20' workbench and tool storage
- Thread starter NakeDiesel
- Start date
pgilmore7
Well-known member
Thats sweet!
Corsair4360
Well-known member
Great shop, great workbench and very clever ideas for storing your battery tools, air tools, etc. Great ideas for my new garage (hope to build it this year if I can get all the approvals from the city).
bad_idea
Well-known member
You could put a tig wire holder/organizer behind the tool chest on the end of the bench.
Good looking shop. I could fit my house in there. Twice. With room left over to put my garage in too.
Good looking shop. I could fit my house in there. Twice. With room left over to put my garage in too.
OP
NakeDiesel
Well-known member
I don't do any welding on that bench, I have another table made out of 2" square tubing and a 3/8" thick plate top. It has my vice, stone grinder and drill press on it. I use the opening on the left side to store my long wood working clamps behind the bench so they are out of the way.
I'm actually looking to add an 18' leanto onto the back side of the shop where I will eventually enclose 60' of the length to make a wood working shop and a car paint bay and a 12' leanto onto the front of the shop to keep rain out of the doors when they are open and to get my tractor and other stuff out of the weather.
I'm actually looking to add an 18' leanto onto the back side of the shop where I will eventually enclose 60' of the length to make a wood working shop and a car paint bay and a 12' leanto onto the front of the shop to keep rain out of the doors when they are open and to get my tractor and other stuff out of the weather.
Kaizen
Well-known member
very nice. after a year of using it do you like the air tool storage? is it a pita putting them away?
OP
NakeDiesel
Well-known member
I love the air tool storage, they are easy to reach, centrally located on the bench. They are easy to slide out, grab and release the one you want one hand. I don't have to continually search for air chucks...
Rad400
Member
sweet workbench.
aloxdaddy99
Active member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2010
- Messages
- 27
Love the air tool storage! I am going to barrow the idea for sure!
R6 Racer
Well-known member
Love all of it. Thanks for taking the time to post all your work. Very inspirational!
I have an idea for behind at least 1 of the tool boxes.
I think a big old flat screen TV would fit back there nice. Install it on a gizmo that could rise up & bring up the TV from behind. When your not using the TV it would sit down behind the box. Outa sight with a bit of security too, when its not in use.
Steve
I have an idea for behind at least 1 of the tool boxes.
I think a big old flat screen TV would fit back there nice. Install it on a gizmo that could rise up & bring up the TV from behind. When your not using the TV it would sit down behind the box. Outa sight with a bit of security too, when its not in use.
Steve
OP
NakeDiesel
Well-known member
It's been almost 2 years since I've built the bench, and have really used the heck out of it. It does tend to get piled up during projects with tools and parts and will have to take time and clear it off before starting something new.
My observations for the time of using it.
Need to get around and get the levelers put under it to raise it up just enough to get my cherry picker under it. It's not easy getting some things from the cherry picker to the bench top with the way it is now, can only get the cherry picker in at an angle at certain places along it.
A backsplash would have been nice to keep sockets from rolling off the back or oil from spilling down the back like it did tonight while disassembling a 47re transmission on it.
The wood has held up great and not in a hurry to put metal on it any time soon.
The 3 tool boxes I put in it are pretty much full, needs a 4th toolbox... maybe I will build an extension and turn the corner to put the infrequently used tools in that one.
Need to make a transmission support bracket that I can raise up when needed to help with transmission assemblies. I've torn the th400 down and back together 3 or 4 times on it over this time and now tearing a 47re down and rebuilding it along with the np 241 dhd that is going with it.
My observations for the time of using it.
Need to get around and get the levelers put under it to raise it up just enough to get my cherry picker under it. It's not easy getting some things from the cherry picker to the bench top with the way it is now, can only get the cherry picker in at an angle at certain places along it.
A backsplash would have been nice to keep sockets from rolling off the back or oil from spilling down the back like it did tonight while disassembling a 47re transmission on it.
The wood has held up great and not in a hurry to put metal on it any time soon.
The 3 tool boxes I put in it are pretty much full, needs a 4th toolbox... maybe I will build an extension and turn the corner to put the infrequently used tools in that one.
