make.jpg

The Megabench

Posted by 141drew Posted onApr 12, 2010 at 3:55 PM and filed under Reviews & Features
Updated onUpdated on May 28, 2021 at 11:37 AM


Our pals over at Make found another hidden jewel. Some man-room-maniac decided to build the ultimate work bench. As he did so, he recorded the process with his digital camera and uploaded the results to Flickr. We’ve got a ton of great work bench threads on TGJ and this is a worthy addition.

Check it out.


See Comments on the forum.

View thread (49 replies)
S

sirsloop

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 23, 2009
Messages
1,220
Could be more mega... needs like a vise on there, wider shelves on the bottom, a few power strips mounted under the front lip of the bench, and possibly some more pegboard up top. Not a bad start to megabench.
 
S

sirsloop

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 23, 2009
Messages
1,220
yeah.. put another 8 footer on top of those two with stairs going to it... then we can talk
 
R

rwhite692

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 4, 2008
Messages
1,850
Location
Central Valley, CA
Megabench looks to be at a pretty short (Umpalumpa?) working height.

The lack of any vertical supports near the center of (what looks to be) each 8' span is concerning....

As sirloop commented, Megabench needs a vise or two.

and....

Is that a parking garage, or a giant robot lurking outside the window?
 
Last edited:
S

sirsloop

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 23, 2009
Messages
1,220
I agree somewhat with the bracing comment. Mine does not have any center support but then again I have .7" plywood screwed in all the way on the back giving it some added support. If I drop like 200lbs on there it'll flex a tiny bit.
 
1

1984GMC

Banned
Joined
Jan 2, 2010
Messages
625
Location
Gum Spring,Va.
I'm not a big fan of having a shelf on top of a workbench, I use mine to POUND on **** with big hammers and find that **** is always falling off the small shelf I have.
 
G

gc427

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 7, 2009
Messages
263
Location
Glendale, AZ
That thing isn't too bad for a small-budget light duty workbench.

However that "megabench" couldn't even hold the jockstrap of MANY workbenches posted on GJ's site.

The "megabench" looks extremely generic, lacks any style or subtle details and does not have the massive strength that some of the REAL BENCHES that have been posted in these parts have shown us.

"megabench" = FAIL! :monkey_po
 
J

Jimm

New member
Joined
Apr 14, 2010
Messages
2
Thanks for the interest in my bench. I can't believe a silly photo set of my basement turned into a mini viral DIY-blog "thing."

This thread is cracking me up. A monkey pooping? Fail? Mega-lame? Yawn? You folks are what I love about the internet. It's a bench built for me, by me. That makes it perfect.

To address a couple specific points:

A "low budget light duty bench" is exactly what it is. I just needed a place to do stuff. Gluing one of my kid's toys, building a model, working on a halloween costume, building my world-dominating death ray, that sort of stuff.

A vise is coming. I have my dremel vise but I'll be getting a real one soon.

The shelf. Yeah. It didn't come out too well and will soon be re-done. It's not as bad as it looks in the photo, but still.

Bracing. I thought about that but ultimately decided nothing really heavy will be going on it so I could do without. I built the bench to come apart easily if need be so I can always modify it if it needs it down the road.

This is a work in progress. More Mega is currently on order via UPS.

Cheers,

Jim
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
B

BioHazard

Banned
Joined
Feb 3, 2010
Messages
743
Jimm said:
This thread is cracking me up. A monkey pooping? Fail? Mega-lame? Yawn? You folks are what I love about the internet. It's a bench built for me, by me. That makes it perfect.
Click to expand...
I think the point is Ryan posted this article like it's the most amazing workbench ever. I've seen worse, but I don't see anything at all that sets your bench apart from others....or makes it "mega".

My bench isn't "mega" either...but I don't bother posting pics, either.
 
M

milkovich

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2007
Messages
677
Location
Akron Ohio
Jimm,

GJ may be worksafe, but it's not "ego safe" by any stretch. Guys with one and a half car garages are free to slam away at "Mega" garages with 8 barstools and three flat screens but no floor jack.

This is a great forum and the guys are pretty passionate around here, but it's also a bunch of dudes that sit around talking about tools and have most of the snap-on catalog memorized. I wouldn't take anything they post too personally (unless they make fun of your dog) and I wouldn't stop contributing. Welcome to GJ!
 
J

Jimm

New member
Joined
Apr 14, 2010
Messages
2
Thanks, milkovich.

No worries. My ego is perfectly intact. I've been around the 'net long enough to know you can't mention your favorite color without someone telling you why your favorite color is wrong and you're a bad person for choosing it. I can certainly appreciate their passion for tools and benches.

I just hope they don't find out the bench isn't in my garage, it's in my basement. They'll really let me have it then!

Jim
 
1

1950ChevySuburban

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
147
Location
Tucson, AZ
How many here went to his second page and saw the guitar he built?

I like the bench so far, Jim. I'd certainly add a row of outlets under the front edge.
 
T

tonydanzah

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 14, 2009
Messages
5,275
Location
the champagne of people
BioHazard said:
I think the point is Ryan posted this article like it's the most amazing workbench ever. I've seen worse, but I don't see anything at all that sets your bench apart from others....or makes it "mega".

