Hi folks,
I was about to start the process of building a new bench but due to time constraints, I’m now thinking about buying a pre-made version. Of the commercially available benches that I’ve read about thus far, the Sjoberg 2000 looks the most interesting (size, mass, features). I’d be interested in hearing about the pros/cons from anyone who’s using this puppy.
Thanks,
Doug
Replies
I've got one and like it, but mine is heavily modified.
1. I got a pair of the stock tops and widened the rails to accept them.
2. I added spacers to the legs to raise the rascal about 2 inches.
3. I built my own below table storage cabinets
4. I made a cover for it out of particle board for finishing and assembly.
Doug in Maine,
I have the Sjobergs Elite 2000 workbench. I work at a Woodcraft store so I was able to buy it at a pretty good discount. However, I just found it at Amazon, with free shipping, for a VERY GOOD price.
I read about it in the FWW article on evaluating workbenches. It was "ranked" second behind a Lie-Nielsen workbench. It was downrated because its surface was the least shiny of the bunch. I wrote to the author or the article, and said that a shiny finish is a bad thing because it indicates a slippery finish, which is a bad thing for a workbench. He said that I was right and that he liked the bench so much that he bought it.
A very nice thing about this bench is that its two vices have very little racking. The reason is that they don't move on rods, but on large rectangular "pipes". The FWW article pointed this out. The two vices can be moved in a matter of minutes to different locations.
The dog holes on the table are a non standard 1" in diameter. I didn't find this to be a problem. A set of four metal dogs came with the bench, and I bought two holddowns, which work very well. There are also holes on all four legs, for obvious reasons.
I didn't like the Sjobergs set of drawers that can be bought for the bench, so I made my own using Baltic Birch ply and full extension drawer slides. I have nine drawers of about 5"x15"x18" (as I remember).
The bench is quite heavy, and well made, and easy to assemble. I really didn't want to spend my time building a bench. I'd rather be using it. Others have a different approach. Both are valid. I looked at the US benches, the benches in the Lee Valley catalog, imported benches, and read the FWW review, and I chose this bench.
Does that help? Please let me know what you decide to do.
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
Thanks for your input guys. I appreciate your thoughts on this bench. Decisions, decisions.
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