wawa1
Well-known member
this thread is very very bad according to my wife seeing as how i have been trying to come up with some ideas for benches in my shop. i will be using this thread as the basic idea in building my own.
HF Toolboxes Workbench - Phase 3
- Thread starter Steevo
- Start date
Blue Gator Six
Well-known member
Why do I look at this site? Now I want to redo my work bench. Although I don't have the money to build one like that. All I can say is WOW. My mind is racing thinking of ways I can do this. First I would have to use bolts no welds (because i dont have a Welder) to make it easier to take apart if I ever have to move it. But then I would have to countersink the bolt heads.
See now I am going to be up all night. Damn.
See now I am going to be up all night. Damn.
John in OH
Well-known member
Steevo .... Man, I have seen a lot of workbenches over the years and read a lot of threads by guys building benches, but I think I can say this is one of the best setups that I've ever seen. Sure, there are some super fine Lista setups out there, but for us average joes without a bank full of money, this is an excellent design and excellent execution. Hats off!!
Nice design and fab work.
vectorw8015
Well-known member
Really nice job! I think this is one of the better threads out here. Now that you have completed the bench project, could you paint it gray with blue drawer pulls and send it to me? Thanks for posting your project.
Shepoutside
Active member
Wicked set-up!!
Old Moparz
Well-known member
Beautiful job on the bench, it looks great.
I'm in the planning stages of a new work area in my basement wood shop & will be borrowing some of your ideas for my bench. I was looking at some inexpensive base tool cabinets to use, but like the idea of framing up a work bench & installing the cabinets inside like you did. The big difference for mine will be that I will frame the bench with wood.
Thanks for posting this topic.
I'm in the planning stages of a new work area in my basement wood shop & will be borrowing some of your ideas for my bench. I was looking at some inexpensive base tool cabinets to use, but like the idea of framing up a work bench & installing the cabinets inside like you did. The big difference for mine will be that I will frame the bench with wood.
Thanks for posting this topic.
mdbeck1
Well-known member
Idea: Use carriage bolts for all of the visible bolts. That will give it that "clean" look that you want.
...of course THEN you have to cut SQUARE holes for the carriage bolts.
Nice lookin' benches. I'll have to show it to the Mrs. It looks real clean and she would approve. Then I'd have to show her the cost.
GirlnAgarage
Well-known member
SteveO, great execution, nice bench!
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Looks great Steevo!
Have to come up with something for the dead space corner Though...
(I hate wasting space..)
Have to come up with something for the dead space corner Though...
(I hate wasting space..)camaro8194
Active member
steevo Great job as far as wasted space I dont think so at all its the way it looks at the end of the build that matters what you have done works for your space and i have to say very well done sir Are you planing on wall cabinets also again nice job Randy
I don't worry too much about what bothers others. I have no drawer interference issues, since I close drawers after getting a tool out or putting one away, and I find the 4 square feet of steel workbench surface to be a fine use of the corner of the shop, where junk would likely collect otherwise. Everyone can design their workspace to suit them.
I did.
As for cabinets, I am searching C/L constantly for the right set of them.
Thanks to all for the kind feedback on my project.
I did.
As for cabinets, I am searching C/L constantly for the right set of them.
Thanks to all for the kind feedback on my project.
tinbender 66
Well-known member
Hands down, the best workbench I've ever seen.
.fatboyf150
Well-known member
You could always drop a second air tank under there for more volume to your air system.
mdbeck1
Well-known member
Wouldn't you want to be able to get to it. Like maybe to drain it or ?????
AmickRacing
Well-known member
Could throw a few fittings together and run a line out closer to the edge that you can reach to drain it...
lastgoodusername
Well-known member
very nice workbench, very nice indeed.
bad_idea
Well-known member
I like the air tank idea! Being that it is in a corner of the building you could run an auto-drain out the side of the building.
Blackie94Gt
Member
Nice. My bench is very similar, even down to the paint. I work for a steel fabrication company so using steel was an obvious choice for me. I used 2x2x11ga tube for the legs and L2x2x3/16 for the frame. I started with a 24" x 8'-0" frame, then I added another 24" x 8'-0" which I bolted to the first frame on one end with three 3/8" bolts and put legs on the other end. Then I added 24" x 5'-0" section which I bolted to the end second frame and put legs on the other end to get a "L" shaped bench 24" x 16'-0" with a 24" x 5'-0" leg and no corner post. Rock solid.
I have put two 24" x 96" 1 3/4" maple butcher block tops on so far, I still need one more 24" x 5'-0" piece to finish the top.
First I made one out of 2x2x1/8 aluminum tube with a 1 1/2" particle board top with a 11ga galvanized sheet cover, but I changed plans and did not have enough aluminum handy to build a longer work bench. I will use that bench in my shed.
