Craftsman Work Bench 8 Feet Stainless Steel Top?

[2JZGTESC300]

Looking to purchase a Work Bench for the shop. It will sit on the right side of my Snap On KRL1023 Tool Box.

I visited Lowes, Homedepot, Harbor Freight and found nothing to my desire. I've even looked at industrial applications along with restraunt equipments such as prepping tables.

I need it the top to be Stainless Steel, that was the reason that I looked at several restraunt Stainless Steel prepping tables.

I then went to Sears and saw an 8 feet Work Bench that I really liked and almost have purchased it but I thought I should get some comments first from you guys.

I didn't take any store pictures, but the one I want is 8 feet long, just the table frame itself in Red along with the 8 feet Stainless Steel top and the Back Metal Black Wall that has the Power Outlet with a small Canopy.

Here is a picture I found online that is similar to it. This one is Black, the other one I want is Red. Also minus the 3 drawer cabinet.

This isn't my photo, using it similar description of what I"m referring to.

The prices that I noted down while I was at the store is the followings;

8 Feet Work Bench Frame RED = $189.99
8 Feet Stainless Steel Top = $ 249.99
8 Feet Back Black Wall = $ 189.99

Roughly $700-$800 ish after taxes.

If this becomes a great Work Bench, I'm in the market for 2 set. I'm going back to Sears next weekend because they have 3 sets in stock.

Any comments would be great. If you do own the 8 feet setup, do let me know what you think of it.

Thanks in advance.

 

[bobcatdan]

Re: Craftsman Work Bench comments?

I would look at the little giant benches northern has. Good work benchs are really not too expensive when compered to what you think is a good deal at the box stores. I bought a couple workbenches made by clarke for around $250 a piece. I liked them because they are nice simple straight forward workbenches like a pro shop would have. After I bought them, I did a little more looking. Actual pro quailty benchs where only like a $100 more then my knock offs. That said they well built and have held up, but I wish I would have bought better. Just my two cents.

 

[2JZGTESC300]

Northern as in Northern Tools? I'm not familiar with that company/brand. They sent me Catalog years ago, that's the only "Northern" that comes to mind.

I just checked online on one of their Stainless Steel Work bench and the shipping is $180+. I rather put the shipping cost price into the equipment itself rather than "shipping"

I preferred to purchase stuff locally.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

I have an crafty workbench similiar to the one posted.

Major difference is mine does not have a stainless steel top. It has a composite wood top. However I only have about 150 dollars in mine.

The stainless steel ones are very nice. Thought about it but didn't want to spend the extra $. I put a couple coats of poly on the work top to protect it from all the **** that gets on it.

The workbench is extremely sturdy. I've rebuilt a couple of transfer cases and transmissions on it and have no complaints

 

[WSMC633]

I bought just the top a year ago or so. It's plenty sturdy and is holding up well. I don't think I paid that much for it though. I think I got it on sale.

 

[xurusaibobx]

i have those in our shop 3 of them to be exact. the top is solid! the frame it self is cheap thin metal so i havent really tested it out. but i used it as my computer bench at work the other guys use it as parts counters. overall for the price its good but one word of advice its a biitch to put together. make sure you read all the instructions before you start because if you add the backboard or shelves its different process and you end up taking it all apart again

 

[cbracer]

I am also in need of a workbench, though was likely going to get the 6' one but considered the 8'. My major complaint is that it's only 24" deep and I'd rather have 30" to 36" deep. That way I can put some small tool chests on it and still have room to work. They go on sale regularly and if you can wait you can get 30% off, or 20% off more often. We have stainless benches at work but I almost prefer the butcher block most of the time. I'd be curious to see what else is out there.....
saw this:
http://www.drillspot.com/products/47088/Edsal_M5331_Heavy_Duty_Industrial_Workbench

 

[Toolhorder]

I'm building my own and welding it up. I can make a kick *** bench for the cost of the C-man and it will outlast me and my kids will use it long after I'm gone.

 

[thejudges69]

some of them benches dent easy, I'm not saying the craftsman does, I'd find out what is under the stainless so that it don't dent and ding easily and it will be a solid bench.

 

[2JZGTESC300]

July 4th holiday, found some time in the early morning to go and grab the 8 foot bench, 8 foot stainless steel top, 8 foot back black wall. My friend borrowed my truck the night before and the straps were all missing. I didn't know until I bought the 8 foot craftsman. Had to tie the **** out of it to make it work. It's pretty darn heavy. Longer than the back bed of my truck.

