Thread: Workbench attempt

There is nothing wrong with pine and MDF for a work bench, remember,
IT IS A WORK BENCH!

Doubled 2X4's make good legs. MDF with a hardboard top and
a nice batten edge treatment can be very nice looking.

The beauty come from the craftsmanship, not the material.

The top should be at least 1 1/2" thick. Leave enough over hang
for clamp on things, vices and such.

This little table was made from scrap, pallets and junk. It started out
as a kitchen work area and now is for folding clean cloths. It is very
heavy and would do nicely as a work bench. BTW, the only metal
in it is the knobs and screws that hold them on. And the top is that
thick! Made from 3 1/2" stock.

Originally Posted by JourneyMan

Many of the experienced forum members said that building a great bench is actually quite a difficult project in itself. Their advice was to shelve the bench plans and just build a bench... any bench

I agree with JourneyMan, I've made half a dozen things including this hall table and have found this workbench to be quite a challenge, and a lot of work.

If this is your first, go with something easy. I made that hall table on a Black & Decker Workmate.

Originally Posted by Strydr

I was planning on using bolts anyway, as I have never made a mortise/tenon join before.


Jerry, my bench will primarily be used for basic projects, for things around the house.

Dan,
Start with the idea that a bench is no more than a few simple concepts

! It is a reasonably flat surface on which you can place things at a working height.

2 It is a means of clamping things you want to hold safely.

3 It should not be wobbly.

So a kitchen table would work at a pinch.

I said I built my first bench with screwed together half lap joints. They are the simplest joints possible and are used quite a bit in house framing because they allow horizontal pieces to sit on a shoulder created in the upright. In your first attempt go for ease of constuction and get some sort of bench, it doesn't matter how rough it is. As I said earlier, my very rough bench worked well for some time and is still in my workshop. Mind you it is piled high with junk and cowers there waiting for me to clear it and get rid of it.

Jerry

A Jerry just suggested, look for an old small kitchen table. Drop a piece of MDF on top if it's not solid enough, and your ready to go. At your level it is more about learning techniques and to make things, rather than have the perfect workshop.

There is just one drawback to the above.

One thing which you HAVE to have is a front vice. Don't wear what is said about "something to clamp to.........." I've been there . I battled without, and with a little top mounted vice for 10 years, before I fitted one, so I know. Even a cheap Irwin clone will work.

What can be difficult with a "knock-up" bench, is to successfully attach a vice. It can take a bit of lateral thinking.

Also look at drilling some dog holes, and getting bench dogs or wonder dogs to help hold pieces for planing.

Here is my old bench, in its final form, as well as the new one earlier this year.

WIP in PICS forum

regards

I think of have an old version of one of these vices. Bought for about $100 (*RIPPED*) from Bunnings well over a year ago (purely out of eagerness to build a bench). At the time i thought it was a great large vice! Wish i had a bigger one now though... but i will install it this weekend and see if it is adequate.

Just a thought Strydr, maybe someone has an old bench sitting in the corner like Alastair that they would be happy for you to take away... even if you paid them something for the vice. You could at least get into some projects over the Christmas break then...

Originally Posted by Alastair

There is just one drawback to the above.

One thing which you HAVE to have is a front vice. Don't wear what is said about "something to clamp to.........." I've been there . I battled without, and with a little top mounted vice for 10 years, before I fitted one, so I know.

regards

Alastair,

As I said earlier, so much depends on what the bench is used for and your methods of work.I repeat a bench is in itself one big clamp when used properly. Many early benches did not have a vice at all. Because they planed wood by hand a simple wedge opening into which the wood was pushed was sufficient. A vice is a very useful accessory and even on a kitchen table set up, which I included only as the roughest example I could think of, a little ingenuity is all that is needed to include a vice. I will avoid discussion on what vice to use because it would open up a more complicated argument which is not the purpose at present.

