Garden Railway Forum

I am currently reorganising my workshop and have removed my horrible dining table workbench which I have never liked as it was too wide and not heavy enough to be stable.

I bought a laminated kitchen worktop that I have cut to size and have it temporarily resting on a cabinet while I play about with a comfortable work height. While doing this it occurred to me it might be worth placing a protective surface on top of the worktop that can be replaced as and when required.

Ideally, I don't want to have screws protruding so I was wondering if I could use cork roll or tiles glued down?

Suggestions welcome.

Tom

A lot depends on the type of tools etc. you will be using and the anticipated damage which could occur.... If you intend to use hot (soldering) or chemical based equipment and materials then it might be a good idea to have something cheap which can easily be replaced.... e.g hardboard.
If you intend to use cutting blades, paints and solvents then I use a large cutting mat to protect both worktop and sharp blades. The best priced cutting mats I have found are available at ' The Works', which has branches in most large towns.
I would not recommend cork as it is easily damaged and breaks-up. Likewise, anything permanently stuck to your work surface will eventually need replacing and that would prove difficult!

My bench is an old, traditional type, Deal Kitchen table which I've used for about 45 years. On top of that is a layer of hardboard which has been there for about 40 years. On top of that is an old wooden shelf about 1" thick and approximately A2 size, also 40 years old. On top of that is an A2 Cutting mat, as Peter suggested. The cutting mat gets replaced from time to time but all the rest is original and has stood up to cutting, sawing, drilling, painting, gluing, soft soldering, etc. Things I don't do on it are heavy drilling and metal cutting activities, silver soldering, spray painting, etc, they get done out in the garage, but I do have a small 2" vice attached to one corner for general modelling use.

I too use kitchen worktop for my bench, protected by one of those green cutting mats that are commonly available. The largest size (I think) covers the bench from front to almost the back and just gets replaced when it is chewed up.

As for height, my bench is 36 inches from the floor to the base of the worktop. Sounds high but I find it ideal as it gives an almost eye-level view when sitting down, and I don't have to bend over too much when standing up.

I agree regarding height Tony, I do not like being hunched over while working.

I have an A3 size cutting matt but looking at the sizes of A1 cutting mats I reckon a couple of them will do the job to cover a decent work area on a larger loco than 16mm scale which is what I am moving onto.

I also use the largest cutting mat you can buy, they are a little bit expensive, but has Peter said, The Works" do them cheaper than most. My little worktop is used a lot, I bought it off Amazon, there are other sites on the inter web.... It is lightweight but very strong, with metal legs that have stood my at the time 14 and half stone..... It's down to just under 13 stone now.....

Thanks for the advice guys.

I have ordered a couple of A1 sized cutting mats off eBay as they are the exact width of the worktop.

I will post pictures of my new work area once it's all finished if anyone is interested.

Still undecided about height, I keep adjusting between 36" to around 40"

Do most of you work when sitting or standing?

That's a tricky one Tom..... for SM32 work I prefer to sit at a standard height work table, however, if I am working on something larger I think standing is probably better. Your 5" gauge loco might be too chunky to work on and lift about from a seated position? If you begin with a lower height you can always add a platform when required and still be able to sit comfortably when you need to...... best of both worlds!
If you are 6'10" tall then things might be different? I'm just average with a bad back!

For the 5" loco I will probably get a trolley lift. This new worktop bench is has to perform multiple roles not just hobby stuff (DIY, repair work, etc).

I sit all day at work so I do prefer to stand when at a bench even with 16mm scale stuff.

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Sat Jul 06, 2019 3:04 pm

I sit all day at work so I do prefer to stand when at a bench even with 16mm scale stuff.

I think you have just answered your own question Tom.... if experience dictates your favoured position stick with it.

Desk with electric height adjustment are common in Denmark and can be picked up secondhand from as little as £75. They give you the best of both worlds as they can usually be adjusted to between 65-130cm height. I'm on the lookout for one myself at the moment.