New workbench build

[badtexasz28]

So I figured I have been here long enough now that I would share my attached garage and the workbench I am building for it:

 

[LoRollinLS]

thats sweet, i like the diagonal supports, that kinda gives you more room to move around the bench rather than hitting your knees on the bottom all the time!

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

Nice!!! That's going to be a nice bench. What are you going to use for the top decking? You sure did save yourself ALOT of money building those instead of buying them.

 

[badtexasz28]

I built it cantilever style (tied into the bottom plate of the wall) to make it easier to clean under it but still strong enough to hold any project I happen to be working on, that and it is lag bolted to the framing of the house. I have a local discount store here that is selling some cabinets to go up on the wall for $20 each, so I think I will go spend some more money.

Not too bad for 90 bucks in material and an afternoon. I have 3/4" plywood that I am going to top off with some hardboard and trim it with 1 x 2 to hide the edges. I also got to use this project to deplete some of my lumber from my 1/2 bath remodel (reduce, reuse, recycle...). I plan on laying the top on it today after work.

 

[sharpshooter]

Nice bench, Im getting ready to build mine here this week. I look forward to some more pics.

 

[kvom]

That looks almost identical to what I'm going to build, based on an example I saw at a friend's garage. In his, the diagonal braces terminate on the wall about 18" up, and there is a second narrower shelf, with braces, below the main bench.

He also set the internal cross members lower than the frame so that his top would sit inside flush.

He used a router to round off the corners in the front. You can do this with your top as well.

Your moveable bench looks almost indentical to my current on, except mine doesn't have the casters.

 

[badtexasz28]

I thought about making the cantilever arms shorter, but it would have meant I couldnt space them asthetically pleasing to the eye and being shorter would put more leveraging pressure on the lag bolted side of the bench and the cross bracing closest to the wall.

I am planning to make a slanted fold out type of drawer/shelf along the shorter of the two benches. The 12ft section will be getting arms mounted to it to hold sticks of metal tubing.

 

[ddawg16]

The cantilever was a good idea.....that is about as strong as you can get it short of going straight down to the floor....best overall compromise....

What are you going to do for a top?

One piece of advice.....heavy and thick....makes a bid difference when you want use the hammer.

I'll be building one soon.....mine will be a little similar....except I'll be hanging cabinets underneath....but not all the way to the floor.....

The top will be 1" MDF with 12g stainless steel on top. I'm going to bend it so that the back has about a 6" back splash and the front about a 1" front edge. Why stainless? Easy to maintain...tough....to clean it up just hit it with a 3M scotch pad.

 

[Nova72]

i put a bench like this in my small garage. im looking forward to seeing some of the other finishing options you do.

 

[badtexasz28]

I want to get some 8ft sections of 1-1/8" thick birch counter top from IKEA, 79 bucks is a pretty good deal, only thing is the closest one to me is in DC.

 

[badtexasz28]

Small update, got almost all of the surface and trim on before it started raining:

 

[fireguy]

I wanted a tough bench top. Steel top, 1/8" by 48" x 10" long. I had a 90° bend down at the front of the bench. the bench top is so heavy, I had to have a friend help take it out of my van & put in on the bench. I shold have had 1 more person.

 

[badtexasz28]

My welding bench will be a 1/2" thick plate 4'x4', so I expect that to be rather heavy. Nothing a lift cant handle and some casters on it will make it moveable.

 

[sharpshooter]

Nice progression. What made you decide to go with the cantilevered over having the option of making shelves underneath. Will the foor space be of more value the shelving. Im tryin to decide on which way to build mine.

 

[badtexasz28]

I originally was going to make a built in corner section with 2 or 3 roll around work benches to make cleaning easier. The cantilever style gives me the ease of sweeping up but with the stability of a built in unit.

I have a couple of ideas for shelving/cabinets under the work bench... just have to lay it out on paper and mock something up before I fully commit to it.

 

[kvom]

1/2" plate is super-heavy. For me 1/4" is stout enough.

Using the bench supports for a shelf for tube is a great idea. I'm going to copy that idea (as long as there's enough room to get the tube in and out).

 

[joking777]

What kind of place fabricates a stainless steel top for a workbench? I looked into it a little for a workbench at my last house and couldn't come up with anybody local in the Washington DC area.

 

[dcjredline]

Same thing I did with the angled legs. I think it saves alot of floor space and is MUCH easier to clean under. I mounted some shelves between the legs to hold some plastic storage bins under there, along with my ladder, shop vac, and creeper seat. On one end I also put a steel rod through 2 of the legs to hold my wire spools. It is very nice. Plus I did the 3/4 mdf and 1/4 hardboard that stuff is pretty tough.

 

[CycloneISU]

Maybe I missed it but how did you fasten the support leg to the wall? I’m sure it doesn’t just screw in with drywall screws is it? I would also like to see some measurements of over all height and depth of the bench. Sorry I’m close to pulling the trigger on this design and have a flood of questions on how you did it.

 

[sharpshooter]

+1 same here, Ill be starting my build tommorrow....

 

[badtexasz28]

Hope this helps, if you need anything else let me know:

 

[badtexasz28]

My material list was:

2- 2x4x12 long bench rails
2- 2x4x10 short bench rails
8- 2x4x8 cantilever legs and stringers
2- 3/4x4x8 plywood sheathing
2- 1/4x4x8 hardboard
The trim was some recycled pieces but it is 1x3
1lb- 1-5/8" drywall screws for securing the plywood to the framing
12- 5/16x4" lag bolts for securing to house framing
12- 5/16x1-1/4" fender washers for use with above
1lb- 3" construction screws

I half lapped the rails of the benches to make it more secure and to save me time cutting and framing. All of the stringers were set at 16" on center to aid in the lining up of the 8' sections of plywood.

 

[CycloneISU]

I hate to admit to it but I think I’m actually drooling over this now. Please don’t tell the little lady it might end up costing me something. Thank you for the info.

 

[sharpshooter]

That is almost the exact dimensions of what Im gonna build. This should help a great deal.

 

[badtexasz28]

Thanks guys, I see it as a simple addition that is long overdue in my attached garage. My detached garage is being turned into a paint booth and mixing room.

 

[badtexasz28]

Long time not post... nothing major to add here just a pic of the stick holders:

 

[E.rodz]

now you see how easy it is to fill up the new bench.doesn't look so clean now.lol.

 

[falcon428]

Thats the bad thing about flat surfaces, they catch everything. Doesnt matter how much bench space you have before you know it you cant find a spot to work on something without stopping and putting things away.....LOL