Thread: MDF workbench (apologies for any offence caused to the purists) :)

Comments?

Over time you'll probably find that 800mm is too deep for the bench. 600 or 550 is probably about right.

Table saw would be best on a roll-in/roll-out stand designed to go under the bench

chop saw station should be designed for the saw to swivel (left or right) when not being used

otherwise, nothing really wrong with MDF for a utility bench -- keeping it flat over time might be a challenge

Hi Ian

Yes, comments welcome and wanted. Thanks. Ill give some thought to the depth. I can't bring myself to roll the tablesaw under a bench just because I really love my tablesaw. Silly maybe but I want it where I can see it.

I appreciate the feedback, thanks for taking the time.

Regards
Danny

Originally Posted by danny.s

I can't bring myself to roll the tablesaw under a bench just because I really love my tablesaw. Silly maybe but I want it where I can see it

Danny

I'll have to search for a copy of the "rules" but I think sleeping with your table saw -- provided it's unplugged -- is OK

seriously, your bench space is too precious to interupt with a table saw which should be wheeled out into the centre of the garage when you need to use it



You can always mount a picture of it in a prominant place

How about an inflatable car?? You coul rool that up and tuck it away in a niche somewhere!

Have you considered a solid core door instead of MDF for the top?

Thicker, stays flat, and can be had for about $80 at Bunnies et al.

I built 2 benches this way 8 years ago as a 'temporary' measure.....and yet they are still in use, still flat, and likely to stay that way for a good while longer.

...sounds like you need the Ron Paulk WORK BENCH II - YouTube

Good Morning Danny

Two years ago I made an assembly bench modelled on the Festool Multipurpose Bench (lots of holes to clamp thru) and made the top and apron from 25mm MDF with a couple of coats of danish oil. It works well and has remained flat so far. But MDF is much softer than I expected and it marks and scratches very easily. Nevertheless, a great utility bench.

Before that, I made three 6-drawer storage units for my workshop (as practice), and later totally rebuilt our kitchen. Another nine drawer units and seven overhead cabinets. What I learned:

Rather than hand-drawing the units I used Google SketchUp - its a free download and fairly easy to learn. Just drawing accurately got rid of a lot of design imperfections, and then one could take a very accurate cutting list from the drawings.

Novices like me are better off using 18mm rather than the standard 16mm melamine-chipboard for the carcases as it is much more forgiving of poorly drilled screws. Tell everyone it is stronger.

Underbench drawers are much more efficient storage units than cupboards, possibly by a factor of two. You need a very limited number of deep drawers (for electric saws, routers, etc, and lots of shallow drawers - chisels, pliers, marking, measuring, screws, nails, etc. Why bury things in deep drawers?

The shiny silver (stainless?) chinese-made full extension drawer runners with ball bearings sold by both Hettich and Blum agents are very good quality and excellent value for money. I paid $15 pair for 550mm. The powder coated runners sold by Big-chains are crap and grossly overpriced, in my opinion.

I agree with Ian about the value of your benchtops and the benefit of being able to wheel your saw table into the middle of the shed, or outside! You can always carry a photo in your wallet.

Totally agree with your idea of using the shed units as practice for doing stuff in the house. That is what I did, and made most of my errors in the shed. Also found I needed a better assembly table than the previos door on two tressles - hence the Festool copy.
Got screw break-thru with 16mm melamine ==> 18mm better. Also, I found that I could get a local cabinet maker to supply, cut and edgeband melamine for marginally more ($50 for entire kitchen) than I could have bought melamine sheets - and nill cutting errors or wastage - and no breathing of chipboard dust.

Hope this helps


Fair Winds

Graeme

Thanks for your input everyone. I got started today on the tablesaw bench but didn't have much time. Used 16mm MDF (purchased before your post Graeme), and agree completely that 18mm would have been better. Had a couple of shots from the fixing gun skew off and out the side of the panel (lucky it's in the garage).

Originally I intended to put 6 castors on, but have had second thoughts. Problem is my slab is not perfectly flat and I'm concerned that the bench will bow with the slab. I put just 4 castors on and proved myself right. Significant bowing in the middle so it looks like I'll have to run a couple of 90 x 45 pine braces under the base to give it some strength. I think l'll run them on edge and screw through the bottom sheet into the brace with 75mm bugle head screws. Hopefully that will do it.

