Lets see your workbench

[Mike65]

Here is my garage/shop workbench in all it's messy glory. My uncle picked it up for us either at a government auction or from the school system when he used to be a school teacher. I have worked since taking this picture to clean it up & put things where they belong, it is better but not completely clean if that ever happens.

 

[MattGarage]

This is one of my workbenches but I'm particularly proud of it. Made from a laminate of reclaimed pallets. I loved the various hues. It's quite pretty in person - the photo doesn't do it justice. It's on wheels and I have used it not only as a workbench but a standing table for various occasions.

At the time I only had that entry level number 4 hand plane but I did a surprisingly decent job of flattening the top. I intentionally left the left side uncut to show how it started. My other plywood bench is on right.

Protected with a concoction of BLO/paraffin/mineral spirits

 

[fishwatcher]

This is one of my workbenches but I'm particularly proud of it. Made from a laminate of reclaimed pallets. I loved the various hues. It's quite pretty in person - the photo doesn't do it justice. It's on wheels and I have used it not only as a workbench but a standing table for various occasions.

At the time I only had that entry level number 4 hand plane but I did a surprisingly decent job of flattening the top. I intentionally left the left side uncut to show how it started. My other plywood bench is on right.

Protected with a concoction of BLO/paraffin/mineral spirits

That looks really good!

I’ve not used a hand plane before. Would this cabinet top, made from IKEA pine mattress support slats screwed together underneath and at the corners, be a good candidate for hand planing smooth?

 

[bl00]

Here's mine. It was made by Hallowell.

 

[MattGarage]

That looks really goo!

I’ve not used a hand plane before. Would this cabinet top, made from IKEA pine mattress support slats screwed together underneath and at the corners, be a good candidate for hand planing smooth?

The challenge there is thickness, experience, and tools available. The ideal thing would be to use a thickness planer. The next ideal thing would be using jack plane, which is longer than a number 4 smoothing plane so you keep it really flat a longer length. Another issue is your gaps between each piece.

But yes one could definitely smooth that out and get it nice and flat. If it’s the first time, trying it out, I would practically on some sacrificial wood. You need to get familiar with the concept of heart sides and bark side wood, and with the grain and against the grain. And know how to sharpen a blade because a good sharp iron will make all the difference and make it virtually effortless. It’s not physically hard to do at all when doing right.

 

[FullRaceMerc]

@fishwatcher

The challenge there is thickness, experience, and tools available. The ideal thing would be to use a thickness planer. The next ideal thing would be using jack plane, which is longer than a number 4 smoothing plane so you keep it really flat a longer length. Another issue is your gaps between each piece.

But yes one could definitely smooth that out and get it nice and flat. If it’s the first time, trying it out, I would practically on some sacrificial wood. You need to get familiar with the concept of heart sides and bark side wood, and with the grain and against the grain. And know how to sharpen a blade because a good sharp iron will make all the difference and make it virtually effortless. It’s not physically hard to do at all when doing right.

Also be careful to set the plane for a very shallow cut. It's a common beginner's mistake to think it needs to be set deeper, because when starting out on an uneven surface you don't see much being cut. But as you knock off the high points, the plane will begin to cut longer & wider. A shallow cut is your friend.

As @MattGarage said, spend some time on a practice piece to get the feel of it & to get it dialed in. And learn to cut off the open end of the grain, rather than cutting into it. Once you get it set & learn the feel, it's a joy to use. I've done a couple of pieced together bench tops & used the plane to smooth the top with good success.

 

[CHRIII]

Nice work. I'd round the corners on the top. Also, I'd move the plug strip to under the front of the top.

I originally commented that having the plug strip at the back would not be a issue because of "my boarding house reach". Well, after more than a year I finally put a plug strip at the spot kaymccampbell suggested. The strip at the back remains but is plugged into the front strip. My plan is to use the back one for more 'permanent' connections (currently the florescent magnifying lamp and the overhead lights) and the front for 'temporary' connections . I may attach the back strip like the front one at another time. The back strip is currently clamped to the top because I'm reluctant to drill holes into the top that may not be used later.

​

I've not rounded the corners, mainly because I don't want to cut the fiberglass top. If the corners become an issue, I'll try the corner bumpers made to protect small children. If the those don't work well then I'll round the corners

 

[threewood]

 

[Bob Heine]

1962 Plymouth?

 

[threewood]

1962 Plymouth?

Very good! 62 Belvedere, 318 Poly, 727 pushbutton.

 

[harris.jasonm]

I made another bench this weekend. Came out pretty cool.

