Ulmia Workbench renovation

Turning old into new - with losses

2021 I renovated my Ulmia workbench that I bought second-hand in Velbert. I photographed the complete overhaul.

In 2004, I bought a second-hand workbench when a training workshop in Velbert Neviges closed. The occasion was the purchase of our house, built in 1890. For over 17 years I built many projects on this workbench. It has now stood in an unheated rather damp room for over 16 years and moved into the workshop in 2021. Before the overhaul I let the workbench acclimatise for a few weeks.

On this occasion, I overhauled all the surfaces and especially re-planned the top. Unfortunately, 5 mm of the thickness was lost in the process because the planing bench had warped quite a bit. I then impregnated the surface several times with Osmo wood oil and then gave it a final treatment with Osmo wood wax.

Like new!

Bright, friendly, flat

When finished, the workbench looks like new.

I repainted all the metal parts in the same process. The so-called hatchet, the area at the back of the workbench where you used to put stuff and where you used to put the planes, so that the planing knife hung freely in the air and did not come into contact with the surface of the workbench, I closed with a solid piece of beech. I also extended the surface of the planing bench to the back by gluing on a 5cm thick piece of Pollmeier beech. I know that a constructive, "beautiful" wood connection is missing here. But I honestly didn't have a real idea for it and also no time this time. All in all, there is now more space available on the workbench.

I also took the opportunity to raise the frame by 5cm with beech. This is easier on the back.

I painted the frame in the same colour as part of the walls and my other cupboards, RAL 7010 Tent Grey, a nice warm, slightly greenish grey.

I think the pictures of the renovation speak for themselves.