I agree with the point regarding drawers. If I had my way the benches would be almost all drawers and just a couple of cupboards to house some larger items. I just don't have the budget though. Drawer runners, even at $15 a pair ads up pretty quickly. I can always convert some cupboards to drawers at a later stage when the funds become available.

The hardest part about building a bench is not having a bench to build it on.



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Danny

Originally Posted by danny.s

Problem is my slab is not perfectly flat and I'm concerned that the bench will bow with the slab.

Should have mentioned this. Twenty years ago I assumed that the concrete floor in my shed was flat and level. It is neither, and it would have been relatively easy then to put a skim-coat on. Now it is a major effort, virtually impossible to fix. Where do I put everything while I work on the floor??

I put just 4 castors on and proved myself right. Significant bowing in the middle so it looks like I'll have to run a couple of 90 x 45 pine braces under the base to give it some strength. I think l'll run them on edge and screw through the bottom sheet into the brace with 75mm bugle head screws. Hopefully that will do it.

Another option, possibly easier, would be to glue & screw another sheet (or two?) of MDF to the bottom - might spread the load better. Remember, stiffness goes up with the square of the thickness - double thickness ==> four times stiffness.

Also, it might be advantageous to put the wheels immediately under the two middle vertical dividers.

I agree with the point regarding drawers. If I had my way the benches would be almost all drawers and just a couple of cupboards to house some larger items. I just don't have the budget though. Drawer runners, even at $15 a pair ads up pretty quickly. I can always convert some cupboards to drawers at a later stage when the funds become available.

No worries, Danny. Just design so that you can convert to drawers later. My view is that drawers work well up to about 1 metre wide, then they become a little awkward.

The hardest part about building a bench is not having a bench to build it on.

Exactly my experience. I initially used a flush door set on two saw horses, then made my "festoolish" assembly bench.



Fair Winds

Graeme

A couple more hours spent in the garage today....

Fitted a piece of 90 x 35 treated pine I had laying around to the bottom with 75mm bugle head screws - worked a treat, no bowing at all now. Fitted the support shelf for the saw but didn't quite get my measurements right and the saw is sitting about 5mm lower than the bench. Will need to pack this up with some 6mm MDF. Screwed the benchtops on from underneath in case I need to change them later. I didn't put the back piece of benchtop in yet and realised this needs to be hinged or drop-in so I can access the extraction duct on the back of the saw.



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I'll try to get back to it next weekend but it may not happen....

Originally Posted by Mr Brush

Have you considered a solid core door instead of MDF for the top?

Thanks Mr Brush. I actually have some 25mm MDF lying around so will use that. I'm tempted to put a Masonite sheet on top as recommended by a number of folks on the forum. Have decided to edge the top with something to give the edges some strength.

Danny

I used 22mm red tongue flooring for my benchtop.
Tough, waterproof and not too expensive.

G'day everyone I built a quick second bench this week. Original plan was to build an MDF cabinet but ended up deciding to just to a simple pine frame, MDF top bench. First I needed some pine from Bunnings. I chose to not buy this piece, although it was one of the straightest.
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Setting up to cut two sheets of 25mm I had laying around.
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The steel cap thongs were just for the setup. Went and grabbed a cuppa and put on my boots before building the frames.
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Finished result. Deliberately lower than the other bench because I'll be putting some 90 x 35 along the back and side edges.
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Bench is 800 x 2100 which is a nice big work area. Hole in the bottom shelf is to accommodate the air compressor. Still lots of work to do to get the workshop area organised but this bench has made a huge difference. So far I've used it to service a computer, fix a light, wrap some parcels and read a Bunnings catalogue. Worked well

Originally Posted by ian

Comments?

Over time you'll probably find that 800mm is too deep for the bench. 600 or 550 is probably about ...

i think that 600mm is fine if you can walk all around the bench otherwise it may be too small.

I have a very small workshop so pretty much everything I do has to be on my table which is 800mm wide. For the most part it is a good size. I have however never wished it was smaller.