On Friday, December 13, 2019 at 4:32:45 PM UTC, wrote:
On 13/12/2019 14:23, fred wrote:
I splashed out and got a Sjobergs workbench complete with storage. The storage has two doors manufactured from laminated strips. Within a few days thy bowed across the width of the door. I assume this is caused by expansion due to humidity. If I leave them in the heated workshop they flatten out.. I screwed, 3 screws,two battens on each one but am worried about future wood movement. Would cutting a slot where the two outer screws are fitted be the answer. ( like a bread board end solution ) I just cant understand why they bowed in the first instance as there was no restriction to the expansion movement. Any answers ?

Incidentally I started building my own work bench about 5 years ago and so far only got as far as making the trestle kegs. I reckon at this rate I could be dead before it is finished, and besides there are no pockets in a shroud.


Given the cost of Sjobergs benches I'd be talking to the vendor about
replacement parts.
Having said that, I've occasionally compared pictures of these benches
to my own DIY bench and wondered whether to splash out. What do you
think to it (ignoring the current problem)? Is it heavy and rigid enough
to avoid wandering about and racking when hand planing? Any good/bad points?

Yes apart from the doors its a helluva of a bench. The base was easily assembled but it took 3 of us, well 2 plus a crumbly, to lift the top in place.. The vices are essentially rack free. It comes with 4 heavy steel bench dogs but because of the thickness of the top normal hold downs like the ones Festool use won't work.

Having taken the doors off and screwed battens to them I have let them sit for a week and they appear to be ok now.

I did contemplate complaining to Axminster but getting it to start with was a long convoluted saga.

One final word of warning The dimensions given on the Axminster site art over the vices, not the actual size of the top which is a lot smaller