Ive got limited room and even more limited carpentry skills, but I've finally built a work bench 20"×48.5". Its going to get a vice and hopefully a grinder as I find them. My questions are what should I finish the top with, and is it OK to bolt them to just the plywood, or should I put a piece of 2×10 underneath the plywood for extra support.
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Built a work bench
- Thread starter Macduf
- Start date
How thick of ply are you using?
The grinder will be OK on plywood, but the vice , I would be sure it's good & solid cause you'll be yanking & hitting on that.
The grinder will be OK on plywood, but the vice , I would be sure it's good & solid cause you'll be yanking & hitting on that.
anndel
Well-known member
Sweet bench!
For the top I would recommend a double layer of 3/4" mdf. seal it with a couple of coats of polyurethane and you will have a water proof top that is dead level and smooth. A much better surface then plywood.
might want to add a cross brace in the middle to stiffen the top and prevent movement.
I've had my MDF top for 12 years and it's held up well. Just need to do a sand and recoat of the poly once.
might want to add a cross brace in the middle to stiffen the top and prevent movement.
I've had my MDF top for 12 years and it's held up well. Just need to do a sand and recoat of the poly once.
Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
If you are looking for an expensive top. I would run another 2x4 length wise on the centre and the strap 2x4s min. 20" but use 24" for an overhang. 14 of these and you should have a slight overhang on each side. Using 2x6s (9 of them)would give you a little bigger overhang. Take a side trip by a construction site and you probably could have a pile of scraps for the hauling away.
My first shop bench was built this way when I was a young fella. I had a bench grinder head only then found a old electric motor equipped with a pulley. Then cut a hole thru the bench for the old recycled v belt to run through. I then mounted the motor on a scrap piece of plywood, mounted an old hinge on the plywood. Then bolted it lower down below the bench. The weight of the motor gave pretty good tension to run the grinder. But did put a light spring to pull the plywood to give it a little more tension. The spring might have been to smooth out jiggling can't remember. But it served me well for many years. Until I bought a larger dual head that actually had a motor drive all in one.
I like the angled brackets gives you better knee room than mine did. I laminated 2 2x4s for the front legs. Used a ledger like you did across the back. I mounted a lower shelf halfway down. Which I mounted the motor, hinge at the back. Allowed the electric motor to be suspended by the v belt. This way any similar length v belt worked just fine.
My first shop bench was built this way when I was a young fella. I had a bench grinder head only then found a old electric motor equipped with a pulley. Then cut a hole thru the bench for the old recycled v belt to run through. I then mounted the motor on a scrap piece of plywood, mounted an old hinge on the plywood. Then bolted it lower down below the bench. The weight of the motor gave pretty good tension to run the grinder. But did put a light spring to pull the plywood to give it a little more tension. The spring might have been to smooth out jiggling can't remember. But it served me well for many years. Until I bought a larger dual head that actually had a motor drive all in one.
I like the angled brackets gives you better knee room than mine did. I laminated 2 2x4s for the front legs. Used a ledger like you did across the back. I mounted a lower shelf halfway down. Which I mounted the motor, hinge at the back. Allowed the electric motor to be suspended by the v belt. This way any similar length v belt worked just fine.
Youngguns
Well-known member
A single sheet is good enough, but there's nothing wrong with doubling up. My concerns arise from your angled supports. How well is your setup attached to the wall?
justanengineer
Well-known member
Personally I prefer heavy tops to dampen any vibration and to allow resurfacing/planing later. Its also nice to be able to screw directly into the top and not worry about tearout. When I cant get a large enough single board from the family mill I used either 2x4 or 4x4s on edge ala poor boy's butcher block.
Youngguns
Well-known member
Personally I prefer heavy tops to dampen any vibration and to allow resurfacing/planing later. Its also nice to be able to screw directly into the top and not worry about tearout. When I cant get a large enough single board from the family mill I used either 2x4 or 4x4s on edge ala poor boy's butcher block.
There's an example by member kng who used 2x4s to create a bench top. Although, he jointed and planed all the boards prior to assembly. This gave the top a consistent look (like actual butcher block). Do you have a picture of your 2x4 table? Are they jointed/planed? If not, I'd like to see just how much of a difference it makes visually (I'm not sure how I'd feel about the "ribs" it would produce).