Replies

1. 
   JeffHeath | Mar 24, 2006 11:39pm | #1

   Well, I guess this will probably open up a world series case of worms, because this topic has been debated a few times (ha!) here in the past.  I'm from the school that you should build your own bench.  For one, you'll get exactly what you want, and the configuration and vises will be exactly how and where you want them.  Many will say that they are just too busy.  I say, Fine!  Put in some overtime.  That's how I finally get things done in my shop.  I work all day for the customer, and then, at night, after dinner, I go back out to the shop and get stuff done for myself.

   By building the bench yourself, you can really control the quality, thickness, length, etc......and even, if you dare, personalize it a bit.  I am much happier (and a wee bit prouder) that I built my own, and like it way more than any bench I could have bought.

   Good luck.  You'll get a few saying the exact opposite.

   Jeff

1. 
   John_D | Mar 25, 2006 12:23am | #2

   I'm pretty new, so for me buying made a lot of sense.  I spent only $170 (and less than an hour on setup), and got a low-end Sjoberg.  Now with some experience, I know what I like and don't like about it.  My next bench, which I figure to do within two years, I'll build myself.

   I think if I'd built my first bench myself, I'd feel I'd wasted time and some money too, because I really didn't know what I needed until I had a chance to work for a while.My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.

1. 
   JeffHeath | Mar 25, 2006 07:48pm | #6

   John

   I see your point, and it's an excellent one.  It's very difficult to know what you want when you're on your first bench.  Unless you've had the opportunity to test drive a bench, it's hard to know whether or not the configuration is to your liking.

   I'm on my 2nd bench now. In over 20 years of woodworking,  I now believe that I finally know what I want and need, and will make what will probably be my final bench sometime later this year.

   Those smaller Sjoberg benches are difficult to guage what you will need, because I'd imagine that unless you're making small boxes, the very first shortcoming you will experience with it is that it is way too small.  My first bench had a 68" X 20" top.  I remember being dissapointed in it almost immediately.  However, it now functions as my sharpening station.  My present bench, which is 80" X 25", is still not long enough, and not wide enough.    I have a single screw vise on one end which racks all the time, and I'm not very happy with it. I put a tool tray in it, and alls that does is collect a mess.  My next bench will be 120" X 30", 3" thick to create mass for all the hand work I do, and it will have 3 vises, to help deal with all the different types of work I do.

   After you use your bench for a while, you'll know what you will want to build.

   Jeff 

1. 
   John_D | Mar 27, 2006 08:43pm | #9

   I've learned a lot already.  I know it's too darned small, you're right about that.  Also, it's far too light.

   I also don't like the face vice, as it's not great for sawing.  I know I want power right in the thing, too.  Mostly I need to be able to clamp all 'round, and good secure ways to hold pieces for planing.

   Hopefully I'll get to build my dream bench in summer '07. :)My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.

2. 
   Piccioni | Mar 25, 2006 01:50am | #3

   Understood, but make vs. buy is a personal decision. It is a function of a bunch of things: how much time you have, how much money you've got and some other things .

   I've built two planes, and I guess if somebody asked me my opinion of Veritas planes, then I could tell him I believe people should make their own planes. Unfortunately, if he didn't have the time, or skill, or tools, or interest in making his own planes he wouldn't be any further ahead if I said he should make his own.

   I may still make a workbench, but part of that decision is a function as to whether a Sjoberg 2500 is a good bench, whether Sjoberg makes good stuff, etc..

   So, does anybody have experience with this company or this product?

2. 
   eddiefromaustralia | Mar 25, 2006 10:16am | #4

   Piccioni,

   I'm a trade cabinetmaker.  I've seen the Sjoberg and the Felder bench up close (Felder "may" or "may not" make the Laguna bench.)

   Either would be fine - my only concern with the sjoberg is that it relies upon tension in an allen-head bolt to stop the bench from racking.  As well, you need the thing heavy enough so that it doesn't move.  Worst case, you load the thing down and re-jig the connections between the legs and stretcher rails so that it holds it without racking.

   In a cheap Record bench I once owned, I needed to put 100# of water into the base to keep the thing from moving, and replace the stretchers with ones that were 300mm wide to avoid racking.  This one was as rickety as a drunk on payday, and not worth the effort to fix, being honest.

   Might be worth leaning on the display bench, if you can get to such a beastie, to see how well it would hold up.

   I made my own bench, but it's not a 'rite of passage', so to speak, as others may attest to. 

   Aside from jointing the boards that make up the top (if you want to learn how to use a plane, face joint 3 x 2 boards about 8' long to be perfectly straight and true - this could take a while.  Or use a jointer.), the rest of the thing is rough framing carpentry.  It's simply fairly big mortice and tenons, with 3" square legs and feet.  I cut the mortices by hand with a mortising chisel - took about 10" per mortice because of the size, a smaller one should take about 5" tops.  I've got the sub-assembly held together with 16mm threaded rod that allows me to tighten the thing up as it gets the wobbles, kept itself together fine so far.

