[ARCHIVED THREAD] - work benches... (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 4/4/2016 8:37:45 PM EDT
| Looking for a small work bench to work on small stuff. Gun assembly, and other small stuff. What works for you guys? Build your own? Buy one? Nothing huge, just a little small table I can throw a vise on that won't take up much room in my garage. Almost bought a 99 dollar one today at harbor freight. Something tells me I could build something cheaper. |
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I built this one for the reloading section a while ago. It's geared for reloading but it can be made to do anything. I ended up giving it to my youngest son as he wanted something to build his electronics on.
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/429935_Somnio__A_super_mini_.html |
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I built this one for the reloading section a while ago. It's geared for reloading but it can be made to do anything. I ended up giving it to my youngest son as he wanted something to build his electronics on. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/429935_Somnio__A_super_mini_.html Dang dude. That's awesome. My woodworking skill level is a little lower  .
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Dang dude. That's awesome. My woodworking skill level is a little lower .Quoted:
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I built this one for the reloading section a while ago. It's geared for reloading but it can be made to do anything. I ended up giving it to my youngest son as he wanted something to build his electronics on. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/429935_Somnio__A_super_mini_.html Dang dude. That's awesome. My woodworking skill level is a little lower .Not much to build it. I used just the basics of tools. |
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Forgive the mess we are in the middle of redoing the garage, entryway and living room. But this is my bench....sadly unorganized for right now. Built with 4x4's, 2x4's and 2x6's for the legs and main frame bottom shelf (there is a shelf on the bottom that my miter saw sits on when not in use and my vehicle jack sits under that, the working surface is two pieces of 3/8in thick ply wood sandwiched with construction adhesive and then topped with a 1/4in masonite topper and once the house is back together itll have a penny rail around the edges.. The underside of the work surface that you dont see is pretty much 2x4's from left to right you can see the screws that secure all of this...they are 3in screws and then im using 1/4in thick flat stock steel with holes drilled through to mount my vise....the fucker aint moving anywhere. And ill never get rid of this bench lol
Size is 6 foot long 3 foot deep....perfect for me. 
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I bought a couple of these at Sam's for our shop at work. Ended up using one as a table I our break room as I needed something narrow. Good looking top, 1 3/4 inch thick x 72 x 25.
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/ultra-heavy-duty-workbench/prod1490086.ip 
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Workbench
I built one of these and added a light underneath the top for just a little money. |
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I bought a couple of these at Sam's for our shop at work. Ended up using one as a table I our break room as I needed something narrow. Good looking top, 1 3/4 inch thick x 72 x 25. http://www.samsclub.com/sams/ultra-heavy-duty-workbench/prod1490086.ip https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1e/19/8f/1e198f9e584e41eb7fae0b423e36d8eb.jpg My wife bought me the version of this that has a metal pegboard on the back, topped with a florescent light. Best bench ever. |
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http://diydoneright.com/wp-content/cutsheets/DIY-CSWRKBCH15_LoRes.pdf Can't beat these. Customize it to your liking Edit: you don't need to be Norm Abrams either. The connectors square everything up. Built my last one using a cheap jigsaw. |
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We already have a thread for this here
Build your own - it will be cheaper & sturdier. 2x4x8's are about $3 each & a 4x8' sheet of plywood is about $25. |
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My wife bought me the version of this that has a metal pegboard on the back, topped with a florescent light. Best bench ever. Quoted:
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I bought a couple of these at Sam's for our shop at work. Ended up using one as a table I our break room as I needed something narrow. Good looking top, 1 3/4 inch thick x 72 x 25. http://www.samsclub.com/sams/ultra-heavy-duty-workbench/prod1490086.ip https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1e/19/8f/1e198f9e584e41eb7fae0b423e36d8eb.jpg My wife bought me the version of this that has a metal pegboard on the back, topped with a florescent light. Best bench ever. Got the same one. Kicks. Fucking. Ass! |
Bob Vila had or has this TV show called Home Again. He had about 10 episodes dedicated to building this timber frame outbuilding for car and boat storage. If you go to about the 7:25 minute mark here:
You'll see how the carpenter Bob Riley used galvanized gas pipe and floor flanges mated to a slab of butcher block maple to build a workbench. Granted a slab of butcher block is probably too much...too over the top and too expensive, but you could use a solid core door. Some solid core doors are actually particle board sandwiched between two nicer looking plywood veneers. And some other solid core doors are strips of wood glued together and then skinned with veneer. And there also some doors that have to meet certain fire code regulations and are like drywall in the middle with the nicer veneer skins on the outside. Sometimes you can find the old solid core doors for cheap. I have used the same concept turned horizontally to make shelves. In a detached garage, I drew a level line say about 6 foot up across a bunch of 2X4 studs. Drilled a hole for say a 1/4" lag screw. Attached a floor flange with that lag screw on each stud. Then swung the floor flange to mark the bottom hole. Then screwed in black galvanized pipe about 18 inches long. Then I put some 3/4" thick plywood across all the horizontal pipe arms. I could dang near do pull-ups off each arm.