Manage to get it back to the shop, called up my apprentice technician and had him come in and give me a hand to assemble it. I paid him for the 2 hours it took us to assemble it so he's find with it.

Here it is! I must say, it's pretty well build. I'm going to look into purchasing another set within the coming weeks when I have time.

Onto the truck.


Crazy strapping method.


2 hours later, all assembled.


Had to use my phone camera, a little blurry and crappy. Oh well.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

Looks Good!!

Mine has a black base. Your red one looks better

Did yours come with drawers?

 

[2oolhound]

I'd put cross braces on the back like you can see here in yellow or add a sheet metal back under there. I have an older cm bench with drawers and after a while the sheet metal screws lost their grip to the point the whole thing could shift from side to side locking up the drawers. I ended up building a sub frame with wheels to sit it on and then adding a solid 22 ga sheet metal back from the base up to make it more rigid.

 

[2JZGTESC300]

I wanted the Red frame/base because it's going to reside right by my Snap On Red KRL1023 Tool Box.

The above is exactly what I wanted. I didn't expect to get a T8 Light Fixture, but it came with one under the Canopy. I hooked it up just for the heck of it, no T8 Light Bulb yet. I may ditch the T8 Light Fixture and put in a T5 High Output Light Fixture, maybe a dual T5 HO.

Had no problem with the shipping box or the content inside. Everything was there. No scratches of any sort.

I don't buy alot of Craftsman, but this one actually turned out very well built. You can move it around with 2 people. 1 on each end side.

 

[2JZGTESC300]

I'd put cross braces on the back like you can see here in yellow or add a sheet metal back under there. I have an older cm bench with drawers and after a while the sheet metal screws lost their grip to the point the whole thing could shift from side to side locking up the drawers. I ended up building a sub frame with wheels to sit it on and then adding a solid 22 ga sheet metal back from the base up to make it more rigid.

I'm testing it out tomorrow by placing a BMW X5 Transmission for rebuilding.

Adding 2 sheet metal in a "X" shape isn't a bad idea. It would be extra re-inforcement. I'll keep that in mind when I have spare time to "upgrade" it a little better if I find weak points in it.

 

[xDrGeek]

I'd put cross braces on the back like you can see here in yellow or add a sheet metal back under there. I have an older cm bench with drawers and after a while the sheet metal screws lost their grip to the point the whole thing could shift from side to side locking up the drawers. I ended up building a sub frame with wheels to sit it on and then adding a solid 22 ga sheet metal back from the base up to make it more rigid.

Do you think if I got the 3 shelf/drawer unit it would do the same thing as the X brace you put in?

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-3-sh...0914942000P?prdNo=19&blockNo=69&blockType=G69

 

[82SC]

any updates on the bench? I am thinking about getting a SS vs a butcher block top.

plan to do automotive stuff plus DIY house hold jobs with it

 

[matador539]

I'm thinking of purchasing the 8' bench and making my own top. My concern is the 42" height and if this is too tall? Also if I mount a large 6 1/2" Wilton Tradesman vise to the bench top? I like the bench, but I'm not sure if I should get a bench with a shorter height approx. (38" - 39").

Any help will be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[82SC]

I was hoping the height would allow me to fit the hf tool chest under it. Just wanted to hear about the durability of the SS top

 

[rocket06]

i have the 8' version. I went to a local sheet metal place and had them make a galvanized steel top to go over the particle board. Cost about $45 and very durable.

 

[2JZGTESC300]

Haven't been on much. The bench is holding up very well. I still kept the white protective plastic wrap that is on the stainless steel top. I didn't want to get it scratch much so I got two pieces of MDF boards cut from Homedepot to sit ontop of the stainless steel top. It went through 9 transmission rebuilding, holds up very well. It's pretty long for a house/garage usage. For a automotive shop, it works great. If the shop was a little bigger, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase another one. It still looks brand new like the first day that I bought it. The shine is still there for the Black and Red color. I've wiped it down numerous times to keep liquid off of it. Great bench!

 

[MPOWERD]

Mind if I ask... Did you buy the steel top mainly for support strength for the bench vs a wooden base?

 

[pipsters]

I was thinking of getting the 6' for some work benches that I was going to make out of metal tube 2x2x1/8".

Also Ikea has a couple, one is 4'x24" ($100) and one is 5'x30" ($130).

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40115532/

I believe the Craftsman has MDF inside where as the Ikea has particle board. I would think the Craftsman is a little bit heavier duty as well.

 

[2oolhound]

Do you think if I got the 3 shelf/drawer unit it would do the same thing as the X brace you put in?

