What's your workbench look like?

[Scuba Steve33]

Nothing special but then again it is my first space and at 22 I don't think I'm doing too bad. Have to make due with what I have for now, the '70 Chevelle is taking up everything!!

My toolbox and most other stuff is on the opposite end. I wish I could have everything together but this works for now. I'm definitely going to build my own workbench eventually, the half shelf top is a decent size but nowhere as big as I'd like.

Yes, that is a branch holding the shop towels but it works flawlessly. Gotta improvise!

[mdbeck1]

Originally Posted by Kevin54

How the heck does he find anything on there

I'll bet you an e-beer that the "old man" can walk right out there and pick up ANYTHING he's wanting.

Just don't touch anything before you make the bet. He'll probably whoop you.

[gtixpress]

Originally Posted by Scuba Steve33

Nothing special but then again it is my first space and at 22 I don't think I'm doing too bad. Have to make due with what I have for now, the '70 Chevelle is taking up everything!!

My toolbox and most other stuff is on the opposite end. I wish I could have everything together but this works for now. I'm definitely going to build my own workbench eventually, the half shelf top is a decent size but nowhere as big as I'd like.

Yes, that is a branch holding the shop towels but it works flawlessly. Gotta improvise!

I had the same shelves for my first bench as well. The only difference is that I used some 2x4s and made a bench top. That way I could pound on things and not damage the cheap fiber-board that it comes with.

[Jack Olsen]

I'm going to post an update. I recently got rid of the bench you see in this picture:



It was a tool box with a solid-core door on the top of it.

In its place, I wanted a bench with more storage (since the toolbox was only 18" deep, and left space behind it) and also to have a comfortable place to sit while working on smaller stuff.

I made the new bench out of a taller set of drawers that I chopped in half and added one false front where I put my air hose reel.

Here is the donor cabinet:



And here are some pictures from the transformation:









I re-painted and then had the chair re-upholstered for it. This is where it started:



In the process of building the bench, I also added a vise and replaced my old drill press. Here's the vise:



The drill press started out like this:



And ended up like this:



At the end of the whole deal, this is what it came out like:

[JimVonBaden]

I'm no leg humper, but damn Jack, that is nice!

Jim

[Scuba Steve33]

Originally Posted by gtixpress

I had the same shelves for my first bench as well. The only difference is that I used some 2x4s and made a bench top. That way I could pound on things and not damage the cheap fiber-board that it comes with.

I was going to do something like that. I have a table with fold out legs that's pretty sturdy and can take a thrashing that I pull out if I need to do heavy work. Hopefully soon I'll have my own full built bench. For right now it gets the job done.

[mrbreezeet1]

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

I'm no leg humper, but damn Jack, that is nice!

Jim

yeah, it's beautiful.

[MeridianCreek]

[QUOTE=Jim Stabe;1538897]3/4" steel top for fabricating. Receiver tubing in the corners for mounting tools (planishing hammer, shrinkers, beverly shear, vise, etc). It weight about 600 lbs


Attachment 116125


Any more pics of the drawer? Is that a custom design?

[MaxxDog]

Jack,

Is there a separate thread somewhere on the drill press refurb?

[Mmfh]

Nice Job Jack! That is one hell of a upgrade, nice upgrade on the drill press as well! I didn't read about what you used for the new work surface, looks like maybe a solid core door? Is it the same door as you used before?

The old picture showed a metal wrap around the edge of that table top, is that just steel that you bent to fit the door edge?

Again, nice work!

Mm

[crowesnest]

Here is a few pics of my workbench

PC090224.JPG
PC090224.JPG
PC090228.JPG
PC090229.JPG

[Jack Olsen]

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

I'm no leg humper, but damn Jack, that is nice!

Jim

Originally Posted by mrbreezeet1

yeah, it's beautiful.

Thank you very much.

Originally Posted by MaxxDog

Jack,

Is there a separate thread somewhere on the drill press refurb?

No. I just painted it and buffed out the metal parts. And re-wired it. And added a different kind of switch. And a new handle.

Maybe I should have done a thread on it?

Most of the details are in my main garage thread, starting right about here.

Originally Posted by Mmfh

Nice Job Jack! That is one hell of a upgrade, nice upgrade on the drill press as well! I didn't read about what you used for the new work surface, looks like maybe a solid core door? Is it the same door as you used before?

The old picture showed a metal wrap around the edge of that table top, is that just steel that you bent to fit the door edge?

Again, nice work!

Mm

Thanks. I sold the solid core-door with the old tool box. For this bench, I sprung for a piece of Oak butcher block at Ikea. I knew I wanted to give a shape the edge of this bench so the chair wouldn't be sticking out and tripping me and also so I wouldn't be hitting a corner every time I leaned over to the Craftsman tool box stack. So the solid core door wasn't going to work for that -- it would have exposed the heart of the thing, which was basically particle board.

[Kevin54]

I just finished this up yesterday so I could mount my small lathe to it. I added some HF rollers to the bottom. I also mounted my vise that hasn't been mounted to a bench for years. I was going to use Masonite for the top but then figured if things were going to be bolted down, then I couldn't swap it out too easy, so I picked up two packages or laminate flooring. Easy to wipe off. And if I do any dirty work, I can toss the Masonite on top to do it. BTW....the table is 4'x8' so I didn't have to rip anything down other than cut the ends off of the flooring,

[Wingnut65]

Kevin, I love that workbench. That top is almost too nice to work on. I will seriously consider wood flooring for a work surface. Congrats. Nice lathe, too. Hoping to get the motor for mine fixed today.

[DoyleDee]

Jack, why red??? your shop looks so cool and old school/high tech that the green went so well.

Kevin, how's the shoulder?

[Plump]

IMG_0006.jpg

It's a complete mess due to some drywalling and rewiring that I'm doing....not that's it's ever real clean.

This is the first bench I built when I bought my house. It's funny when you need to build something to build everything else. I would change a few things about it but a sold core door top makes it plenty strong, lagged into the wall studs to keep it stable.

I've got a lightweight bench on the adjacent wall for small projects, food line, junk.

IMG_0017.jpg
Also a "bar" island that we watch games around, prep food, and hang out at. It's also my de facto cutting table for larger pieces since it's usually pretty clean and I can get something large actually on it! It's a mess since I'm doing some work in my kitchen right now. Excuses, excuses!

[mrbreezeet1]

Originally Posted by crowesnest

Here is a few pics of my workbench

Attachment 174528
Attachment 174528
Attachment 174525
Attachment 174526

Is that a Logan Lathe?

[crowesnest]

No Mrbreezeet1 it is a Clausing 12x36 Quick change gearbox

[crowesnest]

Kevin Like the bench alot and that is a nice lathe you have there.

[crowesnest]

Jack like the way the bench turned out. Also hoping to pick up a rockwell drill press that is like the one you just done. It is on craigslist and i am going to look at in the next few days when we both could set it up. Dont think $65.00 is bad for it. Has some rust but not something that will not clean up. And i will say it again you have done a great job on everthing in your gargage. Scott