Build a better workbench

[skullhead]

Well they aren't really workbenches but based on what I have seen at Sear's and all the home stores for the money they will be fine until someday when I buy some real benches like Lista.

They started life as adjustable shelving but I broke it down to two units.

Then I added a stronger tops and painted them.

 

[skullhead]

Then I started having little hands going into the stuff on the shelves and I didn't like the way it looked from the street with the garage doors open. So I came up with the idea to put doors on the front of each bench.

So I built frames out of 1X2 and bolted them to the front of each bench (see bench on left).

 

[skullhead]

Then I made some doors out of MDF, added some magnetic latches to keep them closed and TA-DA. We have closure. Next I'll add some side walls and maybe locks for real security once they are enclosed.

 

[skullhead]

I know they aren't as sweet as what I have seen on other threads but just trying to work with what I have. So let me know what you think and if you have any comments.

Oh, and yes I will paint them. Should I just do grey or do you think I should do a color?

 

[toms73novass]

Good Idea, I was thinking about basically the same thing. This way it will clean up the look of the garage!

 

[Coach James]

That's a great idea! I saved the photos to my "Ideas for garage" folder. I think they look A+.

Coach

 

[skullhead]

Appearence was my main reason too. I think once they are painted it should look pretty good.

 

[Bevis]

looks nice... I have one that my wifes grandfather built 40 years ago (4x4's and 2x6's) heavy with no wear.

 

[Jay H]

They look good. I would paint them machine grey and you'll have some nice looking cabinet/benches.

Good job!

 

[Freejack]

I like it a lot! Great idea. I was looking for a quick and easy workbench/storage, and that would do it without a lot of fuss.

Jake

 

[burger]

skullhead,

I'm digging it. I'll be the first to admit that I'm cheap, but I just can't see spending big bucks on garage cabinets when you can build something just as functional (and pretty good looking) for a tenth of the cost.


Ed

 

[Uncle Buck]

Way to go. Many like me go for cheap, free or rehab stuff for use in the shop/garage!

 

[Hutch]

nice job, I have just the set of adjustable shelves to do this to.

 

[330Scott]

Good job. Looks nice & I bet it made the wifey happy, too.

What did you end up using for your bench top?

 

[skullhead]

Good job. Looks nice & I bet it made the wifey happy, too.

What did you end up using for your bench top?

Just a sheet of 3/4" plywood cut to size. Then I sanded it and painted it grey.

 

[duggie]

Diffinetly paint them grey ... and way to be cheap ... errr ... frugle !!!

 

[1320stang]

You've inspired me to put doors on my shelves above my workbench. I've just used normal white melamine particle board shelving boards with shelf brackets, but I'm thinking of adding a 1x2 to the bottom front edge of the shelf to attach verticle 1x2's to in order to make a face frame to attach the doors to.

 

[boiler7904]

The current issue of Workbench Magazine has a story about doing something similar to this.

I've thought about doing something like this in my garage except that I have odd size spaces and the only long open wall has the attic ladder about 15" off of the wall limiting what I can do along it.

 

[BreBar21]

I have the adjustable shelving unit in my garage as well. You just can't beat it for $75. I've often thought of enclosing the front and sides of it for a cleaner look. I guess I just need to figure out how to do that. lol.

 

[skullhead]

The current issue of Workbench Magazine has a story about doing something similar to this.

I've thought about doing something like this in my garage except that I have odd size spaces and the only long open wall has the attic ladder about 15" off of the wall limiting what I can do along it.

Now they really did it nice! Anyway I can see the article?

 

[mhoffm911]

Boiler's post has a link in it to the .pdf copy of the plans. See below:

http://www.workbenchmagazine.com/main/pdf/wb304-garageshelves.pdf

 

[DynoDave]

That's a great idea! I saved the photos to my "Ideas for garage" folder. I think they look A+.

Coach

I saved them too. Good work Skullhead!

The current issue of Workbench Magazine has a story about doing something similar to this.

Cool article. Heck, I'm just impressed that there IS a "WorkBench Magazine"!!!

 

[skullhead]

Boiler's post has a link in it to the .pdf copy of the plans. See below:

http://www.workbenchmagazine.com/main/pdf/wb304-garageshelves.pdf

Excellent, thanks..

 

[Bevis]

Heck, I'm just impressed that there IS a "WorkBench Magazine"!!!

Same here...

