Introduction: Under Bench Storage - Making Better Use of Your Space

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About: I am a Marine Engineer in the RNZN (45 years done in various navies) and am looking forward to retirement!!! so I can do more messing about with tools

I am a terminally untidy person-- just ask my wife! (and look at the current state of the shed too!)

So anything that allows me more workspace and benchtop has got to be a good thing.

Well I built a workbench to roll around my shed/mancave, it was made from 2 drawer units that cost me $5 each and a discarded piece of marine ply top and bottom rescued from a skip, but mounting the vice/grinder etc on it would make the useable space, well much less useable

Time for some lateral thinking!!!!!

Step 1: The Wood

Those of you who have read some of my other Instructables will know I hate stuff being thrown away and going to landfill.

Well in another skip I found several decent sized pieces of really good quality plywood, when I "liberated" it I had no idea what I would use it for, but free is free!

Step 2: Bases

I cut 2 pieces of 5/8 ply to suit the base size of my grinder and vice, obviously size will vary depending on what tools you are going to stow.

Step 3: The Runners (or Cleats If You Prefer)

I ripped 2 pieces of 60mm wide and 2 pieces of 30mm wide 3/4 ply the same width as my bench

Glued and screwed them together and set aside to dry

Step 4: Baseboard

Ripped another piece of 3/4 ply the width minus 60mm of the kneehole in my bench by half the bench width

Also shown is one of the bases which I bopped a couple of holes through

I continued the holes through the baseboard and then opened them up as clearance holes for nuts (later!)

Step 5: Securing the "tool"

I bolted the base to the grinder (in this case) and then glued and screwed it to the larger baseboard

Step 6: Grinder Ready to Go

All glued and screwed

Step 7: Attach the Cleats/runners

I attached the cleats to the underside of the worktop and screwed in place, sorry not the clearest of photos but I think it can be made out.

This was a bit fiddly trying to get the clamps on by myself but managed it, I also trial fitted the baseboards to make sure they would fit and slide

Step 8: And There It Is

So first picture is the working position, and second in the stored position, I will probably drill a hole and put a drop nose pin or bolt through to ensure it stays in position when working.

I will mount the vice in the same way on the other side of the knee hole (when I get around to it!!)