Workbench

A pretty easy workbench made out of some 2x6's, a piece of 3/4" plywood, and a piece of 3/8" particle board. It's something that my Dad designed that we put together.

Step 1: Parts

As for the size of the workbench, the table top dimensions and table height is completely arbitrary. It can be pretty much any size you want (I'd guess that the table top should be no bigger than a 4X8 sheet of plywood). The table top size for this Instructable will be 6.5 ft X 2.5 ft. For that, here's what I needed:

2X6 Wood Boards: 6' cross beams x2
2' leg braces (dog eared) x6
30" legs x6
39 Feet total

3/4" Plywood: 6.5' X 2.5' tabletop bottom

3/8" Particle Board: 6.5' X 2.5' tabletop top

*note: The table top dimensions are a half foot longer than the cross beams and leg braces. I picked these dimensions because I wanted to have about 3 inches of overhang so that I could have a place for C-Clamps, etc.

2.5" deck screws (or something close that length than has a flat head): x33

4.5" bolts: I think i used a 3/8" diameter bolt with nuts and washers x24

Wood Glue

Comments

[steliart]

In my opinion there’s one thing in the design of the workbench that is puzzling me, and this are the bench legs. Although there are very strong legs, there’s allot of surface touching the floor. 3 legs, that there leg braces is as long as the table top’s depth sitting on the floor that requires a very straight (level) floor to stand on, if there is minor irregularities on the floors surface that will make the bench to rock. If the bottom braces of the legs where lifted by an inch, allowing the legs only to sit on the floor, then you will reduce the surface touching it, thus less risk to rock on an uneven floor surface.

Maybe in your case this was not an issue, but it could be for others.

 

Other than that, a very easy to build, strong, general use workbench.

Very well done.

[wahela]

I'm a tall woman, 5'10" and I just bought a house that has the tallest work bench ever in the basement. Its about 8" taller than I want/need it to be. So I'm going to make a work bench with your directions and put it along the other wall, and use the old work bench for storage. And make my work bench the perfect height for me. Good instructions to follow!

[St Animal Army]

Have you tried using a high stool? I have seen a lot of tall work benches that were matched with stools.

[wahela]

Well, actually, what I have is not even a real tool bench. Before I bought the house, the previous owner took the laminated countertop with sink included and hung it on the wall in the basement. About 8 " taller than I would like. Its really only useful for holding a bunch of junk. I want to make a work table and have som e shelves there to hold all of my junk. lol. A high stool would work, probably, but I'm afraid of heights (really). I have an old TV cabinet, heavy oak, with the TV removed and shelves inside, that I use now for a work bench. I have a chop saw on an old metal dresser, so you can see I don't actually have a "shop" but rather an unorganized area that I need to organize.

[dalucero]

Is it possible to trim the legs of your existing work bench? How's it set up? Yeah, the height of this bench is arbitrary. There have been a few comments regarding the sturdiness of the table top that you might want to take into consideration. While I've had no problems storing heavy items and using it for light to medium duty projects, I think they're great tips and possibly a safer way to go if you're not sure of what you're going to put this thing through.

[charlessenf-gm]

Frankly, I think the 2 x 6 boards could be replaced with 2x4 boards glued, screwed & half-lapped at the intersections without weakening the bench at all. A 2x4 ripped in half length-wise and glued underneath the top along its perimeter would increase the edge thickness and strengthen the top - indeed doing this with a full two-by would provide a real strong edge to clamp to and could be used to locate and fasten the supports as well. If you do want a strong, lite weight top, consider a torsion box approach with relatively thin sheets of plywood glued to a frame of cross and edge members - like a hollow interior door does with cardboard - made of 1 x 1 lumber (or even 3/4" square) Won't take a Bench Dog like a solid top would, but might be worth some thought. Enjoy.

[dalucero]

Thanks for the tip!

[forced_to_make_an_account]

Such a sturdy table, but a relatively flimsy top... Anyone building this bench might consider springing for a layer of 2x4s underneath that plywood. At these dimensions it'd only cost another $20 or so.

[dalucero]

I wouldn't say flimsy, it's help up nice for over a year now and my Dad's has lasted for years. I keep a heavy drill press, vise clamp, and chop saw on there and it hasn't even begun to bow. Depending on where you center the legs, the forces distribute pretty well.

[forced_to_make_an_account]

Yeah, flimsy is overstating it, but I would still imagine it would absorb a lot of energy if you were working with hand tools.

