workbenches

balibalistic

balibalistic

Joined
Jul 14, 2004
Messages
2,623
Ok guys,

My beautiful better half (Sarah) and myself will be signing the lease for our new place this Sunday.what this means is, i will have roughly 28' x 18' of unfinished basement to make my shop :)

What i'm looking for is your input on workbenches!! What are you guys using,or have you built?? i'd love pics if you've got them.i've been scouring shop pics all day,but nothing directed to work benches.

i'm thinking wood..,i'm sure i can easily make some overbuilt wood benches for my shop.just looking for your input and idea's.how you built them,what was used and what they cost to do.

Looking forward to any input,guys :thumbup:
 
Bali,
I have limited experience but my one recommendation is to incorperate a way to level the bench unless your doing built in benches that will be permanently attached

-Josh
 
Pick up some cheap kitchen or bathroom cabinets off Craigslist and build your own benchtop from doubled-up MDF or something similar. It's really nice to have the drawers and cabinets for storage.

Erin
(aka Hypocrite)
 
If you build yourself a real, heavy, workbench with the proper vises you'll wonder what kinda shop can function without one.

You don't have to go super expensive. I made mine out of face laminated 2x4's and framed it with Alder. I got the vises from ebay. Its the centerpiece in my shop and I don't know what I'd do without it.

This is what it looked like brand new.

bench035-vi.jpg


Elephants could make babies on it and it wouldn't budge.
 
Andy,
Your shop is way to clean. I hope my wife never gets a look at this pic.

Greg
 
I built my workbench with all scrap steels, sheets, iron bars etc. I have. Welded them, if I need a rack or any extension I just weld it where I want. It is growing and getting heavy ridiculously. It has also a 2X72 grinder welded on top. I'm afraid if I need to move it I have to cut it down to pieces :D
 
Only thing I would add is this. Put locking casters on your benches so you can move them around if you need to. Personal preference, but I like being able to move 'em around.

Larry
 
Here are some nice simple plans I found online. You can make it any size you want and use what ever grade lumber you can afford. I build a real nice one for $60 and it took less than 2 hours. This will be multiple post for all pictures.
 
cdhumiston said:
Last Set...
Click to expand...

This is how I pretty much build my benches but I put the lower shelf up mid-way which helps to eliminate any rocking motion and of course I nailed the shit out of it . Love my new nail gun and got lots of ammo for it , so I put it to use .
 
G. Shahan said:
Andy,
Your shop is way to clean. I hope my wife never gets a look at this pic.

Greg
Click to expand...

That was when we first moved in. The first project was the bench. This was a few months later. Its dirty as hell now...;)



100_8629Small-vi.jpg
 
galadduin said:
Thanks for these posts Chris :thumbup::thumbup:, I was thinking to build one to separate my handle works with steel works but I lack carpenter skills. Those steps are very easy to follow...
Click to expand...

No problem, the nice thing is you can build it to the size you like for your needs.
 
Built mine out of 2 x 4 as well , except use lag bolts , I anchored it to the wall ( walls in the shop are block on 2 sides ).
 
I've built benches very much like Chris's. I've topped some of them with 2"x12" and others with 3/4" plywood. By the time you buy the 4x4 legs, the 2x4 framing, the surface lumber for the table top and bottom shelf, the lag bolts, screws and glue...you're well into it for at least a $100. The one from Harbor Freight with solid oak and the additional four drawers for under $200 starts looking like a better choice.

I am also going more modular now (not everything on benches). I'm trying to put nearly every piece of power equipment (belt and bench grinders, polishers, band saws, planers, forges, etc) on their own stand and putting casters on everything, including the bench!
 
Last edited:
Farmer Phil said:
I've built benches very much like Chris's. I've topped some of them with 2"x12" and others with 3/4" plywood. By the time you buy the 4x4 legs, the 2x4 framing, the surface lumber for the table top and bottom shelf, the lag bolts, screws and glue...or well into for at least a $100. The one from Harbor Freight with solid oak and the additional four drawers for under $200 starts looking like a better choice.

I am also going more modular now (not everything on benches). I'm trying to put nearly every piece of power equipment (belt and bench grinders, polishers, band saws, planers, forges, etc) on their own stand and putting casters on everything, including the bench!
Click to expand...

I like your idea of everything on it's own stand. I don't have anything mounted on my bench but a vise.

My grinder, buffer, scroll saw, disc sander and drill press are all on thier own stands. When my KMG Grinder gets here next week it will get it's own table as well.

I really like the idea of casters, how are you mounting them and how do you keep the stand from moving around wqhen the equipment is in use???
 
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