Need help on building a bench!

[Brian13]

I used cabinet grade plywood, and it does hold all oil and grease. I got a big black spot in the middle of my bench, kinda gives it a botched stain job look. But it has held up as far as maintaining its smoothness. I figure I can always sand it down if I have to.

 

[jra1100]

We have a door manufacturer in the area that makes steel commercial grade doors, those thick heavy gray ones that you see at factories and warehouses. They sell the seconds very cheap, used to be 5$ not sure how much now. Anyway my chainsaw bench is a 4X8 one of those with legs welded on and casters. It's about 4ft high which is about right for me. I'd include a pic, but its covered with chainsaws and you cant see much, also my shop is such a disaster that I'd be embarrassed. JR

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

Yep just a joke, got the idea from a member here forgot his name. I just had to have one of my own.

Thanks for the pics and ideas Some good ones in this thread.

You mean this one?

 

[bruiser 1]

Just redid kitchen and put old cabinets in garage. Using sawhorses right now until I make my bench. Kitchen counter top does'nt work bad either.

 

[Work Saw Collector]

You mean this one?

Thats the one, I like your bar better.

 

[redray46]

Help building a work bench

I modified a bench ,taken out of the maintenance room of a closed hospital.It is made from industrial grade predrilled angle iron,3 one foot high shelves on the bootom and two small shelves above the work table.I removed the top shelves and added them to the bottom,as two 6 inch high shelves for plastic parts drawers.Extended the work area to 2 ft x 4 ft,using 3/4 plywood with sheet metal wrapped over it,pegboard on the back for tools and such,have 2 casters need two more to make it mobile.I still had storage problems with project saws waiting for parts or culling.I found a simple way of storing them and seeing them all at once.Plastic milk crates, with small clear plastic inventory tag holders, screwed to the outside,and cardboaerd boxes as inserts,10 ream copy paper cases work well, to keep everything inside the box.I cross off the old saw model on the tag, and add the new one when necessary.Small bars will go in at an angle,larger bars go through the carry handles,to keep everything together.There are now 10 saws stacked on floor space ,that held 2 before.Sorry no pics,I cannot figure how to shrink them enough ,to get on the web site.

 

[ronT2]

Drawers….gotta have drawers, the more the merrier. :agree2:

I’m also about 5’10” and this bench is 41” high. A little too high at times but I don’t think I’d change it. Guess it depends if you plan on sitting or standing.

 

[Erick]

Here's some shots I dug up of mine..... I'll try to get you some better ones later. Be prepared though... its a mess.

I think I have maybe $30.00 per 8ft bench in it using all new material.

Ideally it should have a sheet of 1/8" steel on top but I never have gotten around to picking up the steel.

 

[2000ssm6]

Here is one of mine, cluttered with all kinds of mess. Measures 8'6"L and 2'5" wide. Made out of 2X6s, a butt load of screws and 1/2" plywood for the top. I braced the bottom with 2X6s as well. I used a palm sander to round the edges of the top. I forgot what type of stain was applied but it wasn't very dark, just something to blend the 2X6s and plywood. The bottom shelf is left over 1/2" plywood with 4X4s for support. Very sturdy and about 100lbs.

The 2nd one is smaller but great for 1 saw projects. It was on sale at the home crapo for $150 awhile ago. I like the light, top storage and drawers. I always thought of joining 2 of these benches and making the middle a recessed area to use a laptop on. For the $$ though, I could build another 8 footer.

I'll be building a auto shop in the next year hopefully and will have a much nicer bench or two.

 

[Brmorgan]

You mean this one?

Sweet!

If it weren't for the whole B&E criminal record thing, I'd love to break into the little logging display at the city museum and rig something like that up with the old Pioneers and crosscut saws they have there. Just to see the reactions!

 

[belgian]

As you can see I have two benches, one with a steel frame and thick wooden deck (left), and the other is a home made bench with a steel deck (right).

I prefer to work on the wooden deck : it has a better, warmer feel and is more forgiving on saws and tools. I use the steel bench mainly for cleaning very dirty stuff and it's great for welding jobs.

Some tips :

• choose the deck height wisely ; it should be comfortable for YOU !
• Foresee as many drawers or cabinets as possible. You always need storage room, and nearby if possible. Otherwise you end up leaving it on the deck, which limits your working space.
  A good vice is a must !
• Don't go cheap on lighting on top of the bench. It's much nicer working on stuff if you actually see something.
• Keep discipline on where you store your tools, it saves you a lot of time.
• the most important tool in my shed is the cleaning brush !
  A bar stool is handy if you work on carbs, etc., or any work that makes you stand still for a certain time. It saves your back.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Great looking shop, Belgian. Unfortunately lots of us, after years of using our buildings end up with something pretty crappy. Like you said, discipline!

