The bench of procrastination

[rsnip988]

Love this bench, great planning and follow through! I hope mine looks half as nice when I get around to building it!

 

[The mean fish]

So I've hit a bit of a roadblock, I need to do something to the ends of the wood top but those ends will be set back inside of the pallet rack uprights it'll live between. I'm at 12' wide exactly on the bench frame so I really can't/don't want to add any width to the bench at this point.

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I'm thinking of taking some more of the 1/4" angle I used on the front edge and running it down the sides to cover the end of the wood but without routing it flush into the table. I'd really like to have some sort of lip on the ends to prevent things from rolling off or getting pushed off into no man's land where I can't get to it.

 

[CJ7VFR]

I'm thinking of taking some more of the 1/4" angle I used on the front edge and running it down the sides to cover the end of the wood but without routing it flush into the table. I'd really like to have some sort of lip on the ends to prevent things from rolling off or getting pushed off into no man's land where I can't get to it.

That would work great for protecting the ends of the wood from getting damaged and loosing stuff!

But I would go one extra step and make the angle iron easily removable. This way, if you ever wanted to put something very long on the bench, it would not ride up on the angle on the ends and make your stuff wobble.

Jim

 

[The mean fish]

That would work great for protecting the ends of the wood from getting damaged and loosing stuff!

But I would go one extra step and make the angle iron easily removable. This way, if you ever wanted to put something very long on the bench, it would not ride up on the angle on the ends and make your stuff wobble.

Jim

I thought about that but it'll still be 11' 9" between the raised angle iron ends if I did it that way, that's pretty long. I've also got a few other work areas in the shop where something that long could be sat down flat.

 

[matt_i]

On the end you could use cold rolled flat bar, make it stick up above the top plane around 1/2" (or whatever suits) and still be flush with the bottom of the angle iron. Countersink metal and use deck screws (see also ABC-Spax and GRK-R4) into the edge of the door.

 

[The mean fish]

On the end you could use cold rolled flat bar, make it stick up above the top plane around 1/2" (or whatever suits) and still be flush with the bottom of the angle iron. Countersink metal and use deck screws (see also ABC-Spax and GRK-R4) into the edge of the door.

Hmmmmmmm, now we're talking. I'd have to recut the ends of the doors though, they're both horrible cuts.

 

[MattVette89]

That looks great!

 

[matt_i]

Don't have to recut the door. You put the vertical flat bar on as above, it has a ragged edge on the inside.

Sister a shorter piece of flat bar or keystock (square bar...don't need the higher grade machine-keystock, just 1018 CRS) on the inside to match height of the metal above and work as a "trim piece"

 

[The mean fish]

So I gave the angle iron a try on the surface and I don't like it much. I think I'm going to route the top down and put the ends on just like the front, that means the entire back has to come off so I can route the top.

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[mybigwarwagon]

Nice work.

 

[rick carpenter]

Nice job! My 2 pc 14' x 18" bench is made of the same material. After you finish yours, you may want to consider a sacrificial top since the door skin is not a super hard wood. I bathed two sheets of mdf several times on all six sides with a ~equal mix of boiled linseed oil, varnish, and turpentine. They lay flat & still by themselves, I only put one screw in each back corner. I have a 1x12 apron on front that is raised up flush with the mdf. I'm not afraid to wail on things on it and I don't worry about scratching it. I haven't even had to flip the mdf yet, and it's several years old.

The area behind the boxes could be used to hide valuables if sheet metal skins painted red to match the boxes were made to cover it up.

 

[bzinsky]

So I gave the angle iron a try on the surface and I don't like it much. I think I'm going to route the top down and put the ends on just like the front, that means the entire back has to come off so I can route the top.

read all your posts, nice bench, I was about to suggest you keep it flush.

There will no doubt be a point where you want a long flat surface and to be able to hang stuff over the sides. When you have a raised lip on the end, you're limited to where you can place something flat.

 

[bzinsky]

Just thought of another cool idea for the end, maybe use a piece of U shaped steel and screw it in, will make sort of a catch for small things rolling off, could also serve as a place to brush saw dust or dirt into

 

[LXCam]

Looking good! As for the end I'd finish up the angle you're building. Then install a piece of flat bar screwed into the angle with only maybe 2-3 machine screws or those counter sunk ones you have now. That way if you needed to lay something long up there, it's an easy removal. There's nothing more agravating then having **** roll off the bench, they always seem to disappear.

 

[SCMW]

Absolutely beautiful bench Fish!!! I'm in the process of rebuilding a 1928 masonry corner store building that is part of our shop space. I currently do my welding in the back. I'm seriously thinking of building a similar bench to yours to go against a back wall with a pallet rack above it.

Again, really nice work!

Terry

 

[vonhef]

I like your design... great job!

 

[jkherd]

Nice job, I like it!

 

[FunkyfullWidth]

why not just put the angle iron on the other way? Angle up, router it in to make it flush. 45 the end facing out and but the other against the back splash.

 

[The mean fish]

Well I couldn't live with the surface mounted angle iron on the ends so I decided to tear it apart and do it right.

First I pulled the front piece off and cleaned it up to get ready for paint then temporarily put it back to fit the end pieces.

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[The mean fish]

I took off the back then I started routing the ends.

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[The mean fish]

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[The mean fish]

All ground to fit and screwed down.

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[The mean fish]

Knocked out the other end real quick.

