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New Watchmaker's Bench


svorkoetter

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I did my first watch movement service at a desk-height bench, which, not surprisingly, gave me aching shoulders and a stiff neck.

 

After that, I switched to a higher workbench (around 33") and a lower chair (around 16") which was a big improvement. A pair of desk lamps with 23W CFL bulbs (100W incandescent equivalent) provided lighting, and I covered the bench with a large sheet of drafting table liner that I'd had for years:

 

post-140-0-57012100-1429485211_thumb.jpg

 

Recently, I decided I didn't want to tie up my entire main workbench for watches, and I read about various WRT members' exploits with jeweller's benches. I looked on Kijiji (kind of like Craigslist, only much nicer) and found a used one for $65. I decided to give it a try.

 

After refinishing it, and making a light fixture to hang over it, here it is:

 

post-140-0-93237500-1429485357_thumb.jpg

 

The light fixture contains two 33" T5 fluorescent tubes, putting out a total of about 3000 lumens (about what 3 x 100W bulbs would put out), while consuming only 34W. The fixture is almost the full length of the bench, and lights it very brightly and evenly.

 

I do need some input and suggestions though:

 

1. Do you think I should fill in the cut-out on the front left of the bench? It's too close to the edge to be very useful (i.e. my elbow ends up on the ledge)?

 

2. I can't decide if I want to cover the entire surface with the drafting mat, or just cut out a smaller mat to work on. What's the general preference in this regard?

Edited by svorkoetter
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Hi svorkoetter,

 

That looks like a fantastic bench and lots of potential. The light is simply wonderful. I don't know exactly what is your feel for the protruding front that makes you want to fill the center gap. In any case, MY preference would be to simply move myself into the gap to work and use the sides as elbow rests. Then I would have a center mat to work on the watches and on the side a grooved mat to "drop" the frequently used tools so they don't roll out and to unwanted places.

 

If the center gap is not convenient then I'll fill it as you have proposed. I find also useful to have some sort of apron either on you or at the bench to cover the distance between your body and the center of the bench so any flier can be captured when going your way. I also believe there is room for more drawers, even smaller ones, but being a picture I can't really say how much space is there for sure...that applies to my previous thoughts.

 

So, summarily those are my thoughts - not even a suggestion since you know better what you need, being experienced in this game - and I'll be anxious to know what you end up doing. It seems you'll probably do better than what I wrote above!

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

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Looking good - as for the cut out, personally I would leave it and possibly make some form of tray under to hold tools or catch anything that may drop - but then it is off centre, so not sure how comfortable that is for you.

 

As for the mat - it is all about preference. Personally I find it hard to be comfortable working without one, also depends on the quality of the current surface, a mat would make the surface consistent to work on. It does not have to cover the whole bench. I usually change my mat once a year.

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I'm leaning more and more towards filling in the cut-out, because as I mentioned, it's in an awkward spot.

 

I agree about adding more drawers (there's lots of space). Maybe some Ikea drawer boxes will fit, although I have some scraps from which I could make drawers from scratch.

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I just found my bench (or at least one that it was patterned after) on-line: http://www.jewelerssupplies.com/product9991.html

 

It seems that those holes in the rail under the cut-out are meant to hold arm rests and a bench pin (basically a wooden anvil as near as I can tell). I may have to try the arm rests (mine came with pieces shown in the link, but I didn't know what they were for).

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An update on my bench ...

 

I made an insert for the cut-out, which slides into the tool mounting holes, and exactly fills the cut-out space. I will probably just used screws to hold it in place, rather than gluing it in permanently.

 

post-140-0-14635800-1429917475_thumb.jpg

 

Once I put the drafting table liner on the bench, it will cover the insert.

 

I also made myself a handy little screwdriver holder / tool tray, rather than just have the screwdrivers loose on the bench when using them:

 

post-140-0-99752900-1429917587_thumb.jpg

 

I've come to the conclusion that there's no standard for the colour codes, as I've seen several different sets on-line each with a different colour-to-size correspondence.

 

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Thanks guys! I know what you mean about the carpet. I've already lost one spring in that carpet. But I really don't like the bare concrete under my feet, even though I am wearing slippers, and the floor is insulated. On the other hand, that was back from my model airplane days, when I spent a lot of time standing at the bench, so maybe I don't need the carpet any more.

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Some more progress...

 

I cut a piece of mat to fit. I decided to make it a bit smaller than the benchtop as that allowed me to get two pieces out of the one large piece I had:

 

post-140-0-35147000-1430186019_thumb.jpg

 

I found a plastic desk drawer organizer tray that almost fit into the top drawer. A little work on the router table and now it fits. It holds crystals, brushes, hand pullers and setters, pins, toothpicks, compasses (for checking for magnetization), and Rodico:

 

post-140-0-42552200-1430186116_thumb.jpg

 

The middle drawer has another tray my wife found for me, in which I've got cases, dials, hands, movements, and my loupes. Case and movement holders are stored at the front:

 

post-140-0-76891100-1430186147_thumb.jpg

 

The bottom drawer stores my screwdriver and tweezer tray, oils, another (lighted) loupe, demagnetizer, and a plastic box I use to cover work in progress:

 

post-140-0-03098700-1430186168_thumb.jpg

 

I modified the sort-of-drawer at the bottom left into another proper large drawer, with a shelf above it. This drawer holds my cleaning fluids, parts tray to hold parts before and after cleaning (a silicone mini-muffin tray), a plastic sheet I cover the tray with, and all my strap-making tools and supplies. The shelf above has a large tin of leather pieces, and a smaller tin of straps and bracelets:

 

post-140-0-50297100-1430186075_thumb.jpg

 

All done and ready for action:

 

post-140-0-54527600-1430186055_thumb.jpg

 

I've decided to leave the carpet in place, but since the picture was taken, have shifted it towards the other end of the room, so the watchmaker's bench is now right at the edge of the carpet.

 

All of the photos above were taken with the bench light off. With the light on, it basically drowns out the rest of the room lighting in photos:

 

post-140-0-50505700-1430186755_thumb.jpg

Edited by svorkoetter
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The top is 1" thick MDF (yuck, I know, but it's actually a good material for making workbenches). Most of the plywood used for the "box" into which all the drawers and such are built is 1/2" thick, as are the drawer parts themselves. The legs are 2" square solid hardwood (maple or birch I think). The plywood shelf over the large drawer on the lower left is 3/4", but that was a piece that I had picked up from a local furniture maker's scrap bin, and that was exactly the size I needed (how often does that happen?).

 

Irischain, your existing setup looks nice too! And the couch looks like a handy place to collapse after servicing a chronograph. :-)

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The settee is handy too. Nice setup 

 

 

The top is 1" thick MDF (yuck, I know, but it's actually a good material for making workbenches). Most of the plywood used for the "box" into which all the drawers and such are built is 1/2" thick, as are the drawer parts themselves. The legs are 2" square solid hardwood (maple or birch I think). The plywood shelf over the large drawer on the lower left is 3/4", but that was a piece that I had picked up from a local furniture maker's scrap bin, and that was exactly the size I needed (how often does that happen?).

 

Irischain, your existing setup looks nice too! And the couch looks like a handy place to collapse after servicing a chronograph. :-)

 

Thanks! With a young child and an infant in the house, I find I need a place to relax, lol. The couch was my wife's idea, someplace for our daughter to sit and watch TV when she absolutely has to keep daddy company, though I find I'm napping on it more than she's sitting on it.

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