Perhaps, most men know how to handle the tool and prefer to solve a number of problems that arise in everyday life on their own. A lot can be done without outside help, while saving a lot of money and enjoying the process itself. A carpenter's workbench is an indispensable assistant in this matter. It will allow you to carry out a number of works quickly and efficiently. Having such a unit in the workshop is very good. Further, in fact, we will talk about how to choose a table in accordance with your needs, what kind of carpentry workbenches there are and what their purpose is.
Basics
The word "workbench" is of German origin. So in professional slang they call the table on which materials are processed and shaped. Moreover, in addition to wood, steel products and blanks from other materials (plastic,composites, etc.). Processing can be carried out both manually and with the use of an electric tool (jigsaw, drill, planer and others).
Make your own workbench or buy a factory one?
Carpenter's workbench is a universal thing and very useful in any workshop or garage. If necessary, it can be equipped with a variety of devices for a wide range of technological operations for processing wood (and not only) materials and products. Wooden carpentry workbenches can be easily purchased both in a specialized store and on the Internet. There are even special workbenches for children. But the prices for the first and second ones are by no means childish.
The wooden carpentry workbench has a fairly simple design that even an inexperienced craftsman can recreate at home. Therefore, many people prefer to make them on their own. The cost of manufacturing a carpentry workbench is extremely small. And if there are stocks of wood suitable for this purpose, then the workbench can be completely free.
Some arguments in favor of making your own workbench
If you take things seriously, you can create a very worthy copy that will not be inferior in functionality to store counterparts. And if you set a goal, you can also provide the product with a decent appearance.
It is possible and even necessary to pre-designate and outline a place in the workshop where the carpentry workbench will be installed. Folding table will allow with maximum efficiencyuse the workshop space. Thus, you can make a table specifically for yourself. Such a workbench will ideally fit into the place allotted for it.
Finally, the third argument, for someone, perhaps the most important - by making a workbench with your own hands, the master will save a large amount of money. These finances are better spent on tools and other equipment.
General requirements and recommendations for the manufacture of a workbench
On the surface of the desktop, there must be stops and clamps for fixing workpieces. To ensure the flexibility of production and the possibility of readjustment for the production of new products, it is recommended to make these elements removable, and to make technological threaded holes for their fastening with equal pitch over the entire surface of the table.
The height of the workbench from the floor should be such that it is convenient for a person to work behind it. It is selected experimentally (usually equal to 60-90 centimeters).
Shelves and tool holders should be designed to suit individual worker preferences. So, if the carpenter is left-handed, then they should be located on the left, and if right-handed, then on the right. At first glance, it may seem that this is a trifle, but this is far from the case: with a reasonable and thoughtful placement of the tool, the carpenter will not have to be distracted by secondary tasks, he will concentrate on solving the main technological processes and observing safety standards and regulations when carrying out carpentry work. Ergonomics is the wholethe science. And it should not be neglected at the present stage of life.
Design workbench
Before you start assembling a carpentry workbench or go to a specialized store to buy it, you need to decide exactly what work will be mainly carried out on it. Although this device is considered universal, it can also have a special design that allows you to perform a number of technological operations for processing products in a more rational and faster way. If the workshop room is not large, then you should consider arranging a folding carpentry workbench. It is possible that over time such a table will lose its rigidity and become loose, but these problems are quite easily eliminated. If the workbench is supposed to be used rarely, then this option is the most optimal in all respects.
In the household, as a rule, universal carpentry workbenches are in demand, which allow you to perform a wide range of work and can be equipped with a variety of equipment: a vice, circular saws for cutting sheet material and sawing bars. Tooling allows you to increase the convenience of work and the quality of manufactured products.
Requirements for workbenches
Like any other piece of industrial equipment, a workbench must meet a number of stringent requirements. The main ones are as follows:
- the product must have high reliability and good strength characteristics. After all, the mass and dimensions of the processed products, andalso their material (mass and density) can be very different;
- all surfaces must be smooth and polished to minimize the chance of injury or injury to workers;
- the structure should not contain protruding nails and self-tapping screws, with which it was assembled. This could result in serious injury.
Existing structures
The dimensions of the carpentry workbench may vary. The main thing is that the table fully ensures the safety and convenience of work. They are selected by each person based on their own needs and the estimated dimensions of the processed products. An important factor is also the presence (lack) of free space in the workshop. The workbench cannot occupy half of the room: this will create objective difficulties in moving and normal operation.
As a rule, it is always possible to install a vise for a carpentry workbench. In some cases, this measure can significantly speed up the process of manufacturing a product and increase the level of industrial safety.
