One massive workbench?

[TheClaw]

I found some large office desks at a local resale. They are massive. 3'x5' and there's a bunch. Enough to put together 20' of countertop. Maybe there's a fifth, I'd have to check. I'm so used to a 2'x8' bench that this seems massive.

Here's the good part, i'm building a new 16x36 shop so stealing an extra foot of floor space is not that big of a deal.

For you guys with 3' deep counters for your workbench, how does it feel? Is it too much? Most of what we do is work on and rebuild our motorcycles. I think having an extra foot would be nice. Might take some getting used to.

I'd have to find a place for them until the shop is finished but that's a minor point.

 

[mike93lx]

3' deep tables against a wall sounds terrible. Even as a tall guy, I would not want to have that

3' as a free standing island would be great

 

[sparky 1971]

My bench is 30" deep and it's not a problem at all. I can't see another 6" of depth being bad other than it being more square footage to pile **** on. I think I'd come up with a plan to raise a desk at least 6" in order to stand at it comfortably though. The desk I am currently sitting at is 29" high, perfect for sitting, but there's no way I would want to do something at it while standing for more than about 30 seconds.

 

[Fordguy1964]

My workbench is 4'x8' with a 1" thick solid steel top. I got spoiled. Now the only thing you have to watch out for with a bigger bench is that it has the habit of becoming a catch all if you're not careful. A smaller bench is more apt to get cleared since you always need the space for projects and can't afford to give some up.

EDIT- BTW the 4' end is against the wall and I am able to walk around the table so that makes the depth more usable with a project on each side or a massive project covering the entire table.

 

[Stuart in MN]

When you have a deep workbench stuff tends to accumulate at the back side. Also, as mentioned by Sparky they don't look tall enough for working at them when standing up, so you probably need to figure out how to make them taller.

 

[dave*99]

I agree with the comments that they are a tad deep and definitely too low.
But also give thought to what you will store under them. That shelf is not ideal. Though removing it makes them weaker.
A segmented worktop (4 sections in a row?) would not be my preference either.

 

[WillyBoy]

If the long 36 inch side is against the wall, the wall above is going to be less useful and hard to reach.

 

[Fixr]

When you have a deep workbench stuff tends to accumulate at the back side. Also, as mentioned by Sparky they don't look tall enough for working at them when standing up, so you probably need to figure out how to make them taller.

I have a 36 inch bench against the wall. I use the far 6 inches or so as a place to keep shop chemicals, parts trays and the like handy. I built a small shelf above that for cordless battery chargers and the most often used cordless tools. It works very well for me. It would be a bit of a stretch to actually work on something back there, but not a problem just to grab some acetone, a rag or a parts tray.

 

[LWB]

We use a sheet of steel on racking. I believe it's 36" deep. Works fine. The back is just for ****.

 

[BetterDays]

@TheClaw how tall are you?
Just finishing a 36" deep bench and it is perfect for me at 5'11"ish. It is free standing, but even against the wall would allow some room for work

 

[Skooterj]

You take your 36 inch deep workbench and you put a bunch of pull out storage containers on the back 12 inches of them.

 

[Caa311]

My workbench is 4'x8' with a 1" thick solid steel top. I got spoiled. Now the only thing you have to watch out for with a bigger bench is that it has the habit of becoming a catch all if you're not careful. A smaller bench is more apt to get cleared since you always need the space for projects and can't afford to give some up.

EDIT- BTW the 4' end is against the wall and I am able to walk around the table so that makes the depth more usable with a project on each side or a massive project covering the entire table.

That's how I'm going to position my 42"x72" 1" thick steel bench. My plan is to be able to work on an atv or motorcycle on each side.

 

[kwb]

I went 28in for the bench on the wall the 20in drop became the shelf underneath.

I'm tall and long armed, I wouldn't want 36in against the wall.

My Fab bench is just under 6ft square. You really don't work in the middle of it but the ability to layout bigger things is very handy.

 

[Youngandfree]

How short are you?

 

[CraigStu]

I'd grab 2-3 of them. Get them to your desired working height at about kitchen counter #s. Put good quality locking casters on them. Play around w/ them for a year and see if you find a configuration you like. Use ratchet straps as temporary 'hold 2-3 together' tools.

 

[kaymccampbell]

My center woodworking bench is 3' deep but it's away from the wall. The rest of the woodworking benches are 30 inches deep. My metal bench is about 3' deep and it's against the wall, but has the back 8 inches with tools n bins n odd bits. Right now I've got an outboard motor on it that waiting for things, and there's still room to work along the whole front foot.

 

[TheClaw]

How short are you?

6ft, which is pretty short is some parts of the country.

I'd grab 2-3 of them. Get them to your desired working height at about kitchen counter #s. Put good quality locking casters on them. Play around w/ them for a year and see if you find a configuration you like. Use ratchet straps as temporary 'hold 2-3 together' tools.

I have some leftover sections of plywood that I'm going to place on top of my exiting bench to see how it feels. My only concern is reaching to the top of the peg board. I plan to have a pretty good sized pegboard with my go to tools on it.

 

[TheClaw]

The rolling boxes and dresser would go below them. Not worried about removing the shelf. The back side provides stiffness.

 

[FJ 432]

Organization is a process not an end goal. If they're cheap enough, try them out.

 

[ptt49er]

I had a 36" deep bench, ended up cutting it back to 30". It was just too deep. I'm about the same height as you.