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A Black & Decker WorkMate is one of the most valuable and versatile tools that you can own . . . 
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Here's a good one that is pretty easy/cheap to make and is very sturdy.
Summary/guide Plans 
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I bought a couple of these at Sam's for our shop at work. Ended up using one as a table I our break room as I needed something narrow. Good looking top, 1 3/4 inch thick x 72 x 25. I got a couple of these too they are great and much cheaper than Gladiator. No complaints except the butcher block top got slightly warped, I could sand it flat and refinish if I wanted to. |
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Looking for a small work bench to work on small stuff. Gun assembly, and other small stuff. What works for you guys? Build your own? Buy one? Nothing huge, just a little small table I can throw a vise on that won't take up much room in my garage. Almost bought a 99 dollar one today at harbor freight. Something tells me I could build something cheaper. Simpson Strong Tie work bench connectors Grizzly Work Bench Legs and stringers |
i have one of these. they are pretty sturdy. I have a Mini Mill on mine.
LINK |
| A cheap hollow-core door thrown over a couple sawhorses works pretty good in a pinch. The construction is basically a torsion box, so it'll lie straight and flat while still supporting quite a bit of weight. Not the toughest surface in the world, but I've got several of them lying around that I picked up used here and there and they're always getting called into play for something. |
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Got the same one. Kicks. Fucking. Ass! Quoted:
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I bought a couple of these at Sam's for our shop at work. Ended up using one as a table I our break room as I needed something narrow. Good looking top, 1 3/4 inch thick x 72 x 25. http://www.samsclub.com/sams/ultra-heavy-duty-workbench/prod1490086.ip https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1e/19/8f/1e198f9e584e41eb7fae0b423e36d8eb.jpg My wife bought me the version of this that has a metal pegboard on the back, topped with a florescent light. Best bench ever. Got the same one. Kicks. Fucking. Ass! We have 4 of the models like that without the light, they were on rollers, nice benches We also have one of the 6ft tables which are super sturdy along with the 6ft toolbox which also doubles as a great work table. |
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i have one of these. they are pretty sturdy. I have a Mini Mill on mine. http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_20328.jpg LINK I just built this one the other night to throw in the basement as I'm sick of storing all my gun tools/gadgets in multiple places. Pretty solid bench for the price. $138 out the door. $160-20% coupon. I could have built one slightly cheaper, maybe, but it likely wouldn't have the drawers and vise. Very practical workbench for the small projects and cleaning of firearms. Already have all sorts of shit on/in it. I'm going to throw a pegboard above it for additional storage of tools. I've also wanted that Sam's Seville one with the light for two years now. They had it on Black Friday '14 for $99 I think. I came back for it the next day and they were sold out of my local one. This year they didn't do as great a sale on it so I did not FO.  The $99 copy with light at Harbor Freight is shit compared. Not sturdy at all. Waiting for the more solid Sam's unit to hit a lower price than $200 again.
