work benches... from scratch

[camarotoolman]

Old solid core doors make realy good tops, also if make some plywood doors, it hides all the junk under the top and looks alot better.

 

[onesight1]

figured i'd post the bench I made from scratch (copy pasted from my thread)

temporarily using tape to hold 2x4's as a resting point for the bottom shelf

this thing is heavy duty!

Top is on: 3/4" cdx

1" hole cut at 12" and 24" marks from both ends of the tabe.
these holes will later be used in assisting the user remove the floating melamine top

and here we are.... finally done (with malmine top)..I figured I would use melamin because 1.) feels nice 2.)nothing really sticks to it 3.) I can simply remove and cut a new one to size after it gets all banged up and needs replaced.

 

[lineman88]

Onesight1

That's a very clever idea the way you constructed the removable melamine top! Great looking and functional.

 

[PECVD2]

Onesight1,

Nice bench and I agree with Lineman88 with the great idea on the removable top.
Looks like it is heavy enough to handle most work.
I really like the color selection as well.

 

[Courtney]

Old solid core doors make realy good tops, also if make some plywood doors, it hides all the junk under the top and looks alot better.

Thanks for the suggestion. I had actually already considered that, based off of ideas from this thread.

 

[daveroy]

Onesight1

That's a very clever idea the way you constructed the removable melamine top! Great looking and functional.

I might have been tempted to cut another piece for the bottom shelf (for all the same reasons!)

 

[TimTaylor75]

Here's the link to my workbench build thread from last month.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128052

 

[onesight1]

Onesight1

That's a very clever idea the way you constructed the removable melamine top! Great looking and functional.

Onesight1,

Nice bench and I agree with Lineman88 with the great idea on the removable top.
Looks like it is heavy enough to handle most work.
I really like the color selection as well.

I might have been tempted to cut another piece for the bottom shelf (for all the same reasons!)

thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback

 

[BlockBuster]

I posted in the other workbench thread, too. This is scratch built using a lot of input found right here on this thread. Thanks to all who unknowingly assisted with this project.

 

[2fat2fly]

I found this site while searching for ideas for my workbench shelf (unfortunately, after I was already finish). Signed up initially to view some of the pictures. Now that I'm finish, I figured I'd post mine.

[

I'm still not finished.

Thanks,
Courtney

Nice set up.

 

[Gregory M]

I had a 10 ft work bench and it was ok but now what i really wanted. after i built the garage 2 years ago i put the bench where it was but after looking at pictures of benches here i tore it down a week ago. The main bench is done but i will make some shelves in the future and add some 3/4 plywood to the top with a 1x6 board on the facing just to make it look good. I still need to insulste the wall behind the bench and finish sheet rocking it and install more peg board to keep things organized better/ mechanical,plumbing,electrical, carpentery. At the present time i am off work recovering from 2 shoulder surgerys. And i need to get back to work and make some extra money to pay for 3 surgerys since last Sept. I also had my nose and throat operated on so money to finish garage will be slow in comming this year. hope you enjoy the pictures.

 

[Gregory M]

rebuild work bench from scratch

I had a 10 ft work bench and it was ok but now what i really wanted. after i built the garage 2 years ago i put the bench where it was but after looking at pictures of benches here i tore it down a week ago. The main bench is done but i will make some shelves in the future and add some 3/4 plywood to the top with a 1x6 board on the facing just to make it look good. I still need to insulste the wall behind the bench and finish sheet rocking it and install more peg board to keep things organized better/ mechanical,plumbing,electrical, carpentery. At the present time i am off work recovering from 2 shoulder surgerys. And i need to get back to work and make some extra money to pay for 3 surgerys since last Sept. I also had my nose and throat operated on so money to finish garage will be slow in comming this year. hope you enjoy the pictures. the first 2 pictures are of the old bench.

 

[bullington]

Workbench Tip: Scrounge your local hardware stores for scratch and dent solid core doors and or hit up recyclers for used solid core doors. They make awesome table tops..

