workbenches i am using - nearly 100 years old
The rock in your workshop
The workbench of a goldsmith has to be a rock. Nothing you do on or with it ought displace the bench. It’s used for very precision work but also for heavy forging – if necessary.
Note: all over the world are goldsmiths, but not everyone use a bench. There are countries where the goldsmith does all the work on the floor. This jewelry is different to ours, not worse, but different. Remember this.
The look of a workbench
In this section i show you a typical workbench often used in my location. First have a look at the top of it.
workbench from above
- the board it self, mine is very heavy, made of cross-banded lumber veneered wood (gauges cm: 112x56x12)
- bench pin adapter plate, made of steel
pin adapter
- border made of wood, hight 40 mm
- bench pin
- sheepskin bench apron
- a simple wire where the pliers find their places (left-handed people mount it on the left side)
Let’s have a look at the front of the bench. As you can see i use two drawers. The sheepskin was suspended by hooks to have more flexibility. The bigger hook is the place for my standard saw. On the left side you see a little hole. Here goes the steel mandrel when forging rings. The hight of the bench measures 100 cm without the border.
goldsmith workbench
Did you noticed the shelf on the left side of the last picture? The picture below shows the usage of it. I put it under the sheepskin to catch all the swarf e.g. when engraving under microscope.
workbench vice placement
hooked sheepskin
sideview
Hi, just enjoying looking at your blog. Had a question. Did you make your bench or purchase it premade? I’ve been looking to acquire a bench soon. the ones I was trained on here in the u.s. are flat on the front with the two rigid sweeps drawers. Any of the premade benches with the half moon cut out on the top (like those that can be purchased from rio grande) don’t seem to be as deep as you illustrated or that I have seen from other european trained jewelers. Do you prefer that deep of a cut out? Is it more comfortable? I really didn’t like the benches I have used (but they weren’t mine so I couldn’t modify them) Just sounding people out about their preferences. Oops that was more than one question
thanks
Hi Nissa!
First – thank you for the very first comment on my new blog!
I hope, you’ll find useful information in the future.
To your question(s)
This workbench (we have six of them) was build long before i was born. The age of this one is nearly one hundred years. It will work much longer than i live. It is made for generations. The family of my partner are goldsmiths since 1767 – that’s a very long time and our son will be generation number eight – i hope…
Yes – i prefer the deep cut. The diameter measure 60 centimeter, in U.S. 23.622 inch, unless I’m mistaken. The bench you described (the flat one) is used here by watchmakers only. Those are not useful for me. I am sitting “in” the table – not “in front” of it. I can reach every tool on and in the workbench very quick. In combination with the sheepskin this workbench gives me the flexibility for every work step. Nearly 80 percent of work is done on it (we don’t use CAD/CAM).
At all i can tell you, this workbench is a typical European one. I have seen U.S. sellers offers sheepskins and drawers too. So if you can, build your own one to make it fit for you. But remember my advice: build it strong – it really has to be a rock!
If you have further questions, it will be a pleasure to answer them.
Cheers, Mario.
you the best. good job
Thank you, engine
Hi there,
Thank you for your info. I wonder if you could tell me the measurements. I’m thinking about making one myself ( with a help from Sue’s dad, my friend). What’s the height, width and depth. I was thinking about making it portable, e.g. the table top is easy to remove because we’ll need it when we move. Any comments about it? Would portability reduces sturdiness?
Thanks for your input.
Hi Conny, the measurements are there. Please have a look.
I don’t thing, portability reduces sturdiness – if it was built well of course
it absolutely was pretty useful to read and look through your current posting, i did not really learn nearly anything with this before.
Hi bullit, thank you.
Hi, as what you said that it must be as heavy as rock, but the table top is made of plywood which is very light. And the top need to be painted?
Thanks
Hi phuong, i think i choose the wrong phrase. I correct it. No paint is needed, maybe a little bit of wax.
Hello Mario. I am getting ready to make a bench for my wife, who has taken up silversmithing. We live in Europe, so I have seen some European benches, but nothing like yours, which I can only describe as a “dream bench”. The diagrams are great – could you add (or send via email) a photograph or two? Thanks, Nathan
I added a photo on the top. Hope, it is helpful to you.