work benches... from scratch

[Crizzle]

Have a stack of wood on the garage floor as of last night. Going to start work on my bench this weekend.

 

[Mickey O]

Finally done, great stuff everyone , this post will also serve as where I left off, keep 'em coming.

 

[BackTracker]

When you guys are building a free-standing bench, what do you start with? What I mean is, do you lay out the posts on the floor and tie them together, then stand it up?

Yes, yes I do.

 

[Jack Olsen]

Same here. Front first, then the back, then stand them up and tie them together.

 

[Zick]

If you are going to use plywood as a top, I would HIGHLY recommend using at least two layers of 3/4 " plywood. One layer has far too much bounce IMNSHO.

If you go 32" wide you can get three layers from two 4x8 sheets.

Thanks for the picture mjozefow! I stole your idea and built a rock solid bench this weekend.
Went with 2 3/4" OSB and a sheet of 3/16" steel on top of it.

 

[Blackend]

w00t! Finally finished up my bench this weekend - now to get the rest of the garage organized!!!

Added a compressor room for my 33 gl Craftsman - it takes about 40% of the noise away and I'm ok with that. It's all open in between the shelves so there's plenty of open air for the compressor to breathe. That's a metal rolling cart nesting under the L portion of the bench and I'll mount a vise on the corner above it. The main bench is 40" deep including the overhang and I'll have a tool chest, and some sorting bins against the wall that will bring the useable bench depth to around 32" - 36" and the L is 32" deep.

 

[ahaidet]

Here is my addition to this thread. I have posted my bench in its own thread as there are alot of details but here is the jist of it:

It uses strut channel for T-slots so that i can clamp anything down. Has hitch receivers in the front for mounting vises and other "bench top" equipment. Casters that can be used to move it but has threaded feet that it sits on when stationary for leveling. And a simple storage system for recoil air hoses.

See the thread below for more details.



http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57193

 

[Dagowrench24]

Wait a second. Aren't hitch receivers for trucks and trailers?

 

[Dagowrench24]

It looks like you have a Craftsman sponsor. Do you race?

 

[rieferman]

FINALLY, a solution for coiled air hoses that I love and will steal. Nice work overall ahaidet, but that particular detail was gold for my needs

 

[Crash913]

It uses strut channel for T-slots so that i can clamp anything down. Has hitch receivers in the front for mounting vises and other "bench top" equipment.

That is very impressive

 

[atari]

Here is mine, I built this for work. They came to me and asked me to build a bench that would hold at least 1000 lbs. I said SURE! I need 70 feet of 1 1/2" 1/4 wall box tubing. It took 65 feet total and Its HEAVY. The top came off of another bench and its butcher block. I wanted to make it a little fancier but my chop saw didn't really like cutting stuff that thick. It got bolted to the floor in 5 places and didn't flex at all when they put the weight on it. The lady was using the granite table you see in the picture but she wanted an actual bench to work off of.

 

[DirtyWhiteBoy]

Lots of great benches in here!

Here is a simple one I threw together this week with leftover materials from the garage and shed builds. I am finally getting the woodshop area of the garage in usable condition......slowly but surely

I plan to put drawers on at least one, side maybe both. I needed a work surface to start on the wall cabinets. More benches to come!

wall cabinet boxes

 

[bdog]

Just finished my bench. 12' long, 32" deep, 39" tall. The main frame is 2x6's with 2x4 cross supports and sistered 2x4's for the legs. Also added a pegboard on the back. The bottom shelf is a single layer of 23/32 OSB, and the top is two layers of 23/32 OSB with a sheet of masonite on the top. the outlets were mounted on the wall already I just cut out holes int he pegboard to access them.

Total cost for materials was $130 and it took me about 6 hours to build.

 

[C G]

Worked on my bench a little while today. Its about 41 inches tall and 8ft long. I built a laminate top for it. The top is 3/4 inch mdf laying on a 2x4 frame. Rear part of the frame is lagged to the wall studs. cross pieces (front to rear) are 2x4 held on with deck hangers and screws through the front. After I attached them I doubled up the front of the frame so its basically a 4x4. Have a couple of 4x4s front to back under the right side in case I want to hang a receiver hitch.

Built a shelf over head with 4ft lights underneath. Hung some Chevrolet script valve covers off for grins...still have to paint the script part. The two hemi covers are the drawer pulls (top that for a drawer pull LOL). The second outlet from the left is where I hard wired my internet. I'm not a fan of wireless.