 

[fireplug]

Has anyone done this yet? I have been thinking of doing this for some time and finally bought the shelving today. Low and behold I stumble upon this thread!

I don't see in the plans how they mounted the doors and hinges. Seems to me that with the walls being on the 'inside' of the steel frame there would be a fair amount of conflict.

 

[Jononon]

I don't see in the plans how they mounted the doors and hinges. Seems to me that with the walls being on the 'inside' of the steel frame there would be a fair amount of conflict.

The steel frame is a 90 degree angle, and doesn't have any fixings other than where the shelves are located, so there shouldn't be any interference/conflict with other structures.

I've tried to clear up Detail D, from their plans, below. They've bolted 1 1/4" x 3/4" timber uprights to the reverse face of the steel uprights, then mounted the hinges to the side of those timbers:

I'm underwhelmed by the clarity of their drawings, Detail E still leaves me a little

 

[ni[x]it]

Detail E is confusing because of the Screw/Nut arrangement.
I think it's showing a wooden header bar running across the top
of the opening, to provide a positive 'stop' for the doors.

The Screw and Nut are at the very ends of the header bar, where
they attach to the metal frame. I don't think the screws are holding
the doors closed

 

[Jononon]

Detail E is confusing because of the Screw/Nut arrangement.
I think it's showing a wooden header bar running across the top
of the opening, to provide a positive 'stop' for the doors. The Screw and Nut are at the very ends of the header bar, where
they attach to the metal frame.

Ah, I see, you're right, I'd perceived it as being a section taken where the doors meet in the centre (because of the mention of the door stop) and couldn't work out what on earth was going on with that bolt.

I don't think the screws are holding
the doors closed

 

[boiler7904]

Skullhead,

Congrats on making the headlines on the main page .

 

[T1704]

Great idea, they look good.

 

[Miltons Bells]

Looks great! Keeping the garage organized is my biggest challenge.

 

[z28toz06]

There was an article in Handyman not too long ago I believe. I will look for it and see if I can scan it.

 

[black88coupe]

Very smart thinking!

 

[gts340]

Hey, great idea. I might do this to some shelving units I have just to keep some dust off stuff. I live right next to a field and the dirt blows in all over everything. I am also one of the "frugile" ones on this board. I have a bunch of recycled cabinets and shelves already in use.

 

[Brad54]

I also have that story from the magazine...a good mag I ususally pick up when I find it.

Another tip for those is to use white pegboard for the sides (I'm talking about the cabinets in the magazine article) as it reflects the light better and makes the area brighter and easier to work.

I bought a ton of those same shelves when a candle store went out of business at the mall. It was silly how cheap I got them for. The first thing I did was took all the shelf plywood pieces and painted them white on both sides. It took a lot of time and effort (used a roller, don't have a sprayer), but it sealed the wood against future staines, plus reflects light.

The downside is that because they came out of a candle store's storager room, on a really hot day, all my shelving units smell like they were put in there by Queer Eye for the Shop Guy!

-Brad

 

[chrenan]

Finished building this today, made with some 8 foot lengths of 2x12, 4x4 and lag bolts:

 

[Lucky Strike]

The current issue of Workbench Magazine has a story about doing something similar to this.

I've thought about doing something like this in my garage except that I have odd size spaces and the only long open wall has the attic ladder about 15" off of the wall limiting what I can do along it.

I did not see this post before, but I saw that Workbench Mag at the big box hardware store, bought the issue, started buying the parts for the shelving / work-bench storage unit and subscribed to the magazine.

I've started by painting the thin chip board shelves, so that when I spill junk on them they don't desentagrate. Ifn' I get really ambitious I'll post some pics.

 

[shooter1951]

skullhead,

Great Job! Between all us "Garage Geeks" the BIG difference between your cabinets and one made out of diamond plating is the extra $$ in YOUR pocket!!


I made a workbench similar to chrenan's and put sides and doors on it out of used plywood. Painted the workbench gray and the top and doors red. If I can get the top cleaned off enough to see it, I'll take a picture to post.

Shooter

 

[banzaitoyota]

My workbench top:1/8" Hardboard/ 3/4" MDF/3/4" Ply

 

[Kledder]

My little peice of work... Welding table/work bench

Just what I threw together with some scrap steel I had lying around. Since this picture the bottom now has expanded metal, new larger casters, multimount reciever tube in the top for a vice, tube bender, and bench grinder. Axle holders have be drilled for multiple locations.

Here is one of the projects I have used it for.