Seeing my wrenches and tools lined up in drawers is very satisfying after a life of being stuffed in bags and bins or crammed onto my peg board. (Sorry about the photo lighting my shoplight is brighter than the sun).

I built a workbench and did my best to not use more material that is necessary despite it costing more $ than if I had just used 2x4 for everything.

Most other workbenches I see have a lot more "meat" than I expected. For example, just recently this workbench that uses a plethora of 2x6's Using the new bench to dismantle the old one. I'd be happy to hear from those with no regrets overbuilding their workbenches. Or the opposite!

Project details

I am happy with the strength, I will not be adding cross bracing. I don't have much space, so I put it on casters, which adds some slop even when brakes are engaged, but the ability to move the work surface around easily is worth it to me. 

The dolly is made of 2x4 with glued and screwed lap joints. 4" casters with locking brakes. I am never ever doing lap joints that large with a battery powered circular saw ever again. They took forever. But not sure what I would do instead.

1x4 for the apron and legs using pocket hole screws to the top - pre finished maple plywood. I'm also satisfied with the amount of deflection with only one sheet of 3/4" plywood with the support of the apron underneath.

T track and mounting pattern for my 1.25HP Craftsman router so I can do box joints later this year. Wired 4 always-on outlets and another 2 on a kill switch to use for my router. 

https://preview.redd.it/nbgjlyxq1hyc1.jpg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25084a4116056df4f0f6dcd74bb5cdb409b084b6

https://preview.redd.it/7qkn6yxq1hyc1.jpg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=70f54cb007700fcb347f5b6fd750d99333a77298

https://preview.redd.it/9bs6oyxq1hyc1.jpg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45405bc79308ad09c83fb58a841686ce140506b7

Mostly used for 3d printing and woodworking. Lots of time spent organizing to make it as useful as possible. Still a long way to go but happy with the progress!

So I have a 1" thick, 96" long 36" wide piece of wood for the top and want to make a workbench. You would hate what I currently use.

Anyway, I want some tips on things I'm not thinking about like I just thought of overhang, probably need like 4" on the front before the frame. Do I just screw a backsplash onto the wood top? That doesn't sound right... etc. Point me a direction if you don't want to write up a long article about the design at least.

Thank you

I am running a dewault jobsite saw, have considered upgrading to an actual bench saw for making cabinets/buikt ins, but I don't really want to spend $3k, plus i don't have the room in garage at the moment. Is the Paulk design the way to go? Jobsite saws are useless without additions... outfeed table, routing options, etc. Let me know what you think!

Shoutout to the old broomsticks that bravely gave their lives to become my parallel guide, handle, and a couple of bench dogs. I still to drill a few more holes, but I'm still thinking about placement for them.

https://preview.redd.it/72eb1np5mmxc1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=22156241a0bca3eb80a7f44041d0945cc91ec1ba

If I’ve followed the evolution correctly, Ron originally placed a router plate near one end of the bench, where the working surface around the router should benefit from being per of the torsion box, but then moved it to a separate 3/4” sheet that’s cantilevered from the edge of the bench.

Have folks had good experience with the cantilevered design? The pros I can see are

• Uninterrupted grid when not using the router
• Router can be placed anywhere on the periphery
• Router operations minimally interfere without the other things in process in the bench
• Easier to access the body of the router (I don’t want to spend money on a lift, so I need to reach under to unlock)

And the biggest con I can see is in the cantilevering of 3/4” plywood when even fully supported router table tops tend to be at least an inch thick.

Any experience out there?

Thanks.

Router tables are usually double thickness to avoid sag over time.

Easy little build around my tool chest! Couple 2x4s and a butcher block from Home Depot.

I am in the planning stages of building a outfeed table, assembly table, workbench. Curious to see what folks thoughts are on these types of tops.

If I go laminated I would do 2x8s ripped to allow for a 3" thick top. I like the look of this style.

I like the idea of torsion box for the flatness and cubby storage, but have never used.

6 leg base I've got figured out. Castle joint with flush stretchers at the top and again at 8-10" off the ground via tennons to allow for dust collection hose and maybe some drawers beneath. Casters and leveling feet, because it's a garage

I'd like to integrate a face vise.

Probably drawers on at least one face, maybe open on the other side to allow for storage of bigger things and jigs.

I've never used dog holes before, so interested in the community thought on them vs T track as they apply to each type as well.

12 leg joints to glue up and then a whole lot of planing to the surface the top will rest upon. Feeling good!

Someone nearby is selling this bench for $300. The laminated top is much nicer than mine is going to be and I haven't bought the vise hardware yet. I was just going to get some cheap harbor freight vise hardware, and I suspect that bench has nicer stuff on it. But my top is pretty much done and I have two massive legs (3 laminated 2x6 boards each) already made. If I get to work on mine this morning, it will be ready for assembly by the end of the day. I'm already about $150 in on spent lumber.

What to do!

My plan right now is to layer two 9/16" sheets of plywood over this frame.

1. Will the combined 9/8" plywood top be thick enough for benchdogs? What about a holdfast?
2. One goal is to minimize bounce from hammering/chiseling. Does it look like this structure is on the right track for that? The legs are going to be 3 laminated 2x6 boards with 2x6 stretchers so the total mass of the table should be pretty good, but I'm not sure how much the legs figure into the bounce aspect.
3. My plan for joining the plywood to the frame in the picture is glue along every contact surface. Is this dumb?

So I am currently in the middle of anarchist workbench build and was going off his book but I realized this morning I may have made a huge mistake. I have cut the mortises for the short across braces so the laminated part of the leg is facing out. This worries me because I plan on putting in a leg vice and I don’t know if putting that into a laminated edge vs a face edge. To fix this I have 2 options I can re print the leg assembly I haven’t put together but then the legs won’t match but more importantly neither will the directions of the motives in the top which just seems like I’m asking for trouble. Or I can cut off the short brace in the other assembly cut out the tenon and reorient both. Am I over thinking this or do I need to do one of these options?

Hey all,

Im making a workbench and im considering MDF but im worried about the dangers of it releasing toxins. Should i be concerned?

Top surface is actually a shelf and just there temporarily. Considering either MDF, Ply wood, or particle board as a top surface. Would love input. Eventually plan to add a small vice. Things are mostly just thrown up for now. What should I consider adding or changing?

A few years ago I bought a cheapo metal frame workbench from Menards. I like it because it’s a decent height, pegboard back, couple drawers, and a work light with a power outlet. I’m sure most of you have seen these. It’s a little wobbly and it’s not a good idea to put much weight on it.

I don’t plan on putting a ton of weight on it, but I would like to give it a little more stability.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make it more stabile? It’s on concrete and I don’t want to bolt it to the wall. I’m also not going to get rid of it because it works great for working on my RC cars.

Any useful advice would be super helpful. Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I need a small workbench for using an angle grinder to sharpen an axe and very few other projects. I am not much of a handyman but occasionally I need to sharpen my axes and lawnmower blades. I am not sure if it is worth building one or buying a portable one. Can any of you please provide me with some guidance or recommendations?

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It would be greatly appreciated.

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I have a bench on casters that's about 28"deep which I want to add drawers to. The back currently sits up against a wall. Debating on making the drawers the full 28 deep, or if I should maybe do half depth, and use shelves on the back side for long term storage. A back bank of drawers is also possible, but pricier.

Anyone find very deep drawers to be too cumbersome to actually be useful/ to hard to get to the stuff in the back?