I plan on hanging one of those lights with the giant magnifying glass over on the right side somewhere. Basically still playing around with it. So far I'm happy with the way its turned out, especially since I'm a sucky carpenter.

View media item 3912

 

[sstruckguy]

I plan on hanging one of those lights with the giant magnifying glass over on the right side somewhere. Basically still playing around with it.
View media item 3912

I mounted one on the end of my bench as well. It comes in handy for the small stuff and eyes with a little age one them

 

[Crizzle]

So here is the work I managed to get done this weekend. Weather put a damper on things.Have the legs cut to length and ready for the dado cuts, and the rest of the lumber is measured and ready to cut.

I know the height is a little low for some, but I like this height for two reasons. One I can sit on my stool and pull up to it(my other workbench will be much higher), and I also plan on being able to use the workbench as an outfeed table for my table saw.

 

[gilbo]

Here is my first addition to this forum, i have learned a ton so far

its taken me several weekends to get to this point, due to coaching my daughter softball team.

still have to add a back splash, and finish adding poly to the legs

also i still have to mount the new vise i got a YOST 55C

 

[grisle]

this is my welding bench that I just finaly finished the top is 36x72 and is 1/2 thick and sits over a old solid core door with a firebarrier between built it 10 years ago and just finished it to be a little more functional.

this is a portion of my main bench that I am just trying to finish and organize.two drawer file cabinets make some awsome bench drawers roller bearings and super load capacity.

love your welding bench. but what are the rond bars, that are monted under the wice for?

 

[compman25]

love your welding bench. but what are the rond bars, that are monted under the wice for?

Not my bench, but I bet they have welding rods in them.

 

[metal1313]

my new bench, not quite done yet, needs a few finishing touches.

its a major upgrade from my old bench..which was a folding table haha. the new one is framed 12" on center with kd2x4, 2 layers of 3/4osb, covered with sheet metal, and an angle iron edge. i still have to bolt the vise down, bolt it to the wall, and throw in a few more 4'' screws. and add my feet to it to bolt it to the floor

 

[DavidB]

I built this one a couple years ago for wood working. It's Chris Schwarz's Roubo design if that means anything to ya.

 

[R6rider]

great job David... that looks like a nice table.

 

[R6 Racer]

Any suggestions as to what to put on top of my existing plywood top W/B so that when I put a steel plate top on the bench I can weld on it & not set the plywood on fire.

Steve

 

[CocheseUGA]

Great thread. Will have to add mine in a bit.

 

[metal1313]

im kinda really cheap, so on mine its right over the osb, the chance of that much heat getting through doesnt seem high to me, and if i get worried i'll throw some sheet rock between the osb and sheet metal when im welding

 

[Woogie_MCW]

I have built a few the latest was 8ft long and 2 ft deep. the best thing I did was put a 1 x 4 back stop on it. that way no matter where it is (away from the wall) nothing will fall off the back. Also I power strips on the back and under the front. So depending on what you are working on you won't drag cords across it. Something else I added later was a air tap to my compressor (with water trap and regulator) It's great I can run any air tool I need to and not have a long hose getting tangled up. good luck and build a good one.

 

[regguy1]

I built 2 benches like this in 1978 and used them in a commercial trans shop for 32 years. I recently took one home to put in my garage I finally have a chance to finish on the inside after 26 years!

These are just 1/2" plywood and 6 2 x 4's for upright legs. All the sides and drawers are dado cut and clamped and glued together. The bench was dirty and a little beat up so I've spent several days cleaning / patching and painting it. The top I had custom made and it has 2 3/4" flake boards under the metal, the top is heavier than the bench. It is actually quite strong despite the 1/2" plywood construction, a bit like a unibody car. It provides a good amount of storage and doesn't look to bad for a homemade unit. The top shows the use it's had but gives it a bit of character. Only materials were 3 sheets of plywood and 4 2 x4's and some hardware / 2 sheet flakeboard (aside from the top) Top measures 8' x 30"


See the bench in this video:

02/26/2011 Update: added newer photo of shop in a more finished condition

 

[mustangmccance]

when I looked at the thumbs it looked like it was all metal. I at first thought it looked like a commercial metal workbench. thats a compliment btw. looks great to me.

 

[regguy1]

Thanks, the thing is solid as a rock, no tinny sound when you work on it with the 1 1/2'" wood under the metal.

 

[iagsxr]

Built this out of used material for my carwash.