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[matt_i]

Looking good. I would touch a file to the corner "point" on the angle iron, just to smooth the sharp corner over. Grinder is too aggressive here, just a single cut file will do.

 

[The mean fish]

https://scontent-dfw1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlt1/v/t1.0-9/12794591_10154877060323849_7314175602246977173_n.jpg?oh=04d7168bce5b9c248ffe8496efa555f4&oe=575359E9

 

[matt_i]

Looks like you beat me to it, lol

 

[The mean fish]

Looking good. I would touch a file to the corner "point" on the angle iron, just to smooth the sharp corner over. Grinder is too aggressive here, just a single cut file will do.

I've got some fine grit fiber disks that I'm going to clean up all the edges with before I paint anything, it leaves a perfectly smooth edge.

 

[ADSR]

looks fantastic!

 

[The mean fish]

So the next piece of insanity is trying to sink some dual duplex 20amp outlets in the upright back of the top. I really don't want to do anything that's going to push the bench further away from the wall, right now it'll fit smooth against my plywood wall. I've only got the 1 3/4" thickness to work with...

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That's where I left it tonight, I'll put some thought into the outlets tomorrow.

 

[The mean fish]

I made some progress today. I prepped and painted the angle that runs down the front and sides of the table top. I've got 2 more coats to go.

https://scontent-dfw1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/t31.0-8/736867_10154884836463849_4487398698389499279_o.jpg

I also cut out the holes for the 4 2 gang boxes which will give me 8 duplex outlets along the back of the top.

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I'm going to wire these back to some j-boxes under the counter top with some 12/2 SO cord. I'm also going to put outlets in the j-boxes below for things that can get plugged in and hidden underneath.

 

[The mean fish]

A quick mockup after I mounted the boxes.

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I even dug out an old box of nice red 20amp HG outlets so I could stick with the red and black color scheme.

https://scontent-dfw1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/12800397_10154884851098849_8776982205607580643_n.jpg?oh=9a5312b66baf7916b35f0087f80d12d6&oe=5765A968

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[CNGsaves]

^ ^^ ^ Red outlets are . . . . . Too COOL !!!

You're building the "Ultimate Steevo HF bench" upgrade . . . I like it !!

Keep up the great work with lots of PIC's.

Now at a prior job, we had our red plugs on protected power (a giant inverter) . . .
. . . . so OP . . do you have a genset/inverter lined up to power those plugs ???

 

[The mean fish]

^ ^^ ^ Red outlets are . . . . . Too COOL !!!

You're building the "Ultimate Steevo HF bench" upgrade . . . I like it !!

Keep up the great work with lots of PIC's.

Now at a prior job, we had our red plugs on protected power (a giant inverter) . . .
. . . . so OP . . do you have a genset/inverter lined up to power those plugs ???

Actually, my shop is on backup generator with a 200amp auto transfer switch with my house. The outlets are only for looks though.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I got here too late. I would have suggested you run plug strips along the top front of your cabinet instead of along the backsplash. Although plugs on the wall work great for dedicated kitchen appliances, I've found that having them up front and under the bench top makes it so your cords are not lying atop your project or knocking it off the bench.

 

[The mean fish]

I got here too late. I would have suggested you run plug strips along the top front of your cabinet instead of along the backsplash. Although plugs on the wall work great for dedicated kitchen appliances, I've found that having them up front and under the bench top makes it so your cords are not lying atop your project or knocking it off the bench.

I'm going to mount a couple outlets underneath the top in the sitting area and above the bench itself on the shelves that it will sit under.

 

[The mean fish]

I was able to get a coat of stain on the top this afternoon.

https://scontent-dfw1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/12795353_10154884852773849_1830055465234835374_n.jpg?oh=04a6bd70692258b63a268cb4f8847fc1&oe=57917FDB

Sanded and cleaned up.

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A buddy recommended this, so far it's been amazing.

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I'm applying it with a large cheap brush.

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I also put a second coat of black paint on the metal trim.

 

[shortykorte]

Wow, nice bench. I appreciate the work that went into the top metal corners. Great job!

 

[wrench409]

Question on the recessed Torx screws.....are they going into just plain wood or into a metal nut of some kind? I know they come with tips that thread into the beams under the flooring of trailers, but I am curious about that. What kind of paint did you use on the angle iron itself?

I will likely do mine in the same manner you did - solid core door, angle iron edging. Will you be using a sealer or urethane on the top?

 

[The mean fish]

Question on the recessed Torx screws.....are they going into just plain wood or into a metal nut of some kind? I know they come with tips that thread into the beams under the flooring of trailers, but I am curious about that. What kind of paint did you use on the angle iron itself?

I will likely do mine in the same manner you did - solid core door, angle iron edging. Will you be using a sealer or urethane on the top?

The torx screws are going though the door wood and into the 3/8" angle iron frame of the bench on the front and sides. Along the back I'm going to run some screws up through the metal frame into the underside of the door wood. I predrilled holes and countersunk them so the torx screws would sit perfectly flush. I had a bunch left over from a trailer deck job, they're working perfectly. I posted a pic where you can see them come through the bottom of the metal frame about 3/16".

I used gloss black implement paint from Tractor Supply for all the metal, once this stain on the wood dries I'm going to use some Min-Max hand wax on the wood to seal it.

 

[The mean fish]

So I picked up some metal cover plates for the red power outlets. I'm going to have to paint the covers no matter what and I had planned on painting them gloss black but now I'm thinking I maybe should paint the covers red to match the outlets. What do you guys think?