Setting up a CBG workshop

Posted by Peter Solomon on February 20, 2017 at 1:05am

I am excited to get started building my first Cigar Box Guitar.  I have wood working experience and have some portable and power tools.  I want to build a workbench/table that will give me good height and size for the many operations involved in building a CBG.

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

Thanks for your help.

Peter

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Replies

  • darryl kernaghan March 15, 2017 at 10:58pm

    Peter, i recently made a bench on casters, but when it's in position i can flip down hinged beams to take the load off the wheels, they are spring loaded, so when i want to move it, i just need to push in the direction of the hinge and it rolls onto the wheels, i also have a removeable tool well cover in the middle so i don't have to clear the bench for large stuff, hand tools just sit in the well and materials pass over the well---http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/new-bench-1?context=user

  • Blane M Hixon March 15, 2017 at 9:15pm

    Hello Peter. If you are still interested in a table. Check out Harbor Freight Tools. I just bought a table with light and 3 electric outlet mounted with a peg board back and 2 shelves. I paid a whopping $75.00. Here is my reasoning. I combined all materials to build a table and it would have cost over $100.00. I really like the table I bought and I bought most of my tools there. I put together a shop inexpensively and building guitars.

  • Kigar March 15, 2017 at 8:45pm

    Maybe you have made one by now, but to get a good working height, I made a small stand out of some scraps I had.  I made it to clamp to the bench at a height just below my elbows.  Easy to clamp the work to and keeps my back straight.  I rarely take it off.306607590?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024

  • Scott Schoepf March 2, 2017 at 8:08am
    If you have a table saw make your bench the same height and it can double as an outfeed table. I personally like the Roubo style bench and am building one for myself, you can check em out on YouTube. Would also suggest putting it on casters, Home Depot has some for about $10 that lock SOLID and don't move around on you. I built a couple rolling planters that hold 18 cu. feet of dirt and the casters work great.
  • Joe Caruso February 20, 2017 at 10:49am
    I have a standard height bench belt level and a storage unit about 20 inches higher - I find the higher unit great for doing any fret and electronics work but the standard height bench gets 90% of my time. I prefer standing puts less stress on my bum hip.
    • Joe Caruso > Joe Caruso February 20, 2017 at 11:22am

      Ooops - make that 10 inches higher not 20 - can't seem to edit the previous comment. 

    • MARK PASCUZZI > Joe Caruso February 23, 2017 at 10:49pm

      My garage is converted into a workshop. Haven't parked a car in there as long as I've lived here. Every workbench and floor tool is on casters so I can move them easily and I also use a couple of the work benches as support tables when cutting larger sheets on the table saw. All of that being said, My table saw is 37" high so that's the height I built the workbenches to and it works great for me both standing as well as when I use the folding directors style chair i got last Christmas. Hope this helps and have fun building

    • Peter Solomon > MARK PASCUZZI February 24, 2017 at 12:17am

      Mark,

      Thanks for the tips. Having casters on a workbench definitely can be useful as an outrun surface when cutting full sheets of goods.I'll put that into the mix of height and portability decisions.

    • Peter Solomon > Joe Caruso February 21, 2017 at 1:22pm

      Old Joe, is your storage unit separate from the workbench or part of the w.b.? What sizes are these surfaces?  Can you post a pic?

      Thanks for your help.

    • Joe Caruso > Peter Solomon February 21, 2017 at 6:47pm

      Here ya go Peter - On the left - a storage unit I never intended to use as a bench - being just above the belly button, perfect height for fret and electronics work. On the right - a salvaged table top screwed into some sawhorses I had lying around just below belt level.  The two benches face each other - I'm standing at one, spin around there is the other. The 3 tier plywood shelving on each is repurposed, salvaged from the workbench I had used for my model train layout, which is now gone. CBG's are so much more fun! AND - heavy is better - if you are going to be planing or spoke shaving, the bench needs not to move. And have fun with your building! (Click on it to see the full photo)

      306607328?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024

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