 

[WQ59B]

Not picturesque, but similar in concept to post #683, except:
4' deep x 16' long, 2x6 framing/legs & double 3/4" ply top.
What I really find useful is I obtained a piece of angle iron, about 12' long with about 4" sides. I plasma cut the ends at around a 60-degree angle (so I wouldn't be walking/bumping into 90-degree corners), and bolted it to the face of the bench, flush with the top. The angle iron must be 3/8" thick, so not only do I have a great ledge to clamp to (and weld off of), but I can hammer on stuff without unduly damaging the ply top.

 

[Steevo]

So, I think we can all agree that "scratch" means different things to different folks, based on what they have to work with. My wife thinks "scratch" means flour, sugar, yeast, salt, etc., while my idea of "scratch" is random pieces of steel and other materials. For some others, "scratch" may mean 2x4, 2x6 or other raw materials.
There are a lot of great examples here of well thought out designs utilizing whatever the medium of choice was for that designer. I love these threads for the creative ideas and the collective input that leads to better designs and implementations from all of us.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

All done. But not without a little excitement. ha!!

Heres the area that drove me crazy. This was around noon today...

In process.....

I've moved this table dozens of times to clean under it. I guess I moved it one too many. Whoops!!!

Now its a thousand times better. I'm really happy how it turned out. The bench literally doesn't wobble a millimeter. Its absolutly rock solid, (which is exactly what I was trying to do)

Like I mentioned in the other post, I plan on doing a hutch w/ pegboard and getting rid of the one thats there now. That will clean up the cords and the power strip, give me a good full length shelf, and give me a place to mount proper lighting

There are some great workbenches shown here, along with great ideas. Here's one I started yesterday, although not completed yet. When complete, it will be 6' x 2' and 33" high. The area above the workbench top and recessed under the girt will contain several bins for small parts. All of the material has been in my barn for years, so it was time to put this stuff to good use. My orignal plan was to use 3/4" plywood for the top, but that may change because I have a salvaged solid core door that is just shy of 2" thick. The area below is framed for a lower shelf.

The back legs are 4x6 treated pine, while the front legs are 4x4 cedar post. Everything else is 2x4's, except for the top front and back braces, which are 2x6's. It's all assembled with with deck screws and lag bolts. This is a very easy build and should last many years with any abuse you want to throw at it.

Wow.. I'm only on page 3... I can't wait to start my bench here shortly.

How did you make those cut so the wood sits inside of the other pieces?

I don't have a table saw.. I do have a circular saw, jig saw..etc.

These all look so advanced that it makes me feel like I'm not going to be able to do anything like that?

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

[JMartel]

It's called a dado. You can make that cut by running the circular saw across where you want the wood to sit. Make a bunch of little cuts and then you take a chisel to remove the pieces sticking up.

Depending on the depth, you may need to stack other wood on top of what you want cut to act as spacers. It's much easier with a table saw that you can set the depth with, but you can do it with a circular saw if you put in a little extra effort.

 

[DRP6833]

Phase 1

I picked these cabinets up through Craigs List last week from a medical office remodel. I got things this far along over the weekend. I plan to paint them red and black to look like a tool chest and put on a black laminate top. Note the deep stainless steel sink in the corner; I got that thrown in with the deal.

 

[zip95864]

Work in progress....

 

[regguy1]

Work in progress....

What's top top made of?

 

[NewShockerGuy]

Stole the angled leg idea from this board, Cobra i think,
10 feet long 41 inches high 29 inches deep.
2 x 8's are overkill but were left over bracing from my home build. The tops are butchers block from IKEA 2x $28 a couple of coats of poly and screw the tops down ..Done deal..the green stain theme of the garage is to compliment my British Racing Green Aston Martin that I am going to win in the lottery

This is also going to sound like a silly question but how do you get the angle of the bottom of the feet to line up with the top of the bench? IE: How do you know what angle to choose? I feel like I would be doing trial and error as far as cutting it on a miter saw and then if it didn't fit having to keep doing it until I got it right, then using the one I got right as a template for the rest? But this would be wasteful.

I'm just trying to learn how everyone is doing all of this stuff, because someone of you look like real artists when making your work benches!

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

[allinon72]

Here's mine so far...still building it. HF 13 drawer will go on the left side and I'm making doors for the right side.

