Workbench design help!

[pgray007]

After a long slog in completing the upstairs of my shop, I'm finally turning my attention to fitting out the actual workshop portion. I've been all over the place on designs and layouts, and essentially keep finding myself back where I started: not much smarter and just as uncertain.

Here's what I'm working with (yes, it's a hot mess at the moment):

Ultimately I'm thinking of building a woodworking "shop on a wall" on the right wall where the mobile bench now sits, but that's a future project. Most pressing need to replacing that god awful folding table that you can see here:

And closer...

What I'm looking for is a "handyman's bench" at this point. Somewhere I can sit on the stool and do detail work from soldering to cleaning and assembling bike parts, up to some medium-duty assembly (e.g. hitting s--t with a hammer when it won't go together). Basically my shop needs to cover working out, bicycle build/repair, general handyman stuff, and woodworking.

I've looked at 2x4 classics, those triangular "wall mount" benches that leave the floor open (along with this cool looking but arguably impractical deal):

The added wrinkle is that I also have a workout space where the black mat is for cycling, trx, and whatnot. I'm thinking this bench is probably about 8' wide and butts to the right-hand corner. The other option is to slide the bench left and leave space for some form of dust control in the corner since corner space usually seems to get wasted.

I'd build it myself out of wood since I don't know metal working. I've trolled the various bench threads but I think I'm struggling with overall garage layout and how to fit a "general" bench and woodworking-specific bench(es) into an overall layout.

 

[cvairwerks]

Butcherblock top with a set of legs. Shelve the cpu under the top, but isolate it from the pounding. Woodworking only bench should be designed for what you want to do work wise.

 

[Jinks]

I've had places like that. I solved my problems with my last build. Instead of sheetrock I covered most of my walls with pegboard. In the shop section I used both base & wall cabinets, in the garage section just wall cabinets. Cabinets create a *lot* of storage & keep the working area free. One mistake was bench only under wall cabinets. I couldn't use tall tools like a drill press, etc. To solve that I built a rolling bench similar to the one you have. I left a "nook" for my tool box, & bought a folding table saw. The saw, my compressor, my drill press, my grinder (& stand), & a QuickJack live below the wall cabinets. My chop saw, shop vac, bandsaw, a couple of skill saws, PVC parts & tools, & various other things live under the bench in base cabinets.

A lot of what your pictures show could be stored in cabinets, outside, or in the house. Do you *really* need 20+ coat hangers & a shoe caddie for the one or two items you have hung there?

 

[GrayFlattop]

If I had to start from scratch like this I would use a couple of tool cabinets on either end - spanning them with a butcher block top (as mentioned earlier).

If you have the funds, Lista cabinets will last forever and right now American Workspace has two such cabinets on their website that may have minor blemishes, but at a great price:

https://www.americanworkspace.com/junkyard-specials/7281-lista-jy99210.html

and this:

https://www.americanworkspace.com/junkyard-specials/7294-lista-jy99218.html

Even discount Lista is pricey, of course. The other option would be the good ol' standbuy - Harbor Freight:
A couple of these on either end:

https://www.harborfreight.com/26-in-x-22-in-single-bank-red-roller-cabinet-64162.html Casters and the handle may be left off if you wany - apply a butcher block top across them and you have a great workspace.

As sugggested above, wall cabinets add a ton of functional storage space. Ikea kitchen cabinets offer a lot of options, but that's just a start.

I'd consider putting the CPU in the wall cabinet to keep dust away. Drill a few holes in the top and bottom for ventilation (you can put some air filter media on it.)

 

[Marctrees]

Major pretty universal thing to remember.. for most workbenches anyway.. is to leave about 2" of top overhanging on all accessible sides.. to allow clamping work pieces to the top.

Marc

 

[pgray007]

A lot of what your pictures show could be stored in cabinets, outside, or in the house. Do you *really* need 20+ coat hangers & a shoe caddie for the one or two items you have hung there?

I see you’ve rather quickly identified the “$hit that I need to throw away” section....

In all seriousness, that’s for all the thoughts so far. I’m leaning towards some kind of wall mount bench, maybe some French cleats above for cabinets, and space under for a couple of the HF rolling drawers.

At least that’s the plan until I talk myself into something else...




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[swharris]

The first order of business, speaking as someone with lifelong struggles with ADD is to completely clear out space and take another look at it again. The clutter is killing, so to speak, your decision making part of your brain. When I look at that I instantly become paralyzed with indecision. But for whatever reason, once space is cleared, (and my OCD has sorted and categorized the junk) I can envision what I want where.

This is the same reason I must sort all my tools before putting them away. If not they will just sit in a huge pile. A curse to be sure, but solutions are there.

 

[tinysparky]

By flashing, you are talking about putting on a corded drill and running the Chuck by hand as hard as you can????

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