Thread: Advice for outdoor workbench

From my very limited knowledge:

Yes, I'd go for a bbq cover - I had a foosball table on my balcony which lasted 0 nights when I forgot to put the cover back on. I'm sure you could find a suitable cover (given that dimensions are roughly that of a bbq) without having to get one custom made.

Pine would probably be your best bet, just make the table nice and heavy Even with the cover though I'd buy treated maybe h3 or h4. Depends on how much rain and sun you think will beat down on the table! To give you a rough idea: Treated Pine Treatment Levels

I'd be inclined to give just an extra 100mm width, especially if you foresee yourself making cabinets, drawers etc. 500mm seems a little skinny to me. Then again space may be an issue!

I was looking for some mobile tool cabinet plans recently and found these two pretty good looking ideas: There's also tonnes of similar options out there which you can buy, though they seem to get quite pricey!

I posted this option a few weeks ago https://www.woodworkforums.com/newrep...eply&p=1489680

as to ideas for your bench
mass will be the hardest thing to add to a small outside bench, options are bags of sand or permanent attachment to the wall
I wouldn't bother with drawers or cupboards in the bench unless you intend storing tools in them


work holding
there's lots of options that don't involve permanent vises -- crochets, hold downs, etc
Lee Valley make some interesting ones



tool storage
a Schwarz tool chest on wheels is an option, another option is to really pare down your tool "collection" -- you can do almost everything with a surprisingly small number of tools -- and store them in a suitacase on wheels.

For the feet - I buy high density polyethylene from a plastics supplier - can get a variety of thicknesses, they cut to strips for me, then I dock it with the drop saw into 90x45 etc and nail to the bottom of the leg - I've bought it up to 12mm thick - gives a completely waterproof and very durable 'foot'.....
I also use this stuff to line studs I have to attach to damp walls in my subterranean garage.....

Originally Posted by Astrodog

For the feet - I buy high density polyethylene from a plastics supplier . . . .

Here's some I made last week for the bench for my ww lathe.

I once had a small back deck in sydney and needed a workbench.

I made a 1600 x 500 Merbau bench.

Two wide boards on top, about 40mm thick.
Base was trestle ends and a stretcher frame.

It was said to be a Scandinavian design (Frank Klaus and or Tage Frig, FWW). Reasonably solid but not too heavy.
The top sits on a dowel in the centre of each trestle so it can be easily lifted off for transport.
I used to cover it with a tarp at nights.

The poor has only been inside for about 2 years out of 15.

It is currently sitting outside on my shed slab......still waiting for a cover.

It is still very solid.


The other pic is my temporary workbench in the driveway. 250 x 250 mm hardwood post.
Soon to be converted into a shed and pergola.

Not much has changed really......just a slight increase in scale.

Hi Scally
is the toy tractor in the street yours?

Evan better Ian.
It is my friendly neighbours.

No way I could lift these on my own!

Originally Posted by Scally

Evan better Ian.
It is my friendly neighbours.

noice

Here at 53N in the mountains, shade temperatures swing from -35C to + 35C in a year.
I have 4 benches in my back yard that stand there, year after year. Two are kitchen counter-top height, two are desk-top height, I need two low ones.
I can't grovel on a wet lawn and make anything.
I cut freight pallets back to 30" wide and added sticks in the gaps. Junk leftover pieces of pressure treated fence posts. for legs. Some cross bracing to limit the wobblies.
I carve stone on those. I carve wood on those. I start grape vines from cuttings on those.
The benches are weathering gray. The things I make please me. The high price of the benches (zero) pleases me. Shade for the dogs in the summer.

Awesome.

I am too soft for that.

Good Morning Robot

For a completely different approach may I suggest that you consider : -

* a pair of Work Mates. Can be used separately or paired and can folded and hung on a wall so you can reclaim your deck.

* A loose 1500 x 500 x 25 bench top (Plywood or similar)

* A pair of aluminium Zyliss Z-Vises. They are incredibly versatile - view their video, or watch a demo at your next WW show..

Many years ago, when in a similar situation, I bought a mobile combined storage cabinet/work bench. Held lots of goodies, looked great, worked great to a point, but I could not access the tool storage when the bench was in use. Real PIA.

Fair Winds

Graeme

I like the tool storage in a seperate cabinet. I might consider this as part of the bench that can be removed and accessed during a build. Would require you to ensure that everything is store away before you finish for the day. Or ensure that you keep your tools in the house less moisture or chance of exposure to weather changes.

Any clamps you purchase will be kept forever. Even when they start to rust.

From my perspective as this is going to be kept outside it becomes almost a disposable item as the weather will get to it even with a tarp over the top. The evaporating water after rain has to go somewhere.

So look after the items you are building and do not be concern if the bench becomes less then perfect over time.

Thanks for all the thoughts. my thinking so far is for anybody who is interested.

• I'll get an appropriate size BBQ cover to fit over the bench. To stop rain pooling on the cover, I'll build some 'frame' guides to put on the top of the bench but under the cover which creates a run off angle. Just take the frames off when using.
• The H4 pine 100x100 from Bunnings looks suitably cheap for legs & cross members. I'm going to do lap joins for the cross members etc and bolt it through rather than glue. I'll probably get some rubber mats for feet, but it will need to be shimmed anyway due to uneven tiling where I want the bench.
• I'm going to go with the a split top made of 2 thick planks so there is minimal work. I'll probably buy some cheap pine and see how it goes. If it fails, I won't have broken the bank.
• Workholding, I've ordered some Gramercy holdfasts. Expensive initially (didn't seem expensive when internet shopping after getting home from pub) .They should give me a lot of flexibility immediately so I don't rush a descision on other more 'permanent' purchases like vises.
• I'll go with a shallow front apron perhaps 20-30cm high to use the holdfasts but also leave room for access to bits and pieces on shelves underneath.
• I'm going to have 2 shallow shelves underneath. The top one can collect the shavings etc that fall through the split top and dog holes whilst also storing odd bits of long timber. The second shelf will store shooting boards and jigs, broom & dustpan etc etc.

Might get started this weekend and hopefully get some photos uploaded to get some feedback. All dependant on when Collingwood is playing and what the weather is like to start with though

Hi Robot

you may be surprised how expensive a 50mm thick pine plank is -- then again you may not