Ideas for a new workbench please?

[Stevebod]

Hi all, just about to complete my next shed which will be around 12 ft long by 8 ft wide. Not exactly huge, but planning to use it mainly for woodworking. Could anybody advise a good DIY design for a workbench? (I like the look of those with the holes in to enable a variety of clamping options?). Could be "fixed" or on casters?...
Many thanks for any feedback...

 

[Jameshow]

Are you a power tool user or a manual tool user? as that will make the biggest difference to the type of workbench you need.

Cheers James

 

[Stevebod]

Hi James, very much a novice, and very much power tools! I have a small bandsaw, a mitre saw, drill press and and a 12 inch disc sander as my main "go to" tools...

 

[Jameshow]

Then the bench dosen't too be too heavy.

My bench is 8' x 28"

Made from 3/4 ply top with 4x4" legs and 4x2" rails. I made a lower shelf out of the 20" offcut.

Cheers James

 

[mikej460]

There are lots of ideas on Youtube and this one may appeal?
The Paul Sellers Plywood Workbench | Episode 1 - YouTube

 

[mikej460]

and there's this if it helps

 

[Spectric]

Hi

If you like the holes then have boards with the holes that you can place on top of your bench or as inserts, having a worktop full of holes can be a nightmare as everything tends to fall through unless it will be woodworking only, in my case I often have other items that need working on. Also look at microjig clamps and fixtures as they are very useful.

 

[Stevebod]

Hi Spectric, and thanks for the reply...you are right, I had not thought about the problem with bits falling through the holes! The above ply table looks great if you are repairing Chieftain tanks?! ie very solid but very heavy. I have been searching 'tinternt and the chap from "DIYforknuckelheads" seems to have a good offering for a basic bench.

 

[Filament]

You don’t say how much of a novice, but for what it’s worth, I made mine very cheaply from a pine dining table I bought on eBay for £10 which I added heavy duty (locking) castors to and stiffened with a shelf between the legs made from a sheet of ply.

The reason I did this was to avoid spending time and money building a ‘proper workbench’ then finding (as my experience developed) that what I thought I needed, didn’t match reality.

I’m glad I did it. It’s actually served me very well and not really been too lacking for what I’ve used it for and when I do get around to building ‘the bench’ it will certainly be different to the one I would have done originally.

 

[RobinBHM]

Is the bench for handtools - like plane….or power tools.

if your work is mostly power tools, maybe trestles are better.

benches can easily become a big shelf

 

[accipiter]

My workshop area is a bit smaller than yours being 11ft 4" × 7ft 4" internal which is an extension of the original block shed 8ft x 8ft (external measure). The original is presently used as storage/dumping area. When I did the extension - was supposed to be 12ft x 8ft - it was to use as general workshop plus for wood turning. So has a bench approx, 6ft x 28" on one wall plus lathe bench of 4ft x 1ft on the other... the corner areas also have wood stored - panel off cuts etc. (Another dumping area that needs sorting really - I seem to hoard wood...) and the 'shop was neglected for a few years after my parents died. Sorry for the ramble but I'll get there

Now I've retired and wanting to get back to woodwork I've tidied up a lot and made room for a small table saw and extractor (cyclone set up with vac) but working space is very limited. I've been on YT (as suggested by others) and seen workbenches made of units with swivel tops so machinery can be swung out of the way when not needed so giving a *work top* free area. YT is a great source of information and ideas

I intend to build one (working out size presently) so I can accommodate the saw table and router table at one end, thicknesser, small'ish mitre saw and the lathe so they can all (apart from the table saw & router table) be "swung under" when not in use. The work bench (or joined units) will be on casters so I'm able to move to either wall to access certain machines, depending which side they are on, or place in the middle for example to use the saw table to rip lengths of wood - - - that's the plan. Also want to be able to be able to move "units" individually when required - if moving home and to another workshop.

Again... sorry for the ramble. I could easily just said to visit YT and look for flip top work units.

 

[Jameshow]

Is the bench for handtools - like plane….or power tools.

if your work is mostly power tools, maybe trestles are better.

benches can easily become a big shelf

Yea my bench Is a dumping ground so much so I use the workmate!!!

Cheers James

 

[Blackswanwood]

Possibly a bit more refined than you are after but still worth a look :

updated-anarchists-workbench-pdf

 

[Jacob]

You can't beat the trad British bench which has been in use everywhere in schools, training establishments, amateur/pro workshops and industry, for generations. It's gone right out of fashion and hardly ever gets a mention nowadays, which is a great pity.
It's also very easy to construct: a pair of frames with 2 legs and 2 rails, a large timber beam for the working surface, 2 aprons - the rear one level with the top of the front beam, a board to fill the well.
If you really want to build one of the over-designed heavyweight expensive fashionable alternatives it'd really help the project if you built this one for starters, then you probably wouldn't bother with the fancy one!

 

[RobinBHM]

Yea my bench Is a dumping ground so much so I use the workmate!!!

Cheers James

when I ran a joinery shop I got rid of workbenches and used trestles instead.

not quite as good, but there are some clever options -maybe a torsion box worktop with MFT holes

 

[accipiter]

Just one for some inspiration - there are others. Just depends where you want you woodworking to take you, part 6 of 8 parts, installing the thicknesser:


And if you want to buy the plans:

 

[mikej460]

I'm still using an old school workbench I bought at a local auction 15 years ago for £40, it's as solid as a rock. They're a bit dearer now mind you
school woodworking bench | eBay

 

[Jacob]

I'm still using an old school workbench I bought at a local auction 15 years ago for £40, it's as solid as a rock. They're a bit dearer now mind you
school woodworking bench | eBay

Excellent bench! That ebay offering is the two man (or boy) double sided version and could have had another vice on the other side/end.

 

[mikej460]

Yes, mine is double sided and inside one cabinet door is chalked 'I was here' and underneath that ' So was I' - very schoolboy and judging by the spelling it must have come from a posher school. Normally you'd expect I woz ere...

 

[Spectric]

I think these days if you are tight on space then you need a modular approach, you don't want to much floor taken up by single function equipment. A router table is great but can so easily be incorporated into a multifunction bench, look at Dennis the dutchman in the woods.

This idea uses the Incra fence which can easily be removed when not needed and so you immediately save floorspace by not having a stand alone router table. You could expand the concept by having a table saw underneath and save more space. I just use a worktop that sits on my table saw when it is not needed so at least it has added use.