Price help ¿?

[jim king]

I posted a photo of this bench some time ago.  I have a person that would like to buy 30.  I have been looking all over internet and cannot find anything similar to use as a price comparison.

They are solid bloodwood and weigh I would guess about 600 pounds.

Any ideas ¿

[Norm]

similar bench

Laguna makes one kind of like the one you are showing out of domestic hardwoods Jim.

[jim king]

Norm:

Thanks, I looked for hours yesterday and could find nothing but Antiques , some plans and some really simple ones.

[Norm]

Yours is quite nice Jim.

I've never seen bloodwood before. What would it compare to up here or is there anything that would?

[jim king]

Bloodwood is a non floater and extremly dense and almost indestructable.   There is nothing up there similar.

http://www.exoticwood.biz/bloodwood.htm

[metalspinner]

Jim,

Bloodwood here is incredibly expensive.  A guy would have to spend thousands to buy the bloodwood to build that bench.  Assuming he could find lumber lenghth stock to do it.  Your bench is truly spectacular.

I would consider the price in the link to be a bargain if your bench was the one for sale.  In my mind you are comparing a Rolls Royce to a Cadilac.

[Tom]

I agree, metalspinner.  It's the wood that would run the price up on that, already sufficiently manufactured, bench.   Polished and signed it would get $10,000 to start, in the proper markets.  Those markets are not the backyard cabinet maker, though.  They are the ones where the piece will sit against the wall, possibly in a multi-million-dollar house and never be threatened with a scratch.

One day, if the signature doesn't hold up, It might be dismantled for the wood and some artist will turn it into a million dollars worth of lathe-turned plates and bowls.

[woodsy]

Quality woodworking benches made of hard maple sell for about $2000-$4000. That's without drawers.

Check out Lie Neilsen. They make nice manufactured benches.

[jim king]

I guess you have all surprised me a bit .  There are several details that can be done nicer if I were to produce these such as large carpenter hand size cast brass handles on the drawers and better quality drawer glides.  A couple of electrical plug ins would also be good I think.

I was thinking also of a nice table with tool storage etc. for small turning lathes that are so popular now.

Maybe custom vices cast with the customers name in them.  Also potting benches for the ladies.
Here are some photos of the casting process for vices , nameplates or what ever.

Here is a carved pattern ot the peices to be molded



Placing the forms in a container



The sand and very weak cement mix drying



The mold dryer



The pouring process



The casting ready for polishing



All shined up

[Chris Burchfield]

I should go ahead and wish in one hand or spit in the other.  That is a very nice work table and would like to have one just like it.

[treetech]

It's too nice to use as a work bench. It should be a dining room table! A work of art.

[sandhills]

While you were thinking of improvements I was looking at the bench and simply thinking WOW.  That is very beautiful wood and very nice work. 

[Brad_S.]

I like the PPE on the legs of the guy about to tilt the ladle of molten metal toward himself.

Beautiful bench!

[Tom]

They still have people down there that are smart enough to not get any on them, Brad.

[jim king]

PPE

What is that ¿

[Jeff]

Personal Protection Equipment. 

[ely]

yeah tom, he is the one with legs. :D

[SwampDonkey]

$500 Jim for quality vises, dogs and hardware in the top alone. Start adding $$/bf, labor and shipping to market. Could easily start at $5000. But the thing is, is there a market there to set a big workbench in a room and be afraid to scratch it? I think someone would set a pool table in a room, but might not a work bench unless it's a museum piece.

You guys would hate me, but I'd use it myself. :D ;D

Heck, they use birdseye and curl and such. In our forestry hall in college we used birdseye tables in the forest products lab just as we would any table. They was intended to be used not sit to collect dust. ;D

[ely]

im with you SD, i would use it proudly.

[Patty]

That workbench is the nicest one I have ever seen! I would proudly put it in my shop and use it as it was intended. It would be kind of an insult to the piece to let it just set in a living room collecting dust.

Very nice Jim!!

[jim king]

Bloodwood makes great saw bucks also  8)

If there was anything that you would want in addition to what you see what would make this bench more saleable ?

Here is a sawbuck.

[tyb525]