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I'm in the process of building this workbench right now. https://paulsellers.com/2012/06/making-the-workbench-7/
It's an English style workbench made from laminated 2x4s. When I'm done, it will probably weigh more than my house!
This is what it should look like when it is done. Mine is just 2 laminated slabs and some legs right now... 
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I just built this one the other night to throw in the basement as I'm sick of storing all my gun tools/gadgets in multiple places. Pretty solid bench for the price. $138 out the door. $160-20% coupon. I could have built one slightly cheaper, maybe, but it likely wouldn't have the drawers and vise. Very practical workbench for the small projects and cleaning of firearms. Already have all sorts of shit on/in it. I'm going to throw a pegboard above it for additional storage of tools. I've also wanted that Sam's Seville one with the light for two years now. They had it on Black Friday '14 for $99 I think. I came back for it the next day and they were sold out of my local one. This year they didn't do as great a sale on it so I did not FO. The $99 copy with light at Harbor Freight is shit compared. Not sturdy at all. Waiting for the more solid Sam's unit to hit a lower price than $200 again.Quoted:
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i have one of these. they are pretty sturdy. I have a Mini Mill on mine. http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_20328.jpg LINK I just built this one the other night to throw in the basement as I'm sick of storing all my gun tools/gadgets in multiple places. Pretty solid bench for the price. $138 out the door. $160-20% coupon. I could have built one slightly cheaper, maybe, but it likely wouldn't have the drawers and vise. Very practical workbench for the small projects and cleaning of firearms. Already have all sorts of shit on/in it. I'm going to throw a pegboard above it for additional storage of tools. I've also wanted that Sam's Seville one with the light for two years now. They had it on Black Friday '14 for $99 I think. I came back for it the next day and they were sold out of my local one. This year they didn't do as great a sale on it so I did not FO. The $99 copy with light at Harbor Freight is shit compared. Not sturdy at all. Waiting for the more solid Sam's unit to hit a lower price than $200 again.The one without the light and powers strip are $99 right now. |
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I bought a couple of these at Sam's for our shop at work. Ended up using one as a table I our break room as I needed something narrow. Good looking top, 1 3/4 inch thick x 72 x 25. http://www.samsclub.com/sams/ultra-heavy-duty-workbench/prod1490086.ip https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1e/19/8f/1e198f9e584e41eb7fae0b423e36d8eb.jpg Came in here to post the same one. It's been a great bench. We also have several of them at work. |
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As mentioned, do some reading and thinking and figure out what works for you. If you want something portable then I can see some of the ideas already tossed out. If you want easy, the metal frame and heavy duty top from the sams club store works for new. If you have an old solid core door or access to one, then sure that works but I don't trust new ones very much. My dad made some built in workbenches using 2x4s and putting them together sort of like a butch block setup and it made for something you could not hurt. I rent so I don't want to bolt things to the floor or wall. And tool storage is a huge issue with so many tools so the rolling toolbox with a custom wood top is my next project. I have had a 3/4 inch plywood top on it for years but you could not put a vise on it. I plan to buy a bunch of 2x4s and run them across it and I am considering a way to have 4x4 legs on the edges and step on levers to park it using the legs for support or lift supports and let wheels of roll around tool box roll the thing around. Don't think it will handle a vice, but it will handle a lot more than it does now and it saves some space which is the main goal. If you buy a roll around anything these days, when it is brand new and empty flip it upside down and see how the casters are mounted. If casters are cheap you might want to buy better ones but most likely you will want to seriously bolt them on rather than what the factory did or did not do. This will also show you how well the drawers and slides are attached. I have a midrange roll around toolbox from when I worked as a mechanic but with several moves and a lot of years under its belt it is needing some help. The wood top will reinforce things and it might be some more metal bracing as well. Something like sawhorses and a portable top are great for when your project needs you to come to it. Right now most projects come to my tools. |
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http://www.samsclub.com/sams/seville-classics-lighted-hardwood-top-workbench/prod3460484.ip?navAction=
I have this in my home office/ gun room. I love it! |
| I built mine. Wouldn't dream of buying something so simple to make. It's basically 4x4 legs held together by a 2x4 frame, and a couple 2x12s for the benchtop. The lower part of the frame is a storage shelf. Sits against the back wall of the garage, solid as a rock. Arbor press on one end, Starrett machinist's vice on the other. |
Thanks for all the comments! I decided to build my own. Legs and frame are 2X6's. Probably overkill, but I bought one too many 2X6 so I had enough to go around. I have the 2X4's to do a riser for pegboard as well. The funniest part? The lumber and screws were 87 bucks. I shit you not!