 

[harris.jasonm]

Finished product.

 

[HogDude]

Finished product.

Well done. That patina look is very cool.

 

[wmihl]

I have an all oak work bench that I had made back in the mid 90's for a high school woods class. It is too nice to have in the garage so I have been letting the wife use it as a craft work station. The top was made from benches taken out of a school locker room and all the screw holes have been plugged with dark walnut. The interesting part was that the plans for this bench were from an issue of the Popular Mechanics magazine I was able to check out at the public library. I wish you could still find this publication on the internet since they had plans for a wide range of shop projects!

 

[kaymccampbell]

I have an all oak work bench that I had made back in the mid 90's for a high school woods class. It is too nice to have in the garage so I have been letting the wife use it as a craft work station. The top was made from benches taken out of a school locker room and all the screw holes have been plugged with dark walnut. The interesting part was that the plans for this bench were from an issue of the Popular Mechanics magazine I was able to check out at the public library. I wish you could still find this publication on the internet since they had plans for a wide range of shop projects!

Boogle Books. Get your fix right here.

Popular Mechanics

Popular Mechanics inspires, instructs and influences readers to help them master the modern world. Whether it’s practical DIY home-improvement tips, gadgets and digital technology, information on the newest cars or the latest breakthroughs in science -- PM is the ultimate guide to our high-tech...

books.google.com

 

[Jgaz]

My woodworking bench I made about 20 years ago.

 

[Bob Heine]

Boogle Books. Get your fix right here.

Kay, thanks for that. I was wondering what I would do with my spare time. Priceless!

 

[The_Inspector]

Still a work in progress, but what I am working with currently.

Those grey cabinet on the right, are they like a sort of library doors? looks very space saving. I got a tiny workspace myself, so could be a goos solution

 

[zanyad]

Those grey cabinet on the right, are they like a sort of library doors? looks very space saving. I got a tiny workspace myself, so could be a goos solution

They're metal compartment boxes in slide-out drawers, like these: https://www.durhammfg.com/product-category/industrial-storage/compartment-boxes-and-racks/

Boxes are customizable on the interior, can get stacking cabinets with slide-out drawers to allow access. Similar to a hardware store hardware organizer.

 

[The_Inspector]

They're metal compartment boxes in slide-out drawers, like these: https://www.durhammfg.com/product-category/industrial-storage/compartment-boxes-and-racks/

Boxes are customizable on the interior, can get stacking cabinets with slide-out drawers to allow access. Similar to a hardware store hardware organizer.

Thx for sharing, haven't seen those before.

 

[Jgaz]

Here is the bench I built knowing that I was planning to store my bottom tool box under it after I retired. I waited about 40 years to have a metal top on at least one of my benches! Dummy!


I always incorporate shear panels into the ends of any wooden bench I build.
I recessed these panels in rabbets on the inside of the legs and cross pieces to take advantage of any space I could.

 

[Jgaz]

I might as well continue my workbench pictures by showing the storage unit that is the same height as the bench.
It has a removable top that combines three storage units.
If you look at the first photo in the post above you can see the six wooden drawers to the left of my main bench.
This counter is very useful for keeping a lot of the inevitable clutter off the main workbenches.



This older pic maybe gives you a better idea of what I mean about the removable top and three separate storage cabinets.

 

[wmihl]

Those grey cabinet on the right, are they like a sort of library doors? looks very space saving. I got a tiny workspace myself, so could be a goos solution

The tall gray cabinet "library doors" are part of the LEVRACK system. They slide left to right on a track system hung from the upper cross beams. And yes, a very good option if you have the room!!

 

[fishwatcher]

My work bench is a Gorilla bench from 20-ish years ago. The bench top is a Husky 1.25” thick “butcher” top I cut to fit. I’ve got a 4.5” Wilton Cadet vise painted blue to match my Park Tools and highlights of my other favorite tools include a restored vintage Craftsman soft mallet, old USA Craftsman metric and Blackhawk by Proto SAE combination wrenches.

A second vise, Capri Tools, is mounted on a Black and Decker Workmate 300. A Park Tools bike stand gets moved out when I need to work on a bike. On the left is a Baldor bench grinder I picked up cheap, cleaned up and put on a side table I made out of iron pipes and the rest of the Husky work bench top. On the right above my cabinet I have a wood top made from IKEA bed slats. On top of that is a Wilton Bullet 9300 vise.

It’s a small and cramped space, but I absolutely love it. One day I’ll clean out some junk, so I can have some more room.

