work bench
#2
11-26-2006, 06:13 PM
My rolling bench sorta built itself. I had a steel framed cart that grew 4 4x4 corner posts, then a 2x4 top frame, and a piece of John Deere manure spreader board. Deere uses a fiberglass or resin coated 1/2 plywood that is virtually indestrucable. Then it became attached to a 50' extention cord that had been damaged. This provides power to the 4 outlets that are ideal for my Dremel drill press, desk light, power inverter, etc. I built it so the top is the same as our other benches and tailgate height. It used to be the base for my 200lb toolbox.
#4
11-26-2006, 09:06 PM
That is cool!
My main workbench has a laminated top (HD particleboard and tempered Masonite). It is framed with 2x6 laid flat with T-nuts for the vise etc and it sits on two cabinets that are full of drawers with dowel pins that key into the cabinets. The whole thing can be disassembled for transport. It might be worth it to add a couple "cutting boards" under the top!
I have several other tool benches tho. One of them has a top made of tongue and groove boxcar flooring with a HD particle board and tempered Masonite covering. The legs are 2x6 with a box framed shelf under it with the lip up to keep things from sliding off.
Another one is a frame under a Kennedy Machinist box base unit with a set of 24x24" shelves on the right side. The caster under it make it a great mobile workbench. It has a vise mounted on one corner.
Another pair are made from used display tables removed from a Jones store during demolition. They are trimmed in oak and have white Formica over a plywood and HD particleboard top that is easy to work on over a 2x4 frame with a shelf underneath. The tops are heavy as hell but did not cost me anything. Check out any large store that is being remodeled for "discards".
The trick is to use what you have because what you need is simply a surface to hold things to work on them. The top should be durable to take abuse from what you work on, other than that it needs to be the right height for you. Whatever you can build in under it for storage depends largely on what you need to store.
My main workbench has a laminated top (HD particleboard and tempered Masonite). It is framed with 2x6 laid flat with T-nuts for the vise etc and it sits on two cabinets that are full of drawers with dowel pins that key into the cabinets. The whole thing can be disassembled for transport. It might be worth it to add a couple "cutting boards" under the top!
I have several other tool benches tho. One of them has a top made of tongue and groove boxcar flooring with a HD particle board and tempered Masonite covering. The legs are 2x6 with a box framed shelf under it with the lip up to keep things from sliding off.
Another one is a frame under a Kennedy Machinist box base unit with a set of 24x24" shelves on the right side. The caster under it make it a great mobile workbench. It has a vise mounted on one corner.
Another pair are made from used display tables removed from a Jones store during demolition. They are trimmed in oak and have white Formica over a plywood and HD particleboard top that is easy to work on over a 2x4 frame with a shelf underneath. The tops are heavy as hell but did not cost me anything. Check out any large store that is being remodeled for "discards".
The trick is to use what you have because what you need is simply a surface to hold things to work on them. The top should be durable to take abuse from what you work on, other than that it needs to be the right height for you. Whatever you can build in under it for storage depends largely on what you need to store.
#5
11-26-2006, 09:34 PM
Glad you like it Eric.
It's MDF for the structure, with MDF tops that aren't bolted down, but instead held in place by dowels. This way when I beat them to death, I can replace them easily without trying to find screw heads under the painted surface.
I painted the tops with rustoleum's hammer finish paint and very pleased with the outcome. It's reasonably tough, doesnt' chip to easily. Though applying it was like spreading molassass with a paint brush lol.
For the sides, I put tongue and groove paneling I got on sale at lowes or home depot, and stained them with whatever stain I had left over from refurbishing an old garden bench.
I still have to make doors though. It's on the "list". LMAO.
At one point I was going to buy a bunch of metal desks that were neatly stacked at the local junkyard, then after thinking about it they'd be too low and the effort involved in making them a good height for standing up wasn't in my timeline. MDF works pretty good I have to say, I was skeptical from years of making fun of MDF furniture that just falls apart.
Dowelling and gluing probably helped a lot.
It's MDF for the structure, with MDF tops that aren't bolted down, but instead held in place by dowels. This way when I beat them to death, I can replace them easily without trying to find screw heads under the painted surface.
I painted the tops with rustoleum's hammer finish paint and very pleased with the outcome. It's reasonably tough, doesnt' chip to easily. Though applying it was like spreading molassass with a paint brush lol.
For the sides, I put tongue and groove paneling I got on sale at lowes or home depot, and stained them with whatever stain I had left over from refurbishing an old garden bench.
I still have to make doors though. It's on the "list". LMAO.
At one point I was going to buy a bunch of metal desks that were neatly stacked at the local junkyard, then after thinking about it they'd be too low and the effort involved in making them a good height for standing up wasn't in my timeline. MDF works pretty good I have to say, I was skeptical from years of making fun of MDF furniture that just falls apart.
Dowelling and gluing probably helped a lot.
#6
11-26-2006, 11:33 PM
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Mines simple 16 - 2x4x10's all screwed together back to back and then bolted together with threaded rods that are recessed all ontop of a simple 2x6 lower frame and bolted to it with some angle iron and sitting on 4 4x4s. Its strudy as heck, holds a ton of weight, plenty of room and if I want I can attach a removeable plywood work surface whenerver one is needed. I also added a set of drawers to it to give me some storage underneath.
-Chris
Mines simple 16 - 2x4x10's all screwed together back to back and then bolted together with threaded rods that are recessed all ontop of a simple 2x6 lower frame and bolted to it with some angle iron and sitting on 4 4x4s. Its strudy as heck, holds a ton of weight, plenty of room and if I want I can attach a removeable plywood work surface whenerver one is needed. I also added a set of drawers to it to give me some storage underneath.
-Chris
Last edited by 73f350sc; 11-26-2006 at 11:36 PM.
