New Bench

[Eric Smith]

New Bench for an unused corner of the shop.


free picture upload

[P.W.Berkuta]

Nice start -- I would add another pair of 4"X 4" in the center and "X" frame them into the others to support your top - half lap joints would work nicely to give the bench top strength & rigidity. Then add some drawers. Your top could be made up of a layer of 2" X 6" or 2" X 8" boards with a layer of 3/4" plywood with a top layer of 1/4" tempered hard board that can be replaced when it got dinged up. Let your top overhang the frame some. Just my 2 cents worth .

[WadePatton]

Looks inverted to me.

What are you putting on top?  I've been SPOILED to laminated 2x4's on edge for a top.  But then spoiled ain't the right word when you build it yerself.  Dues paid. 

[Eric Smith]

It was upside down when that photo was taken. I put in the braces for the bottom shelf and cut a piece of 1/2 inch plywood for the shelf material. It is now right side up and the bottom shelf awaits to be glued and screwed. It's 92.5 inches wide, 48 inches deep, and 36.5 inches tall.

[rich pierce]

It was upside down when that photo was taken. I put in the braces for the bottom shelf and cut a piece of 1/2 inch plywood for the shelf material. It is now right side up and the bottom shelf awaits to be glued and screwed. It's 92.5 inches wide, 48 inches deep, and 36.5 inches tall.

I feel so much better about it now that I know it was upside down!

[Eric Smith]

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The bottom shelf is in place.

[David Rase]

Nice looking bench.  I am still trying to get past your statement "unused corner of the shop".  The last time I saw an unused corner in my shop was when I built it.
David

[Eric Smith]

Nice looking bench.  I am still trying to get past your statement "unused corner of the shop".  The last time I saw an unused corner in my shop was when I built it.
David

Dave , this is a brand new shop. I built this house 7 years ago, with this space adjacent to the garage with the explicit intent of using it to build muzzle loaders, powder horns, and such. I built one bench, the one in the background, the first year. Until now, it has seen zero activity. It became a junk room. I spent all my time working at a newsprint mill, 12 hours a day.
  I retired early this past January. I sat around until July trying to comprehend my new found freedom. I finally realized that it was time to clear out that room and start using it for it's intended purpose. There's plenty of unused room, for now. Lot's of work to be done.

[WKevinD]

Nice looking bench.  I am still trying to get past your statement "unused corner of the shop".  The last time I saw an unused corner in my shop was when I built it.
David

I have always liked the statement "nature abhors a vacuum" , there is no empty vacuum in my shop.
Kevin

[Craig Wilcox]

Just moved in to a new-to-me home - 1,800 sf for me, my dog, and a trio of cats.  Place was built in '58, but recently remodeled, with a new metal roof.

Nice family room, 20' x 24', so I've turned it into a shop.  So far, two 8'l x 2.5' w x 30" tall.  Of necessity, most of my work is done sitting down.

This past week, I've also installed a small bandsaw (14"), a 1 HP dust collector, and a nice combo belt and disc sander.  Also need to build a drawer unit and a rifle rack.

All three doors (2 exterior, 1 interior) doors are at least 36", so no big problem moving things in or out.

I've converted one of the spare bedrooms into a kind of safe room, solid core door, double locks, etc.

Love seeing that new workbench - gives me ideas for my two future workbenches.  All, BTW, use 4 x 4's for legs, six per bench.  Very partial to half-lap joints, and double 3/4" ply tops.

[Eric Smith]

A 3/4 " sheet of plywood has been added as a working surface, 2"overhang on each side and 3" on the front, flush on the back. I added a substantial amount of bracing to the table support. I think I'm halfway there, almost.

[flatsguide]

Nice bench! I’d put another sheet of3/4 ply on top. Benches are like ‘C’ clamps can’t get enough of them nor can benches be too heavy.
Cheers Richard

[Eric Smith]

Plywood needed a little persuasion.

[Eric Smith]

After a few side trips including bad weather, livestock obligations, and general thinking it through to make sure I had an idea where I wanted to go with this bench, I began again today. Here are some pics of what I did to further this bench. I am adding a bench long shelf to the back of the bench. Here I willkeep my collection of books for handy reference in the shop, rather than having to climb 17 steps up a staircase to review.

[flinchrocket]

If I stored books in my shop they would be buried in so much dust you wouldn't be able to find them, let alone read one.

[Eric Smith]

If I stored books in my shop they would be buried in so much dust you wouldn't be able to find them, let alone read one.

I can easily see how that could happen. I like to keep a fairly tidy workspace, and always police after myself before I lock up with the shop vac. I don't get 100% but I give it a lick and a promise.

[flinchrocket]

If I ever build a new shop it will have a big door (perhaps garage) at each end. So then, I'll just take a leaf blower and blow all the dust right on out.

[WadePatton]

Yet another style. All 2x4's, and made to break down for transport.  Note it hasn't been this clean since day two. 

I've got a WW vise on the left end and a PM vise on the right end now.  When I build another bench, will likely be this design again. It's simple and stout. Does require a good bit of planing, but pine planes so easily.   The thru-mortises are no trouble at all. No power tools were used besides turning screws.

The middle (not installed yet here) comes out (screwed into place) and the two sides can be separated, thus "portability" but I've yet to try it.  Oh yeah, the tops come off the leg-frames, then you have 5 bits. Frames, two tops, and a middle section. It's super stout by design.  Paul Sellers builds this same bench "in the garden(yard)" with hand tools, there's a series of videos. I made mine longer.

[Jeff Durnell]

Love bench threads!

Here's a few pics of mine I made last winter. It weighs over 1000 lbs without the vises... yet can be pushed around the shop with two fingers when the casters are down. Solid as a boulder in use though. The top is bowling alley with a 1/2" synthetic top added during an upgrade at the bowling alley. 42 x 96". Very strong, easy to clean, and impervious to abuse.

[Eric Smith]

[flinchrocket]

Any peg board going in the center?

[FALout]

Peg board, heck just start drilling some holes!

Just kidding.

[snapper]

I hate peg board.  For hanging tools I simply have several of the magnetic bars from Lee Valley.   I have quite a few of those bars hanging on the walls.  Certainly helps me keep thing organized.



Fleener

[T*O*F]

I love peg board.  It makes up the upper 4 feet of my shop on 3 of the walls.  It enables hooks, hangers, shelving, etc.  Endless possibilities and you are not locked into permanent fixtures you later wished you had put elsewhere.

[Eric Smith]

Yesterday, I was contemplating inserting a 32" TV into the center cavity of the shelf, and using the remaining space by adding tiny shelves arount the TV.
However, today I an more inclined to mount a TV on top of the shelf and continue partition the center with more useful spaces.
TV you say? I like my YouTube, along with some classic westerns, like Daniel Boone, Paladin, Rawhide, anything John Wayne. A small Boze speaker will broadcast my personalized IHeart radio station. What can I say. I'm retired now. I want comfort.