New service bench

[electra225]

After all the handwringing about what type of bench I wanted, I settled on a home-built affair. I built two 4'X8' tables in Missouri from scrap material. I built them with a 2x6 frame with 2X4's set 12" on center and no lower shelf. They were sturdy and oh, so handy. Strong enough to hold an engine or maybe even the whole car! So, taking that cue, this bench is 42"X72". Why not 48" wide to utilize a full sheet of material? you ask. 48" wide would not work with my other cabinets. 42" worked perfectly and 72" long works with the cabinets on the other wall. I painted the frame with leftover paint from the shop trim, a medium-dark gray. The shelf is tempered Masonite, framed on 2X4's set 12" on center. The top is particle board framed with 2X6's with 2X4's set 12" on center for support. I used 2X6 legs this time instead of 4X4 to save money. My budget was $200 and my bill was $108.37 with tax, so the material was right around $100. I still need 24 more 3" deck screws to complete the job, and I believe Ace Hardware sells them by the each. There was a nice young man at Home Depot who helped me pull straight lumber, then cut it with military precision, right on the money, and every single piece fit like it was born there. I had no clamps and only a little tri-square to help with assembly, but Jacob's precision cuts made this no big deal. I still need to figure out a plan for a finish for the top working surface. I don't want bare particle board. My thought is, if I can find some, to put a couple heavy coats of shellac on, followed by some darker stain, then either spar varnish poly or maybe epoxy if it isn't too fumy. I am open to suggestions. I settled on particle board dependent on price. MDX was $55 a sheet, particle board was $12 a sheet. I figured for the difference, I could work the top so it would work. I would have to finish the MDX, too, so this will be a considerable savings. Jacob selected white lumber instead of doug fur and saved me a ton. The bottom shelf can hold test equipment and maybe my little GE stereos until I get them done and find them a permanent home in the shop. This bench is 36" tall instead of the 32" I built the ones in Missouri. Bob Andersen made a bench very similar to mine and made it 36". This height will allow me to utilize my little three-legged stools to advantage at the bench. The shop is a disaster right now, so, if there is interest, I'll take some pics to share when I get the mess cleaned up a bit.

[William]

Great job, Greg. Speaking for myself and I'm sure others...YES, PHOTOS PLEASE!

Bill

[19&41]

I'm looking forward to them.

[electra225]

I'd have been better off to have built the bench and put it where it goes before I moved the big stuff into the shop.

[hermitcrab]

My dream bench is Mr. Carlson's Lab on YT....

[electra225]

The bench is in it's rightful place in the shop. Almost every other piece in the building had to be moved to allow it to get there. The height is nearly dead-on perfect with the other cabinets. It is square and stable. I am thrilled with this much progress. I have a huge mess to clean up, but that is part of the fun, right?

I have pictures I'll share as soon as I get them loaded to the computer.

[William]

Good news, Greg. I'm glad you are that much closer to having a shop and having fun with all of your toys. And, just a few steps out your back door and you are there. I'm looking forward to your photos, as I'm sure others are as well.

Bill

[Motorola minion]

Funny how Shang066 has no bench on his YT videos, he is always working outside. All strata of test equipment is put to good use through his videos which is very instructional for noobs. His speedy diagnoses speaks of extensive shop experience. That experience is summed up thus: "no matter what a POS the customer brings you, just fix it because that's your job, not your hobby". I often had some conflict as a hired bench technician when I had to condemn a set I knew was otherwise serviceable, because the customer wanted confirmation to buy a new set. sales before service

The polar opposite is Mr. Carlson's lab on YT, with a bench surrounded by quality equipment seldom seen, even by us having shop experience. His thoroughness is never lost on the fine quality equipment he works on. I don't think he wants to use less-than-lab-quality equipment and resurrect basket-case sets like Shango does. The average customer could not afford that level of service in practice, but hobbyists like us really appreciate the meticulous attention.

Both ideal and practical "benches" are necessary. The TV guys on YT; ElectronicM, Jordan Pier Jpdylon and Doug Harland DRH4683 are highly recommended to complement the two contrasted YT master technicians noted above.

[Firedome]

If ‘t’were me I’d forgo the stain + shellac &c and paint the bench top with 2 coats gray epoxy. I leave the frame unfinished since it doesn’t see any real wear/abuse, still looks fine since that 3’ x 8’ bench was built Dec 1974, bolted together to accommodate moving.

[electra225]

Yeah, epoxy would be better, perhaps. The problem with epoxy is that I can't handle the fumes, physically. I don't breathe like you guys do, so my natural filter of nasal passages aren't working. The label on the epoxy recommends using a NIOSH respirator. Anything with that recommendation, I have no business messing with. Shellac and water-borne polyurethane are sufficiently non-fumy that I can use them without danger. I still make sure I have cross-ventilation. I am satisfied with the results. The wife wanted me to use a commercially-built bench so it wouldn't look so, shall we say. "Rustic". I have always had bare wooden benches that got dirty and beat-up looking. She wanted something that looked nicer. So this one is a compromise. It is home built like I wanted, but is painted in colors to match the floor and with all the joints and screw heads caulked so you can't see them. Sometimes, we have to do the best we can, and compromise to keep peace in the family.

[19&41]

Looks mighty good!

[electra225]

Thank you Rex.

I enjoy Shango and Bob Andersen. They are to the point without getting too technical.

[TC Chris]

Looks too good to work on. Maybe better fora dining table!

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

I brought a chunk of cardboard home from the store that I'm going to use if and when I am putting a chassis on the bench that might dig into it. And I can always resand and add a couple coats of shellac and polyurethane if I do dig into it. I don't want it pristine, necessarily, just better than I have done in the past.

[William]

Excellent job, Greg. Like Chris said, when do we eat!

[electra225]

We eat right after you go thru all my Collaro changers. You can break in the bench. Hop on the big bird and get out here. I think we are having hamburgers "on the barbie" for supper.

Bring a dead radio and I'll work on it while you do Collaros.

[William]

So, tempting, so tempting.

Bill

[19&41]

Gee, flippin' burgers and flippin' radios.

[electra225]

I don't know if I should start a new topic for this, but I fired up the first radio since the shop was built. I should qualify this by saying I have been listening to a little Panasonic transistor battery radio before they got the power turned on. Today I fired up my first "real" tube radio. It is a Zenith parts set that I thought I'd sold at the sale. It has SMD, like most of the Zenith sets of its era. I dislike Zenith radios, and tried to sell all the Zenith stuff I had at the auction. This one survived. I plugged it in, and turned it on. No Variac, no dim bulb. I didn't care if it smoked. Of course, it played perfectly. After it got warmed up, I'd get the crashing thunder noise occasionally, but it soldiered on. It is a pretty good performer, all things considered. It has a 6X9 speaker, which is its only redeeming value. It has a broken cabinet. I may try my first SMD repair on this one, since I have nothing to lose. And, as an aside, the LED lights in the shop have to go. They make noise in an AM radio.

[William]

Probably a good idea to start a new topic, especially if you start servicing it. Just my 2 cents. Darn LED lights anyway.

Bill