-
- CommentAuthorupthemaiden
- CommentTimeMar 15th 2009
I'm fixing up my basement, and even though I haven't gotten to building new work benches, I'm finishing up the drywall and just about to put up some pegboard. I wanted to see how tall you think a workbench should be for working on bikes? I'd spend most of the time standing, but I'll probably grab some stools next time I'm at the store. I was thinking around 40 inches, but everything I seem to measure, counterwise, usually comes to 36inches(3ft). Maybe I should compromise and make them a meter. I need to figure out how tall my benches will be before I hang the pegboard.
Also interested to hear of anything else you've come up with that I might not have thought to include. Right now I've been sticking to the basics like walls, basement floor tiles, pegboard, new benches, a new vice, and a bunch of shelves/bins for storage. -
- CommentAuthortangsuto
- CommentTimeMar 15th 2009
I've been looking into the same kinda setup in my basement. I was really looking into getting a bike repair stand, but I think you may be on to something in terms of just building the equipment. Definitely want to see what people have to say about this one. -
- CommentAuthorstinky pete
- CommentTimeMar 16th 2009 edited
At 6’ 3”, most work surfaces are to low for me. If your going to build your own work bench, figure out at what height most of your work will be done at; if you are going to sit the bike on top of the bench, 36” to 40” is about right for me. However, when I use my wheel truing stand this height is a bit low. Personally though, I think there is nothing as good as a Park bike repair stand if your going to be working on a bike. I have made do with an old PRS-4 OS I have had for years.
(http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=23&item=PRS%2D4+OS )
Though be warned, I bought mine in an attempt to save money over a floor model. I mounted a 4” square oak block to it so I could put it into my bench vice when I needed it, then it wouldnt be in the way when it wasnt in use. Problem is that the bench got in the way of bolth the bike and me at times. At present I have it mounted to a vertical floor support beam and can move all the way around the bike when needed. This set up also allows me to move the stand up or down to the height I want, rather than the height that it came with were it a stand alone floor model.
Hope this helps you... -
- CommentAuthorlatron
- CommentTimeMar 16th 2009
Here's something I wrote a while back on building your own workbench. It's a general-purpose bench, but would work for bike repair as well. Not adjusting/assembling the bike itself -- you need a repair stand for that, or in a pinch the two-legged stand from Velo-Orange works nicely -- but working on parts such as hubs, shifters, etc., when they're not on the bike.
http://www.boston.com/yourlife/home/articles/2004/03/18/work_that_bench/
I'm 6'3" as well, and I set the height to the outside tip of my thigh bone. Works nicely. The advantage of this plan, though, is that you can move the height of the bench up (with spacers) or down (by shortening the legs) at will.
Hope this might be of interest. I built mine more than a decade ago and couldn't be happier.
L. -
- CommentAuthorupthemaiden
- CommentTimeMar 16th 2009 edited
Yeah, I didn't want to go too far into details as that post had the potential to get pretty long. I have a nice stand for my bikes, and have a park truing stand(which also needs a new base built for it, but it won't be attached to the bench so that's not an issue now), but my bike won't have any reason to actually be up on the bench. I'm 5'8, and I think I'm gonna have to take something up to the kitchen and work on the 36" counter for a while and see how it works.
when you come off the basement stairs, there's about 4 feet of the old basement wall(steps are skinny and I didn't want to make the bottom even skinnier) and then I started my wall after that, so i've got 14 feet to mess with before I run into the front wall. I was going to build 2 work benches to take up the whole length, and do the entire length in pegboard as well, about 3 feet tall.
I'm wondering now if maybe I should leave some space on one of the ends just for more shelves or something a long those lines. The only things I have planned for the top of the bench so far is my grinder, a new vice, the little stand that holds forks by the dropouts(think it was made for attaching a bike to the roof of your car without the front wheel, but it's great for holding a fork while you cut threads or anything else). It'll need a good outlet strip, since there aren't any outlets on that wall. I was just gonna cover it in some hardboard, which would be easily replaceable once it gets too scuffed up.
Is there ever a need to attach the work bench to the floor, or do i just assume it'll be heavy enough to not move? Specifically if I have something stubborn in the vice that I'm pulling on. I don't think i really need any special features, I've just never built one before, and I'm sure after it's done and I'm working on it I'll have a couple "I wish I woulda done this" for it. -
- CommentAuthorstinky pete
- CommentTimeMar 16th 2009 edited
If the bench is heavy enough by itself not to move you should be OK. Still, if you can attach it to two walls in a corner I think you may find it more stable. I find that there is little more annoying than a work bench that flops around when your really got some leverage on something. I used three layers of 1/3” plywood over what used to be a doctors wall table (great draws!) with a steel table next to it. Needless to say, it dont move...
Best work bench I ever had though was a bar that the previous owner of a house I had in Washington left in the basement. I moved it face first against the wall and secured it to the studs. Man, I had room for everything!
PS: one last thing. I like to use drywall screws and small pilot holes to fasten wood. If this is your first bench, you may likely find that you will be doing some changes later. Screws make it easy to disassemble things, rather than pulling nails or prying glued 2” by 4”s apart.
Here are some links that may help as well:
http://www.rd.com/18265/article18265.html
http://www.rd.com/17667/article17667.html
http://www.furniture-for-small-spaces.com/images/furnishing_files/garage/tables/retractable_table.jpg
This last one is as close to a design I saw using a solid flat door.
http://www.garagescapes.com/folding_workbench.htm
Use two 2” pipe flanges like the ones pictured in the center of this picture
(http://product-image.tradeindia.com/00175236/b/Galvanized-Pipe-Fittings.jpg ) mounted to the front bottom corners of the door, and two 2” pipes that will put your bench to the right height. Use 3 door hinges and mount the door to the wall like in the photo.
When not in use, the two pipe “legs” are unscrewed and stored; the door hangs down out of the way. With the legs screwed in to the flanges, they hold up the front of the bench while the hinges hold up the side on the wall. Presto! A solid bench that nearly disappears till you need it...
1 to 6 of 6