blueonblack
03-11-2010, 02:28 AM
I finally got around to building myself a new workbench for my shop. Like any shop with only one bench, it is the heart of the whole operation. I use my stationary tools a lot, but nothing gets used more than the bench. Here's the bench I was working with:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050114.JPG
I made this when I first moved into this house over nine years ago. The benchtop is made from a solid-core door blank, with pine edging and 2x4 legs. The cabinet above it is secured to the wall and supports itself. Looking at the back of the bench you can see four hinges:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050112.JPG
Those are there because when I built it I thought I might need more room from time to time and designed it to fold up against the wall:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050115.JPG
This is a cool feature, but in the nine years I've had it the only time I've folded it up was to show people that it folds up. :D Needless to say, I did away with it.
My main problem with the bench I had was that, despite the angle iron screwed to the bottom, it had developed a sag in the center of the front section, very noticeable and getting worse. I fixed that problem for good.
Used another solid-core door for the top, this one 36 inches deep rather than 32, so it actually goes under the cabinet on the wall. Here it is layed out on top of the old bench with countersunk holes bored into it:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050113.JPG
And with one hole roughly the same size bored all the way through:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050117.JPG
I used oak for the edging on this one, and something a little sturdier for the supports:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050119.JPG
Let's see it bow now! The through hole was to allow me to remove the replaceable top. The oak edging is 1/8" higher than the benchtop, and I put a piece of Masonite that was custom cut to fit inside.
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050118.JPG
Now when the top gets too banged up, painted on, burned, chiseled, cut or eaten away by acid I jut pop it up from underneath and replace the Masonite for $8.
I love it. Between the 4x4 structure and the 1 5/8" thick door blank, this thing is absolutely unmoveable. I think I could park my truck on it.
:banana:
Edit: For anyone with the space and a few tools, this bench cost me less than $125, not counting the wall cabinets that I built from scrap.
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050114.JPG
I made this when I first moved into this house over nine years ago. The benchtop is made from a solid-core door blank, with pine edging and 2x4 legs. The cabinet above it is secured to the wall and supports itself. Looking at the back of the bench you can see four hinges:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050112.JPG
Those are there because when I built it I thought I might need more room from time to time and designed it to fold up against the wall:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050115.JPG
This is a cool feature, but in the nine years I've had it the only time I've folded it up was to show people that it folds up. :D Needless to say, I did away with it.
My main problem with the bench I had was that, despite the angle iron screwed to the bottom, it had developed a sag in the center of the front section, very noticeable and getting worse. I fixed that problem for good.
Used another solid-core door for the top, this one 36 inches deep rather than 32, so it actually goes under the cabinet on the wall. Here it is layed out on top of the old bench with countersunk holes bored into it:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050113.JPG
And with one hole roughly the same size bored all the way through:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050117.JPG
I used oak for the edging on this one, and something a little sturdier for the supports:
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050119.JPG
Let's see it bow now! The through hole was to allow me to remove the replaceable top. The oak edging is 1/8" higher than the benchtop, and I put a piece of Masonite that was custom cut to fit inside.
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/blueonblack/Workbench/P1050118.JPG
Now when the top gets too banged up, painted on, burned, chiseled, cut or eaten away by acid I jut pop it up from underneath and replace the Masonite for $8.
I love it. Between the 4x4 structure and the 1 5/8" thick door blank, this thing is absolutely unmoveable. I think I could park my truck on it.
:banana:
Edit: For anyone with the space and a few tools, this bench cost me less than $125, not counting the wall cabinets that I built from scrap.