Admiral_Quackbar
New member
Looking to build a work bench for wood working and automotive purposes. Please post pics and ideas.
Best workbench
- Thread starter Admiral_Quackbar
- Start date
Sticks McGee
Well-known member
DougWil
Well-known member
I don't have a photo but mine is all square tube steel frame, plate steel top, and has 2 large 'Hoffman' style electrical boxes mounted underneath with shelves/bins with all the typical nuts and bolts,,,with in fingers reach.
Have a large piece 3/8" thick conveyor belting on top so stuff doesn't get marred. Easy to wipe down and keep clean.
2 casters at one end that contact the ground when I elevate the other end with a floor jack. So it doesn't roll around or move around, also very heavy when loaded up so hacksawing or filing in the vise doesn't move it either.
I roll it outside for the 2 year shop power clean, and power wash 2 years of crud off it too.
I have a barrel vise/jig fixture mounted on top that I can insert transmission, axle or even an engine into to work on.
^That is a bagged V8 hanging in it.
And tall! I like a tall bench so I am not stooped over working on something.
Have a large piece 3/8" thick conveyor belting on top so stuff doesn't get marred. Easy to wipe down and keep clean.
2 casters at one end that contact the ground when I elevate the other end with a floor jack. So it doesn't roll around or move around, also very heavy when loaded up so hacksawing or filing in the vise doesn't move it either.
I roll it outside for the 2 year shop power clean, and power wash 2 years of crud off it too.
I have a barrel vise/jig fixture mounted on top that I can insert transmission, axle or even an engine into to work on.
^That is a bagged V8 hanging in it.
And tall! I like a tall bench so I am not stooped over working on something.
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4Kings
Well-known member
IMO mutually exclusive. If you have the room consider 2 benches. Last thing you want to do is to contaminate a woodworking project with dirt, grime, oils, etc.
you don't want grease near woodworking .. and working wood requires different hold downs etc.....
Search Popular Woodworking for bench ideas --- tones of great stuff on this forum for the metal/ auto kind.
Ray-CA
Well-known member
Here are some quick and easy benches you can make: https://www.google.com/search?q=simpson+tie+workbench+plans&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari
Ray
Ray
Trey T
Well-known member
300lbs capacity
adjust from 32" to 43" height
$200 - likely a lot cheaper than building a quality one
60"x24" adjustable work table
adjust from 32" to 43" height
$200 - likely a lot cheaper than building a quality one
60"x24" adjustable work table
https://www.lie-nielsen.com/product/workbenches/lie-nielsen-standard-workbench?node=4113
While I don't own one of these I have worked with one and it is a fabulous tool. I'm toying with building one for myself and will definitely buy their vices. If you could have only one bench, I'd put a tempered hardboard cover over the woodworking bench
While I don't own one of these I have worked with one and it is a fabulous tool. I'm toying with building one for myself and will definitely buy their vices. If you could have only one bench, I'd put a tempered hardboard cover over the woodworking bench
ddawg16
Well-known member
2 very different purposes....main problem....oil...you don't want it on wood.
I would not have the same workbench for both.
I'm working on a woodworking table now that is part of my table saw. I have the base of the table saw done....it lets me roll it around easily.
But I won't be working on car parts with it.
Sticks McGee
Well-known member
What I am planning on is I am building a long workbench down the one side wall. This will handle any automotive or non-woodworking tasks. I plan to build a mobile work bench like the Palk workbench that I can set up and take down for my wood projects. I am going to build a mobile work station for my table saw and incorporate my router into one side of that. The table saw, the mobile bench and my fixed bench I plan on making the same height. The mobile bench will become my outfeed table for initial breaking down of wood projects. When not doing a wood project, the mobile bench will be broken down and stored.
This is my plan as of right now. I started my garage project last week. My first step was getting most of the stuff out of there and to a storage unit a mile away to give me room to work.
This is my plan as of right now. I started my garage project last week. My first step was getting most of the stuff out of there and to a storage unit a mile away to give me room to work.
I recently made a couple of these tables for a project that I was working on and was very pleased with the design and how well they worked out.