My bench isn't "mega" either...but I don't bother posting pics, either.
Click to expand...

exactly


.........
 
G

gc427

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 7, 2009
Messages
263
Location
Glendale, AZ
Jimm said:
Thanks for the interest in my bench. I can't believe a silly photo set of my basement turned into a mini viral DIY-blog "thing."

This thread is cracking me up. A monkey pooping? Fail? Mega-lame? Yawn? You folks are what I love about the internet. It's a bench built for me, by me. That makes it perfect.
Click to expand...

I did not mean to offend you or take a **** on your megbench. :beer:

Just the fact that Ryan seemed to put your megabench over as the "end-all-be-all" of workbenches was just kind of exaggerated.

It is as I said a generic, low-budget light duty workbench. You should be proud of your work and keep making your project better over time.

Don't let a few of us "critics" discourage you. :thumbup:
 
T

TireTracks

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2009
Messages
2,397
Location
Yakima,Washington.
Nice bench. But if thats "the mega bench" i should post up our benches.

My dads runs amost the length of our shop, and is made of 2x6's(top is 2x6's too). It's strong enough to support a old craftsman (atlas,IIRc?) lathe that took 4 people to set if up there(good use for our engine crane,wish we had it then)

Then there is my bench. it's made of 2x4's and plywood. but it's 2ftx8ft long, with a 2x8' shelf above the work area with a light and pegboard beind it.
 
G

Gizzy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
159
Location
NW Ohio
I think if it works for you great.I might change a few things, but overall....I like it.
 
F

Flathead Youngin'

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 3, 2006
Messages
493
Location
Southern Ohio
i started a bench almost exactly like this in my basement....i even made half of it sitting height and the other half standing height......

i love it! i wanted a spot for soldering, misc. little clean inside work, stereo stuff, power supply, work on kid's broken toys, etc....

i made it as far as the bench and the peg board....now it's all piled mess.....this was about 7 years ago.....like most of my projects, it's unfinished...

i love the organization of it!
 
M

mjozefow

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 9, 2009
Messages
2,111
Location
Lafayette, IN
It is a really nice bench , but there are some benches on here that are much more "mega". I know a lot of guys on here are using 1" plate and upwards as bench tops. That is "MEGA"

It is a nice well organized set-up though. I like it!
 
J

jake26

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 13, 2010
Messages
251
milkovich said:
Jimm,

GJ may be worksafe, but it's not "ego safe" by any stretch. Guys with one and a half car garages are free to slam away at "Mega" garages with 8 barstools and three flat screens but no floor jack.

This is a great forum and the guys are pretty passionate around here, but it's also a bunch of dudes that sit around talking about tools and have most of the snap-on catalog memorized. I wouldn't take anything they post too personally (unless they make fun of your dog) and I wouldn't stop contributing. Welcome to GJ!
Click to expand...

I need to remember this too. I had plans on posting some pics about my garage makeover here since I found so much great advice and wonderful ideas from the forum. I for one would love a mega bench, with a few modifications.
 
N

Nighttrain

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
2,682
Location
Dripping Springs, Tx
Jimm,

If you post another picture of your work bench with an EPIC model laying on it modeling one of your Halloween costumes, you will be the “King of all Kings Work Bench Builders” on this forum.

The bench looks great and fits your needs! That’s all that matters!
 
R

Rkfdspeed

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2009
Messages
19
Jimm said:
Thanks for the interest in my bench. I can't believe a silly photo set of my basement turned into a mini viral DIY-blog "thing."

This thread is cracking me up. A monkey pooping? Fail? Mega-lame? Yawn? You folks are what I love about the internet. It's a bench built for me, by me. That makes it perfect.

To address a couple specific points:

A "low budget light duty bench" is exactly what it is. I just needed a place to do stuff. Gluing one of my kid's toys, building a model, working on a halloween costume, building my world-dominating death ray, that sort of stuff.

A vise is coming. I have my dremel vise but I'll be getting a real one soon.

The shelf. Yeah. It didn't come out too well and will soon be re-done. It's not as bad as it looks in the photo, but still.

Bracing. I thought about that but ultimately decided nothing really heavy will be going on it so I could do without. I built the bench to come apart easily if need be so I can always modify it if it needs it down the road.

This is a work in progress. More Mega is currently on order via UPS.

Cheers,

Jim
Click to expand...

:bounce: gotta love a great reply...welcome Jim.
 
E

er1c

Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2011
Messages
16
Location
New York, USA
Far from a mega-bench... Really--- how is this anything other than a basic, run-of-the-mill workbench?

Am I failing to see something?
 
Last edited:
R

reinhardt

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 2, 2010
Messages
384
welcome to the board, happy to have ya hear. I would call it a quality bench and a good starting point. but i wouldn't say megabench, my bench is megabench! i built my bench a year ago and have been steadily adding to it as i figure out something else i want it to do. good looking craftsmanship there.

ben
 
B

blazsawgras

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 5, 2010
Messages
282
Location
southern va.
nice bench everyone has different needs for their workbench i guess a workbench is like a car everyones needs are different. i like the bench.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!