 

[zip95864]

3/4" "cabinet grade" plywood from Home Depot (was about $35 for the 4' x 8' sheet) Then stained first with an Antique Walnut (soaks up lot of the brown) then Red Mahogany, then some varnish.

Matches the island:

 

[slacker garage shop]

I had posted this in the other thread also. Top is 3\8 plate. Legs are 3x3x114"

This was dangerous. Trying to flip a 600 pound table over by myself

 

[pattenp]

That top is nicer than what I have on my dining room table. You're actually going to do work on that.

3/4" "cabinet grade" plywood from Home Depot (was about $35 for the 4' x 8' sheet) Then stained first with an Antique Walnut (soaks up lot of the brown) then Red Mahogany, then some varnish.

Matches the island:

 

[zip95864]

That top is nicer than what I have on my dining room table. You're actually going to do work on that.

I was drilling the other day and drilled into the island's top and said a little curse --- then oh well, it's a garage.

 

[allinon72]

An update on mine:

 

[mz3_Sedated]

This was my first crack at building something with nothing but ideas and some cheap lumber. It was my first woodworking project of any kind. The top is a huge door that I picked up at the Re-Store and knocked 15" off so my bench wasn't 4' deep. I then trimmed it with some fir just because I liked the look of the grain.

I used treated posts just because throughout the winter, the cars drop lots of slush in the garage and I really didn't want to risk rotting out the bottoms.

 

[burgie]

Some pics of the bench and cabinet I built...

 

[jvitez]

Burgie: Holy Workbenches Batman!! That's one spectacular piece of woodworking. It's a shame you had to cover your framing with the bench top, it's a work of art. Love the dovetails, and the space between the bank of drawers and the top.

How did you build the top? Is it laminated 2x4's? How much does it weigh?

 

[Toolbag]

Some pics of the bench and cabinet I built...

Very very nice!!

 

[brand.chips]

A wood bench is good. I use a length of kitchen counter - it is a moulding of particle board (compressed wood chips and glue) covered with formica, which is a hard decorative layer. I worked in a shop that used plywood with hardboard covering for 35 years. Anything durable will work.

If a lead is dirty, I just scrape it with an Xacto knife blade (your third most useful tool).

You can never have enough tools. ESD worries come from personal need. I have never in 40 years popped any sensitive device, and I never use any precautions. Could be luck.

Meter - get a good one.

Power supply - see what you're going to need before you get a big one. Batteries can supply lots of current, and be recharged off a small bench supply.

I've been using a Weller WTCP for 32 years. I'm on my third tip. I am not especially careful with it.

Don't forget a solder sucker and desoldering wick.

I know solder is supposed to be lead-free, but I cannot use the tin-silver ****. If you don't snitch on yourself, nobody will know. Ersin 63-37 eutectic is a joy beyond words. Get fine stuff - .025", wahtever that might be in mm.

 

[Vividlyvintage]

Here is my scratch (or Skrach) built bench.

Thanks,
"Skrach"
My Vintage Blog:
www.VividlyVintage.com
My 55 Chrysler Worklog:
www.Pop's55.com

 

[NUTTSGT]

Work in progress....

I spy some Jack Olsen green.

 

[PECVD2]

MZ3,

Very nice bench and repurposed solid core doors are the best bang for your buck in my opinion.

 

[Gearhead559]

I had posted this in the other thread also. Top is 3\8 plate. Legs are 3x3x114"

This was dangerous. Trying to flip a 600 pound table over by myself

you sir, are my hero for today. this is exactly what i need in my shop, but on a larger scale! can and will double as a welding / fab table

 

[slacker garage shop]

Thanks gearhead. Bigger would be nice for sure,I thought it was plenty big but outgrew it the day it was finished as usual. It is decent size though, I think it is 7' 4" X 42" can't remember exactly.

 

[Postsedan]

An update on mine:

I love this, Awesome Job!

I sent you a pm

Dan

 

[Gizzy]

Nice,I like the chop saw in the top.

I had posted this in the other thread also. Top is 3\8 plate. Legs are 3x3x114"

This was dangerous. Trying to flip a 600 pound table over by myself

 

[Vividlyvintage]

wow something very heavy sat on that white stool. It is a little bent from what I can see awesome table though!!!