The hardest thing about creating this was doing it without a work bench to work on! I'm no carpenter nor contractor. This does what I want for my home needs. Additionally the LED takes grow lights. This bench doubles as my seed starter station in the spring.

And before anyone comments, yes I am in the process of cleaning up the clutter around it!

https://preview.redd.it/0xungh8rsyzd1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b3fdd159df2ce4e244ff98709badd0013c5d646d

https://preview.redd.it/2pk1lt7rsyzd1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4db10c92949ee8271ae31ddf5b61ce8ba3966210

https://preview.redd.it/z4vcxt7rsyzd1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9b2982c056dbbc9571b2b57f85969019dbeff545

I have a table saw, but no jointer and no planer. Where does the following plan fail?

1. Purchase 2x3s
2. Shave off a little of the short side using table saw set to just narrower than the width of the 2x3
3. Rotate board so the newly straight/flat (?) edge I just created is on the table saw's surface and raise blade high enough to now shave off a little of the larger face. (Assume I have squared my blade to my table and thus have a 90° corner between these two shaved-off faces.)
4. Turn board around and do the other face.
5. Repeat with all boards (so now I have S3S boards?)
6. Glue up with all unshaved faces pointing down (inside workbench).
7. Hand plane top to get it nice and smooth.

Will this work? If not, why not? (And is there something else I can do?)

After lots of renovation work on the house, I finally had the time to plan and build the first workbench to be used in my little basement shop.

I used Autodesk Fusion to try different designs and finally came up with something that gave the impression of actually being simple and useful while still being nice to look at. As a side quest, I wanted to do most of the work by hand (read as: as little power tools as possible/practicable) to gain some practice in finer tasks.

I intended the top frame to be removable from the legs and also the legs so be separable from each other in case I ever need to move the bench to another room. I also tried different ways to add some diagonal struts for stability, but didn't come up with a clever idea at this point. Hence, I decided to postpone this aspect.

Please, ignore the mess around. It has become better since the photo was taken... (No, it didn't)

https://preview.redd.it/axi485dd95zd1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20b72232c3c5f7ec8e5f9afddd150a1a7850affc

https://preview.redd.it/mlce554e95zd1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c7f2daf7f620804ab9a6e61731da60f9324c5b2d

Besides glue I used screws to fasten the parts of the frame and hid them beneath these dowels. The top frame is attached and fastened to the legs using M8 screws and nuts (not visible).

The 2.3 m x 0.7 m bench top is made up of 22 mm (just below an inch) of MDF painted with polyurethane paint.

Bench top is attached to the frame using 20 wood screws that are hidden within the frame. For now, the bottom is used for storage of some clumsy stuff. Yet, I plan on adding some drawers later on.

Also, I decided to add dog holes to about 2/3 of the surface. I'm aware that they won't last forever and also that they won't hold ultra strong loads for long, but I'm pretty sure they are sufficient for a vast majority of tasks.

As expected, the legs needed some diagonal struts. I used M6 hexagon socket screws along with screw-in sleeves to be able to take the whole thing apart if required.

Finally, to compensate for a not so flat floor, I added adjustable feet.

For now, I'm pretty happy with how it came along. Learned a few things and had the opportunity to practice different techniques.

Any feedback and ideas for improvement are very welcome.

PS:

Little one also wanted her own workbench, so I immediately had the chance to use up some scraps.

[Apologies if this is a double post, I don't see my original.]

I have a Workmate 200 and 3 of the 4 rubber feet keep falling off the fold-out legs. The fourth doesn't, and I assume they're just intended to be friction fit. Can just squirt some glue (thinking PL Premium but could use other) into them, jam them on, and leave them? Or is there some scenario where I wouldn't want to do that, and/or it wouldn't stick?

Thanks.

Three of these feet fall off when legs extended.

Has anyone built The Rob Cosman workbench? What top material did you end up using? Did you follow it to the letter or make mods?

