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Hi @Rodney,
Thanks for sharing your great projects with the Workshop community.
Just wanted to let you know that your workbenches are now being featured on the Bunnings website for the next week. Well done! It would be great if you could tell us a how you went about building them, including the tools and materials you used. I'm sure many people will be inspired by your work, and want to replicate it in their shed or garage.
Thanks again,
Jason
Building a work bench it’s not impossible
No, it can be done. I have not been the most active DIY person, could do the basics but never really built anything serious until this year. We pulled down the old front fence and replaced with a new one from scratch. This changed mindset from “everything was too hard” to “I think I can do that” is what lead me to building the above work bench.
Having a small work bench area was the real motivation to getting started, removing tools from the top of the bench to do anything was beginning to be a pain, not having enough room to store tools to offcuts and bit and pieces was slowing the flow so to speak.
I needed a bigger work bench with more space, a bigger “work area” and maybe even tool storage!! Started scrolling thru Pinterest for ideas regarding work benches, first things first any ideas had to be at least achievable to my limited skill set, then have a good benchtop work area, then storage area.
Research pharse
This seemed to be perfect, large work area and massive storage to boot. I continued going thru Pinterest, watching You Tube videos for inspiration (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe-EjnrZJrg&t=71s) loved how this was done but unsure if I could pull it off, to discovering the workshop.com.au link at the bottom of the Bunnings home page and exploring thru here to see what others had done and then finding this at Instructables (http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-sturdy-workbench-inexpensively/ which I watched and thought I can do this.
Starting off point was figuring out what was the best height of the work bench for myself, being a big guy, it worked out to be 920mm from the ground on up. Measured up the length of one wall in the garage and found it to be 4.6m long, overall length of my bench is 3.7m long with enough of an area to storage to place bought lengths standing upright
Build sizes for this section was 1300mm from leg to leg, 780mm deep and starting height of 890mm before the bench top goes on and I would make this twice to be the same of the other side. The middle would just have a bench top of plywood sitting over the tool box and secured to the outside leg of each section.
What to buy
So off to Bunnings we go and buy 8 lengths of 90x45mm https://www.bunnings.com.au/90-x-45mm-mgp10-untreated-pine-timber-framing-1-5m_p8030076 @3.6m long which should be enough to build the frame, used this for the shelf - MDF https://www.bunnings.com.au/customwood-mdf-1200-x-900-x-12mm-standard-mdf-panel_p0590091 and bought this for the bench top but in a 30mm thickness https://www.bunnings.com.au/project-panel-1220-x-2440mm-3mm-premium-bc-plywood_p0340267
This is plenty to build the first section as seen above, first I had completed this part a second trip to Bunnings was required to get supplies for the middle – the benchtop only- and the right-hand sections. At this point because the bench is so deep at nearly 800mm, I run into a problem in that I had to buy more of the 30mm plywood bench top due to the odd sizing re the depth of it all. Had I stuck with “normal” sizing’s this wouldn’t have been an issue, side effect of being stubborn and wanting done my way.
Building the Frame
This is taken from step two from the Instructables link from earlier. Using a drop saw to cut the legs to 890mm or whatever height you need, do this eight times. Then clamp two lengths together from a L shape, I used a speed square to get the legs flush and square and tighten the clamps to prevent unplanned movement. I used a 10mm spade bit to drill three holes 250mm apart down one side of the leg, then pre-drilled with a small drill bit to make it easier for the 75mm screws to go in. Repeat this process another four times until you four legs.
I wanted the bottom shelf to be at least 300mm from the off the ground so I could put things underneath the bench if need be. So, I measured up 402mm from the bottom- 300mm space,90mm for the thickness of the wood to make shelf and 12mm for the thickness of the MDF board that will go on.
Found some off cuts and cut to 300mm and clamped one to a leg and done this twice. Measure and cut two cross supports at 680mm and sat on top of the off cuts, check for level, then clamp cross supports, use the 10mm spade bit, pre-drill then screwed more 75mm screws to join together. Do the same for the cross supports that will bench top will sit on
List of joins
Red is the leg assembly, blue is the short cross supports and the green is the long supports
Benchtop
The photo above shows where the bench top will sit with regards to the legs. Hope this makes sense so just follow me on this, the right side on the bench the section in red will be covered by the bench top. The legs on the left hand side - not pictured- the bench top will be sitting on the front of the leg and will be leaving the base of the L shape of the leg unexposed which will allow the bench top to sit over the toolbox in the middle see next photo
And at this point I found this:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Mobile-Workbench-With-Built-in-Table-Miter-Saws/
Between the video and photos in the above Instructable I was able to modify my basic plan to allow the table saw to be included. I took a lot of time with this measuring it up, drawing it all up in a scrap book, re checked everything before beginning, made sure all the maths worked out correctly before starting out.
Finished product
Left hand section above
The middle section
Right hand section
I think the time spent researching a project really pays off in the long run. Starting without a clue on how and where to start, to getting an understanding of what was required and how to go about it, basically giving myself an education in DIY in the process
Hi @SuanKimSim,
Welcome to Workshop. It's great to have you join us. We have many community members who will be keen to give you advice on how to get started.
I would recommend you hit the Start a discussion button and create a new topic about your project and plans. It might also help if you share a photo of the space you have to work with. It would help community members to see the space and provide suggestions about a workbench.
You might also be interested in these previous Workshop discussions
- What's the best D.I.Y. advice you've ever received
- Turning the garage into a workshop
Thanks,
Jason
Thanks for joining in the discussion @zackarlaftis. I'm sure @Rodney appreciates the feedback.
Let me also extend a very warm welcome to Workshop. It's fantastic to have you join us. I hope you will find plenty of helpful information, inspiration and advice for your projects from our community members.
Looking forward to seeing some of your projects. Please post again soon.
Jason
This continues to be a very popular project with the Workshop community @Rodney. Thanks again for sharing. It's a particularly good project at this time of year when it can be tough to get outdoors.
Made anything on your workbench recently?
Jason
So this is a bit old now and I have built a few all wooden workbenches in the past from jarrah, pine, jam trees etc. This "hybrid" was partly prompted by the inclusion of a Powermig 180 in the purchase of this house and the desire for a more sturdy bench.
All the steel is 50mm - RHS and angle. The top is probably overkill - 30mm construction ply they use for supporting multi story concrete flooring, but I didn't want a "conductive" work top so had to be wood. The shelf is 15mm, same sort of ply.
Started by bolting the 50mm angle to the wall nice and true then built the frame off that like a pergola/patio, which helped account for the slightly uneven concrete floor.
I have since mounted small anvil, 140mm vice and reloading press to the bench and my family has loaded it right up with all sorts of crap!
