Shelves and workbench - build versus BUY

[chrislehr]

Building:
Pros:
Cheaper (hopefully)
Stronger/better quality usually
Higher level of customization
Self sufficient satisfaction

Cons:
Forever blame yourself for any imperfection
Not modular
Not usually movable
Slower

Buying:
Pros:
Quick
Modular/matching

Cons:
Pricey for some stuff
Limited to customizations

Add any pro/con you can think of, and then vote what you DID or WILL or WISH YOU HAD DONE.

 

[chrislehr]

I am leaning towards build at the moment and want to see if someone can talk me out of that.

 

[rickcact]

I vote build. This way, you can make any shelf, or drawer the size and shape you want.

 

[Torque1st]

I build unless I can get used cabinets etc.

 

[russlaferrera]

I voted for build. Not with wood. Make the workbench frame out of steel Pipe legs, angle iron rails, 1/4 in steel top or 1 1/2 plywood covered with 1/8 steel.

It will last your lifetime , be sturdy, and look pro built.

 

[rickairmedic]

I am voting Build simply due to the fact I didnt buy my cabinets . I have 1950's Geneva metal kitchen cabinets throughout my garage I got by placing a wanted add on craigslist. I did build the counters for them but I have upper and lower cabinets that are modular that if for some stupid reason I ever decided to sell my house and move I could tke them with me pretty easy and the best part with sandpaper paint and counters I have less than $100.00 bucks in a large 2 car garage worth of cabinets .


Rick

 

[Torque1st]

French cleats on the wall and on the back of the cabinets etc make the cabinets and shelves easy to rearrange and remove...

 

[e-tek]

I'm somewhat split. I always build my benches and did build my shelves for this shop - but store-bought shelves are generally decent for what you get, if you want basic shelving!

In my shop I have a 16 foot bench along one wall, then a metal store-bought one on wheels on the other wall (The red item behind the cherry picker). My shelves are all hanging from the ceiling in this shop, which necessitated them being built.

French cleats on the wall and on the back of the cabinets etc make the cabinets and shelves easy to rearrange and remove...

I agree totally! French cleats are totally under-used.

 

[e-tek]

I build unless I can get used cabinets etc.

I voted for build. Not with wood. Make the workbench frame out of steel Pipe legs, angle iron rails, 1/4 in steel top or 1 1/2 plywood covered with 1/8 steel.

It will last your lifetime , be sturdy, and look pro built.

I am voting Build simply due to the fact I didnt buy my cabinets . I have 1950's Geneva metal kitchen cabinets throughout my garage I got by placing a wanted add on craigslist. I did build the counters for them but I have upper and lower cabinets that are modular that if for some stupid reason I ever decided to sell my house and move I could tke them with me pretty easy and the best part with sandpaper paint and counters I have less than $100.00 bucks in a large 2 car garage worth of cabinets .


Rick

WE WANT PHOTO's GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Especially of yours RICK!!!!)

 

[Jack Olsen]

I have no skill for cabinetry. But I still say build. Goofy as some of it is, I appreciate every decision I made on the things I built for my garage every time I'm out there.

________
weed vaporizers

 

[Shocker]

I vote for both!! Scour Craigslist for them thar steel kitchen cabinets. I scored a bunch to refinish for nothing.

If you can't find them, I have looked at this system: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006RGKY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

2x4 Basics kit. Looks good, goes together fast etc.

 

[cashishift]

ironic to see you here, lul..

 

[MXtras]

Another vote for build yourself from me.

Scott

 

[rickairmedic]

WE WANT PHOTO's GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Especially of yours RICK!!!!)

Oh alright they are already on here in the garage section but in the them of the thread here they are mind you these were taken 2 years ago and I am not done yet I still have cabinets to paint LOL. I am also in the middle of moving thwe lower cabinets from the back wall to the side wall .

All the cabinets were free including the HUGE wooden cabinet all I have paid for is paint and wood for the tops.


Rick

 

[KCarGuy]

I like building both my Bench and Cabinets, although I have gotten some real deals on an explosion proof cabinet and some great "retro" metal cabinets that I love.
Building them to your size, design and fit...thats half the fun! Right?

 

[FunfDreisig]

I am current building my ENTIRE garage. I can't imagine buying a work bench or shelving when I have all this wonderful "scrap" lumber etc. neatly stacked waiting to be put to good use

BTW the first thing I built in the garage was a lumber rack (out of some of the scrap lumber) for the other scrap lumber. Around here cutoffs shorter than 2 in are fire wood. The rest gets used -- somewhere, somehow, sometime

Funf Dreisig

 

[His200HerScout]

I've found that the low-end wooden cabinetry at the big box stores is made to be cheap and is rather unimpressive. The high-end metal stuff is very nice, but oh so expensive.

After finishing my basement, I had a ton of OSB and 2x stock left over. I used that to make various shelving and workspace for my garage. Using the sunk cost pricing model (ha!) I guess you could say it was free! But I think I ended up with an 8' countertop and a 8' workbench for perhaps $40 worth of materials. The fact that they're sized the way I want them erases any blemishes in design...

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

Both, if the price is right!

I have five of the CHEAP, metal shelving units, that I was given by a friend who was moving, free. They are fine for paint cans, those small drawers with screws, etc.

