Tools of the Trade--- Workbenches

Daniel Valencia's Workbench!

courtesy of Daniel Valencia

Workbenches are varied in shape and sizes. Professional jewelers tend to show their training through their benches. Classic benches have a cutout so that your body sits up into the table itself, allowing quick and easy access to equipment and tools that are stored in drawers, shelves and racks around the bench. Under the bench there are other drawers, for tools that are used a little less frequently, or are easier to reach

Perfection in a workbench, courtesy Daniel Valencia

from underneath... and there is always either a drawer or a catch cloth. The cloth or drawer is to catch the shavings, grains of precious metals. In sawing gold or silver, the dust made is valuable and can be melted and used again.

My own workbench is not very extraordinary.  an old computer desk, modified to hold more weight, and bolted to the wall to hold down vibrations. There are a variety of drawers to keep tools and supplies in, and shelves and drawers underneath. I also use a stump, brought home from vacation one year, as my bench. It sets on top of a sturdy bench of it's own, bringing it up to the right height for me to use. On top of the stump is one of my anvils, a ball hitch,  and a vice, on the side is hung some tools that I use the most. I happen to love the stump, You can hammer away on it, knowing that it is sturdy and will dampen the noise.

Mine--Messy, but everything in it's place

One important feature to my workbench is the tool caddy. It holds a variety of pliers that I use frequently, along with the bits for the flex shaft that are used the most, the scribe, centerpunch, bezel setting tools, watch tool, and a variety of small screwdrivers that are frequently used.

The quenching bowl, the pickle pot and soldering setup are set on my workbench most of the time, though I do have it where I can take them off if I need extra room, which is common for me, I know that many other jewelry artists keep their soldering station separate from their bench. I tried that, but didn't like the idea of moving my work. I do from time to time, if I know the project that I'm working on is larger or going to take some extra heat or might put out more fumes... I'll take it out to the back porch where I have another bench and can work in a less enclosed space with better extraction. I simply place all the components and which tools I'll need into a cast off baking pan and whisk it away. I keep extra tiles to set behind my solder pan if I am going to use a larger flame... just in case. I have melted stuff before! I broke my quenching bowl and before I could replace it, I used a plastic container, pretty heavy plastic, and was  annealing stainless steel... it got a bit hot, looked up and realized water was everywhere, I had melted a hole in the lip of the container... That was a tough lesson. I ended up having to clean up my bench block that got wet, and it  rusted even after drying... as well as a few pliers and a couple of hammers. Not much fun. 

Al Martinez, ingenious use of bowling ball for Repoussé  work

Since I do some soldering in my workroom, I keep not only extra water but also a fire extinguisher. For safety sake, it is one of the most valuable items of the bench. Kept just in reach of the soldering pans but away from the gas tanks, it is always
accessible.

Drawers galore are needed. It isn't that you need so much room that you can't have a couple of big drawers that will hold everything... but to keep like objects together, in easy reach and organized...Though, on the 7th, I showed a picture of a wall holding hammers and stakes galore, out of Daniel Valencia's classroom. He has everything organized where his students can find it easily and it is also easy to put away, or to see what is missing.. and go hunting!
I like to keep small items together, and in a manner that is easy to reach, without having to open packages or boxes, like sawblades. I keep mine in a drawer that I can reach easily and with one hand, bring out the packages, I can take out one blade usually out of the package, I've already loosened the wire binding the blades to make it easier to use.

Christina Pabon's workbench in her old studio

Files, never enough files, from a larger bastard file to take away larger amounts of metal, down to smaller micro files... they should be in a drawer or in a container close at hand. I keep mine on the right  of my workbench in a shallow drawer...  on to sand paper of different grits, stored in a shallow drawer under the bench,  ending up with polishing pads on the flex shaft, they are in drawers above the bench, sorted as to what purpose they are used
 ... Flex shaft... another useful tool in the workroom. Hung on an arm to the side you use predominately.... I keep mine to the right of the bench, though sometimes I use my left hand for polishing... I try to use the right hand. It is kept up off the bench for several reasons... one, the ventilation to the motor, needs to be able to circulate air to cool... two, the shaft needs room  so it doesn't kink... three, to give you space so that the shaft doesn't get in the way...

Cristina Pabon at her workbench, using Flex Shaft

About 13 years ago, I worked with wood,  making carved boxes, crosses, wall hangings...  I really wanted a Dremel to make carving the wood easier,  and was saving towards it,  but  my husband bought the RTX by Black & Decker for me for Christmas, which is a funny story in itself ( He tried to convince the sales girl that he was indeed buying it for his wife... and yes, she would love to have it... ). It came with the flex shaft, which is a lifesaver!
 When I started working with smaller metal for jewelry, I re-purposed the RTX ... A friend made me a foot pedal that would allow me to go from 0 to 1600 rpm for control and I loved using it. I finally wore the brushes out on it, finally ended up buying an actual motor with flex shaft to use, but my friend replaced the brushes on the RTX and I still use it... I like the hand hold on it better, since my hand is pretty small, I find it has a better fit.

Each person sets up their workbench to suit their own needs, their reach, their more used items, their favorite places, and according to which hand they use more predominantly.
I know people who prefer the cut out style of bench...me, I like the idea of moving more often. I keep things higher up, in drawers so that I have to actually stand up often. If I sit too long, I start hurting... so moving is important to me...

There is a great article on Ganoksin on setting up a work bench. I enjoy seeing different benches, the messier the better for me! One person's bench that I enjoy seeing is Cristina Pabon.  Her bench is a lot of times very messy, and it is beautiful! You know she is creating tons of new items.

 Huge thanks to both Daniel Valencia of  Jewelryclassdc
Cristina Pabon, of  Cristina Hurley Jewelry Design 
and to Al Martinez Metalsmith and Leaf maker extraordinare
for the use of pictures of their workbenches. 
Al Martinez will be featured tomorrow, October 10th, come back and read about and see some of his work.
and Cristina Pabon will be featured on October 14th. Please come back to see some her beautiful work and read about her.