In every woodworker’s shop sits a trusty – often sawdusty – workbench. For my own shop, I sought a used bench with sturdy legs and two functioning vices — I never thought I’d acquire an antique.
A woodworker’s life revolves around their workbench. It’s here where furniture’s intricate details are crafted — the dovetail joinery, the hand-planed surfaces, the perfect-fitting drawer. The bench is also an escape from the loud machinery of the modern workshop, a place to measure your next cut (twice) and, in my case, a countertop for my coffee mug.
Many woodworkers build their own workbench from scratch, something I chose to circumvent. Call me an impatient Gen Y’er, but I needed instant bench-ification! (Plus, it’s quite difficult to build a workbench without, well, a workbench.) So I summoned my inner-Scavenger and began searching for used — excuse me, certified pre-owned — benches on Craigslist. After a month of patiently scouring, I came across an intriguing add for a cabinetmaker’s bench in Boerum Hill. The pictures looked perfect but there was a catch: it was 100 years old.
The next day, I headed to Brooklyn to see if the old bench would hold up to rigors of a busy shop. Built in about 1910 by Hammacher Schlemmer — then a reputable mail-order manufacturer — it certainly had the soulful character of a centenarian. The well-worn cherry wood had a radiant patina, its scratches and stains the result of countless hours of craft. The base was cleverly constructed with heavy-duty hex bolts that allowed for easy disassembly. The two vices (the clamping devices used to keep a workpiece still while sawing, planing, chiseling, etc) were a bit slow to open and close, but otherwise their wooden threads were in excellent shape. Most importantly, the bench was solid as a rock, with very little wobble in the legs. And how many hundred-year-olds do you know without at least one wobbly leg?
The following day, I sent in a low-ball (read: borderline insulting) offer and much to my surprise, the seller accepted. Disassembly and reassembly was a cinch and within a matter of hours the antique bench stood proudly in my workshop. The moral of the story? Be patient, drive a hard bargain and always respect your elders...even if they are a bit wobbly.
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Psst...How much/little? I'm sure I won't be the only one asking. Even if we never find one that low we can celebrate your bargain and cheer you on. Very nice find!!! And lucky for the bench it found you.
Cool, my parents have one of these old benches to which I honestly never paid any attention. It's sitting in their basement/game room with a bunch of other neat antiques sitting on top of it. I grew up in a house with antiques everywhere that I always liked, but as time goes on I often find new depths to my appreciation for my parents' taste. I often wonder, when they were my age, where did they find these things, and where did they get all the money for them? My method is to sacrifice fashion. Nowadays I am coveting an old butcher's block that sits in their kitchen corner with a giant antique scale on top, which I would actually use. I just told asked them, uh, keep an eye out for a block for me if you see one because I'd use it ;)
I have at least two functioning vices. I didn't know that was considered a desirable attribute.
Congratulations on your great find.
Perhaps the person selling it realized that at the end of the day, it's just a collection of wood connected together that's actually designed for a purpose, so could never really have any real antique "value."
But thinking that many people would want this as an antique piece to use as an end table or something, decided to jack up the price significantly.
So maybe even with your haggling, YOU'RE the one who got robbed.
I think this may be the item on AT that I have lusted for the most. Congrats on a great find
Love the fact this piece is going to be used in a workshop. Much 'friendlier' than buying a new one from a store.
Well done on a great find! If you got it for a less than a new one then you certainly weren't 'robbed'
Gorgeous bench! Glad to hear you got a deal on a solid piece of history.
Pottery Barn has the Markham Console Bar which is based on just such a bench. http://tinyurl.com/y2ndy3k
I got the exact same bench last year for . . . . .wait for it . . . . $400 near the Illinois/Wisconsin border. You can imagine my amazement because the cheapest I have ever seen similar benches were in the neighborhood of $1500. Unfortunately, it is currently sitting in storage because I cannot find room in my one bedroom condo. My plan is to eventually rip off Thom Filicia's bar idea - see picture below!
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAh4Xl94vrU/SxXazQfuU_I/AAAAAAAAOm0/ZmonSxPrnvI/s400/thom filicia bar domino.jpg
It's gorgeous...I can definitely appreciate that on both an aesthetic and artisanal level. Congrats!
I have the same bench. Picked it up from a too shop in northern NJ that was going out of business. Paid $350. I'm thinking of modifying it to fit my needs but not sure I want to do that given the "vintage" nature of the piece.