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Lets see your workbench

docbrown

New member
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Messages
1
Here's how I set up my shop, on my lowly enlisted man's salary. As many free/recycled/repurposed materials as possible. My main workbench is a 32" solid core door set on top of two 36" kitchen cabinets that my friend was ditching from a remodel. Door was free from work. Covered the knob/lock hole with the fire exit sign that used to be on the door. It's ugly, but it is solid and heavy, and I don't care if I beat it up. Nested underneath the bench is a trash day special kitchen table that I added casters to, I use it to roll out in the driveway when I want to paint projects, sand, etc. Easily moved around and I couldn't care less if I destroy it. Bench to the right is a knockdown design, frame is 1x4, supporting ends fold inwards like cabinet doors, and the top folds down over them. Light duty, but works for what it was designed for.
tmp_30822-20150121_172618698599798.jpg


Just finished this one, top is a solid core 36" door, on 4x4's with 2x6 frame on 3" casters. Will soon be putting a sheet of hardboard over the top and trimming with oak to cover the knob/lock holes and hinge mortises. Set it at 34" high, serves as a good assembly bench.
tmp_30822-20150120_1654501356744322.jpg
 
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paigej

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 5, 2012
Messages
253
Location
Arizona
Here's how I set up my shop, on my lowly enlisted man's salary. As many free/recycled/repurposed materials as possible. My main workbench is a 32" solid core door set on top of two 36" kitchen cabinets that my friend was ditching from a remodel. Door was free from work. Covered the knob/lock hole with the fire exit sign that used to be on the door. It's ugly, but it is solid and heavy, and I don't care if I beat it up. Nested underneath the bench is a trash day special kitchen table that I added casters to, I use it to roll out in the driveway when I want to paint projects, sand, etc. Easily moved around and I couldn't care less if I destroy it. Bench to the right is a knockdown design, frame is 1x4, supporting ends fold inwards like cabinet doors, and the top folds down over them. Light duty, but works for what it was designed for.
tmp_30822-20150121_172618698599798.jpg


Just finished this one, top is a solid core 36" door, on 4x4's with 2x6 frame on 3" casters. Will soon be putting a sheet of hardboard over the top and trimming with oak to cover the knob/lock holes and hinge mortises. Set it at 34" high, serves as a good assembly bench.
tmp_30822-20150120_1654501356744322.jpg



I really like your compressor under the bench!
 

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Tader82

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Joined
Jan 26, 2015
Messages
52
Location
South Texas Coast
I have many workbenches in my shop :lol_hitti and yes its a mess. My little bro doesn't know how to work in a clean environment. but ti be fare to him the bench with haft my 3.0l on it was not all his fault :p .

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a better "CLEANER" pic of my auto work bench.

20140306_074614.jpg
 

JRC3

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Joined
Jun 30, 2014
Messages
12,481
Location
Southwestern OH
^
I love the 45 degree extension on the inside corner of your bench...Every square inch counts.




One view:
wwW0yAe.png


Yes that is a heater under the bench in the corner where it belongs (towards the floor).
 

shrttrackr

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 10, 2014
Messages
247
Location
Frankfort, IL
erics%20workbench.jpg


This is my friends workbench. It is in a 1 car condo garage.
He races VWs like me but only does minor assembly work in this garage. He is a mechanic and does a lot of the heavy building at his work.
 

Shadowline

Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2011
Messages
12
Recently got the idea from some thread on GJ, The top is high quality laminate flooring that I got for cheap at the local Lowes because someone didn't like after special ordering it. $5 bucks for two boxs which where originally $42 each. I'm going to do all my (3 others) bench's in the future this way. Still need to edge it with some steel angle.
bench_zpsboycpmbo_1.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 

paigej

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 5, 2012
Messages
253
Location
Arizona
Recently got the idea from some thread on GJ, The top is high quality laminate flooring that I got for cheap at the local Lowes because someone didn't like after special ordering it. $5 bucks for two boxs which where originally $42 each. I'm going to do all my (3 others) bench's in the future this way. Still need to edge it with some steel angle.
bench_zpsboycpmbo_1.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

Laminate flooring is an awesome idea:thumbup:
 

joseph.a.owens.9

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 22, 2014
Messages
279
Just moved and this is my first garage of my very own.
e95f2135c8549f632187e3055caa5fcf.jpg
built the bench my self. Just finished moving all the stuff I moved to build it.

85464a9a3f93f4a2baaa05b0365b3be7.jpg
my tiny but free vice.
 

zkling

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Messages
16,939
I have many workbenches in my shop :lol_hitti and yes its a mess. My little bro doesn't know how to work in a clean environment. but ti be fare to him the bench with haft my 3.0l on it was not all his fault :p .

Do you always keep the cat in your tool box?
 

joseph.a.owens.9

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 22, 2014
Messages
279
Bowling alley bench.
It's well beat and has some character. Flooded with 2 coats of spar eurethane. Front edge is 2x angle for a crisp edge to bend sheet metal. Base is 2x2 .120" wall, blackened, oiled, and waxed. Next project is to build rolling cabinets to nest underneath.

My father in law has a 16 ft bowling alley bench. I'm quite envious of you both!
 

mcmlvif100

Well-known member
Joined
May 2, 2010
Messages
627
Location
Northern Indiana
Where can you get old lanes from? I've always been interested in making a piece from them.

Several years ago, I bought two eleven foot longs sections from the local Habitat For Humanity ReStore. Quite often a local HFH will be given the opportunity to deconstruct old buildings before they are razed. In this case, the airport was expanding and the bowling alley was in the way.

