Steel workbench
 

Any views on or alternatives to the Machine Mart "Engineers Workbench"?

Steel workbench
 

On 13 Jun 2004 22:13:00 GMT, (OldScrawn) wrote:

Any views on or alternatives to the Machine Mart "Engineers Workbench"?

Tinny as anything. Avoid.

Get a stack of angle iron, a decent piece of plate for the top and a
welder - make your own. Even a cheap S/H stick welder is adequate to
do the job. If you think you need MIG, then your top is too thin.

Steel workbench
 

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On 13 Jun 2004 22:13:00 GMT, (OldScrawn) wrote:

Any views on or alternatives to the Machine Mart "Engineers Workbench"?

Tinny as anything. Avoid.

Get a stack of angle iron, a decent piece of plate for the top and a
welder - make your own. Even a cheap S/H stick welder is adequate to
do the job. If you think you need MIG, then your top is too thin.

And when built and fitted in it's final resting place, it would be better if
you earthed it.
--
troubleinstore
http://www.tuppencechange.co.uk



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Steel workbench
 

troubleinstore wrote:

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On 13 Jun 2004 22:13:00 GMT, (OldScrawn) wrote:

Any views on or alternatives to the Machine Mart "Engineers Workbench"?

Tinny as anything. Avoid.

Get a stack of angle iron, a decent piece of plate for the top and a
welder - make your own. Even a cheap S/H stick welder is adequate to
do the job. If you think you need MIG, then your top is too thin.

And when built and fitted in it's final resting place, it would be better if
you earthed it.

Why? It could well be argued that it would be safer if you *didn't*
earth it. Then if you have a faulty electric drill (or whatever) and
happend to touch the bench as the same time as the faulty drill you
won't get a shock.

It also depends very much on what else is around the bench and also the
type of floor surface you have.

--
Chris Green

Steel workbench
 

On 14 Jun 2004 08:52:46 GMT, wrote:

Why? It could well be argued that it would be safer if you *didn't*
earth it. Then if you have a faulty electric drill (or whatever) and
happend to touch the bench as the same time as the faulty drill you
won't get a shock.

A faulty drill placed on an earthed metal workbench will blow a fuse
somewhere.

A faulty metal drill placed on an isolated metal bench will make the
bench live. Touch that and you couldl be acting as an earth conductor!

sPoNIX

Steel workbench
 

"sPoNiX" wrote in message
...
On 14 Jun 2004 08:52:46 GMT, wrote:

Why? It could well be argued that it would be safer if you *didn't*
earth it. Then if you have a faulty electric drill (or whatever) and
happend to touch the bench as the same time as the faulty drill you
won't get a shock.

A faulty drill placed on an earthed metal workbench will blow a fuse
somewhere.

A faulty metal drill placed on an isolated metal bench will make the
bench live. Touch that and you couldl be acting as an earth conductor!

sPoNIX

Only problem I can see is that if you weld on the bench, and the other lead
of the welder is not connected properly, could the earth lead for the bench
act as a return path for the welder? Or is the welder transformer isolated
so that with no return path it just doesn't work?

mrcheerful

Steel workbench
 

sPoNiX wrote:
On 14 Jun 2004 08:52:46 GMT, wrote:

Why? It could well be argued that it would be safer if you *didn't*
earth it. Then if you have a faulty electric drill (or whatever) and
happend to touch the bench as the same time as the faulty drill you
won't get a shock.

A faulty drill placed on an earthed metal workbench will blow a fuse
somewhere.

A faulty metal drill placed on an isolated metal bench will make the
bench live. Touch that and you couldl be acting as an earth conductor!

So which is more likely to happen? I was just saying that earthing
the bench isn't *necessarily* a good idea. You need to assess the
environment and then decide. If the floors are vinyl covered for
example then not earthing it is safer, on the other hand if the floor
is damp concrete then maybe earthing it is safer.

--
Chris Green