Cool Work Bench

[marrt]

This looks very cool. However, there's a lot of wasted space under the bench. Someone posted this before but I can't find it. However, thanks to Google's ability to crawl PDF's, I found a copy of the original article.

Article Link:
A bench full of useful features.

Bench:

 

[bad_idea]

i prefer a work bench with legs to the ground. when i beat the hell out of something i don't wanna worry about ripping the bench off the wall. also, the other side of my garage wall is the living room. that would shake the pictures off onto the couch, the wife wouldn't appreciate that.

other than that rabbit trail, interesting design. unique.

 

[66HertzClone]

It's nice looking but I agree, every hammer blow would rattle anything on the other side of that wall.

The vacuum return thing is a neat idea.

 

[ert01]

Very neat concept. I agree that I couldnt use it the way I use my steel top bench but it would be a nice basement bench for tinkering on household things and reloading etc...

 

[sscustom]

Now thats a sweet set up i might just use some ideas from that.Im loving that dust extraction set up on top of the bench

 

[D Force]

I can tell just from looking at the PDF file, that, that guy in the pictures thinks he's so cool with his coffee mug, going to his project bench. He's acting like he's better that all of us. I'm really starting to dislike him!

 

[bazzateer]

Too pretty for a proper garage workbench. Might suit a hobby woodworker though.

 

[spy604]

I dont see the need for the supports to be curved. They dont add any strength versus 45° gussets and take alot more work. Just somthing to think about if anyone was going to build off these plans.

 

[gorilla]

Too cute for me.

 

[JMartel]

I dont see the need for the supports to be curved. They dont add any strength versus 45° gussets and take alot more work. Just somthing to think about if anyone was going to build off these plans.

Not to mention the extra waste of materials.

 

[slopecarver]

Really easy to sweep the floor! besides don't most of us have a welding bench that is made for beating on stuff?

 

[Buford T. Justice]

I can tell just from looking at the PDF file, that, that guy in the pictures thinks he's so cool with his coffee mug, going to his project bench. He's acting like he's better that all of us. I'm really starting to dislike him!

And its the safety glasses on top of his head...

But there is something I like about the bench. It would work for me cause it would be fastened securely to an outside wall in my garage so it would support my pounding just fine. I also like the free floor space underneath for sweeping, etc.

 

[Falcon67]

I can tell just from looking at the PDF file, that, that guy in the pictures thinks he's so cool with his coffee mug, going to his project bench. He's acting like he's better that all of us. I'm really starting to dislike him!

Iiii'm to **** for my bench, to **** for my bench, so ****.....


Some good ideas in there, once you get past the $5,237 worth of cabinet grade plywood used to build it. I like the vac tube idea, but not with that wimpy little sucker on the end.

 

[xxtreem11]

Yeah... alot of waste with the curved. Plain 45° supports would be just fine. Plus, I would take them all the way to the floor for some added strength. I've got a similar dilemma with my new shop bench, but this seems to give me even more ideas.
Here's my workbench thread.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114509

Here's my inspiration

 

[marrt]

Come on now...most of you folks are Car Guys. You should love those curves.

I'd put the dust collection below the bench top. No reason to sacrifice bench space. I do like the holes in top. Primarily because I have some Festool stuff that uses the same approach. Probably would make sense to build some rolling cabinets to fit under the bench. BTW, here's a link to the Ultimate Workshop article: http://www.readersdigest.com.au/userfiles/roll-out_workshop_storage.pdf

 

[mmhouse]

I can tell just from looking at the PDF file, that, that guy in the pictures thinks he's so cool with his coffee mug, going to his project bench. He's acting like he's better that all of us. I'm really starting to dislike him!

I think you may be exposing your insecurities.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Geez, rough crowd. I think it looks good - it's obviously a woodworking bench, so don't get upset that it's not designed for putting engine blocks on it.

 

[RivennHewn]

I can tell just from looking at the PDF file, that, that guy in the pictures thinks he's so cool with his coffee mug, going to his project bench. He's acting like he's better that all of us. I'm really starting to dislike him!

Don't hate him 'cuz he's beautiful. He's just a model hired by some art director.

The actual owner looks a lot like you.

 

[Defender Chassis]

I dont see the need for the supports to be curved. They dont add any strength versus 45° gussets and take alot more work. Just somthing to think about if anyone was going to build off these plans.

The curved supports allow the bottom shelf to be deeper.

 

[38Chevy454]

woodworking bench, not a car or metal fab bench. Some good ideas, but I like suports going to the floor to support pounding and heavy weight.

 

[slopecarver]

A good woodworker doesn't need to beat on things hard!

 

[freddyaudiophile]

interesting... does anybody have any pics or ideas or links of benches that are self-supporting... i.e.: they have 45 degree braces that come down from the bench top to the wall below the bench.

I'd like to a do bench like this in my new building out back. I like the idea of the 45 degree supports as it keeps the floor space below the bench open. And I can have another (less deeper) shelf below the bench top area.

freddy

 

[bad_idea]

i agree it would be great for a woodworker with a large shop. other than being task specific, space wasting, overly expensive and labor intensive to build it looks great.

 

[Bill_Brasky]

I prefer to have cantilever type benches mounted on the wall. I don't really like this particular design, but mine is wall mounted and it is sooo much easier for cleaning under. No rats nests or missing nuts, bolts, sockets and such like you'll find under the bottom shelf of a more traditional type bench.

As far as strength, heck, mine isn't even bolted to the studs. My garage is sheeted on the inside with 1" tongue and groove (previous owner), so the bench is screwed to that. Solid as a rock. I can jump up and down on it and it doesn't flex at all.

