This bench was built for a keen handyman without a workshop. By driving the cars out of his garage then rolling the bench into the cleared area and locking the wheels down he could work without restriction.

The bench has a top, full length storage compartment, lower shelf and two extension platforms built from a high density material marketed in Australia as HD3. Due to its density HD3 is waterproof, fireproof and bulletproof. HD3 is used in high abuse areas such as truck body trays, school lockers and public toilets.

The offset vice can be removed quickly. Access is via an end flap where wing nuts are unscrewed from bolts which travel up through copper piping glued through 120mm of reinforcing to the top of the bench - no damage from constant use.

Two HD3 jig platforms have dogs screwed into their bases so that they can locate into the middle dog holes on the bench top. Two holdfasts are then slipped into the bench top mounting collars and swung around to secure the platform in use. The small jig platform shown in the photo above houses a dovetailing jig. A larger extension platform (not shown) allows operations such as sawing and filing to be carried out well away from the bench body.

There is no end to the number of extension platforms that can be used in this way transforming many hand held machine tools into workshop marvels.

Another bench in the same style. Two extension tables have been placed upside down on the lower shelf revealing the locating dogs for positioning into the bench top.

The rectangular dogholing involves five interlocking pieces of timber giving enormous strength. The dogs are crafted from single pieces of timber. The top edges of the dogs are wider than the body and can trap the workpieces under them.

When 100mm x 100mm (4") square legs are used the framework is trenched flush. Record holdfast mounting collars are set just below the surface. The Record holdfasts are extremely strong when mounted correctly. The swivelling, clamping head is useful for stock that is not square but has a serrated face which can damage the workpiece.

Here you can see protective caps made from HD3 which are included when the holdfasts are sold by Workbench World. An outer felt pad will offer further protection to the workpiece.

The stainless steel/nylon wheels are total locking with only two needed to be set for most operations. Although the bench can spin like a top it takes four men to lift it clear of the floor.

The wheels sit under a pad of HD3 that has three layers of a hard rubber on top with two thin sheets of meshed steel sandwiched between them. There is just that little bit of give necessary for travel over bumpy surfaces.

A HD3 Mobile bench is given unique features that will increase the value of the bench as time passes by. This bench features curly jarrah edging which runs the same way around the bench as well as the four legs.

The outer vice cheek is a lovely example of what old-timers refer to as pencil line jarrah. The black spotted pattern on its face changes into what appears to be pencil lines drawn on the end grain of the timber.

The above benches are 1820 x 600 x 930mm high.

Priced at $8,300 HD3 Mobile benches are expected to last centuries.
The overseas customers price is $7,545 (no Australian GST).