# Watchmaker's Bench & Technique



## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

When Joe talked about steadying the Dremel tool with his chin in his *Creative Light and Motion* *post*, I thought I'd bring up this topic.

The traditional watchmaker's bench was designed to steady the craftsman's hands in doing fine work. But you don't have to buy one to benefit from the technique.










The watchmaker's bench's two main features are a very high work surface and a catch-tray for dropped parts. The catch-tray is often replaced by an apron, attached to the bench and tied to the watchmaker's body, or vice versa.

The work-surface is usually just below chin-height for the seated watchmaker. This lets him rest his wrists and hands on the edge of the work surface for rock-steady two-handed work right under his eyes or magnifier.










Since I do most of my modeling work on the dining table, I have my own temporary variant. I'm often too lazy to get it out, but every time I do, I'm glad I did.










I found this wooden lap-desk or monitor stand or whatever it is at a garage sale. It's about 7" tall. The plastic box slid into the storage space holds tools and supplies.










I'm wearing a magnifier that clips onto my glasses and the work is the right height for me to rest my wrists or hands on the edge while I use a toothpick to clean up the silver paint edge on this HO Porsche.










Note that the bench steadily supports the hands and one little finger is braced against the opposite hand for a solid three-point support.

I have played with making a catch-apron, but for me, it was more trouble than it was worth.

Rig up something to give the high work surface a try. I think you'll be surprised at what an improvement it makes for model building and detail painting.

-- D


----------



## beast1624 (Mar 28, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestion and pics, D-.


----------



## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Cool thinking D! Believe it or not, I sort of implemented the same thing, in a backwards kind of way. When I set up shop, I rescued a retailer's plant display table from the wood chipper at my old job. It sits on the high side, so I purchased a shop stool to sit on while working. Since my back gave me so much trouble with the stool, I ditched it for my desk chair. For normal work, I raise the chair up.. For intricate work, I lower it down. It does help immensely for the steady handed required stuff. There's one thing I've never been able to figure out though. My hands can be steady as heck, but the second I try to do something that absolutely requires a steady hand, they tremor like crazy. Soldering wires inside the body is a good example. The same goes with populating circuit boards. The harder I focus, the worse the shaking is... And if the TM sneaks in the room when I'm trying to do something and scares the crap out of me, I'm useless for an hour plus! :freak:


----------



## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

no coffee for atleast 4 hous before tryin to install tiny parts .. that works for me. and dslot that is an awesome pic of the rockwell makes me wanna reconfigure my bench. i,ll give it more thought this fall/ winter thanx for posting that stuff very nice!!


----------



## desototjets (Apr 25, 2008)

The catch apron is an interesting concept. I use a Chinet paper plate when I disassemble a chassis to help catch small parts like brushes and springs. It also helps to keep all the parts together so I don't have to search my bench looking for them. I like the watchmakers bench concept and might have to make one.


----------



## desototjets (Apr 25, 2008)

Here is a cost effective one you can buy.

http://www.marketworks.com/StoreFro...mDetail.aspx?sfid=132421&c=734579&i=207203846


----------



## Ogre (Jan 31, 2007)

Good option ! :thumbsup:


----------



## Omega (Jan 14, 2000)

desototjets said:


> Here is a cost effective one you can buy.
> 
> http://www.marketworks.com/StoreFro...mDetail.aspx?sfid=132421&c=734579&i=207203846


Like it, may have to order one.

Dave


----------