Hey all, I'm making a 93" x 26" workbench in my basement that's built into some existing framework and load-bearing 4x4 uprights and plan to use it for light-duty work. Things like 1:10 scale RC car repair, children's toy repair, small woodworking projects, nothing crazy. I have my garage for that stuff. I am currently looking at TotalBoat epoxy resin as a worktop surface and adding a plain white dye to get a bright, white surface. I am hoping to gain as much light on my bench as possible, along with making lost RC car screws much easier to find. How does epoxy resin hold up as a work surface to impacts and scratches? Are there better ways to finish a wood surface to be a bright white? The worktop is made out of just a 3/4" plywood surface with 2x6 and about 14 L-brackets as supports to the framework and 4x4 beams.

Hello!

I just moved into a house that finally has a small garage, which I'm excited for because I've never had proper "workshop space" before. To complete the space, though, I'll need a workbench and a proper storage solution(s) for tools, screws, wires, and other sundries.

I'd like to get up and running quickly, because I already have a few random projects in my queue, so I was contemplating just getting one of those "Husky" benches (or comparable) with compatible storage from Home Depot or whatever. This kinda thing: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-6-ft-Adjustable-Height-Solid-Wood-Top-Workbench

I'm also a lifelong apartment-dweller up to this point and a total noob when it comes to DIY'ing, so I don't think I need anything too specialized... just a good, solid surface and some drawers and/or cabinets should do the trick. Craziest tool I plan to use at this point is an arbor press for performing bearing swaps on electric hub motors.

But, on the other hand, I do want to be able to grow into it a little as I start to pick up more homeowner-type projects, and I want it to be sturdy (maybe something with adjustable feet... I'm not totally confident my garage's slab is perfectly level).

So, just wanted to check with the experts here to see if there were any brands/models/styles that worked particularly well for anyone, or any to avoid... tips and pitfalls... that sort of thing. Thanks in advance!!

Use will be a mix of mechanical, electrical, woodwork, ect. Just general tinkering with randomness.

For the past decade, I've grown used to a salvaged new(miscut) solid core fire door as my workbench top. Due to a roof leak, I'm currently rebuilding and expanding the shed it's in, and now need a suitable replacement workbench top for both that bench and another((1) 8'x27", and the other 8'x18" deep, although that may taper out to ~27", needs to clear toolbox drawers). My source of solid core doors has dried up, so that's not an option.

I'm thinking making up a couple slabs out of 2x3 pine, but as it's not really a climate controlled space, I doubt it will remain flat for long.

Update: due to cost and repairability; I've decided to go with 2x8 SYP construction lumber laid flat, over a 2x4 frame with crossbars every 12"OC. Got the first one put together today, and even over an 7'6" span, it was solid as I then used it, well piled with tools, to pound out nails from the shelving boards I'd demolished and tossed aside to make room for half of it.

Got these cabs from a homeowner that we did a remodel for. The top was a refrigerator panel that had some flaws. Made some plywood boxes to fill the empty space between studs. Added the peg board yesterday. Now I just need hangers and I'll be happy with it. I feel really good about it.

Hello all,

I'm in the planning stages of making a workbench for my dad. He's going to be starting into working on rocks (like cutting open and polishing geodes and stuff), and he's wanting a work surface that will hold up to sliding around rocks on it. He's not wanting a steel surface, as that could damage the rocks themselves. He's getting a fairly sizeable rock saw (capacity of 10-12in diameter rocks, iirc), so he could be dealing with some relatively heavy rocks on it.

Is there a laminate or something that could stand up to the use of sliding rocks around on it?

Thank you

Hi there!

In our late 80's house the owner was a wood worker and had quite a big workbench.

I finally took the time to clean it up and remove the treasure trash.

I'm in the process of tidying up and will do sealed wall storage (I'm tired of having dust everywhere) for cutters, pens and stuff like that.

In the cleaning process, I am wondering what to do with the workbench top: there is a particular spot in quite a bad shape. The rest is in good condition (and really is sturdy).

I was wondering what is the best option: is it possible to repair the hole or should I just replace the top alltogether.

I was thinking about wood filler+sanding+varnish.

Size is about 236cm*73cm

Thank you for the help!

In situ

The damage

Hi! I'm currently building up a soldering workbench for a makerspace and I'm converting a butcher block ULINE table.

