Hey all,
I'm looking into making a knockdown woodworking bench. I was wondering the multitude (and common) ways folks affix their benchtop to their bench. Any feedback, diagrams, links, whatever; would be a great help to me. Thanks ❤️
I have recently found myself wanting for some work surfaces that aren't walmart folding tables. I've concocted a basic design in my head, which calls for a plywood top screwed down to a 2x4 frame underneath it. It'll be 2' deep, and 6' or 8' long depending on what I'm doing with it. In either case, it'll be supported every 2' with "joists" (for lack of a better term) made from 2x4s, with notches cut similar to what you see here. There will also be a lower shelf of the same design as the top sitting about a foot off the ground.
First bench I'm planning is going to be a glorified table in my sunroom that's just going to hold seedlings/potted plants before they're moved outside. At most, it'll have to support some tools and bags of soil. But I'm not planning to stack an entire raised bed's worth of dirt on this thing. Will 1/4" plywood be sufficient, or should I step it up a bit?
Second bench, which will come much later, is going to go in my basement as a reloading bench. I reckon I'll want a thicker top for that, but I'm not sure how much. In any case, I'm going to want to bolt things down to the joists, or add extra supports underneath just so I'm not relying entirely on the plywood. I'm thinking 1/2" or 3/4", but do you think I'll need more?
Edit: And while I have your attention, would you suggest screwing it down from the top, or using pocket screws from underneath?
Hello everyone!
I'm a beginner-ish, early intermediate woodworker/luthier. I am using hand tools quite often, and I plan to use them much more in the future. I currently have a melamine foldable table that I use as a workbench of sorts, and it's quite evident that it won't do as a workbench. When I try to use a handplane it rocks back and forth like crazy!
So, my next big project is a workbench, which is exciting! I came across Paul Seller's tutorial on how to make a workbench. He uses leftover pieces of wood, I believe, and he makes a laminated top out of long strips of wood. I don't have enough wood to do that, so I'll have to buy some. Now, I have the opportunity of buying slaps of wood from a local lumberyard, and they can joint and plane the slab for me, which would save a lot of work. However, is there a compelling reason to make a laminated top, or can I use a solid wood slab for the top?
P.S: I hate MDF, especially in a humid climate such as where I live. Plus, it dents quite easily. So does soft wood, but that's easier to work and flatten. I can compromise and use plywood, but I would prefer to avoid it.
I'm working on a 2x4 (blue pieces) + 18mm Ply (brown) workbench build (1200x600mm - ~48"x24") and trying to make sure I've got the structure at the corners correct. The legs are two 2x4s together. At the corner where the caster attaches, two 2x4s meet with a notch cut out of one to allow the other to slot in and both to attach onto the caster (second and third images).
I'm imagining the screw placement for the initial fix of the boards before the casters, as well as the screws to fix the casters in place. I can make it work with careful placement of the screws, but it had me wondering whether there was a better way to design this?
Woodworking beginner, so any feedback/thoughts appreciated! (on this or the design in general)
I first looked at Steve Ramsey's mobile work bench, then wanted a bit more storage space below + am going to use a MFT top, so needed to adjust quite a bit from the initial design.
Just finished my first real workbench build and I’m honestly pretty happy with how it came out.
The usable work surface is 39” × 63” and the bench height is about 36”.
Built the frame using:
• 4×4 beams (10×10 cm)
• 2x3 lumber (roughly 7×5 cm)
For a first build, it feels surprisingly solid and sturdy.
The top is made from MDF because that’s what I already had on hand. I know MDF isn’t the best choice for moisture or heavy impacts, but it seemed good enough to get started and I can always upgrade the top later.
I also added height-adjustable casters, which let me roll the bench around when needed and then lower it onto solid feet for stability while working. That ended up being one of my favorite features.
Other details:
• middle storage shelf
• built-in space for my table saw/circular saw setup
• open storage underneath for tools and materials
I learned a ton during this project, especially since it’s my first build at this scale.
Would love to hear your thoughts:
• What would you change?
• Any upgrades you’d recommend?
• Anything I should watch out for long term with this design?
Thanks!
It’ll get a matte black laminate top and one cabinet with drawers when I get it finished!
I know it’s only a pine base but milled all of the material to ensure everything is square and straight, it came out great! Should last me a lifetime!
What are some suggestions for determining how to maximize the height and number of drawers for your bench? Is there a known process or formula?