 

[TheClaw]

I think most of you guys are right. 36" is pretty deep. My new shop is not even ready yet. When the time comes, I think 30" might be better even if it will take more material. It will probably end up costing about the same just building it myself.

 

[skeer]

I'd love that, unless your arms are two feet long you will love it too. Just put them flat against the wall or a short barrier (6" min) so stuff doesn't roll off the back side.

 

[CraigStu]

36" is fine. Like your first pic on post #18 just fill in the back w/ whatever. Someone above mentioned orienting your bench so the short side is against the wall. You could arrange 2 of them so you have a 3'x10' bench w/ the 3' against the wall. Heck try 3 of them arranged like in your pic of them at the source so you have a 5'x9' bench w/ the 5 against the wall. Yeah a big bench can attract stuff so it looks less than perfectly organized. But if that stuff is easily moved, you still have plenty of room when you need it. At one time I had a 4'x8' bench. While I had that I built a couple of things on it. Don't even remember what. But I do remember being able to get to all sides of the project and having a flat surface to move it around on w/ no problem and no concern that some part was hanging over the edge.

 

[Fordguy1964]

That's how I'm going to position my 42"x72" 1" thick steel bench. My plan is to be able to work on an atv or motorcycle on each side.

I put a lift table against the wall beside the table. That makes heavy items that I want on my big workbench easier for my old back to get them up there. I might get some pictures after this week once my grandkids leave to go back to Ohio. No time to do any "garaging" with them here visiting.

 

[Caa311]

I want to get a lift table from harbor freight before I kill my old *** self lifting **** I shouldn't. I have a 500# wheelchair lift from a previous stupid adventure but it's to big.

 

[andyvh1959]

I just rehabbed an old fire truck compartment someone turned into a rolling tool cart. I grabbed it out of the scrap bin when working at Pierce Fire Trucks back in the 80s, and had been using it as is since then. Its 26" deep and about 36" high on 5" casters. Finally this week I bolted on a std 26" deep file cabinet to one end, and then cut another 26" deep file cabinet in half to make it into two side-by-side drawers, shot it with Rustoleum Industrial red paint. I like that its taller and deeper to work on as a rolling island workbench, so I can roll it to the side of what I'm working on. I mounted a Columbia 5" wise to the left top. I've got maybe $30 in the whole thing.


I will be moving my steel top 8' long workbench from the attached garage to my shop in the next month or so.

 

[cody1325]

I have a 1950s or '60s "Typist's Desk" Granddad got from work in the '70s. It's almost three-feet deep. A 1970s Craftsman machinist's box and various tubs of hardware sit at the very back.

 

[Joemctag]

How short are you?

Tall

 

[Youngandfree]

Tall

That's not very short

 

[Real_PhillBert]

If you're tall it may work. I'm about 5'10" and Like a 30" deep bench at about 42" high.

 

[gmcgeo]

I had a table that was that deep and hated it. My plugs on the wall having to bend over the table to try and plug in. I got rid of it.

however, if it works for you then great. How much they looking to get for them?

 

[CraigStu]

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[Caa311]

Well I finally installed the casters on my workbench. It's so heavy it doesn't move around but if I try hard enough I can roll it by myself and it's almost exactly the same height as my other bench.

 

[Gangly]

I'm 6'7" and built my work bench for my comfort at 30" deep and 44" tall. Those dimensions are nearly perfect for me, but if I had a chance to do it again I would have built it 36" deep. I am nowhere near extended when I reach to the back receptacles, so if your a "tall" guy then you will be fine with a 30" depth.

 

[Metal-Marc]

The more workbenches you have, the more useless stuff gets piled on said workbenches.

 

[nadogail]

My Assembly Table is a 4X8 sheet of 1” plywood on horses that put it a the same height as my elbow from the floor.

 

[Wubicon]

The more workbenches you have, the more useless stuff gets piled on said workbenches.

You definitely have more excuses to not put stuff away. I started making myself spend an hour on Friday nights just putting **** away that has accumulated over the week on my benches. And I'm a DIY home gamer with a full time day job.

Although, when I do get into something big, it's nice to have places to put stuff that's not the floor.

 

[Fixr]

I had a table that was that deep and hated it. My plugs on the wall having to bend over the table to try and plug in. I got rid of it.

however, if it works for you then great. How much they looking to get for them?

I have a long power strip under the front edge of my bench for tools that will get plugged in, used, and then unplugged and put away. Somewhat easier access, and I'm not dragging cords over or around everything on the bench. The strip is set back a bit so clamps can be used along the front edge.

 

[Wubicon]

I have a long power strip under the front edge of my bench for tools that will get plugged in, used, and then unplugged and put away. Somewhat easier access, and I'm not dragging cords over or around everything on the bench. The strip is set back a bit so clamps can be used along the front edge.

I like this idea. I have a power strip with integrated LED lights mounted to the underside of cabinets that are over my benches. I do the same thing, get the tool out, plug in, use, unplug and put away. The downside of mounting over top I've noticed is dragging cords all over the bench top, if mounted underneath, or at the end on a side or whatever, that might move the cord out of the way a little more.

 

[dave*99]

I used individual 1 or 2 gang steel boxes on the bench legs for receptacles. Some have a hook and an extension cord hanging next to them.
This keeps them away from the center of the bench where I stand.