It is recommended to use wooden beams or solid boards as the starting material. And if the frame can be made from ordinary wood, then the desktop itself must be made exclusively from hardwood. If the work surface is made from ordinary low-grade wood, then such a workbench is unlikely to last long. Most likely, the wood will split after the first blows with a hammer, which will lead to the need for replacementthe entire surface. And it's good if there are no injuries. It is better not to risk your own he alth and not save on material. The thickness of the beam must be at least 6 centimeters. This condition is dictated by security considerations. In addition, a massive work table absorbs vibrations well, which is a guarantee of the quality of the products obtained and comfortable work, and also allows you to install a vice for a carpentry workbench and other necessary equipment. To install technological equipment, holes of a given diameter and in the required quantity are drilled at the ends and outside of the desktop.
For the manufacture of the legs of the workbench, it is advisable to use light wood species: this will not affect the quality of the products and the performance of the workbench, but will significantly reduce the weight of the entire structure.
The design of any good workbench should provide space for attaching the tool needed for the job. This solution allows to significantly reduce the cycle time for the manufacture of the product and reduce the fatigue of the worker, significantly relieves him and allows him to concentrate exclusively on working moments. As a result, there is a reduction in injuries due to fatigue and loss of attention and a significant increase in labor productivity. These indicators are important not only for industrial enterprises, but also in everyday life.
The carpentry workbench arrangement often provides for special shelves for storing materials and tools. This solution allows not only to optimize the space, but also to reduce vibrations during the operation of the power tool, inwhich reduces the risk of injury and improves the quality of the finished product.
Materials for countertops
As noted earlier, the most common material for the manufacture of countertops is solid timber from precious woods. But with the development of modern technologies, this traditional material has worthy competitors. In particular, MDF boards with a thickness of 30 millimeters are increasingly used for these needs. Sheet steel is also used.
Existing types of workbenches
The purpose of all workbenches is the same - they serve as a base for cutting wood (sawing, planing, drilling, etc.), as well as for a number of other technological operations: bending, gluing, artistic processing, and others.
Depending on what types of work will be mainly carried out on the workbench, one or another design may be preferable. There are the following types of workbenches: stationary, mobile and composite. Each of these types has a number of advantages and disadvantages.
Stationary workbench
Designed and assembled to meet specific conditions and constraints. A place for it is chosen in advance, and moving it can sometimes be quite problematic. It is appropriate to equip such a table in conditions of mass production. Although, due to its wide versatility, such a workbench is perfect for homeworkshop. The technologies for creating such a table are simple and reliable, which determines the durability of the carpentry workbench. The height of the table should be such that a particular person can work comfortably. That is, it may vary.
Features of mobile workbenches
Perfect solution for small home workshops. When folded, it is so compact that it can be stored on a balcony or even on a section. When assembled, the table measures 10070 centimeters.
You can hardly make such a workbench on your own. After all, for this you need to have at your disposal a fleet of metal-cutting machines and equipment for bending a metal profile.
However, the rigidity of such a table leaves much to be desired, and this despite the fact that a metal frame is used for manufacturing. A carpentry workbench of this type is quite expensive, and performance is inferior to other analogues.
These features determined the scope of such workbenches - small hobby apartment workshops. If you try to process dimensional and weighty products on such a workbench, then it will simply fall apart.
Of the advantages of products of this type, one can note a small weight (up to 40 kilograms) and visual appeal (design).
Design features of compound machines
This equipment belongs to the professional category. A carpenter's workbench of this type is very complex and expensive to manufacture. But it is extremely convenient to use and can be used with simple settings.for a variety of jobs. Thanks to original solutions in the design, the functional units of the equipment can be rearranged and changed, adjusting to certain technological needs. Thus, a wide range of work can be performed on such tables. Moreover, at a professional level, and not, as they say, on the knee.
Features of the device of the working surface and frame
Before proceeding with the assembly of the workbench, it is necessary to fix the stiffening ribs to the tabletop with self-tapping screws. Pine or spruce boards with dimensions of 100 × 60 × 800 millimeters are fixed longitudinally, and boards with cross-sectional dimensions of 50 × 60 and a length of 1.8 meters are attached transversely. In this case, the longitudinal boards are necessary in order to prevent warping of the tabletop, and the transverse boards are for further mounting of the equipment.
It may seem that these works are done by eye. However, this is misleading. Dimensions must be maintained. If inaccuracies are made, then in the end there will be problems with fastening the support legs to the tabletop. And the operation of such a table will be overshadowed by poor stability.