I am adding approx. 18 drawers to my garage wall workbenches. It’s a standard wall bench with a lower section for a desk in the middle that will one day support a miter saw. (My dewalt doesn’t fit but it’s still good so it stays on its folding stand.)
The benches are in two sections.
There are 4 mobile carts under the overall bench. The drawers will go into these carts.
They are 30H 29W 23D.
One half of the will be my woodworking tools.
The other half will be mechanics tools. (Deep 1/2 and 3/8 sockets/ rackets, wrenches etc. )
I winged it for my closet built ins but I am thinking that there is an actual method that I just don’t know yet.
Do you have any tips that you use to maximize the spaces in your bench drawers?
I need something ready-made long and narrow and height adjustable for cheap. I found this:
I wanted a table vice too, but I can’t find it with the rest of those requirements.
My beginner woodworking stage 1 bench. Squareish, solidish, built so I can do proper cuts/rips now and I am off the floor.
3/4 plywood and 2x4s and casters, all in around $150CAD
Size is 48"x96", so no truck needed to get the wood home from the store and I am not yet confident in my cuts to do it in the parking lot(yet). Height came from tools' combined heights to keep all in one place.
Drop in 12"x12" piece is for router and jigsaw and maybe belt sander. ( All in planning stage only)
Table saw fits long ways and side ways too.
May upgrade the top to solid wood and thinking of routing in a T-slot grid.
Open for any tips and ideas!
Mitre Table locks in when I flip it up. I also have two supports just for safety. Still working on it
Hey all, I just wanted to share the garden workbench that I made for a friend. 4x4s for the base. 3/4 Oak plywood for the workplace and shelf finished with wipe on poly. Red oak for the back. Part of the table removes for dirt bucket.
2x4s, a discarded (but high quality) piece of 3/4” plywood I found near a dumpster, and a s*** ton of 3” deck screws becomes a hand-made ergonomic work bench that sits nice and high for my 6’3” self.
Satisfying work on a Sunday afternoon.
Everyone knows that space is always tight in New York City. When I decided to get into 3-D printing and keyboard building, I had no space to do it but my wonderful wife suggested I turn our front hallway into my workspace so that’s what I did building a work desk and then shelving to hold all of my stuff. We it, my man cave.
I've been using this bench for about 8 years - I made it out of stuff I had lying around or got for free. it's based on the famous Moravian bench but I didn't want the wooden leg vice, and I already had a Woden 52 1/2 with a quick release. I like the angled legs as they give good stability. I started out with a few features like the pegs (dogs) in the legs which allow me to clamp quite big panels in the vice, and the pegs along the edge by the vice which support long timbers for planing. the top is made from a couple of pieces of steamed beech I found thrown out (!) and I've added dog holes which, with the end vice, allow clamping of panels. the top isn't fixed but rests on tight-fitting chunky dowels and doesn't wobble at all
I'd originally made a piece lengthwise in the middle which could be lifted to use as a planing stop, but I never really used that function. (oh, and yes, the bench top needs a bit of scraping. I'm not precious about it so it gets a bit of glue etc on it now and again)
I've added a couple of screw-holdfasts which I find really useful for all sorts... they're positioned near the legs which makes for a really firm spot for chiselling mortises etc... I clear out the shelf underneath now and then as fills up, but it's a useful spot for a shooting board, donkey's ear jig, etc...
I'm planning on making a smaller one (about 4' long) which can be knocked down for site work
(note: the legs look like they're at right angles because of the wide angle camera view)
anyway, hope you like it
So i posted like a month ago i was starting my take on a torsion type workbench, i dont have a roof over my slab yet so i needed something that was easily portable to put up in case of rain. Ill included a link to first post. So i was at first gonna use just 2 bolts & t-nuts to attach my 2 halfs together but after installing them i find it rather cumbersome to put in & take out the bolts so i switched to 4 clamping toggles & plan on installing alignment dowels in bolt holes. I still have more to do, im gonna put a 1x2 of a hardwood around outside edge & put some kinda finish on the ply top. Plus i think im gonna build a set of folding saw horses that sit in pockets/pins just for this workbench so i can have steel ones back in reg use. Ive got 500 projects all going at any given time & bounce back and forth to work on bench. Let me know what yall think.
Previous post link;
Whenever I’m between projects I make some time for shop maintenance. So when I made this bench a year and a half ago I was so excited to get going that I never made the time. So today was the day! After I made myself some winding sticks and sharpened the plane irons, I got to it and well, now I have a bigger mess to clean up! Finished it with some tung oil and I’m suuuuuper happy now!