It's actually called a "EAA Chapter 1000 Standardized Work Table" and the plans date back to 1992. Here is a link that shows a number of them and how people have modified the design for different things
https://www.google.com/search?q=EAA...hoHTAhVY4mMKHeEaD2wQ_AUICSgC&biw=1480&bih=792
They are sturdy yet pretty inexpensive. (15) good quality 2 x 4's will make two 2' x 5' tables (less than $50) and then whatever you want to use for the tops and shelves (mdf, plywood, etc)
Here is the frame of one that I made with the parts cut out for the second one on top, the original plans and my cutting diagram
It's actually called a "EAA Chapter 1000 Standardized Work Table" and the plans date back to 1992. Here is a link that shows a number of them and how people have modified the design for different things
https://www.google.com/search?q=EAA...hoHTAhVY4mMKHeEaD2wQ_AUICSgC&biw=1480&bih=792
They are sturdy yet pretty inexpensive. (15) good quality 2 x 4's will make two 2' x 5' tables (less than $50) and then whatever you want to use for the tops and shelves (mdf, plywood, etc)
Here is the frame of one that I made with the parts cut out for the second one on top, the original plans and my cutting diagram
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tjdux
Well-known member
Sounds like a good plan. Heres mine is similar concept to your plan other than i made my benches to "nest" together.
If you go that route then you don't have to break down the wood working bench each time. Create two moble bases with retractable castors
Then you can use one as out/infeed table and the second for the table saw router combo and it all takes up 1 footprint when put away. Plus no time or energy needed to set up the polk table. With the castors it also is nice to be able to put a sander or planer on the assembly table and wheel it outside in nice weather.
Signiture; Check out my garage progress http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352703
If you go that route then you don't have to break down the wood working bench each time. Create two moble bases with retractable castors
Then you can use one as out/infeed table and the second for the table saw router combo and it all takes up 1 footprint when put away. Plus no time or energy needed to set up the polk table. With the castors it also is nice to be able to put a sander or planer on the assembly table and wheel it outside in nice weather.
Signiture; Check out my garage progress http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352703
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jimreed2160
Well-known member
If you go down to General Tools and find the Woodworking 101 thread you will see many woodworking bench ideas. My general comment to you is to rethink the bench sharing idea. I don't think woodworking and automotive go together because your woodworking projects will become contaminated by grease, oil, rust and dirt from the automotive work. My garage shop has many different benches which are dedicated to different tasks. Maybe you can share but still reserve one of your benches exclusively for woodworking. Anyway, good luck with your project. Everybody needs a shop. 
ddawg16
Well-known member
Sounds like a good plan. Heres mine is similar concept to your plan other than i made my benches to "nest" together.
If you go that route then you don't have to break down the wood working bench each time. Create two moble bases with retractable castors
Then you can use one as out/infeed table and the second for the table saw router combo and it all takes up 1 footprint when put away. Plus no time or energy needed to set up the polk table. With the castors it also is nice to be able to put a sander or planer on the assembly table and wheel it outside in nice weather.
Signiture; Check out my garage progress http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352703
That is a pretty slick way to do it.
Me? I just used these casters from Rockler.
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tjdux
Well-known member
I looked into buying those but at whatever they are (30 or 60 a pair i think...) and i have 2 benches needing 4 casters per bench 120 or 240 bucks juat for the castors was too much.That is a pretty slick way to do it.
Me? I just used these casters from Rockler.
Signiture; Check out my garage progress http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352703
ddawg16
Well-known member
Hey.....I hear ya....
In my case, something like that would not have worked....I'll have to send you some pics as soon as I can get out there. Kinda layed up right now...got the ole' prostate removed on Monday
tjdux
Well-known member
Ouch. That sounds like a rough one
Signiture; Check out my garage progress http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352703
Signiture; Check out my garage progress http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352703
Chasbec
Well-known member
Sounds like a good plan. Heres mine is similar concept to your plan other than i made my benches to "nest" together.
If you go that route then you don't have to break down the wood working bench each time. Create two moble bases with retractable castors
Then you can use one as out/infeed table and the second for the table saw router combo and it all takes up 1 footprint when put away. Plus no time or energy needed to set up the polk table. With the castors it also is nice to be able to put a sander or planer on the assembly table and wheel it outside in nice weather.
