Should I get a mobile workbench or dedicated bench?

[joseywales]

I'm clearing out the kitchen cabinets and old craftsman box from my garage. I want to update, but don't really have to much room to work with.

I currently have a 6 foot formica top, sitting on 3 mixed kitchen cabinets. The craftsman box is 27" W. It served me well, when I turned wrenches for a living, but it's time and the Matco box that sits on it is having issues as well. I also have a smaller formica top that is 45" long, with a backsplash.

Anyway, I don't see me going topshelf or uber fancy, as far as like a complete garage organization system.. My initial thought was getting some Gladiator or better bottom boxes and placing the 6 foot formica top on those. I would have no issue banging away on that formica, as opposed to a nice, new, wood top.

Then I thought, maybe I get a mobile workbench, like the Husky, or Milwaukee 60 inch mobile workbench. Honestly, it looks like the Husky gets much better reviews, though the boxes look similar. Anyway, get a 60" mobile bench, scrap the 6 foot formica and maybe use the 45" formica and build a smaller bench with that. One I can pound one when necessary

I'm limited to one wall, on "my side" of a 2 car garage.

I don't do heavy work. Just home DIY and minor auto repairs.

My other attraction to something like the Milwaukee is the pegboard. My garage walls are poured concrete, so using my Hilti or a hammer drill is an option, but a ready to go pegboard is a faster solution. Not a deal breaker though.

I'm not against spending more money, since it's really a one and done. I just don't have the room to grow a large shop. In fact, it was a Snapon tool cart I saw that gave me the idea, so I'm not against paying and crying once. And I'm still considering that cart as part of the solution.

Thoughts?

 

[tjdux]

Both.

I dont have as much space constraints as you but I like to do too maby different styles of work and cram my small shop with tools as possible so mulit use and storage setups is my goal.

Now im unfamiliar with the exact products you mentioned with the mobile wok benches and such but the image i got in my head is similar to my set up but uses both the moble and the starionary benches in my nesting bench design.

You could get a mobile workbench with drawers on castors and park it under the formica top bench. This way when doing a big project you have more workbench or seperate assembly stations. (Obviously a car may have to sit it the driveway for this kinda project) And 99% of the time you can leave it all in the space of 1 footprint.



That shows the mobile bench with the metal drawers on it. You could take this concept of nesting benchs and create an entire different idea but it seems to me like you want both a bench and a mobile bench so i figured I would share a simple way to have both without using tons of space.

Good luck

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[joseywales]

Thanks for the reply. I want this done quick, because too many other jobs are waiting. So building a bench might not work. However, you did give me another idea. I had planned on putting a large bench on top of two Gladiator or other boxes. If I can spread out a bit more, I might be able to also fit a smaller, mobile bench, under the main bench. That would save me some space. I might have to make that smaller bench, or maybe I just find the right boxes and drop my smaller formica on short boxes, etc.

Thanks for posting.

 

[-Brent-]

It sounds like you've got a few things going on that you'd like to address: tool storage and a bench. It's too bad that you don't have a weekend to toss at this issue because you sound like the perfect candidate for a Steevo-type bench. (Google Image Link)

Pretty much, you buy whatever base you want, though the HF toolbox is the go-to. Then, build a frame (there are folks that have used lumber frames with great results) and set a top of your choice.

You get a space saving set-up with great, reliable tool storage. It doesn't break the bank, either.

Here's an example of a wood-framed Steevo bench:

View media item 34314

 

[Samh]

A mobile bench can be a stationary bench if you don't move it.

 

[joseywales]

A mobile bench can be a stationary bench if you don't move it.

But not vice versa...

 

[tjdux]

Thanks for the reply. I want this done quick, because too many other jobs are waiting. So building a bench might not work. However, you did give me another idea. I had planned on putting a large bench on top of two Gladiator or other boxes. If I can spread out a bit more, I might be able to also fit a smaller, mobile bench, under the main bench. That would save me some space. I might have to make that smaller bench, or maybe I just find the right boxes and drop my smaller formica on short boxes, etc.

Thanks for posting.

Your welcome. I believe one of the best things abkut this site is the ideas inspired by others work. Glad i could help a little.

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[joseywales]

Your welcome. I believe one of the best things abkut this site is the ideas inspired by others work. Glad i could help a little.

