How about this bench idea?

[GR8Dane]

Hey guys.

Starting my planning on the workbenches for my garage conversion. The plan is 16' long, 30" wide. Still unsettled a little on the height, but probably around 39" tall.

I have a family member that works for an HVAC company that is going to make some bench tops with their equipment. He said they just redid their shop benches with galvanized sheet metal and then had them brushed with those orbital sander marks to scuff them up. He's going to bend them so that they will wrap around the edges. I'm wondering if it also would make sense to wrap the edge up an inch and a half or so against the wall to keep any major spills from running down behind the bench.

Here are a couple of thoughts I have for what to design under the bench. I'd love any suggestions or feedback:

1. Desk area: This area will be at one end of the bench directly in front of a wall mounted tv/computer monitor that I'll use for a little work on occasion instead of having to go in the house. I'd like to be able to scoot my stool and legs all the way underneath the bench for comfort and also for when I'm working on more detailed things like carbs.

2. Storage area: This area will have some shelves for storage of items, including the AV and PC equipment. Probably no doors at this point as I have enough cabinets for stuff that needs to stay clean and put away. My only concern with the shelves is I hate kicking them with my toes or shins when I'm trying to stand next to the bench. Maybe I can elevate the bottom shelf and even keep it only 24" deep so it stays nice and tucked away.

3. Vice, drill press, bench grinder? I'm torn a little about what to do with these items. I don't use any of them a ton, so dedicating bench space to them isn't high on my list. But, I also hate having to get them out and clamp them down to a saw horse each time I need them. Run the cords, get some light, etc. I'm considering using Jack's idea of the double 2" receiver hitches and mounting some of those tools up using that instead. Has anyone else tried this out and have some feedback? I don't weld at all, so I'd probably have to get some help on some of that. Seems like a pretty cool solution.

I'll probably get started on the benches next week, so any feedback would be awesome. I'll get some new pic's posted up on the progress of the shop soon. It's getting close to done!

 

[NUTTSGT]

Sounds like you're planning things out right.

 

[Plump]

Make sure to really test out your bench height. Everyone hates mine because it is so tall but I'm absolutely in love with the ONE thing that actually fits me. No sore back trying to do dishes or work on "little people" benches!

I elevated my storage underneath the bench so that I can keep small scrap under it and have all the oft-used equipment right at my fingers.

The double 2" receiver hitches idea; where is that from Jack? I apologize but my forum search skills obviously stink and I couldn't find it. SUPER interested in seeing pictures and hearing about it. My vise is mounted on my bench but the drill press, etc. would be more used if it were easy to set up and stable. Help me out on this!

Thanks and let's see pictures of that bench top; sounds super cool. My vote is absolutely to bring it up an inch for cleaning purposes. I lose stuff behind mine all the time!

 

[Jack Olsen]

Sounds good. Will is tall be one height?

Normal desk height is about 30". Normal bench height is anywhere from 36"-40".

 

[Scout Driver]

My uncle's shop has a desk area in the bench. Its at the end of the bench and is at regular "desk height". Nice to be able to stretch out/slouch down in a chair when making phone calls, yapping with neighbors that drop in, etc. The back-splash idea is great. I have seen them about 3-4 inches tall, like a kitchen counter-top. Don't know if the added height is of benefit or if it would interfere with your outlets. A vise mounted to the bench will get used more because its readily available. The hitch idea is nice too. As far as a grinder, I like mine on the stand. Our grinder is on a stand on the other side of the shop from the bench. Not the handiest, but its out of the way. A side benefit is that the bench, parts, tools etc. don't get pelted with debris from the grinder or wire brush. Great planning on your part! Post pics. when its done.

Scott

 

[thomask]

GR8Dane,

Hey,

You are doing it right, good planning prevents ---- poor performance.

I have thought about that covering for my workbench top also.

Let's see some pics when you get going.

Good luck to you.

 

[GR8Dane]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to have them go ahead and build in a backsplash at least an inch and a half high. My only issue as pointed out is my outlet height. Whatever bench height I settle on, I'll run the backsplash all the way up to the outlets.

Jack, my plan is to have it all set at one height. I'm using shop stools with foot rests which sit up nice and high, so I should be comfy sitting there for a while. I may even put a small shelf up 1 foot off the ground to rest my feet on when sitting for a while.

Scout Driver, I think you are right about the grinder being in a bad location if I mount it to my bench. I'm bound to have a bike on the lift right behind it getting pelted with debris. Sounds like I need to be looking for a grinder stand that I can move easy.

The vice probably should just get a nice, permanent mount on the bench.

For those that missed it, here is a link to Jack's cool hitch mount accessorized workbench: Hitch Bench I love cool ideas like that, but it ticks me off when I can't force it into my own plans. Guess it's always better when necessity is the mother of the invention. It's certainly something I could incorporate later I guess.

 

[Jack Olsen]

my plan is to have it all set at one height. I'm using shop stools with foot rests which sit up nice and high, so I should be comfy sitting there for a while. I may even put a small shelf up 1 foot off the ground to rest my feet on when sitting for a while.

That's what I ended up doing also. I used to have a desk-height bench in the garage, which I liked a lot. In replacing it with a sturdier work surface, I worked out plans to make it height adjustable -- I got pneumatic cylinders that would have moved it from 30" to 37" with the turn of a valve (and the insert of some pins). In the end, I decided it would be easier to cut my desk chair and extend it with a 7" length of pipe. It's the KISS principle -- better to move the user to the work surface than the other way around.

The vice probably should just get a nice, permanent mount on the bench.

For those that missed it, here is a link to Jack's cool hitch mount accessorized workbench: Hitch Bench I love cool ideas like that, but it ticks me off when I can't force it into my own plans. Guess it's always better when necessity is the mother of the invention. It's certainly something I could incorporate later I guess.

I think a vise is the one thing that you want hard-mounted no matter what. I have one for the hitch receiver setup, and it's handy when I move over to the wall with my fold-down benches. But there's no substitute for a rock solid, hammer-'til-your-arm-hurts vise -- at least, if your stuff comes out as crooked as mine usually does.

I like the hitch for being able to put some things away -- I only use a bench grinder some of the time, so it's nice to be able to slide it out and put it on a shelf. In a small space, things get cluttered in a hurry if everything is always out and set up.