I've been looking at this upright kit from Global Industrial: https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/60-w-riser-kit?referer=L2Mvd29yay1iZW5jaGVzL2JlbmNoX3RvcHNfYWNjZXNzb3JpZXMvd29ya2JlbmNoX3VwcmlnaHRz&prindex=3&pgkey=27255

Does anyone have any experience with this kit or have any other kit suggestions? I'm mostly worried about the weight this can handle because I'm hoping to put an oscilloscope and power supply on the shelves. Thanks!

Looking to install pop up dogholes in the bench im building. Benchtop is ~5" thick. Any brands ppl here have had satisfaction using. Or any style to steer clear of?

It’s absolutely nothing special, but I really needed a larger workbench, bought a bunch of 2x4s, 2x8s, and some screws and went to town. Dimensions are 48”x72”x37.5”. I was going to go 96” long, but decided to trim it at the last second. I wanted to be able to fit one more 3D printer in the future.

The subwoofer isn’t connected, and isn’t staying there. I just needed it off the floor and out of the way.

I think I’d like to add two drawers eventually, but the hard part is out of the way.

Like I said, it’s nothing special, and I probably made some weird choices and did a bunch of stuff wrong, but it’s sturdy, it serves its purpose, and I’m damn proud of it!

I understand that making a workbench with a removable top is not ideal and could impact the stability of the overall build. However, I know that I will be moving halfway across the country 1 year from now so it's important to me that I can remove the top, at least for now. After moving, I will find a more permanent solution.

This is my first time building a bench and what I've been working on for the last few months is an extremely flimsy wire shelving system with a 3/4 inch piece of reclaimed oak on top so my frame of reference is low and anything sturdier is sufficient for now. I'm not a professional woodworker, so it doesn't need to be perfect. I'm aware of wood movement and how it will impact this table over time; I selected pieces of wood and overall structure with this in mind. This table only needs to last a few years until I pull the trigger on building something larger out of hardwood.

In the meantime, I'm looking for advice on how I best secure the top of my bench to the frame so that it is sturdy enough to work on for the coming year but still can be separated "somewhat easily". I only plan on taking it apart once.

I have already purchased the wood I'll be be using; the top will be spruce 2x6s ripped lengthwise, and then glued on end to produce a roughly 2.75" thick top. The frame will be made from 2x4s doubled up with bottom and top cross posts, as well as, diagonal bracing for added rigidity. Most of the joints will be half laps.

For securing the top to the frame I've looked at a couple of different options, but would appreciate feedback. Here are three ideas I've explored.

I've considered threaded inserts in the bottom of the bench top holding large hex bolts through the upper cross beams. I would probably use 4 that are 1/2 inch. I'm not sure how well the threads themselves will stay in the wood over time. Does anyone here have experience with this or know if this would be strong enough?

I've also considered attaching a line of 2x4 to the underside of the bench top, exactly long the inner edge of the upper cross posts; this should prevent it from sliding side to side in any direction. I'm less concerned about upward pressure because the top should be heavy enough to hold it down. Alternatively, I could use a combination of this and the bolts to hold it more secure.

My final thought was to use unglued half laps from the posts through the outer edge of the bench top. My only concern is that wood movement might make it too tight to easily disassemble.

I'm open to other possibilities and ideas. I'm also open to a combination of the ideas above.

Thanks in advance.

Edit:

Thanks for the responses guys! I feel more confident about my initial plan now. I'm starting the build later tonight.

Hi all,

I'm looking to build a workbench top for my art studio, and I would really appreciate some suggestions on the type of wood and thickness you would recommend for this project. The top will measure 60"x100" and will fold in half with hinges for easy storage. The hinges will most likely be on the top side (not sunken), since they won’t interfere with my work.

The wood will lay on top of my glass table and needs to extend 10" past the table's width on each side and 18" on each side of the length without flexing. It needs to be sturdy enough to hold up to about 100 lbs (with most of the weight over the glass table), but it’s not something I’ll be using often—just for occasional projects—so I’m not trying to make something that will last forever. 

Any suggestions on what kind of wood and thickness would be best for this? Thank you!