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-3-sh...0914942000P?prdNo=19&blockNo=69&blockType=G69

The shelf unit still does not have anything to prevent sway. It would need a solid sheet metal back panel. Diagonal bracing is extremely important. It is what is used for earthquake prevention in modern buildings. Google "diagonal bracing" for more info. The "X" bracing is the simplest form but a solid sheet will provide the same support as an "X" and it prevents stuff from falling off the back of the shelves. Once a structure gets a few bumps and those 90' joints get loosened the structure will never be the same and it will start to sway. The best time to add braces is when it is new and all the 90' joints are still tight.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Just an FYI. I have seen the 6' and 8' stainless tops on sale as scratch and dent at sears outlet for 60% off. I bought two at that price and will post pics once my shop is up and running.
Keep an eye out if you aren't particular about a dented corner.

 

[eScore]

I sure would like to find one of these for sale again. Of course everything good has to go away and be replaced by junk.

 

[Andres26tnt]

I sure would like to find one of these for sale again. Of course everything good has to go away and be replaced by junk.

Make your own. I stop buying and started making. You can get a regular workbench and buy a slab of stainless to size or cut in half for ease of shipping.

I got a 62" foldable wood workbench, bought it for 70$. I bought a slab of 1/8 aluminium to size. I wanted my surface to be soft for reasons. Then I measured and screwed/glued the slab to the table. I took a 2x4 and made supports to strengthen the table. All spent was about 170$ the table was super solid, will take a beating and keeper the foldable feature.

 

[driftpin]

This thread is from awhile ago, but since someone added to it, I am inputting my experience with the Craftsman 4' X 8' workbench frame, and what I did to make it work better for me.

I bought Gladiator welded cabinets, a Gladiator workbench frame, and a Sears Craftsman 8 ft workbench frame, no top. I also got 3 Craftsman roll-around tool cabinets about 34 inches tall, they all fit neatly beneath the Craftsman 8 ft workbench frame. It was all on-sale, but the Gladiator workbench frame, I bought off CL.

For sturdiness, the Gladiator frame far surpasses the Craftsman 8 ft workbench frame. That said, I made some additions to the Craftsman 8 ft frame, to make it sturdy-enough to do whatever I needed on it.

I bought a 4' X 8' 3/4" plywood sheet, and ripped it into two 2' X 8' pieces. I screwed and glued it together, and then I bought a 3/16" piece of steel sheet, 4' X 8'. That got through-bolted to the Craftsman frame with the 1-1/2" of plywood (the two 2' X 8' pieces). I keep it waxed to keep it from rusting. I didn't want a SS top.

The 3/16" steel top allows me to throw-onto it things where I don't need to worry about it denting. Through-bolting the steel top, the sandwiched two 3/4" pieces of glued & screwed plywood and the Craftsman frame together, makes it a much-more rugged piece. It's also tapcon'ed to the CBS wall, so no rocking or swaying. The 26" wide Craftsman roll-around cabinets beneath the workbench are easily removable for vacuuming. Two are drawer units and one is vertical doors and shelving. I am very-happy with how it came-out. I bought it at a Sears store in Ft. Lauderdale during a Christmas sale, the frame was < $90. The CDX 3/4" plywood for the top was whatever plywood was going-for, pre-COVID, and I don't recall the price of the 3/16" 4' X 8' rolled-steel top, but it wasn't bad.



I used a modified french cleat system for tool storage on the wall above my 2' X 8' Craftsman frame workbench. It's called 'Geartrack,' I believe, and Sears and Gladiator sold it. Gladiator is a Whirlpool Corp. product. Their Premier welded-steel cabinets are very good for a home shop.



The Gladiator Premier welded-steel wall cabinets, tapcon'ed and ledger board supported to my CBS wall.



A head-on shot of the Craftsman 2' X 8' workbench frame, with my 1-1/2" thick plywood top covered with 3/16" rolled steel sheet. Note how the Craftsman 26" roll-around cabinets fit neatly underneath the workbench. Please excuse the blurry cellphone pic.





Bonus pic of storage for my 'cherry-picker' hydraulic lift, in the space between garage doors. The bell at the top is the 'pizza bell' which the grandsons like to ring when we have them over for pizza, they're young. You pull a lever to actuate the striker. It's rescued from a Miami public school emergency warning system.



Another bonus pic, of a hydraulic/electrical lift for heavy things into a ~240 sq. ft. loft located at the rear-half of my traditional 2-car attached garage. It swivels 360 degrees and at its 'short' extension is rated for 2,000 lbs. The electrical winch is also rated for 2,000 lbs.