Lanes are 42 inches wide so I ripped it lengthwise and ended up with nearly 44 feet of bench material. Adding a nice edge board on all four sides you end up with ~24 inch deep benches which might be a little narrow for some but works great for my purposes. Am down to my last 11 feet but it's destined for a new bench in my pole barn.
 
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paulzox

Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2014
Messages
14
Location
San Diego
Recently got the idea from some thread on GJ, The top is high quality laminate flooring that I got for cheap at the local Lowes because someone didn't like after special ordering it. $5 bucks for two boxs which where originally $42 each. I'm going to do all my (3 others) bench's in the future this way. Still need to edge it with some steel angle.

bench_zpsboycpmbo_1.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]


Shadow,
Do you have a link for your bench build?


PaulzOx
 

Shadowline

Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2011
Messages
12
Shadow,
Do you have a link for your bench build?


PaulzOx

PaulzOx, nope no build thread.... but I can give you a parts list....

2 - 4x4x8's < for the legs
8 - 2x4x8's
1 - 3/4 4x8 sheet of plywood/OSB, rip it down for whatever depth you prefer
2 box's of flooring laminate, whatevers cheap and catchs your eye.
exterior grade screws to put the whole pile together, 2 1/2 inch.

The laminate just floats on the plywood, edge the outside with some angle iron.

I can take some more pics if you need...
 
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paulzox

Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2014
Messages
14
Location
San Diego
PaulzOx, nope no build thread.... but I can give you a parts list....

2 - 4x4x8's < for the legs
8 - 2x4x8's
1 - 3/4 4x8 sheet of plywood/OSB, rip it down for whatever depth you prefer
2 box's of flooring laminate, whatevers cheap and catchs your eye.
exterior grade screws to put the whole pile together, 2 1/2 inch.

The laminate just floats on the plywood, edge the outside with some angle iron.

I can take some more pics if you need...


Thanks Shadow,
I think I can figure it out from here.
Paul


PaulzOx
 

andrewd

Active member
Joined
Dec 5, 2014
Messages
29
Location
North Carolina
It's almost done. I just have to add a backsplash and some aluminum angle to secure the tempered hardwood top to the layer of plywood beneath it, and then I will put a 6' piece of plywood against the wall behind the bench that I will be using to hang tools on.
 

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kjdhawkhill

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Joined
Jan 19, 2015
Messages
822
Location
Flyover state #4
Do you have a work stand in the shed/garage/barn? I'm thinking about trying to find the clamp (used, cheap) from a stand and rigging up a stand/spar that will also push a bike flush against the wall.
 

bigal323

New member
Joined
Apr 13, 2014
Messages
1
I just moved a couple months ago and have been pretty busy downsizing because i used to have a 4 car garage, this is just a one car garage. I made the bench out of scraps that would've otherwise been buried in the snow. I'm looking at getting a beach tool box. I'm slowly shopping around for a top/bottom set on wheels so I can declutter. some of the tools are my brother's that's why you can see two compressors and such.

Al

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HuckFinn

New member
Joined
Jan 3, 2015
Messages
2
Where can you get old lanes from? I've always been interested in making a piece from them.

Semi trailer manufactures use flooring that looks just like bowling lanes for their dry van trailers. I would check semi trailer repair shops, they might even have some cut off piece's laying around you could get for cheap. They should also have Apitong (some people call Filipino flooring) for flat bed trailer use, that when finished, looks almost to good for a work bench.
 

wrench409

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 14, 2006
Messages
2,559
Location
Over here....
Semi trailer manufactures use flooring that looks just like bowling lanes for their dry van trailers. I would check semi trailer repair shops, they might even have some cut off piece's laying around you could get for cheap. They should also have Apitong (some people call Filipino flooring) for flat bed trailer use, that when finished, looks almost to good for a work bench.

Bowling alley wood lanes have metal inside them making them hard to cut - but make nice bench material when you can find it. I'm in the trucking business and have yet to get a good lead on some trailer floor material from my trailer repair shops. Rail cars have the same type of flooring but the same supply issues come up. And when it does it's pretty gnarly and beatup from forklifts. It gets grabbed faster than you can spit.

I settled on flat surface solid core wood doors. I asked my son (a building maintenance exec) and he got me two of them free. I expected them to be standard size but are actually nearly 9 ft. tall each weigh more than I can lift! I plan on cantilevered mounts made of 3"x3"x1/4" angle iron bolted to the studs and the concrete floor. I also plan on hanging drawers that came from office cubicles under the bench all along the bench. I still have not decided on what to edge the bench with with - maybe 1/8" flat stock. I think I'll leave the door handle hole at the wall and use it with my shop vac for sweeping debris into - using some king of cap to cover the hole when not in use - maybe a glass doorknob just to be unique.

I will chronicle my build here - but it will be later in this year. I have a lot of projects in the works.
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dcmus

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Joined
Dec 19, 2011
Messages
331
Location
Ardmore, Ok
Smooth - Are those quick-connects you used to connect all those tools? That musta cost a few bucks (each!) but a great idea.

With the recent movement to use bamboo flooring for homes, I'm surprised that the use of bamboo hasn't made its way into workbenches.

I've been looking at bamboo flooring. Lowe's has it $1.99 sq/ft but 25 sq/ft pkg. Still cheap and nice?
 

DUK

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Joined
Jun 7, 2010
Messages
103
Location
Gold Hill, NC
Working up a drawing of what I'm thinking of building. I found 2 44" toolboxes to use (one on each side) and the shelves on the other end would be for steel pieces. This would be an assembly/fixture table of sorts, not necessarily a welding table.

Any comments or ideas?

 
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