Jerry

Alistair,

Forgot to look closely but now I have, got to say that's a good looking bench you have there

Jerry

Stryder. I have to say a book I got long ago which helped me start and should be found near all attentive apprentices benches is 'Carpentry and joinery. grade one and two' It was put out by the Victorian education dept in 1967, compiled by Mr C Loyd. Mine's a first edition but i am sure many others were produced as i am always seeing it in second hand shops. You'll find it quick smart with a Google search i am sure. It'll teach you the basics. Another good one which is a bit more advanced is 'Woodwork in theory and practice' by John a. Walton. 1947 with editions right up to 1967.

Meanwhile here's a couple of photos of my work bench. I love showing it off and I love hand tooling work so I needed a bench that was as rock solid as a, well a big rock.

Attachment 92553 Attachment 92555

I also like long planing jobs so I needed an adjustable vice. That's it sticking out the end. The other two hold long planks for edge planning and the third is for extra long stuff. They are all set flush with the edge of the table. The pipe in a pipe solution means i can lock it in place and i get an extra meter out of the table. The face plate is a heavy beam where I cut a lot of chisel work especially mitered dovetails and mortises. Because I use hard woods and whack the blazes out it to cut the joins a lighter bench would be soon demolished.
The slot down the length about 150mm in from the vices takes movable dogs that slide side to side and are height adjustable as well. I made two of the vices with little dog holders as well so that I get four dogs pinching a plank or board on its edges only below the top work surface. That way I can plane and sand without moving it or rubbing the table top.
The little draw under the top at the back holds all my drill bits and punches, and some light calipers. The protruding slat along the back holds my saws and the holes hold my depth gauges and verniers.
At the other end is a rack of drawers and a rod for holding all my clamps and dogs. Underneath is a shelf for sandpapers, glues and clamping blocks and the deep wide slot down the middle is for holding all the floating chisels and what nots etc. I use an old frisbee upside down for pencils rubbers and sharpeners.
The frame is all welded steel and the top is 35mm Vic ash rafters out of the old Chevron Hotel on St Kilda road. I have wheels welded to one end that only contact the ground when the other end is lifted up like a wheelbarrow. I reckon it would weigh about 100kgs at least.
Otherwise its a pretty traditional hand toolers bench. Hope you find the ideas useful and happy cutting.

Well after I recovered form a New Years Bug !! cough cough. I made my way to a "mighty helpful" retailer where I purchased some lumber and bolts etc.

After about 7 or 8 hours I guess, two half days, I completed my first project, my workbench / table.

I made it from pine, 4x2 frame and doubled up 4x2 for the legs, and 2 sheets of 18mm MDF for the top.

Even though it will not become a family heirloom, I am more than satisfied which what I have achieved and thoroughly enjoyed the process. I even managed to cut some lap joints into the frame to help support the top.

(I will post a pick when I can find the usb lead for my camera.)

Dan

Originally Posted by Strydr

Even though it will not become a family heirloom, I am more than satisfied which what I have achieved and thoroughly enjoyed the process. I even managed to cut some lap joints into the frame to help support the top.

Dan

And thats what it's all about.

A photo of my new bench.

Mate, I think you need to brace those legs somehow. I would suggest that you bolt on rectangular frame out of 100x50mm timber to the legs. On that frame you can put a shelf if you like.

Or if you like, some triangular pieces in the corners or diagonal pieces will also do the job.

As it is now, I don't think it would be too long before you get some racking.

Originally Posted by boban

Mate, I think you need to brace those legs somehow. I would suggest that you bolt on rectangular frame out of 100x50mm timber to the legs. On that frame you can put a shelf if you like.

Or if you like, some triangular pieces in the corners or diagonal pieces will also do the job.

As it is now, I don't think it would be too long before you get some racking.

I don't know.........it seems to be neatly fitted between the brick piers so it won't move too far, but I agree with you. Maybe a sheet of ply screwed to the back legs and a couple of shelves underneath would be beneficial.

Col.