it being small. I would agree drawers and the like will just amass crap. Maybe if the tool well was arranged so that it would only hold tools and nothing else with every tool having its place it might work. (Think of a socket and ratchet set in its case) But thats just a quick idea not a well developed plan or anything, so i dunno if it would work or not
