engraving bench setup

[lgrif]

A year or more ago I recall a thread that discussed bench setups and some of you fine folks sent in photos. I don't know how to access the archives. I specifically wanted to review the photos by Barry Lee Hands. He had a very interesting setup with his microscope that allowed clearance for a gun barrel to swing through. If anyone can give my the link I'd appreciate it.

[Jon C. Dake]

I think that this is the one you are looking for. I remembered it too as I thought it was really clever. http://knifenetwork.com/forum/showth...arry+lee+hands

[lgrif]

Thanks, that's the right thread.

[paintor]

Yall might be interested in this: http://www.stewmac.com/shopstand
Otto

[Danny]

I also suggest going to a garage sale and buying a working air adjustable stool. Actually two of them. One you take the seat off and place a wood (or metal) pad on it. You can then get it to raise and lower to what ever height you are working on - and it swivels (which may or may not be a good thing). The other stool is for you to raise and lower your height. So you can adjust either one to get the correct height or working relationship, or set up two of them for different operations. One can be used to support the main part of a rifle (for example) and the other setup to support the barrel end. Should be about $5 ea. Don't worry about the castors - they come off to make a "virtually" non moving work base, that can easily be moved.

[Bill Brockway]

Danny -

Read your post about using the gas tube from a pneumatic chair, and it set me to thinking. Then I saw pictures of such a set-up on Harold Franklin's home page, http://homepage.mac.com/dayland On the same day, I got a mailer from Harbor Freight, advertising pneumatic shop stools for 19 bucks and change, tax included. I now own one of these things, and as soon as I can figure how to mount it, I'll have an adjustable stand for my vise.

It turns smoothly enough to serve as a turntable (or so it seems), and has 5 inches of smoothly operating vertical height adjustment. Can't use the base, though. When you take the wheels off, the hub that holds the gas cylinder sticks out the bottom of the base. You can remove the base totally, however. In fact, it comes in pieces in a box, so you don't have to do any dismanteling. Thanks for the idea.

Bill

[J. Barraclough]

If you look at Ray Covers website you can see that he has pneumatic chair bases set up at each student work station for vise height adjustment.
John.

[Danny]

Yea, those things are pretty stable and adjustable. They even give you a place for your feet.

Glad to be of service.