New workbench!

[blueonblack]

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:

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:

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:

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. 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:

And with one hole roughly the same size bored all the way through:

I used oak for the edging on this one, and something a little sturdier for the supports:

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.

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.



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.

[OvRiDe]

Now thats a bench!! I don't think there is much that thing can't handle. The fold up feature of the old one was nice, but it would go the exact same way for me.

I love the replaceable Masonite top, very nice touch!

Well here is to wishing you many fine projects on your new workbench.

[mDust]

Very nice! Hey, you wouldn't mind if 35 TBCS members and myself come over and use it right? Thanks man, see you Saturday!

[blueonblack]

Hey, you wouldn't mind if 35 TBCS members and myself come over and use it right? Thanks man, see you Saturday!

No problem at all, I'll fire up the grill!

[Airbozo]

No problem at all, I'll fire up the grill!

Cool, I'll bring the keg...

Nice bench! I will be updating my shed/shop this summer and might use this idea...

[x88x]

Very nice, I like the replaceable top...I might have to borrow that idea whenever I have a real workshop. I don't think you'll have any problems with this one bending; oak 4x4's are a tad stronger than the steel angle you had there.

[madd0ct0r]

stronger, but wood creeps under sufficient load.

of course, you'd have to find a sufficient load...

[x88x]

The way that's built, I'm gonna say that the load would probably have to be ~1000-2000 pounds. The 'weak' point would be the verticals. So yeah, blue, as long as you don't park your car on top of it, you should be fine.

[blueonblack]

stronger, but wood creeps under sufficient load.

of course, you'd have to find a sufficient load...

That's true on both counts. If I have sufficient load on that bench for long enough to cause any sort of problems I need to rethink whatever it is I'm working on.

[rendermandan]

Good job! You beat me to the punch. I'm working on building a new workbench too. Thanks a lot for steeling my thunder....

Serioulsy, just kidding, good job.