Need to make a transmission support bracket that I can raise up when needed to help with transmission assemblies. I've torn the th400 down and back together 3 or 4 times on it over this time and now tearing a 47re down and rebuilding it along with the np 241 dhd that is going with it.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
It's been almost 2 years since I've built the bench, and have really used the heck out of it. It does tend to get piled up during projects with tools and parts and will have to take time and clear it off before starting something new.
My observations for the time of using it.
Need to get around and get the levelers put under it to raise it up just enough to get my cherry picker under it. It's not easy getting some things from the cherry picker to the bench top with the way it is now, can only get the cherry picker in at an angle at certain places along it.
A backsplash would have been nice to keep sockets from rolling off the back or oil from spilling down the back like it did tonight while disassembling a 47re transmission on it.
The wood has held up great and not in a hurry to put metal on it any time soon.
The 3 tool boxes I put in it are pretty much full, needs a 4th toolbox... maybe I will build an extension and turn the corner to put the infrequently used tools in that one.
Need to make a transmission support bracket that I can raise up when needed to help with transmission assemblies. I've torn the th400 down and back together 3 or 4 times on it over this time and now tearing a 47re down and rebuilding it along with the np 241 dhd that is going with it.
A flip up or concealed transmission mount would be nice. I fabricated one similar to the OTC one commercially available that bolts to the top of my workbench and the various adapters slide into it. I have fabricated adapters for the Ford C6/E4OD/4R100, the Dodge early version Torque-flite's as well as the 47/48 RE/RH transmissions and the GM TH series and 4L60E/4L80E. I have the adapters hanging on the wall behind my son's toolbox but it would be nice to have that bolt on bench adapter out of the way when not needed.
I am anxious to see what you come up with.
Nice looking shop/benches so far though.
Mike.
Alexander
Well-known member
Thanks for taking the time over the years to do updates. Most benches look great for the first few months, but you've lived with this for a few years now, and have really figured out what you do and don't like about it.
It's a great bench, by the way. You did an awesome job both in the fabrication and in the documentation on GJ.
Now that more time has gone by, what are your long term thoughts on everything? Any modifications you would make or additions you've been thinking of?
It's a great bench, by the way. You did an awesome job both in the fabrication and in the documentation on GJ.
Now that more time has gone by, what are your long term thoughts on everything? Any modifications you would make or additions you've been thinking of?
OP
NakeDiesel
Well-known member
I used almost every square inch of storage space I built into it, the 3 boxes are stuff full and am now using a small rolling tool cart for the tools, but it's not big enough to store what I want in it. I plan on eventually buying a bigger tool box like I have in the bench or bigger to drag around the shop with my main tools and to reorganize the 3 boxes for better storage of tools, my draw i had for torque wrenches won't fit my newer 1/2" carlise in it's case, etc... Some drawers are too full, others, barely full now that I have main bunch of tools in the cart.
The clamp storage I built on the end didn't work out like I hoped it would. The bars ended up being too close to the tool box. Need to repurpose it somehow. Move my clamps to a new location.
Not enough holsters now with all the dewalt battery tools I've bought on top of what I had. The pull out cart was a nice idea, but it's just piled up with corded and cordless tools and you have to dig through them to find something.
The pull out air tool holders work great and love them.
My new clamp storage area:
Small tool cart I'm using. I originally bought it as a baby changing station for my grand baby, they aren't using it anymore, so I brought it out to the shop to use it:
The clamp storage I built on the end didn't work out like I hoped it would. The bars ended up being too close to the tool box. Need to repurpose it somehow. Move my clamps to a new location.
Not enough holsters now with all the dewalt battery tools I've bought on top of what I had. The pull out cart was a nice idea, but it's just piled up with corded and cordless tools and you have to dig through them to find something.
The pull out air tool holders work great and love them.