 

[E.rodz]

love your welding bench. but what are the rond bars, that are monted under the wice for?

yes as someone else had posted they are for welding rods used for tig welding. different thickness,different metals filler rod.they are made from pvc plastic and i just painted them with chrome like paint and bought some stainless caps for sanitary pipe from mc master carr co. hope this helps.

 

[odj]

Built these in my basement "workshop" room over the Snowpocalypse. I used stud 2x4's, Home Despot "handi sheets" of MDF, and 3" screws. Some of the 2x4's are reclaimed from some shoddy work a renter did in the laundry room. I built them around the dimensions of the plastic storage boxes on the shelves. It's great to have almost all of my car parts in one location.

The ugly closet was another of the aforementioned renter's creations, but it serves its purpose at the moment. Boxes stashed to the right of the entrance are shipping supplies, and will be organized better in the future.

It's a work in progress, but I wanted to share

 

[bigblue02hd]

In my 6x12' enclosed trailer for daily work:

Basement benches:

 

[lupinsea]

Nice benches one and all.

Mine is stuffed into a tight space behind where a door opens. It was built several years ago and while narrow it does actually work decently despite the 14" counter depth.

It was built like a normal cabinet using 3/4" plywood for the main lower cabinet box. The top is a composite made up of a 3/4" bottom plywood layer, a 1/2" middle plywood layer glued and screwed to the lower layer, and a 1/4 MDF skid held to the top with counter sunk screws, no glue. Incase the top gets marked up badly enough it can easily be replace. 1x2 trims the edge that was glued and nailed on. That sits flush with the top of the 1/4" MDF.

The rest of the wall is entirely covered in 1/4" peg board and uses the Durahook hook system.

The whole thing was built on a couple saw horses using a skill saw.


I learned a lot of stuff building this project and in the subsequent years. Doing this over I'd have done some things differently, upgraded on a few material, and been able to achieve greater accuracy.

The shallow 14" bench top fit right behind the back man-door of the garage.

Bench top with the replacable 1/4" MDF skin and the 1x2's set flush with the top

Some of the details of the pegboard panels with 1/2" reveal gaps between
panels set at the bench top height. The reveal gap forms a design detail that
is carried through out the pegboard system

Starting to set up the Durahook pegboard hook system

My workbench / storage system. It actually takes up very little floor space
and yet provides great access to anything hung on the pegboards.​

.

 

[Conrad283]

My workbench evolving. I bought some damaged wood from lowes that the girl rang up wrong, so I go 12 2x4x10's and 8 2x4x12's for $6. I used OSB paneling 23/32 for the work top and shelf, and 2x6's for the legs. It's 99.9% level and looks pretty good.

My pegboard frame on the wall: 1x3's connected by the kreg pocket hole jig system (that thing rocks)

Went a little overboard securing the pegboard to the frame, but better safe than sorry.

Starting to accessorize

All together now.

Total cost: <$100

 

[vinniez]

I dont have much experiance working with metal but thought I would give it a try. I have a small garage and needed somthing that I could move around.

 

[Jason1200GS]

As good as from scratch anyway.

I got hold of some old pallet racking for $50 & measured it.
After cutting one end off each horizontal spar, shortening & re-welding the male ends on, it is perfect for the shed, they were originally 3050mm long.
The shed is 9.2m x 7.6m, but this length allows for the bench to be positioned in a few different spots, between the columns, as future changes may dictate.
It still locked together as it did originally, but for piece of mind I added some bolts at each join.
For the bench top I bought some form ply 17mm thick, cut 2 sheets, screwed & glued them together, then got some 1.6mm zinc-anneal folded up with a splashback.
The bench top is 2200mm long, 900mm wide, 950mm high & solid.
Perfect for me.
I got some hardwood decking for free, so the shelf worked out well.
You Americans might be scratching your heads with mm, but there's roughly 300mm to 1 foot, or to be more accurate, 25.4mm to the inch, or 40 thou" to 1 mm.I'm a Fitter & Turner, what you guys term as a Millwright I believe.

 

[Disranger]

Here are a few pics

Curious what is used here for the top layer? Looks like sheet metal bent around? If so how was this accomplished. Looks great. Im building my bench this weekend, top will be 3/4" mdf. I need something to protect it from oil. Might even epoxy it

 

[99SVT]

Just finished my, first ever, workbench this past Sunday:

Here's a link to some of the build process:

http://haloclub.com/gallery/Shop?page=10