New Workbench

[Mark A]

Hi

Now that I have almost finished renovating our house (just a little bit of boxing-in to around the boiler pipes) I am going to build a proper workbench to replace my warped wobbly 3/4" 2ft x 4ft ply sheet placed over a pair of sawhorses.

My plan was to laminate 2 or 3 25mm 3ft x 6ft MDF boards together to make a 2" or 3" thick top, and construct the base from 18mm birch ply - each leg would be four 4" wide strips laminated together to make 3x4's. I would then brace the legs with 2 18mm x 6" birch ply boards laminated together to make it 1 1/2" thick. The apron would also be 1 1/2" x 6", set back 4" to allow for clamps etc. The worktop would be braced underneath with 1 1/2" x 4" ply.

I was also considering cutting out a section in the centre of the top and putting in an insert for my router, and with a couple of T-slots would make a good router table. This would be covered with hardboard or thin MDF or ply to protect the insert and top from damage.

Sorry to ramble on!! Is the construction adequate? I mostly use power tools and will be buying a benchtop bandsaw and planer/thicknesser in the future so I want the bench to be sturdy and not warp under the weight of the tools. Is it a good idea to incorporate the router table or should this be made separate? My workshop IS the garden shed, shared with a couple of bags of frozen compost, an outboard boat engine and some wellies!! so I was thinking about using ply for the legs instead of softwood as it is less likely to warp in the cold and damp?

Sorry, so many questions!!

Thanks, Mark

 

[AndyT]

I'm sure your laminated top would be fine.
When you said you plan to use ply for the base I was imagining something like a complete box, perhaps with holes at ends and front for access. But the design in the picture is like you might make from conventional timber. I think if you want a frame like that you'd be quicker and better off making it from chunky softwood.

Although you say you plan on power tool work, you will still need to hold stuff down onto the bench, so plan how you are going to do this (front vice, end vice, dog holes etc). Bear in mind that with a 3" thick top you will always need quite large clamps.

 

[Mark A]

Would softwood be ok in the damp shed? I thought about using ply as it more stable, or doesn't it matter? For the top, I might cut the top sheet slightly bigger so they only have 25mm of MDF to clamp on to instead of 2 or 3 inches.

That plan is only a rough draft, and I didn't include the vice and holes for the bench dogs, but they will be done later when my design is finalised.

Thanks, Mark

 

[mbartlett99]

Hi

Thinking of doing a similiar thing regarding the top with router insert. Check out Finewoodworking.com - fella there built a bench out of ply but used a torsion box idea to make the base. Also a couple of guys have done tops out of mdf with power tool inserts. A 2" or 3" mdf top properly supported as per your drawing would be sturdy enough for just about anything you could fit in a shed. Wouldn't be too concerned about the legs - the dimensions you propose are more than adequate but 4x4 solid timber would be fine and a lot less trouble.

What vice are you planning?

 

[knappers]

Take a look at my bench build thread (which I must update / finish sometime) - it shows the bench I made using scrap pallet wood with a top made from 2 x 25mm MDF.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/project-2-a-bench-t42681.html

I have now edged it with hardwood and drilled some dog holes in the top. Solid as a rock. Very happy.

Si.

 

[Mark A]

Hi Si

As mentioned on your thread about adjusting the workbench as it dries - I wanted to avoid as much hassel as I could, because my shed is metal and so is a magnet for moisture, so that's why I considered plywood even though it would take more work.

My work bench would eventually look a bit like this http://www.finewoodworking.com/FWNPDFfree/011181054.pdf although I would not incorporate the mortises for the stretchers, instead I would cut shallow rebates.

I haven't thought about vices yet but that will be the next thing to do as it will determine the design of the bench.

Thanks, Mark

 

[studders]

In your situation, with the damp, I'd be inclined to use ply as well. Maybe make three torsion boxes, two 'legs' and a slab on top covered in the MDF.

 

[fluffflinger]

Mark

Take a look at this bench, link below. Has the merit of torsion box methodology, ply and simplicity of construction. I'm sure an amalgamation of this and your fine woodworking plywood bench would do the trick.

It's my 1st project of 2011, assuming the polar bears have stopped marauding across my back garden by then!

Regards

Richard


http://americanwoodworker.com/blogs/tom ... nch-2.aspx

 

[Mark A]

Hi Richard

I have thought about a torsion box top, but I haven't got a table saw - due to a lack of space - only a plunge saw, so I think it would be a bit difficult to cut consistently precise components because my brain doesn't work properly in the cold!!

I do like the enclosed shelving though

 

[fluffflinger]

Mark

I'd say you could make the bench with a good circular saw and some sort of guide, wouldn't be ideal but more than possible.

Actually there are loads of effective homemade saw guides on the site, even some cute ideas for creating your own track saw.

I'm sure your timber merchant could make any key cuts you really need.

I certainy wouldn't let the lack of a table saw put you off going down this route.

Regards

Richard

 

[Shane]

1 sheet of ply =

+ chipguard -

 

[Mark A]

I've got the makita plunge saw so I can cut things accurately, but I don't really want the hassle of cutting a load of pieces to make a "true" torsion box, instead I'll use a torsion box-style structure to support a couple of layers of MDF. Anyway, I'll no doubt find areas which need improving as this is my first proper workbench, so I probably won't be using it for the next 15 years, just until I've had enough of this first one.

Is incorporating a router table a good idea or would I be better off making an independant one? I was considering building a removable fence mounted on a pair of T-tracks so that if I want to use my router I can lift off a hardboard of MDF board and replace the fence.