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American Rifleman had plans years ago. I used them. Super sturdy!!!!
I'm sure if you google you'll find it. EDIT: Mine is tapcon'd into the floor and the wall. If you want something that won't shake or rock under a vice/anvil/reloading press it needs to be anchored |
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American Rifleman had plans years ago. I used them. Super sturdy!!!! I'm sure if you google you'll find it. EDIT: Mine is tapcon'd into the floor and the wall. If you want something that won't shake or rock under a vice/anvil/reloading press it needs to be anchored 6 bags of concrete mix on the bottom shelf work well for the more lazy inclined. 
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Thanks for all the comments! I decided to build my own. Legs and frame are 2X6's. Probably overkill, but I bought one too many 2X6 so I had enough to go around. I have the 2X4's to do a riser for pegboard as well. The funniest part? The lumber and screws were 87 bucks . I shit you not!
<a href="http://s127.photobucket.com/user/jmansmom/media/20160405_113221_zpspjzntno0.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p144/jmansmom/20160405_113221_zpspjzntno0.jpg</a> <a href="http://s127.photobucket.com/user/jmansmom/media/20160405_134359_zpsopj1yfm9.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p144/jmansmom/20160405_134359_zpsopj1yfm9.jpg</a> <a href="http://s127.photobucket.com/user/jmansmom/media/20160405_142425_zps0plkksvg.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p144/jmansmom/20160405_142425_zps0plkksvg.jpg</a> Looks good. The only thing I would do is to add another thickness of plywood to the top. But I tend to over do things sometimes and that my be enough for what you are going to use it for. |
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6 bags of concrete mix on the bottom shelf work well for the more lazy inclined. Quoted:
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American Rifleman had plans years ago. I used them. Super sturdy!!!! I'm sure if you google you'll find it. EDIT: Mine is tapcon'd into the floor and the wall. If you want something that won't shake or rock under a vice/anvil/reloading press it needs to be anchored 6 bags of concrete mix on the bottom shelf work well for the more lazy inclined. I like your style. 
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Looks good. The only thing I would do is to add another thickness of plywood to the top. But I tend to over do things sometimes and that my be enough for what you are going to use it for. Quoted:
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Thanks for all the comments! I decided to build my own. Legs and frame are 2X6's. Probably overkill, but I bought one too many 2X6 so I had enough to go around. I have the 2X4's to do a riser for pegboard as well. The funniest part? The lumber and screws were 87 bucks . I shit you not!
<a href="http://s127.photobucket.com/user/jmansmom/media/20160405_113221_zpspjzntno0.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p144/jmansmom/20160405_113221_zpspjzntno0.jpg</a> <a href="http://s127.photobucket.com/user/jmansmom/media/20160405_134359_zpsopj1yfm9.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p144/jmansmom/20160405_134359_zpsopj1yfm9.jpg</a> <a href="http://s127.photobucket.com/user/jmansmom/media/20160405_142425_zps0plkksvg.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p144/jmansmom/20160405_142425_zps0plkksvg.jpg</a> Looks good. The only thing I would do is to add another thickness of plywood to the top. But I tend to over do things sometimes and that my be enough for what you are going to use it for. Thanks! I considered another layer but I'm pretty sure this will handle anything I'm going to throw at it. |
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I built this one for the reloading section a while ago. It's geared for reloading but it can be made to do anything. I ended up giving it to my youngest son as he wanted something to build his electronics on. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/429935_Somnio__A_super_mini_.html Damn dude you got some woodworking skills |