THe NAC Lots-O-BFG KO2 Thread

Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

I was just one-upping Ross's elitism. :)

The same advantages would be had with a metal layer over a wooden bench. For garage-type work I prefer a metal surface over wood for most tasks (it's nice being able to plop a transfer case onto it and not ding/gouge/catch an edge into the surface, and wipe away any greasy crap).

The bench at my old place was a door.

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My only suggestion with that is you're starting with a door-shaped bench, which may or may not be the best layout for your space. That one was pretty wide and I wound up with a lot of dead area at the back of the bench that wasn't really useful and just collected shit and grinder dust. Before building it into your space I'd look at narrowing it and gaining back the floor area.
 
Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

Not trying to make a short person joke, but our bench was around 3ft deep and I loved it. No wasted space at all.

I'll take some pics this weekend when I clear it out. I have an idea of how I want to lay it out.
 
Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

Yeah seriously, my desk is 3 feet deep and my old one was 4 feet and I had no real problems.
 
Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

Having had both, I'll take the extra foot of floor space. Surfaces are easily added on demand, not so easy to take away once you build them in. A longer, narrower spot against a wall has less of an impact on the usable space.

I have this old rolling copier cart:

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that fit under the bench nicely. If I needed more bench space or an intermediate spot to put stuff while working on something, just roll it out. Otherwise there's no need for that floor area to be taken up. Just in my stupid little garage theory I'm not ever going to be actively working on something 3 feet away from me on a bench, but in the 1 time out of 100 that I need to put something that big on my bench to work on, it's easy to do temporarily.

Right now my chop saw lives on that cart but I'd like to have it back as a mobile surface.
 
Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

anyone have or know someone who want to get rid of a small desk? i need a new workbench
 
Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

Yeah seriously, my desk is 3 feet deep and my old one was 4 feet and I had no real problems.

The depth isn't my problem with it. Obviously you can find ways to use the space. Which usually involves putting stuff there, which probably doesn't have to be there. Which is why I went vertical with the storage space on my bench and also built the small shelf over it, for putting a laptop or reference books or whatever on at a height where it's useable but not in the way of your workspace (or in a spot to get ****ed up).

All that goes back to Rob's post...again in my stupid little garage theory, there's no reason why a workbench should have anything on it if it's not related to what you're working on.
 
Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

My Lista bench is 30" deep and reaching another 6" would be absolutely no problem at all.

If I were 5'4" I might be singing a different song.
 
Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

Yeah I enjoy the deep bench when I'm rebuilding something.

I can lay out all my parts on rags or towels and not run out of space nor have to drag another cart out.
 
Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

I can think of a few things I'd do with that space... cover it with tools, cover it with parts, cover it with empties.

Also it'd come in really, really handy while rebuilding a transmission. I like to be able to lay everything out nicely, I had like a 2.5x5 foot bench for that AX5 I slapped together last winter and it was beyond cramped. 3x8 would have been awesome.

edit: looks like Colin read my mind :laugh2:

And since I know of a nice cheap source for AX15s, I've been thinking seriously about doing nice clean rebuilds on a couple from the junkyard and putting em up on the trading post and ebay for sale. People pay incredibly stupid prices for a recently rebuilt AX15, I can't believe it.
 
Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

I was just one-upping Ross's elitism. :)

:moon:


I do miss having a steel bench though. My new garage has a plywood skinned bench, I can't decide if I wanna skin some of if with sheet metal or not. I cut it down to 24" deep but now I think I regret it. It only has 3 legs over 14' long so I think I wanna redo it anyways. I'm thinking half solid wood and half skinned metal for a welding area. If I redid it too, I could raise the height a few inches to fit my Snap On box/welder cart under it too to save on floor space.
 
Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

I had skinned metal on half of my last bench in Westport. It was thin and dented easily. I would want 10-12 ga if I were to do it again.
 
Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

Are you rebuilding transmissions often enough that you'd rather lose the floor space?

Far better IMO to build for the tasks you do 95% of the time, and plan for the ability to accommodate the other 5% when needed.

I wouldn't want a 5' long bench either. When I'm rebuilding something I like to set parts out sequentially instead of circumferentially. :)
 
Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

Are you rebuilding transmissions often enough that you'd rather lose the floor space?

Far better IMO to build for the tasks you do 95% of the time, and plan for the ability to accommodate the other 5% when needed.

I wouldn't want a 5' long bench either. When I'm rebuilding something I like to set parts out sequentially instead of circumferentially. :)

With the price I can get em for and the price I am reasonably certain I can sell them for, I'm very strongly considering it. Shit, I could probably pull 500 on CL for the AX5 I put back together simply because it's set up for a YJ, but I'd feel bad because it's literally a mishmash of parts from 3 junk AX5s I paid nothing for and I bet it'll whine like a prius owner if anyone puts actual torque through it.

I have seen AX15s "recently rebuilt" that had been beaten on sell for 500 bucks several times recently. I can get them for $100 or less and a rebuild kit for $160-250 depending on parts required, and the last one took me maybe 4 hours to do with all the wrong tools. That's a minimum of 40 bucks an hour, probably more like 80-100 an hour to **** around with transmissions I know the insides of reasonably well.
 
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Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

I find that the floor makes a very good work bench
 
Re: THe NAC Lots-O-Post Thread

Switching gears.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/general-chit-chat/1585793-line-starts-here.html

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There are...coincidentally...some notes with calculations and a sketch buried in my stuff at work, that look much like this raft conveyor.

I remember thinking at the time that the pitch, mass, and speed didn't make sense for any water ride I've ever seen, but the customer gave us the numbers, so I crunched 'em...makes sense now. :D

Next step, try and schedule a trip there, for equipment startup...to make sure everything works OK...
 
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