 

[DSS]

As you can see I have two benches, one with a steel frame and thick wooden deck (left), and the other is a home made bench with a steel deck (right).

I prefer to work on the wooden deck : it has a better, warmer feel and is more forgiving on saws and tools. I use the steel bench mainly for cleaning very dirty stuff and it's great for welding jobs.

Some tips :

• choose the deck height wisely ; it should be comfortable for YOU !
• Foresee as many drawers or cabinets as possible. You always need storage room, and nearby if possible. Otherwise you end up leaving it on the deck, which limits your working space.
  A good vice is a must !
• Don't go cheap on lighting on top of the bench. It's much nicer working on stuff if you actually see something.
• Keep discipline on where you store your tools, it saves you a lot of time.
• the most important tool in my shed is the cleaning brush !
  A bar stool is handy if you work on carbs, etc., or any work that makes you stand still for a certain time. It saves your back.

Doesn't it get annoying having everything right there where you can actually find and use it any time you want????

That would drive me crazy, if I needed say a 7 mm wrench and it was right there in front of me. I wouldn't have to go for a walk to find anything????

WTF???

Beautiful space by the way.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Doesn't it get annoying having everything right there where you can actually find and use it any time you want????

That would drive me crazy, if I needed say a 7 mm wrench and it was right there in front of me. I wouldn't have to go for a walk to find anything????

WTF???

Beautiful space by the way.

My favorite is, while working on a saw or something else, having a bolt or nut fall on the floor and under the table and never being able to find it again. I have magnets on a stick, flashlights, a creeper to lay on while hunting, but still I have several bolts, screws, springs, etc. that were never found.

 

[Erick]

My favorite is, while working on a saw or something else, having a bolt or nut fall on the floor and under the table and never being able to find it again. I have magnets on a stick, flashlights, a creeper to lay on while hunting, but still I have several bolts, screws, springs, etc. that were never found.

Must be something about the soil here in Indiana?? I have that exact same "Bermuda Triangle" under my bench.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Must be something about the soil here in Indiana?? I have that exact same "Bermuda Triangle" under my bench.

At work I used to have a cardboard "spoiler" taped to the bottom of my workbench to prevent anything from going under it. Worked pretty well.

 

[heimannm]

One often overlooked consideration is to provide an oversize top, or provide a "toe kick" at the bottom so you can stand comfortably at the bench and down have to lean at the waist just to work on somthing on the bench.
It seems very simple, perhaps even unimportant until you try to bend over for a day.

By the way guys, my first bench was a piece of plywood between two saw horses, that worked for a little while but the current one is much better.

And since I haven't done any serious cleaning in my shop for about 6 months it doesn't look quite so nice at this moment. I often cover the floor with cardboard so I can put several saws down without worrying about the oil leaks, or clean saws and test run them without being too concerned about the oil and junk on the floor.

Mark

 

[Teddy.Scout]

Hey Mark,
The over hang or toe kick is a great point!
But I can see how it gets over looked very easy, especially during construction.
It is much easier to just have the four corners and go up from there. I over looked it till now, and need to make some modifications!!!
Thanks! This is the complete point of the thread!!!
I have started cutting wood but in the past 48 hrs. worked 30, so progress has been slow.

belgian,
That is a nice bench!
I m trying to figure out how to make it chair(bar stool) friendly as you did! meaning to sit and still get on to the table to work with my idea.

 

[Teddy.Scout]

2000ssm6, Erick
Thank you for the picks!
2000ssm6, I am kinda stuck with a wall type bench, but see the advantage to a walk around bench!!! The metal shelving is something I forgot about, it is a nice and very cost advantage way to have a shelf. I am finding out my bench will not have as much storage as I originally thought!!
Erick, your back wall is the bomb as many other people here have. All my tools are kept(when put away) in tool boxes. that doesn't really help when as we know working and cleaning saws, you make 900 trips back and forth, just to put them away over here and there. I want the peg board for easy access and to make clean up easier.

Any ideas or pics, please them coming THANKS!
hope to have a pic or 2 soon to see the progress!

 

[nanuk]

keep the top work surface within 2 inches of your bent elbow.... based on how you plan on addressing the work... standing, sitting etc.

it will save your neck/back.