My workbenches, are probably all getting rebuilt though. Free wood, and the tops are old coffin shipping crates (thinner then I would like). I am in the process of redesigning my shop and garage, and playing with layouts. I would be interested in the metal kitchen cabinet pics, as I have 1948 Sears and Roebuck metal cabinets, that are getting replaced, but they really don't have any shelves (bad design, IHMO).

 

[rickairmedic]

Wanted go back up to post # 14 mycabinets are there .

Rick

 

[DCortez]

I voted buy. I don't have any room to build.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

Wanted go back up to post # 14 mycabinets are there .

Rick

Rick, thanks, I misread that, as your wooden cabinets, you obtained free.

How are the shelves in the base cabinets? Adjustible and what mounting, or fixed?
Thanks

 

[inurface]

Another vote for build yourself from me.

Scott

wow if i could build metal shelves like that I would too!

 

[jshillin]

I bought my benches. I think that $200 for 6' workbench with steel legs and a maple top is hard to beat. Picked them up at Sam's club.

 

[Tom2]

If you have any wood working skills at all. BUILD!!

Cheaper, usually stronger, and you'll have pride in it.


I built this 8ft bench on wheels yesterday. Took around 5 hours. It ain't rocket science. Costs maybe $75. Casters were the big expense. 6 at $7 each. I used cheap sheathing 3/4 plywood ($17 I think).
Can hold a ton of weight...

I would have liked to have had another shelf on it, but didn't have enough plywood on hand..Can always add it later.



Made this 5 footer a couple months ago:

And this a few months back:

You can even dress it up with sides/doors easily enough:

I'm going to build fixed upper/lower cabinets/bench sometime this summer when I get a chance. Will put doors on everything. Just makes it look so much cleaner versus open shelves.

 

[drabe]

I built a set of shelves out of 2x4's that are 8' long and 6' tall, sturdy enough to hold a Turbo 350 trans and numurous other car parts (used Simpson ties). Also built a 8' workbench out of 2x4's.
Garage and estate sales are a good place to buy used stuff.
I've bought 50's metal kitchen cabinets (for a $1.00 each!) that only take up 8' of wall space and hold plenty. A buddy of mine closed down his auto shop years ago and I bought a metal workbench and metal cabinet for cheap, also got a metal cabinet from work for free. I probably have more in the built stuff than the bought. Sorry, I don't have pics yet.

 

[rickairmedic]

Rick, thanks, I misread that, as your wooden cabinets, you obtained free.

How are the shelves in the base cabinets? Adjustible and what mounting, or fixed?
Thanks

Wanted some of the lowers are adjustable . All of the uppers are adjustable and have nice wire frame shelves that are coated with some kind of rubber/plastic like the racks in a dishwasher . Some of my uppers I have 2 shelves in to store taller items and some of them I have 3 shelves in to store shorter items . I am quite happy with the cabinets and honestly the best part is the Drawer unit you can see in the pics ( the metal one ) I have all of my sockets ,ratchets and body hammers and dollies in those drawers which means I dont need a HUGE roll around to take up even more needed space . I can put up some new better pics if you would like of the drawers and such. I did get all the cabinets FREE and still have cabinets to paint 2 years later .


Rick

 

[Bevis]

I'm building several workbenches that were featured in workbench magazine last issue.

 

[chrislehr]

Thanks all.. I built a workbench and got two edsal 5 shelf units for $60 each. All told, $220 this w/e on the garage.

End result on the workbench:


http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=472346&postcount=4

 

[frank2112]

Definitely build. I have so far built 25 feet of shelving out of 2x4's and old pallets from work and 1 workbench that is the perfect size that still allows for the car to park in front of it. I also inherited 2 benches from a friend for free that I helped him make a few years ago. They are huge but solid enough for me to stand on and put my spare bug engine on.

 

[Vicegrip]

Both. Buy Costco wire shelving and mount it to the walls and also use it to make all kinds of stuff with a hack saw and a Mig welder.

 

[cros1eyfie1d]

i just built a 6 foot workbench. i bought used 4x4s, 2x4s & plywood from a salvage yard. looks like it's been there for 50 years, is sturdy as all get-out, and cost $30. build it yourself...you will love it so much more than store-bought!

 

[cj7chris]

I vote build.

I built these cabinets pretty cheaply (~$110 ea) and they are much bigger and easier to customize than a set of gladiator cabinets. The plans are from Family Handyman. They cabinets took 3 days to build.

The workbenches were less money and easier to build, but took a little longer because I wasn't working from plans and had to figure things out as I went along.

 

[His200HerScout]

I vote build.

I built these cabinets pretty cheaply (~$110 ea) and they are much bigger and easier to customize than a set of gladiator cabinets. The plans are from Family Handyman. They cabinets took 3 days to build.

The workbenches were less money and easier to build, but took a little longer because I wasn't working from plans and had to figure things out as I went along.

Good lookin' cabinets. I'm going to build my own soon. Might borrow a bit from your pics.

 

[hetkind]

build...I have 60' of bench and shelving to build in the next few months...building structure is delayed by the rain. We keep putting more drain hose, gravel and culverts in and we still can't get decent compaction.

Howard