cheap tying bench

[WebFreeman]

I couldn't justify spending money on a tying bench, so I improvised with some stuff I found laying around the office.

It's working pretty well so far, but I need to add something across the back to hold my tools.

It's a computer monitor stand and an office-supply tray from a drawer.

[troutchaser]

Hey, great minds think alike! I use a drawer organizer for my tying stuff, also. I finally broke down and built a stand for my tools. I used a 1x6 for the base, two 1/2" dowel rods, 6" tall, and a 1x4 on top of them with lots of holes drilled in it for my tools. It's about 12" long and made from scrap lumber I had in the storage shed.

I got tired of chasing my tools around, so I threw this thing together in about an hour. If I can remember, I'll get a photo of it put up here in a day or two.

[WebFreeman]

I need to add a piece of wood for my tools.

I don't have a ton of materials, but I got a plastic worm binder at the BP outlet store and put all my materials in there. I can make my vice fit in there as well and it zips up w/ handles. Easy to take it on the road.

[Terry Beeson]

I had something similar to what troutchaser has. It was a 1x8 about 10 inches long with a pair of 1/2" x 4" dowels in the rear for legs and 1/2 x 1" for front legs. It had holes and a tray routed out for hooks and odds and ends. Add a 1 or 2 by in the rear with dowels to hold thread spools and it was great!

Now I have a "real" fly tying station, so the other was retired to a club auction.

The worm pouch is a GREAT place to store materials, but I have so much chenille, that takes up all of mine...

[MrsDucky]

I like it! And cheap is good...

[jOrOb]

Do you find that it is too light and moves around alot???

I always worried that I would be chasing my vise all over the table.

I have built a couple of different stations, and the one I like really well is a simple small station. It starts with a hardwood base, but plywood would work fine. Mine is about 12" deep and 16" wide. it has an L shaped apron along the left side and back with several holes drilled in it to hold tools. then I put a row of 16 penny nails along the back with the heads snipped off to hold threads and materials. I drilled a hole and put a brass tap in to allow me to insert the vise directly into the bench, eliminating the need for the clamp. The whole thing is really small but works great.

I will post a Pic tomorrow when I get home from work.

[WebFreeman]

It's a pretty heavy-duty stand rated to hold a 100 pound monitor. And it's got rubber feet, so it doesn't slide. I'd been looking all over the web for plans and saving pictures from catalogs, but couldn't find the time to build one, so I did this instead. Took longer to warm up the hot glue gun than anything else.

I'd like to see your bench, jOrOb, because I'd still like to make one or add some features to my monitor stand.

[jOrOb]

Finally took some pictures. These two benches serve duty at my house. I use the big one and my son uses the smaller one. I have however developed a liking for the smaller one, and I am thinking about trading.

I originally designed the smaller one for my Dad who doesn't tie flies, but jigs for bass.

[WebFreeman]

Nice! I like both. Why do you like the smaller one better?

[jOrOb]

The smaller one is a lot more convenient to move around with. The big one is hard to travel, and really needs to be in one spot. The small one can be taken anywhere, and will hold most of what I need.

I do like the integrated light on the big one though.