Signiture; Check out my garage progress http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352703
Very clever retractable caster design! I will definitely keep this in mind.
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I'm just putting my home shop together now and built this last week.
This will be my everything bench. It's 96" x 33", no nails except for the top and shelf, and the top and shelf are countersunk (dado) and corners are mitered. Shelf is offset to not interfere with a shop stool.
This will be my everything bench. It's 96" x 33", no nails except for the top and shelf, and the top and shelf are countersunk (dado) and corners are mitered. Shelf is offset to not interfere with a shop stool.
bczygan
Well-known member
What kind of woodworking? Big difference between an assembly bench and one designed for non powered woodworking with planes and spokeshaves.
What kind of automotive work? Big difference between a place to lay out your tools and rebuilding a transmission.
What kind of automotive work? Big difference between a place to lay out your tools and rebuilding a transmission.
Gaessairka
Banned
I had to work in 1/2 of a two car garage for 25 years. I had a 2'x8' GP workbench along the wall with shelves above that held my jointer, bandsaw, and other small accessories.
Next my goal the most valuable "tool" in my shop was a cabinetmakers https://mechanicguides.com/best-woodworking-bench/ with a tail vice and bench dogs. It wasn't easy, but I managed to place it so that I could walk all around it. This bench became indispensible for assembly and gluing.
For my new shop in the U.P., I ordered a Sjoberg Nordic 1660 from Woodcraft on one of their 15% off days. There are three sizes available. This system allows the vices to be placed in various positions around the bench and is a terrific clamping, gluing, and assembly station.
I'm originally from Richmond and still have family in Wayne County.
Next my goal the most valuable "tool" in my shop was a cabinetmakers https://mechanicguides.com/best-woodworking-bench/ with a tail vice and bench dogs. It wasn't easy, but I managed to place it so that I could walk all around it. This bench became indispensible for assembly and gluing.
For my new shop in the U.P., I ordered a Sjoberg Nordic 1660 from Woodcraft on one of their 15% off days. There are three sizes available. This system allows the vices to be placed in various positions around the bench and is a terrific clamping, gluing, and assembly station.
I'm originally from Richmond and still have family in Wayne County.
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jimreed2160
Well-known member
Woodworking bench
I like mine. It is a traditional European ww bench made by the Ulmia company sometime in the late 1980s. I do lots of handplane work and the dogs are necessary for that. Needless to say, this bench would not do double duty as an automotive workbench.
Maybe you could have a small woodworking bench along with a general purpose bench. You could make a removable plywood top that would protect your woodworking assembly projects from grease and oil.
I like mine. It is a traditional European ww bench made by the Ulmia company sometime in the late 1980s. I do lots of handplane work and the dogs are necessary for that. Needless to say, this bench would not do double duty as an automotive workbench.
Maybe you could have a small woodworking bench along with a general purpose bench. You could make a removable plywood top that would protect your woodworking assembly projects from grease and oil.
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AngryBeaver
Well-known member
My woodworking bench is in the basement where I do woodworking.
My auto bench/general bench is in the garage. its steel. 3/8 steel top. stout vice, will hold engines, transmissions, welding duties, etc.
there is no best bench for both.
Wood is soft, not meant for heavy metal work or fabrication. wood rots. screws and bolts in wood loosen over time making it wobbly.
My auto bench/general bench is in the garage. its steel. 3/8 steel top. stout vice, will hold engines, transmissions, welding duties, etc.
there is no best bench for both.
Wood is soft, not meant for heavy metal work or fabrication. wood rots. screws and bolts in wood loosen over time making it wobbly.
dthor68
Well-known member
Here is the workbench I just finished. It cost less than $200 in materials.
https://scontent-atl3-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/41796980_10215399749479847_6492737121181237248_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=3c40c8302729f620fbffb4498c6259cd&oe=5C276429
https://scontent-atl3-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/41796980_10215399749479847_6492737121181237248_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=3c40c8302729f620fbffb4498c6259cd&oe=5C276429
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