Need Advice To Build Wooden Workbench

[camaron32]

All winter long I've been bothering the wife about getting out into the garage to build my first workbench. Now that it's getting warmer, I thought it best to ask advice from the people who have done it.

This is what I would ask of my workbench:
1.Be mobile. I want to be able to pull it out from the wall when I need it, and then store it back against the rear wall.
2.My father gave me a rather large vise and I would like to be able to pull it out from the storage cabinet and use it.
3.Have a power strip attached to it so I can recharge my cordless tools.
4.Be wide enough so that I can work on things like a push lawn mower and other garden equipment.
5.What type of work surface should I have to help protect the wood? Should I paint it, etc?
6.I'm 6'3 tall and I would like it high enough so that I don't have to stoop.
7.I was thinking of putting an air compressor on a shelf underneath the work surface, but I'm not 100% sold on that.


Any advice or tips would be most helpful. Thank you.

 

[exmaxima]

All winter long I've been bothering the wife about getting out into the garage to build my first workbench. Now that it's getting warmer, I thought it best to ask advice from the people who have done it.

I have built several workbenches at work with wheels for mobility, and we use all of them daily. We have a variety of types: painted wood top, Formica, and maple butcher block. Depending on what you plan to do, they all have attributes.

The painted wood is fine for general uses like opening boxes, parts organizing, etc. We put cardboard on it for paint tasks. Not very attractive.

If you plan to make BIG messes/paint/degrease, etc the Formica lends itself to solvent cleaning. But you can't really bang on it too much. And it will scratch if dragging metal parts/heavy tools on it.

The maple tops look great, won't damage tools, and will last a long time. But you must consider paint spills/overspray, warping, etc. They ALWAYS look bad after a few months of use. But I like they way they look and feel.

In any case, put a lip on the rear edge to keep things from rolling off. Make the overall height 36 inches. Buy decent casters, ideally with locks if you actually plan to use the vise (or engineer a locking system that raises the wheels off the floor). A few drawers are always welcome!

Good Luck!

 

[1930artdeco]

This is what I did with my bench, but I built my bench to be rock solid and permanent. I used two sheets of 3/4 ply for the top so that I could put an engine block on it and it won't sag.

But for your application you may consider just a 3/4 and 1/4 to give a solid inch of wood for a top. That way it wont sag no matter what. It is going a bit overboard but this way you KNOW it won't. As for a top how about Formica that is screwed down? That way if it chips or anything you can remove it and replace it.

You can build it any height you want just remember you can't add to it. So make it as big and tall as you can with the best castors you can guy. The rubber ones will develop flats spots if you put to much weight on them for long periods. I know there was a thread on the GJ about someone making a welding cart that had all sorts of things attached to it. Maybe look at that and copy it but in wood.

Mike

 

[JimJamerino]

If it's just for you, I once read that workbench tops should be a couple inches or so below your elbow.

 

[Nowater]

Get Christopher Schwarz's books on workbenches if you want to do woodworking. He gives advise on materials, vises, height, you name it. Order from him and he autographs the book!

If all you want is a wooden table on which to do work, that is different. Check out Simpson Strong Tie's plans using their connectors for a weekend project. Other wise, You tube can become you friend, or you could ask Sir Google.

 

[astroracer]

Roll-a-round work stations! I have several.
About a hundred bucks into this one. You can see the outlet on the right and the long cord to plug it in.

I have two of these about 30 bucks into each one.

This old vanity was free at a yard sale. It's got a piece of 3/8th's steel on top of it now. 40 bucks if I remember right. The casters are a HF furniture dolly and you can see the outlet and extension cord. It's the grinding station. The red channel hold grinders.

This one is trash picked bathroom vanity also. Painted and raised the top to working height. It's got a piece of 1/4" plate on it. Built drawers, added a power strip on one end and tool hangers on the other.

Here it is in use.

