Replies

1. 
   Michael6255 | Sep 14, 2004 04:55am | #1

   Fabulous benches and great price if its in good shape.  Where is it listed?  I believe ECE took over mfg them, but they are no longer made.

   Mike

2. 
   rod | Sep 14, 2004 05:06am | #2

   On page 119 in Scott Landis's book "The Workbench book" there are pictures of  Lachappelle and Ulmia's benches and he quotes prices that range from $300 for small hobby benches to $1100 for large cabinetmaker's benches ( the book was published in 1987).  He says that these two makes  "... are the best made and most expensive of the overseas crop ... ".   The pictured Lachappelle bench has a full width tail vise with two rows of dog holes.  He says that this is a rather recent option.  There is also a diagram of a standard tail vise which shows its adjustibility.

1. 
   badoyn | Sep 14, 2004 05:29am | #3

   Thanks. I don't have the book, but I'll head out and see if I can find it tomorrow.

   Michael

1. 
   badoyn | Sep 16, 2004 12:39am | #4

   Checked out the bench today. It was the same one as in the Workbench book, without the tool tray. It was in great condition. It was unused, except as a glorified shelf in the person's garage, for 17+ years. All I have to do is clean it up, make sure the top is flat to my liking, and put a finish on it.

   Anyone have a favorite finish for this?

   Thanks,

   Michael

1. 
   Napie | Sep 17, 2004 05:35pm | #8

   The best finish is no finish, just a light plane and scrape once a year or so.

1. 
   badoyn | Sep 17, 2004 05:53pm | #9

   Really? I thought that a boiled linseed oil or some type of wiping finish would be best.

   Michael

2. 
   Napie | Sep 17, 2004 06:31pm | #10

   One thing that makes a bench work is the friction between it and the work piece, so unfinished wood will hold better.  Also, no finish is easy to maintain.  I got that from both James Krenov’s books and a class I took from Tage Frid.   I scraped the oil from mine ten years ago and never looked back.

3. 
   badoyn | Sep 17, 2004 06:55pm | #11

   Gee, you could have quoted less credible sources. :)

   Thanks for the info.

   Michael

2. 
   alanplanesaw | Sep 18, 2004 03:34am | #12

   Sure do have a recommendation.  Probably should be finished in my shop.  Let me know when a convenient time will be for me to come over and pick it up.

   Seirously, sounds like you found a great deal.  Enjoy.

   Alan - planesaw

1. 
   badoyn | Sep 30, 2004 05:19am | #13

   Ok. I got the bench and put it in my shop/basement. I'm going to leave it be for a week or so before I decide where to put it and what kind of cabinet I'm going to make for it.

   Here's a few pics.

   Michael

   
3. 
   GT | Sep 16, 2004 01:18pm | #5

   I own one,great bench but no longer being made.Lee valley at one time use to sell them.Price sounds good,go for it.

1. 
   badoyn | Sep 16, 2004 05:14pm | #6

   Went for it. It's in great condition, but the top needs a quick plane and some sort of finish. Can't wait to get it in use next week,

   Thanks,

   Michael

2. 
   badoyn | Sep 16, 2004 05:15pm | #7

   I'm also thinking about making a cabinet to go under the bench. Anyone have any plans or ideas, photos, etc. for me as a starter?

   Thanks,

   Michael

1. 
   maxvon | Sep 30, 2004 10:59pm | #14

   a cabinet under the bench is a great idea.

   don't have a scanner, but can fax a sketch of a concept I am currently working on, if you provide your fax number.

   basically---a mobile,roll-in, roll-out, tool case/cabinet, with vertically mounted sliding panels (as many panels as space allows) for the mounting, either side of each panel, of essentially hand tools, maybe some smallish power tools (drill drivers,etc)

   security---parked under the bench, the treasure trove, should be closed off with some (have'nt worked this out yet) flap or cover?

   tool accessibility---mounted in a common frame, each panel is pull-out for max. accessibility.

   considerations---any attachments to the bench (roll ramps and cover/s) should preferably be clip-on, to obviate mutilation of the bench, as far as is practically

    possible.

   cheers

   . 

1. 
   badoyn | Sep 30, 2004 11:17pm | #15

   Thanks for the offer. I'm thinking of a cabinet that has 4 drawers on either side of a door for taller things. Obviously I can't have the thing on rollers as I would have to remove the stretchers. I'm thinking of sliding the cabinet in and then putting a cleat in front of/and behind the cabinet to "anchor" it to the stretchers.

   Thanks again,

   Michael

1. 
   maxvon | Oct 01, 2004 12:03am | #16

   Okay--as many concepts as people.

   never contemplated removing the stretchers--that was the reason for the ramps.

   will post some pics when I have completed mine.

   cheers

2. 
   badoyn | Oct 01, 2004 12:58am | #17

   Can I get your email so I can send my fax no?

   Michael

3. 
   maxvon | Oct 01, 2004 02:13am | #18

   thanks for the offer---------

   what gives? --you trying to confuse me? ---your#16 implies (nay reads) thanks, but no thanks, my#15 is not really what you had in mind.

   anywhichway-----my e-mail [email protected]

   Austin  ---  chaos breeds life. order breeds habit   

4. 
   badoyn | Oct 01, 2004 06:06pm | #19

   Here's a quick design for my proposed under-workbench cabinet. It's pretty simple, but heck, how complicated does it need to be?

   I modeled this in abot 15 minutes in a pretty cool woodworking cad program called Design Intuition. Very nice. It was easy to scale, dimensions are automatic and it's pretty flexible. It has a material list and the beta, which I'm testing, is incorporation a cut list. It's for Macs also.

   Comments and suggestions are welcome.

   Thanks,

   Michael

   
5. 
   forestgirl | Oct 01, 2004 06:20pm | #20

   Michael, and others who don't know -- a little time-saving tip re: emails.  Most of us have set our preferences to allow emails via Taunton.  If you click on a user's name in their post (say, forestgirl above), a pop-up window will take you to a profile box with an option to "send e-mail."

   Another technique is to type a regular reply, but select "Reply via e-mail" found underneath the "Post" button.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

6. 
   badoyn | Oct 01, 2004 06:43pm | #21

   Thx. I checked my profile and prefs and made some updates.

   Michael