Island workbench build.

[coljar]

I took a while to build this bench because I wanted to think about what size to make it, but most important, what height to go with. The decision was, 37 in. This allows me to slide a rolling bench underneath and out of the way when I don't need it. I'll take you through the build and explain some things along the way.

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Adding the 3/8" angle iron around the edge.

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[NUTTSGT]

I was wondering about the angle iron but that looks quite nice. How big is the table ?

 

[coljar]

I was wondering about the angle iron but that looks quite nice. How big is the table ?

The length is 93" x 53". That is including the angle iron in the measurement. I had to make it a little longer than I planned due to the rolling table underneath, which you'll see later. The angle iron has already been used well for a project that required clamping the work down for a layout.

 

[The FIB]

Very nice, sure does look sturdy.

 

[coljar]

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There is a set bolt on all four corners of the bench to steady a vise or any other tool you choose to mount in the hitch receiver.

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Painted and ready to move in place with some furniture moving wheels from Harbor Freight. I was going to use the automotive set on the top, but the small set worked fine.

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[coljar]

This is where it's going to set.

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This vise mount is not finished. It was just made up enough to see how well it works.

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[jesse72]

That's awesome, I really like the vertical receiver hitches!

 

[Pathfinders]

Awesome bench. I like the mounts.

 

[johnyg]

whats up with the mini.....honda engine ?? nice bench and vice.

 

[yeldogt]

so the angle iron is just for clamping ?

 

[coljar]

whats up with the mini.....honda engine ?? nice bench and vice.

The Mini has the original 1275 engine, but a V-tec in one of them would make it an even bigger blast to drive.

 

[colt zantop]

Damn...that turned out nice!

 

[Richard Cranium]

your bench turned out nice, and I really like the vise mount.

 

[captain14]

Very nice bench. The angle iron on the edges is a great idea.

 

[coljar]

so the angle iron is just for clamping ?

Mainly for clamping, but I've already used it for some sheet metal straightening. 3/8" angle iron will take a lot.

 

[BlueHeart]

I like the Kimball-Midwest parts drawers in the background. I started thinking of the retainers I need for my truck. Love the bench too.

 

[coljar]

Here is a picture of the underside of the bench. Both sets of the 3 2x4's are liquid nailed and screwed together. The right side has 2 2x8's lq. nailed and screwed together.

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[coljar]

This is the reason I made the bench the way I did on one side. I use the bench under the bench for when I need one temporarily and when I'm done, it slides back under and out of the way. Please excuse the mess on that bench's shelves, because I haven't taken the time to cleaned it up, yet. That 2x4 that is angled up is attached with a piano hinge and swings up to allow the bench to move out.

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[coljar]

Thanks for the comments guys. I really enjoy this bench.

 

[coljar]

Here is my new 1765 Wilton on a finished 10 in. wide 1/2" base that I recently put together. I had ordered a 1765 for the workbench in my area at work and like it so well that I ordered one for myself from Amazon. I'll take a picture of this thing removed and turned over later, because with a solid steel hitch ball mount welded to the bottom, it weighs a lot and I'm off work for 2 more weeks with a 10 lbs. weight lift restriction.

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[RocketScott]

Nice.

At the third picture I was thinking "you should really have a lip around the perimeter for clamping things down"

Then the fifth picture came along and I was like "Oh snap, I'll STFU now. It's under control"

 

[yeldogt]

Mainly for clamping, but I've already used it for some sheet metal straightening. 3/8" angle iron will take a lot.

Looks like it would be handy : may copy you

 

[jhn9840]

Very nice bench. The ability to walk all the way around the bench makes things so nice. Never seen any one mount a receiver hitch vertically before but a great idea. Looks like it saves a lot of space.

jhn9840
John

 

[BigNuge]

Bummin....for some reason I cannot view any of the pictures...??

I built my bench as a walk around as well. It has worked out great! Being able to access all sides has proven invaluable.




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[coljar]

Looks like it would be handy : may copy you

I got the idea of using the angle iron from the bench the sheet metal craft use in their area of the main shop at work. Theirs is more than twice as long as mine, but I didn't have that much room and besides, they lay out some seriously big work on it.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I really like the angle-iron idea, I might just have to steal that. My main workbench I have a 1" overlap on top which works great for clamping. But another bench I have is flush.

 

[coljar]

Very nice bench. The ability to walk all the way around the bench makes things so nice. Never seen any one mount a receiver hitch vertically before but a great idea. Looks like it saves a lot of space.

jhn9840
John

My thinking is, there are some bench mounted tools(shears for example) that I don't use very often, and I can make mounts for them and stick them in the hitch receivers, use them, and remove them when I'm done. I'm not done thinking about how to make this bench as efficient as possible and I'm always willing to steal an idea here and there.

 

[coljar]

Bummin....for some reason I cannot view any of the pictures...??

I built my bench as a walk around as well. It has worked out great! Being able to access all sides has proven invaluable.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Man, that's cool. How long is that puppy. It looks like 16 ft. Sorry you can't see the pictures. Don't know what would be the problem.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Back in for more pictures and updates. I really like the angle iron also. I have a work table myself and I have to break out the large C-clamps to hold something down.

 

[coljar]

I put sheets of 1/8" cycolac over the 3/4" plywood bench top because it makes a good work surface. How do I know this? One of benches in my old garage next door has had the same sheets on it since 1981 and has seen far heavier use than this bench ever will. These were test run sheets of cycolac that my dad was able to get at the plant he worked at for 30 years. He's been gone almost 31 years so that tells you how long I've had them.

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[coljar]

Here is another look at the workbench inside of a workbench storage solution for when keeping it out of my way until I need it.

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[coljar]

The angle iron is attached with these 4 1/2" x 1/2" carriage bolts with 1/2" lag bolts on the corners that go into the 6x6" legs. I had to grind the corner of the shoulders on these carriage bolts for a snug fit in the round holes of the angle iron.

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[coljar]

I wanted to put a shop light over my new workbench, but there is a 60 in. ceiling fan directly over top of it. I came up with this solution of suspending a light weight angle iron frame to hang two shop lights side be side. It is attached to the angle iron building truss overhead. And yes, sometime I'm going to get that traffic light hung up.

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[banjopete]

Cool, the light holder looks great. Do you cinch the receivers in at all or just let them jiggle that tiny bit in the slack?

 

[NUTTSGT]

What is cycolac ? I've never heard of it before and what is it used for, normally ?


I like the light holder, thinking outside the box.

 

[coljar]

Cool, the light holder looks great. Do you cinch the receivers in at all or just let them jiggle that tiny bit in the slack?

As any of my friends would tell you, it would drive me crazy if it jiggled even a little bit. If you look at the pictures in post #5, picture 1 and 6, it shows the corners of the bench. There is a set bolt sticking out of each side where the receivers are located.

 

[coljar]

What is cycolac ? I've never heard of it before and what is it used for, normally ?


I like the light holder, thinking outside the box.

Cycolac is the brand name that Borg Warner chemicals once owned. The best way to explain it is to think of PVC pipe, but in sheets. It does have a gloss finish, though.

 

[coljar]

Another picture of the bench light.

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[GTO]

Nice work.

 

[coljar]

Nice work.

Thanks man.

Here's a view of the Wilton 1765 bullet with the bottom plate attached. That is part of a solid hitch ball mount tube welded to the plate that I had laying around. When I pulled it up and out of the receiver to take this picture, it got away from me and hit the floor. It's pretty heavy.

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