There is a lot of things you can do. Simply buying some cheap cabinets at a box store and throwing on some casters will get you most of the way there. Of course free is good when you find it.
Mark

 

[ez-duzit]

Good ideas on re-purposing an old cabinet.

Leave the compressor out of your way; the farther the better, for noise and dust.

For a roll-around bench you could start with a large rollaway base cabinet and mount a solid 1" plywood top (or a door) covered with replaceable Masonite. This will keep your tools handy to your bench, wherever you place it. About as simple as it gets.

The simplest portable arrangement I've used was 2 folding sawhorses and a door. Stows very flat against a wall. It's very portable and can be setup almost anywhere.

If you're really determined to build something more elaborate, and are looking for a new project this is a wonderful book on workbenches that you will want to own.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1561582700/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Ask any specific questions--woodworking is my primary specialty.

 

[Always_Thinkin]

Here is a concept that I think would be ideal for the requirements that you described. Look at the photos that I attached. If you were to build the frame out of 2x4s and support the top with 2x6s it might save you some cost and beef it up to take more abuse from hammering etc. This worktable was in the Sept 2013 family handyman magazine. I would make the workbench height 42." I am 6 foot tall and my bench is at this height. I also didn't want to stoop over when working on projects and 42" is perfect. As for the work surface I would recommend a sacraficial 1/4" thick tempered hardboard on 3/4" floor grade plywood. Let the top overhang the sides and front by 3/4" for a clamping surface. I would build the worktable top 8' by 30" with the rear folding extension at 18". Obviously you would have a 4'x8' work surface to work on larger projects and your push mower. Slap on a short power strip on each end of the worktable and your vise and you're done. This concept allows you to have a 30" deep worktable against the wall. Then roll it out and setup the extension to have a 4'x8' work surface.

 

[theoldwizard1]

One common mistake folks make when building a workbench out of wood (2x4) is running screws into end grain. It just wont hold. The solution is easy.

• Line up the end grain with what ever piece it is going to attached to.
• Temporarily screws the pieces together.
• Drill 2 - 3/8" hole though the piece and into the end grain at least 2". Clear out the sawdust.
• Insert 2 - 3/8" hardwood dowels with plenty of glue.
• The temporary screw should eliminate the need for clamping but don't remove it for at least 12 hours.

 

[itspec]

One of my favorites from family handyman, will be building one as soon as my home is built.

http://www.rd.com/images/offer/fh/project_plans/pdf/FH05DJA_Workbench.pdf

 

[cramar]

One of my favorites from family handyman, will be building one as soon as my home is built.

http://www.rd.com/images/offer/fh/project_plans/pdf/FH05DJA_Workbench.pdf

Thank you for this link. This is such a great bench. I love Family Handyman, since every issue seems full of ideas I can use. It is the most practical magazine I've ever seen. I should get a subscription.

 

[heynow14]

I am 6'3" and built my bench from 4x4s and 2x6s. Building it tall was imperative and makes working at it FAR easier. I went to the metal yard nearby and got a .375" thick cold rolled steel plate. Weighed 300 lbs but it is indestructible and adds mass and heft to the bench so that you can pound on it and it feels stable and sturdy. Best part: the condensation rings from glasses of cold beer leave slight discoloration and very light rust. You can look back and count how many beers the last project took. It will outlive you and your kids kids and nothing store bought will look, wear or perform like a massive chunk of steel...period.

A few pics of the bench, etc:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixelmachine/

 

[tomshep]

Consider a pre-fab counter top from Home Depot or somewhere similar. I bought one 8' long that had a 4" lip on the back. Formica and decent thickness. Screwed it from the bottom side to a 2x12 and it is solid.

Tom

 

[Always_Thinkin]

So what have you decided to build?

 

[Fandango]

http://dreambuildfly.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/workbench_plans_SA1.pdf

I have a scaled version of this one, 48" wide instead of 60". Wheels could easily be mounted to make it mobile. If you haven't built one already.

 

[exmaxima1]

That's a good basic design. I like how the legs interlock the cross braces--should be very sturdy.