 

[dchawk81]

Well, go ahead, post a pic or two of your workbench!
Gonna need one for the new garage, need ideas/inspiration!

I will when I can find it.

 

[HogDude]

My work bench is a Gorilla bench from 20-ish years ago. The bench top is a Husky 1.25” thick “butcher” top I cut to fit. I’ve got a 4.5” Wilton Cadet vise painted blue to match my Park Tools and highlights of my other favorite tools include a restored vintage Craftsman soft mallet, old USA Craftsman metric and Blackhawk by Proto SAE combination wrenches.

A second vise, Capri Tools, is mounted on a Black and Decker Workmate 300. A Park Tools bike stand gets moved out when I need to work on a bike. On the left is a Baldor bench grinder I picked up cheap, cleaned up and put on a side table I made out of iron pipes and the rest of the Husky work bench top. On the right above my cabinet I have a wood top made from IKEA bed slats. On top of that is a Wilton Bullet 9300 vise.

It’s a small and cramped space, but I absolutely love it. One day I’ll clean out some junk, so I can have some more room.

I love to see things repurposed and use of space maximized. Well done!
I would like to get a bike stand for simple maintenance. Any suggestions? Budget minded suggestions that is......

 

[Tynee]

I would like to get a bike stand for simple maintenance. Any suggestions? Budget minded suggestions that is......

same

 

[fishwatcher]

same

@HogDude and @Tynee - thanks for your comments. My only experience with stands is with the Park Tools PCS 10. This stand has been solid and has never failed my home bike mechanic needs.

It looks like there’s are 10.2 and 10.3 models now (on Amazon) that are newer. There are higher end pro versions, with heavier duty parts and I assume a little less plastic, which I’m sure would be even nicer.

I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a home mechanic or pro Park Tools stand either new or used. My only regret is I didn’t buy one earlier.

 

[Loose Ctrl]

When I worked for Bike Tech, all my tools were top line Parker. Loved those tools. Sucked I had to give them back when I moved on.

 

[yhprum]

This started out as a basic workbench I made some time ago. Lately I have been trying to focus on my organization And decided to add drawers. Here is the final product.

 

[HogDude]

This started out as a basic workbench I made some time ago. Lately I have been trying to focus on my organization And decided to add drawers. Here is the final product.

Very nice! That would be a great “pass it down to the next generation” item. Keep it in the family.

 

[yhprum]

Thanks Hog Dude. I wish it was that good! Thus was my first semi real woodworking project. I wanted it to be basic, sturdy and heavy. I made all the framework from pressure treated lumber with very basic tools. What I didn’t know was how much it would dimensionally change as it dried out over a couple of years. So I had to fix and compensate a lot when I added the drawers, which was also a live and learn exercise. But it’s all mine haha.

 

[gearhead1]

yhprum, nice work! What is the lumber actual thickness for the top? Here in the US what we nominally call a 2x4 is actually 1-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 inches.

 

[yhprum]

Thanks! That mainframe is made from 100 mm (real 4x4) square PT pine. All made with lap type joints mostly. The threaded bar goes through the four horizontal side pieces and holds it all together.
The top is 50mm x about 8 inches gardening type pine we call sleepers here.
All from the big box store, Bunnings.

 

[TwoBytes]

This started out as a basic workbench I made some time ago. Lately I have been trying to focus on my organization And decided to add drawers. Here is the final product.

Very nice!

What's sitting on it? Is that a vintage motorcycle mudguard? On a display stand?

 

[yhprum]

Twobytes, you guessed it! it’s a vintage Harley part, I made up the stand to hold it for painting.

 

[rockcrawler]

My girlfriend wanted a small workbench, so I recently built this for her. I removed the wheels from the lower toolbox and mounted the box to the lower shelf of the workbench. I put wheels under the workbench so she can move the workbench and toolbox together wherever she wants. I am not a wood worker, but it turned out ok.

 

[wood02]

 

[Bessy]

This was a few days ago, mid glue up of the housewarming bench I built for my Future-Maybe-Someday-Brother-in-Law. 100% edge jointed maple that I acquired at an auction, with a (not pictured) save for the MDF shelf (framed in maple). Wife and I delivered it to their new place on Sunday, but didn't manage to get a photo of it after it was placed in their garage. I have to go back and help him install the shelf at the proper height and install the vise I found for it as well, likely next week some time.


My Dad built a potting bench to go with it for my sister out of reclaimed pine siding from our childhood home (parents still live there).

 

[jskicet]

Still a work in progress.