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no doubt. My dad was jack of all trades. I would say master of none, but the truth is he could have mastered any he'd chosen. I recall him working on a remodel project once. He was just sitting there, staring at the walls. No pencil, no paper, no Internet back then. Just staring. When he finally stood up, he knew exactly what he was going to do, what he would need to do it and, what took the longest, how best to do it with minimal waste of materials. He would never have survived doing this work for a living, because he was too meticulous and no one would ever pay for the time. But you can bet your *** everything he did was spot on. He probably could have cut his time in half, if he was willing to scrap an extra piece of wood or vinyl, but that was unacceptable. That's living through a depression will get you I guess.

Today, many of us don't have the time to think things through to such degree. Forums such as this are great, as we get to read the "been here done that" posts.

 

[kbs2244]

I have three 18 x 36 roll around work tables with parking spaces under the work bench.
One is built from the 3 drawer side of a "tanker desk."
The other 2 are adapted office equipment bases.

I find much easier to bring the bench to the job the other way around.
Real handy if the work is in the driveway.

 

[thickhead]

How about these two items... Husky 60" with pegboard and Harbor Freight tool cart? Should cover all/most of your bases for about $800 total.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-60-in-10-Drawer-and-1-Door-24-in-D-Textured-Black-Matte-Mobile-Workbench-Sliding-Pegboard-and-Shelf-HOTC6010BB2M/300659016

https://t.harborfreight.com/tool-storage/tool-carts/30-in-5-drawer-glossy-red-tool-cart-61427.html

 

[joseywales]

How about these two items... Husky 60" with pegboard and Harbor Freight tool cart? Should cover all/most of your bases for about $800 total.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-60-in-10-Drawer-and-1-Door-24-in-D-Textured-Black-Matte-Mobile-Workbench-Sliding-Pegboard-and-Shelf-HOTC6010BB2M/300659016

https://t.harborfreight.com/tool-storage/tool-carts/30-in-5-drawer-glossy-red-tool-cart-61427.html

Thanks. The Husky was one I was staring down. in fact, I just measured out to see and I can get the 50" in there. Hard to explain, for some reason, there's a garden hose faucet inside my garage, which breaks up my wall a bit. So I can run a 77" bench, then a 50". I was thinking it'd be nice to have the 48" or 50" on wheels, which lead me to the Milwaukee, but the Husky seems to get better reviews, thought I'm not a fan of the black.

 

[rsanter]

I need my workbenches mobile. I don't always move them but I do move them a fair amount of the time.
Sometimes you need space all the way around for some projects.

The more limited you are on space the more you need your things to be mobile

Bob

 

[jonesg]

It sounds like you've got a few things going on that you'd like to address: tool storage and a bench. It's too bad that you don't have a weekend to toss at this issue because you sound like the perfect candidate for a Steevo-type bench. (Google Image Link)

Pretty much, you buy whatever base you want, though the HF toolbox is the go-to. Then, build a frame (there are folks that have used lumber frames with great results) and set a top of your choice.

You get a space saving set-up with great, reliable tool storage. It doesn't break the bank, either.

Here's an example of a wood-framed Steevo bench:

View media item 34314

That type of table will make your back ache after 20 minutes because there is no foot room. It causes you to lean over. I would make it so the toolbox can be rolled out, then the problem is solved.

 

[isb cornbinder]

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=365476

 

[Sychotix57]

But not vice versa...

Show me a work bench that I can't move. [emoji39]

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[joseywales]

Show me a work bench that I can't move. [emoji39]

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Oh, I'm a believer. I have a winch sitting under my bench right now. Before he passed away, dad moved a 1,500 pound, double door safe into the basement of his split level with that thing. The garage floor was at the 4 foot mark of the basement wall. So, he first cut a hole in the wall and made a half door between the garage and the basement. Then he used the wench, block and tackle with the garage joists and lowered it in. To be clear, he removed the doors, so that reduced the weight by about 350 pounds.

When the house sold. I watched 5 professionals remove that safe through the same door. They claimed they'd moved a grand piano into the White House at one time, safes are no problem, etc. To this day, I don't know how the guy underneath wasn't crushed by the safe I should have videoed that.

 

[tjdux]

Show me a work bench that I can't move. [emoji39]

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The trick is to be able to move it with little effort when you want and for it to stay put when needed too...

Now heck between tractors, forklifts and all other manor or tools and machine and brute man power sure, move mountains. My bench has retractable castors that run off bottle jacks so to each their own lol.

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[tarmy]

Both...they both have value.

I use that 4x8 rolling table to build cabinets on...unload the truck onto...wheel outside and cover with dropcloth and paint stuff...

The workbench speak for itself...

 

[tonyciambrone]

Both...they both have value.

I use that 4x8 rolling table to build cabinets on...unload the truck onto...wheel outside and cover with dropcloth and paint stuff...

The workbench speak for itself...

yeah...that work bench is beautiful!