I really like the leveling feet, I wish I thought to look for something like that. I welded tabs to the bottom of my legs thinking I would bolt them to the floor, but I haven't, it's pretty level now and doesn't rock. I may cut them off and steal your idea. I have just enough clearance to fit the HF 13 drawer cabinet under my bench if I remove the casters.
I have put two 24" x 96" 1 3/4" maple butcher block tops on so far, I still need one more 24" x 5'-0" piece to finish the top.
First I made one out of 2x2x1/8 aluminum tube with a 1 1/2" particle board top with a 11ga galvanized sheet cover, but I changed plans and did not have enough aluminum handy to build a longer work bench. I will use that bench in my shed.
I really like the leveling feet, I wish I thought to look for something like that. I welded tabs to the bottom of my legs thinking I would bolt them to the floor, but I haven't, it's pretty level now and doesn't rock. I may cut them off and steal your idea. I have just enough clearance to fit the HF 13 drawer cabinet under my bench if I remove the casters.
MichMan517
Active member
Sweet bench SteveO!! Good luck on your search for uppers.
slimer007
Active member
Nice job.
W650Mike
Well-known member
Very nice! Clean and simple is my favorite.
I captured a couple of pics for future ref. but won't post them w/o permission.
I captured a couple of pics for future ref. but won't post them w/o permission.
metalmagpie
Well-known member
If that bench were in my shop, in the corner under the bench would be my phase converter, wiring all hidden in the walls. Phase converters are a necessary evil for running 3-phase machines but they do take up floor space. That L-bench has the perfect space for one!
metalmagpie
metalmagpie
I have a question for you. I'm planning on making a 16ish foot long version of this minus the steel top. I have 2 buffers I want to mount to the top. Would this bench be heavy enough to not vibrate like my wooden built in cabinets do? The cabinets now vibrate through the entire house when I turn on the buffers. I'm not planning on attaching them to the walls either.
A heavy bench won't fix an out-of-balance buffer/grinder.
It may not bounce or vibrate quite as much as a lighter bench, and keeping it from touching the wall will reduce the transmission of vibrations into the attached house, but I think I'd be looking at how to better balance those wheels.
gsport
Well-known member
i finally got around to reading this entire thread.... good job steve, that thing turned out awesome....
racer756
Member
Great thread!
1grnlwn
Well-known member
First of all Great job I am ashamed to say I have not been following this thread due to the fact that it was titled HF. Don't get me wrong I do go there from time to time for small things. But I always feel a little hypocritical when I leave because I truly believe the only way to restore manufacturing to the USA is to buy(Demand) American made products. That being said I am not sure any tool boxes are made in US. None of the ones I looked at were. I got the feeling looking at the frame pictures that there may have been some awesome welds tucked into those corners. Don't be shy, show them off!
If you don't mind I have a few questions.
1. Did you consider making the front lip removable in case you need to put something large on there and want it to sit flat? I definitely understand why you want a lip.
2. I am interested in the fab of your steel top. Is the back splash and lip welded on or bent. I was thinking that would take a pretty good size bender.
Anyway I am pretty new here and promise less snobbery when looking at threads. Thanks for sharing.
If you don't mind I have a few questions.
1. Did you consider making the front lip removable in case you need to put something large on there and want it to sit flat? I definitely understand why you want a lip.
2. I am interested in the fab of your steel top. Is the back splash and lip welded on or bent. I was thinking that would take a pretty good size bender.
Anyway I am pretty new here and promise less snobbery when looking at threads. Thanks for sharing.
1. There is no "front lip" on the benches, so I am unclear on the question?
2. The steel tops were folded from single sheets, and have one welded seam where the two of them meet. My local steel place can bend sheets as long as 144".
Here is a diagram of how they were designed.
1grnlwn
Well-known member
Opps, I read wrong I thought you had a lip on front edge. When I was thinking about a steel bench I thought it would be nice to have a raised portion on front edge to keep springs/screws from rolling off. But I also thought it would be nice to have it removable. Food for though I guess. Maybe a little angle iron piece with magnets to throw down when working.
alpinewhite
Well-known member
Beautiful benches. Bumping to get it to the top again.
KCarGuy
Well-known member
Man, That is One Clean Well Thought out and Build Work Bench.
Nice Job!
I am sure that you put as much effort into the planning stage as you did building it.
But...It looks well worth all the effort.
I Hope you get Years and Years of use from that Beauty!
Nice Job!
I am sure that you put as much effort into the planning stage as you did building it.
But...It looks well worth all the effort.
I Hope you get Years and Years of use from that Beauty!
towguy
Member
Great job!!!