 

[dittle fart around]

I can tell just from looking at the PDF file, that, that guy in the pictures thinks he's so cool with his coffee mug, going to his project bench. He's acting like he's better that all of us. I'm really starting to dislike him!

That guy's some sort of spokes-model. You can tell he's never been that close to workbench before, check out the shoes, not a scratch to be seen.

 

[D Force]

I think you may be exposing your insecurities.

Hmmm, maybe...I don't know how to work wood very expertly. But, that's no reason for him to be so smug!

That guy's some sort of spokes-model. You can tell he's never been that close to workbench before, check out the shoes, not a scratch to be seen.

Ha, ha, good eye! I didn't even notice that. I couldn't get past his cutting and sanding with a pullover sweater on. I'm surprised he didn't have it tied around his Ivy League neck.

 

[marrt]

interesting... does anybody have any pics or ideas or links of benches that are self-supporting... i.e.: they have 45 degree braces that come down from the bench top to the wall below the bench.

Click the link in my post above...

 

[bad_idea]

I'm surprised he didn't have it tied around his Ivy League neck.

could you pass the grey poupon?

 

[dlc]

I always liked the looks of this one:

 

[D Force]

I always liked the looks of this one:

That work surface is so tiny! However, I love the lights underneath!

 

[dittle fart around]

I always liked the looks of this one:

This bench set up is from the same company that makes metal pegboard. The benches are built around their 16" x 32" pegboard panels. The workbenches come 30" deep or 24" deep and include the back wall pegboard. I'm not showing the workbenches on my site but I can get them. Check it out.

 

[FrankHotdog]

My first project for my new house was to build a shop bench.
It's 14 feet wide, 2 feet deep.

 

[Ed Litsch]

I like the OP's workbench. I get so tired of getting down on my hands and knees to crawl under a workbench and retrieve something. Every time I drop something- that's where it runs to. That's what I don't like about mine. And it's another reason not to have a toolbox on wheels. When you get older and can't get down on your hands and knees to retrieve something that rolls under a bench- up against the back wall? You'll see what I mean one day.

 

[justanengineer]

I like the OP's workbench. I get so tired of getting down on my hands and knees to crawl under a workbench and retrieve something. Every time I drop something- that's where it runs to. That's what I don't like about mine. And it's another reason not to have a toolbox on wheels. When you get older and can't get down on your hands and knees to retrieve something that rolls under a bench- up against the back wall? You'll see what I mean one day.

Im currently rebuilding my bench so its like everything else, on a skid or wheels for easy moving. In my bench's case, the skid has fork slots so the pallet jack will make quick/easy moves possible. I hope to be able to completely empty or rearrange my entire garage in under an hour to include machine tools, benches, boxes, etc.

Personally, Ive always hated large benches. Anything over 6' to me is just a clutter collector, space waster, and kinda pointless unless youre seriously into building large furniture or similar work.

 

[86turbodsl]

the original curved bench looks like a family handyman creation. i think i've seen it before. I subscribed for many years until in the last few years.

 

[bullnerd]

"crawl PDF's" -Can you explain this please?

One of the wood mags had an article about how to make a large storage cabinet from 4x8 sheets of ply. It had multiple doors inside of doors and shelves everywhere.Pretty cool. I would like to track this article down if possible.

 

[Daniel Dudley]

I am working for an IBM engineer right now, tearing the aluminum siding off of his Victorian and repairing restoring the original exterior.

He is quite a talented guy, and has a beautiful wood shop in his basement. I did an even more extensive energy retrofit/remodel for another talented woodworker last year. He had a really nice wood shop in his barn. He designs and builds things like that workbench.

My garage has a wall of old industrial shelving on one side to hold all the tools I don't use everyday, and it is not a show garage. But in the past I have gone out into my shop with a coffee or a beer just to look at cars I have built or some cabinet or project that I have designed and built.

I imagine I must sometimes look kind of like that guy in the picture, only more goofy.

And I honestly wish that I felt that way more often.

 

[Kevin54]

I can tell just from looking at the PDF file, that, that guy in the pictures thinks he's so cool with his coffee mug, going to his project bench. He's acting like he's better that all of us. I'm really starting to dislike him!

Damn...You should be a detective with getting all of that from a picture of a guy with a smile on his face and a coffee cup in hand. I would have never guessed all of that about him, but then again, I don't see how people picked out their neighbor from a picture 10 years ago on America's Most Wanted.

I'll be odd man out. I like the looks of the bench. It's different looking for sure, and I like the fact that there is nothing underneath. I'm the type of person that hates having stuff on the floor that dirt gets behind and you have to move things just to sweep out or wash the garage floor. But that's me

 

[Kevin54]

interesting... does anybody have any pics or ideas or links of benches that are self-supporting... i.e.: they have 45 degree braces that come down from the bench top to the wall below the bench.

I'd like to a do bench like this in my new building out back. I like the idea of the 45 degree supports as it keeps the floor space below the bench open. And I can have another (less deeper) shelf below the bench top area.

freddy

This is from when I was putting tin on the walls. I have some more pics if I can locate which folder they are in.

 

[wrench409]

Kevin,

Great bench. The original owner of my garage did much the same thing though no where near as nice. He used nice douglas fir boards to build it. He used 2x6's for the top though and little stuff falls in between them. I'm constantly looking for some kind of material to place over the top of it rather than rebuild it. My drawers underneath are from office cubicles that I already had and and I'm constantly looking for identical ones to add.

Please do post more pics of your bench setup.

Thanks