[dalucero]

Yeah, 2x4's would be the way to do it though, if you wanted to stiffen it up. Thanks for the advice.

[osgeld]

great workbench my dad loves it im going to try a smaller version with wing nuts for a collapsible effect to use as a electronics workstation in my apartment

[hernanai]

Did you ever make the table? I'd love to see pictures.

[osgeld]

no, i never got around to it =(

[hernanai]

No time like the present... unless it's not necessary anymore...

[osgeld]

maybe after the start of the new year, the present time is full of, well buying presents heh

[dalucero]

Thanks! Electronics is mainly what I plan to use mine for too. I'd really like to see how your's comes out!

[delabs]

I saw another which is also rugged and durable for Mechanical Work.

Traditional Workbench of Keith S. Rucker

[Noodle93]

Now you can use the Workbench to make another workbench!

[dalucero]

You can't really tell in the photo but my bench is actually a transformer. So yes, if I wanted to, I could tell my workbench to make another workbench. =)

[ebergh]

Very nice instructable! SketchUp reallys adds a lot to the presentation. A couple of possible suggestions for future revs: - If you screw down the perimeter of the particle board top rather than glue it, you can replace it later when it gets worn out. - By turning the end legs around so the cross pieces are on the outsides, you can run full length cross beams at the top and bottom between the legs. The top set will support the benchtop so you can eliminate the middle set of legs entirely. -You could raise the bottom cross beams up a few inches off the floor (garages are often wet) and add a ply shelf from the leftover ply from the benchtop. Just a thought.. The bench is very nice as is! Time to get to work!

[dalucero]

Thanks! Interesting observation about the particle board getting worn out. I wonder how long it will last? The cross beams being low also make a good foot rest. By adding a ply shelf do you mean laying the plywood across the top of the cross beams underneath the table top? If so, cool, because that's exactly what I planned to do!

[ebergh]

Durability of the particle board depends a lot on it's density... some of the 3/8" in the building supply stores is a fairly low density - looking at the edge, the compactness of the faces is about the same as the center. Medium density PBd has a more compacted/denser looking surface, thus more durable. but hey, it's all pretty inexpensive, so you just replace it when it gets ratty! I like to use 1/4" Tempered Hardboard (Masonite) for sacrificial surfaces. Very durable and still pretty inexpensive. As for the shelf, yes, I meant across the tops of you Cross Beams. Good place to store heavy tool boxes, etc. They will make your bench that much more sturdier - more ballast! Are you going to hang a woodworking vise under the top? If you you will probably need to add a block under the top to make it thicker where the vise mounts, so that the jaws are flush with the bench top. Have fun! -eb

[GorillazMiko]

Awesome. I'm going to see if my dad and I can try doing this (of course, for me). Definitely deserves a well earned 5/5 stars.

[dalucero]

Thanks! We had fun making it. Remember, the sizes of some things are arbitrary (tabletop size, leg spacing, and leg height) and some depend on the sizes that you arbitrarily pick (braces/supports). Or course, this website's all about mods and applying your own style to things. If you do it I'd like to see how your's comes out!

[poolshark162006]

I see that you used Google Sketchup! LOVE THAT PROGRAM!!!!!!

[dalucero]

I heart Google Sketchup

[poolshark162006]

yeah me to, i drew a lot of stuff on there... Nintendo wii, super nintendo, nintendo.... cabinets, AND ITS ALL FREE!!! LOL sorry very excited!!!

[benthekahn]

Ive drawn a lot of stuff too. drew a detailed F-35 aircraft when i got bored once.

[dalucero]

I really didn't plan to do this Instructable until I had already built the desk. Otherwise I would have just taken pictures during assembly.

[dalucero]

I think it's desk's design that makes it look good.

[mcurran87]

Definitely -- great use of SketchUp, dalucero! It definitely is a nice workbench. You should try checking out the <a href="http://www.formaspace.com">workbenches</a> at Formaspace! They are great and you can even build your own! I currently am working with Formaspace and I can definitely say that their website is very useful. Ya'll should check it out!!

[Bigdawg]

Great use of SketchUp! You should upload the file to the 3D warehouse (if you haven't already) and make it available for download to other SketchUp users. Nice project!

[Mr. Rig It]

That workbench turned out really nice. Good job! I would love to see this added to my group Home Repair, Refurbishment, and Projects
I'm giving yoiu a plus +