Building a work bench

[70staged]

I have a butcher block top I'm turning into a bench in the garage. Plan is to use it work on a few things, keep parts for the project I'm working on or taking apart, like engine parts. Heads but not the block would be about the heaviest. It's a 7x4ft block and 1.5" thick.
Plan on 2" square tubing for legs. What thickness?
Angle iron to hold the top in. What thickness?

 

[racecougar]

Mounting a vise to it? .125" is "enough", but it doesn't hurt to have more mass down low.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Have a heavy 3 x 7 ft metal clad solid core commercial fire rated door made into a bench. The end H frames from 2" x 2" x 1/8" tube are plenty strong. But the 7ft dimension is a long enough span to need something substantial to frame the top. I used 3" C channel and not good enough. Have a very slight dip in middle. Wish I had used maybe 4" or 5" channel.

The OP did not mention the size of angle being considered but flange size is really more important than thickness. Sure maybe at least 3/16" thickness but consider 3" x 4" angle anyway.

 

[70staged]

1.5" thick angle iron was the plan. Plus a few thick flats running across. Also angle iron down low for a shelf

 

[PCustoms]

1.5" thick angle iron was the plan. Plus a few thick flats running across. Also angle iron down low for a shelf

That sounds like the leg length

Common material thickness will be something like 1/8" or 3/16", maybe 1/4" in that leg length.

 

[jives]

I am not an automotive guy, but wood for a tear down bench would seem to absorb all oils and solvents. I guess a masonite cover would help?

 

[carlaisle]

Does it need to clearspan the 7' length? You'll get a massive increase in stiffness with a center support.

 

[tarmy]

I built this a while back. I am an overbuild kinda guy. I always use tube steel when I want no flex. Height of the finished top was a concern. I put 2x and 3/4’ ply over this frame…works great.

 

[rocksnstumps]

As pics above show boxing in a frame, much like kitchen countertops with drawers and cabinets below can stiffen up a long surface. If you want open space below that long top remember that deflection equations use the unsupported length cubed (L x L x L) as part of the math. A 7 ft top supported only on the ends has over 2.7X the deflection of a 5 ft span while being only 40% longer (+2 ft) everything else being equal. If the OP wants to stick with 1-1/2 angle and span 7 ft. It's gonna deflect. Sorry.

Now if we were talking about a torsion box frame top, different story. However would also be much thicker than 1-1/2"

 

[70staged]

The butcher block was free basically. Doesn't really have to be a clear span. This bench will not be up against the wall but in between bays. I already have a heavy vise on another bench up against the wall.

 

[70staged]

And I have another free block top that I'm going to use for another bench/ shelf that will be used for light stuff. Like rebuilding carburetors. So plan on buying extra square tubing to use on this one as well. Though not as big as the other block top.

 

[Shiftless]

I am an overbuild kinda guy

Pardon the off topic question but do you really have 11 lighting circuits or are some of these switches for other purposes?

 

[tarmy]

Pardon the off topic question but do you really have 11 lighting circuits or are some of these switches for other purposes?

This explains it. We have 1 1/2 acre and 3 structures. 4 on the bottom cover the shop.

 

[Shiftless]

This explains it. We have 1 1/2 acre and 3 structures. 4 on the bottom cover the shop.

That makes sense. I like that you planned for additional needs with your spares. Great idea!
Extra credit given for clocking all those screws.

 

[milkovich]

If you're dead set on building them, I wouldn't invest in heavy gauge tube unless you're building a welding table, boxed .080 wall would be fine in my uneducated opinion. For what it's worth, I used these and they worked great. I ended up selling the bench for the price of the legs when I moved. I just used 2x6 lumber for the top and jointed/glued them. I kind of dig the industrial look they have too.

 

[tarmy]

That makes sense. I like that you planned for additional needs with your spares. Great idea!
Extra credit given for clocking all those screws.

Hell yeah I clock the damn screws! I am a proud and neurotic member of GJ…no way I am catching **** over that…

I have A LOT of joint trench…figured I pulling wire might as well pull a bit extra and save the grief later.

 

[CraigStu]

I have my 1940s metal lathe on a butcher block of almost exactly the same size. I used 3 big hinges to attach one side to the studs in the wall. I used 2 lengths of black iron pipe about 1" OD to support the two outer corners. Each prethreaded piece of pipe threaded into a screw flange under the wood, into a coupler on the bottom end, and then a 2" ****** which had a threaded cap on it touched the floor. I threaded the long piece tightly into the flange and then threaded the other joints loosely to give me fine tuning of height adjustment. These 3 hinges and 2 legs have held that lathe just fine for 6 years w/ no other reinforcement. This was picking it up from my brother.

 

[Cobra5150]

Hell yeah I clock the damn screws! I am a proud and neurotic member of GJ…no way I am catching **** over that…

There's a few that's a little off..........

 

[Codyboy]

There's a few that's a little off..........

Yeah I noticed a few of the 'clocks' were running a little slow , some a bit fast. Good thing we're not using those 'clocks' to time the launch of nuclear missiles. PLease fix those, my OCD has been triggered!

OP. I would use 4x4 tubing for the legs.
Years ago they were replacing the ends of the lanes at the local bowling alley. I obtained 3 or 4 of the 10ft slabs . I think they were about that thick or maybe 2 inches. I reluctantly had to get rid of them when we moved. They were very heavy , 4 people to move kind of heavy.

 

[FTG-05]

Pallet rack workbench I built a couple years ago. It weighs over a 1000 lbs.

 

[kwb]

I have no idea how that gets to 1000#, no doubt it is solid but your typical 8ft 2x4 is about 10lbs and the pallet frames aren't going to make up that difference.

Loaded up with stuff after it was done - I bet I could pile a full ton on it if it was sitting in my shop.

 

[70staged]

Update- so it's 3ft wide and not 4ft
Dimensions are 7ft x 3ft x 1.5" thick

 

[Caa311]

I have no idea how that gets to 1000#, no doubt it is solid but your typical 8ft 2x4 is about 10lbs and the pallet frames aren't going to make up that difference.

Loaded up with stuff after it was done - I bet I could pile a full ton on it if it was sitting in my shop.

This one is 1,200#.