My new clamp storage area:
Small tool cart I'm using. I originally bought it as a baby changing station for my grand baby, they aren't using it anymore, so I brought it out to the shop to use it:
metalmagpie
Well-known member
OK, here's my take on your design. I like a whole lot of it. I have done a similar project myself although with many fewer bells and whistles. Here's my (pretty trivial) writeup:
http://nwnative.us/Grant/shop articles/benches/workbenchProject.html
I opted to make mine in 2 halves. Also, with the boxes removed, there are holes for stem casters so I can roll the frames around. (With the boxes moved in the benches are too heavy for the relatively light casters.) I also built in the capability to level my benches so after I got them in place I could get them truly level and at the same height, which makes it pretty much like a sixteen foot bench. I also opted to put in a backsplash and have some overhang on the front for clamping to. I have other tables for doing hot work or oily work, otherwise I'd have covered the top with sheet metal. Also, my bench is pretty tall (41") which doesn't bother me especially because I can slide toolboxes, floor jack, chain saw et cetera underneath.
It looks to me like your design has a little bit of underused space. You used two whole bays for a few air tools and drills. I like plumbing air to the bench, might do that on mine sometime. I also installed a six foot outlet strip on the front of each bench, below the lip. Makes it super easy to plug in the parts washer or shop vac.
Another big deal is lighting. Of course, your eyes are still young.
metalmagpie
http://nwnative.us/Grant/shop articles/benches/workbenchProject.html
I opted to make mine in 2 halves. Also, with the boxes removed, there are holes for stem casters so I can roll the frames around. (With the boxes moved in the benches are too heavy for the relatively light casters.) I also built in the capability to level my benches so after I got them in place I could get them truly level and at the same height, which makes it pretty much like a sixteen foot bench. I also opted to put in a backsplash and have some overhang on the front for clamping to. I have other tables for doing hot work or oily work, otherwise I'd have covered the top with sheet metal. Also, my bench is pretty tall (41") which doesn't bother me especially because I can slide toolboxes, floor jack, chain saw et cetera underneath.
It looks to me like your design has a little bit of underused space. You used two whole bays for a few air tools and drills. I like plumbing air to the bench, might do that on mine sometime. I also installed a six foot outlet strip on the front of each bench, below the lip. Makes it super easy to plug in the parts washer or shop vac.
Another big deal is lighting. Of course, your eyes are still young.
metalmagpie
OP
NakeDiesel
Well-known member
Yeah, a backsplash would have been useful and may eventually put one on it. I designed it and had planned on putting levelers on it.
I have the levelers sitting on the shelf, I ordered the wrong inserts for them and need to get around and order the right ones and can get them under it.
There isn't a lot of wasted space where air tools and reel are. I have a small shop vac I normally keep in there under the reel and it also get stacked full of jack stands as well.
The other one, I've planned on changing up some but just haven't had the time to mess with it.
I have decent lighting over the bench, I have 16' of T8 lights over the bench on their own switch. I also have 4 outlets every 4 feet with each group on a different breaker. My battery chargers are plugged into a surge protector mounted on the wall next to them and also give my a cell phone charger.
I have the levelers sitting on the shelf, I ordered the wrong inserts for them and need to get around and order the right ones and can get them under it.
There isn't a lot of wasted space where air tools and reel are. I have a small shop vac I normally keep in there under the reel and it also get stacked full of jack stands as well.
The other one, I've planned on changing up some but just haven't had the time to mess with it.
I have decent lighting over the bench, I have 16' of T8 lights over the bench on their own switch. I also have 4 outlets every 4 feet with each group on a different breaker. My battery chargers are plugged into a surge protector mounted on the wall next to them and also give my a cell phone charger.
I really like this metal design using the HF boxes
What type of a welder do you need to do that work ? I have a small Lincoln flux core welder that I have never used .. it's 240v .. but does not have the gas attachment. Must be 15 years old ......
What type of a welder do you need to do that work ? I have a small Lincoln flux core welder that I have never used .. it's 240v .. but does not have the gas attachment. Must be 15 years old ......
OP
NakeDiesel
Well-known member
I built it with a miller 135 mig I used to have, it was a small 110 unit with a c25 mix for gas. I've never used flux core for welding anything so I couldn't say how it would work, but imagine it would work fine.