   Trust that this helps,

    

   eddie

    

    

1. 
   Piccioni | Mar 25, 2006 06:26pm | #5

   Thanks, Eddi

   That was helpful.

   I won't be able to see this bench before buying it. Its a special order type situation. I don't believe weight would be an issue - this one has 3 1/4" top, roughly 14 square feet. As usual with these things, they don't seem keen to provide many details. I believe it weighs over 300 pounds.

   I agree building a bench is a good idea, however, I have a house to finish as well as the furniture I'd like to build and there are only so many hours in a day.

1. 
   Buster2000 | Mar 27, 2006 09:28pm | #10

   I found a web page that sattes it weighs 125 KG (275 lbs).  That's pretty good.  Most of the weight of course would be in the top.  If you added cabinets to it, that would bring the weight up as well.  I built a similar bench, (the top is a bit thinner, and a little longer) and have no trouble with the weight.

3. 
   jjohn83 | Mar 26, 2006 12:28am | #7

   I had decided to build my bench a year or so ago, and even bought a set of plans to help.  After pricing wood, hardware, and vises, I stumbled onto a Sjoberg 2500 on closeout at a local store.  I opted for the store bought version primarily because there was not that big a difference in price.  I've been very happy with that decision. 

   Instead of lugging a heavy benchtop around the shop for months I was able to ruin a couple hundred feet of otherwise good wood attempting to build furniture.  It is a nice bench, very well made and finished to my eye, but I am no expert.  I built cabinets underneath similar to those in the catalogue, and customized them for my sharpening stones and hand tools.  The best news is this:  Now that I have a dedicated place to work, I have made a much better effort to use those hand tools.

   A couple of concerns, first this is a big, real heavy sucker.   It is too big for my shop and I often find myself having to work around or over it.  The next smaller model would have been perfect for me, but it was about $300 more due to the sale price on the 2500.  You shouldn't have the size problem with a big shop.   Right now mine has a drop cloth covering the top while I finish a couple of end tables.  The second is to be careful when you unpack it.  From painful experience, upside down is best, next to the spot you intend for it's home.  Everything was unfamiliar to me when I finally got it to that position, and I left some wood crating material in place before we moved it upright.  Attach the legs and get help to flip it into position.  My floor is very uneven so I had shims and wedges ready to level it.  I don't know if that kept the legs from racking, but it gave me peace of mind, and my cabinet boxes fit fine and square in the recess below.

4. 
   pzgren | Mar 26, 2006 08:11am | #8

   P:

   I have the previous generation of the largest (24 X 96) Sjobergs with the L-shaped tail vice and front vice, that I picked up on sale for about $300 or so less than list. The weight on this one (without cabinets) is about 250 lbs, and the thickness is around 3.5 to 4 inches.

   With about a year and a half's use on it, I have found it to be quite a good bench. I do all my woodworking by hand, and it suits that style of woodworking very well. I am very happy with it, and have had no problems what-so-ever with this bench. To me, it has been worth every penny spent; very solid, stable, and reliable. It does everything I want a work bench to do.

   (I also have one of the smaller [16 X 36 or thereabouts] Sjobergs benches. Nice bench, but WAY too light. I ended up having to put two 50 lb sandbags on the base to keep it from moving all over my shop..... Go for the heavier bench!!)

   Looking at the current Sjobergs, they appear to be of the same good quality construction as the previous generation and have the weight, but I really dislike the vice set-up (personal preference here; you may like the current vice set-up).

   If you go for the Sjobergs, I doubt that you will be disappointed in the quality -- it is very good. However, you'll have to look at the vice set-up to see whether it suits your requirements.

   Hope that this is of some use to you.

   James

5. 
   calden | Mar 28, 2006 04:16pm | #11

   Hey:

   I'm in the process of setting up a small shop (building a garage) and want to have some kind of a bench. Last weekend I dropped by our city's new Woodcraft store and saw that Sjoberg Ellite bench. THey also had the smaller ones, too, and they weren't worth much at all. Shakey, rickety, and too small.

   But that big bench....

   It was solid and substantial. I'm large - 6', 230 lbs., and pushed into it a bit, imagining myself planing tonewood or scraping a neck blank, or doing some carving, and it didn't move at all. I really liked the length, too. When I'm working on something it usually includes a main piece as well as a few smaller things, and this bench had the space to do what I want.

   If you've got the money ($1700) it would really be the way to go. I'll probably build one - using the heft and size of the Sjoberg as a model. Even if I can't get that thick of a top I'll glue a sheet of plywood on the bottom - I really liked the solid feel of that thing.

   Carlos Alden

1. 
   Piccioni | Mar 28, 2006 05:46pm | #12

   Thanks for the feedback, Calden (and all others).

   Sounds like its an acceptable product!