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Building a workbench

Rickett Customs

Rickett Customs

Commercial User
Jul 30, 2007
7,255
116
Southern Maryland
www.rickettcustomguitars.com
Disclosures
Luthier: Rickett Customs...........www.rickettcustomguitars.com
#1
Bench plans that I had put together for my shop:
Benchplans.jpg



I have had a fascination with woodwork for about 10 years now, have not really took the step to get a shop set up. That time is up. I guess before you can just start building, you gotta have a workbench to do it on, so that would be first right? Right.

I have already completed the bench, but have not uploaded the pics yet , which I'll do tomorrow. It came out slightly different than the drawing was.

Till tomorrow then.
 
#3
This is what I had done yesterday:

Material: (Which I had "donated" to me :) )
8- 2x8's
2 sheets of "OSB"
10- 10" -1/2" carriage bolts
A box of 3" and 1 1/4" Wood screws


Started with the "legs" just doubled up 2 pieces of 2x8 36" long:
Workbench001.jpg

Workbench002.jpg





Cut the "feet" out of 2x8, 30" long. Marked my centers to taper as they go out to the ends.Screwed it together temporarily with the 3" woodscrews
Workbench003.jpg

Workbench004.jpg






Ran 3 carriage bolts to attach the feet on both sides:
Workbench005.jpg

Workbench006.jpg

Workbench007.jpg

Workbench008.jpg






Started to get the top frame built (4 of the 2x8 lengths were cut down the middle):
Workbench009.jpg

Workbench010.jpg

Workbench011.jpg

Workbench012.jpg

Workbench013.jpg





Built, but not finished yet.
Workbench014.jpg

Workbench015.jpg

Workbench016.jpg




I have to go searching for a top laminate, I was thinking of doing 1/8" or 1/2" sheet of Oak. I will need to decide what to use for trim around the edges, on the top, probably 1x3 oak. Also whether to make the bottom wider for a shelf.
 
#4
My workbench is a 4x8 sheet of 3/4 maple plywood, first cut to 5' length, then ripped in half and laminated face to face. That's the top. The frame is a crude 2x4 with the lower rails serving as support for the offcut cut to size for a lower tray thingie. Took me maybe a morning to put together, wait time for the poly glue to dry up included.
 
#5
wilser said:
My workbench is a 4x8 sheet of 3/4 maple plywood, first cut to 5' length, then ripped in half and laminated face to face. That's the top. The frame is a crude 2x4 with the lower rails serving as support for the offcut cut to size for a lower tray thingie. Took me maybe a morning to put together, wait time for the poly glue to dry up included.
Click to expand...

Was that your squeeky bench in the neck carving video?

:D
 
#8
Being kinda tall (6'5") I built my bench high, so I didn't have to stoop over. I also made it strong enough for me to lay on if I was being lazy (3/4" ply, 2x4's) :D. Too bad you can't see the thing right now! One other little idea that went into it, was to set the front supports back a few inches, so I could clamp anything along the front edge.
Guitar011.gif
 
#9
Looks like i'm going with 1/4" oak laminate for the top. I made a run this morning. Also, I went with 1x3x1/2" poplar strips for the edges, probably leave somewhere between 1/4" to 1/8" lip above the top (Had to true all 4 edges, once I attached the 2 osb tops). I'll have some more pics this evening
 
#10
Stu L. said:
Being kinda tall (6'5") I built my bench high, so I didn't have to stoop over. I also made it strong enough for me to lay on if I was being lazy (3/4" ply, 2x4's) :D. Too bad you can't see the thing right now! One other little idea that went into it, was to set the front supports back a few inches, so I could clamp anything along the front edge.
Guitar011.gif
Click to expand...

I don't see a work-bench in that picture :D
 
#12
Stu L. said:
It's like a Where's Waldo :D Yes, I have taken to using the table saw as a bench :hiding:

EDIT, oh, it's on the left. Notice the height in relation to the tool box, which is on casters, for reference.
Click to expand...

*L* I have a table in my kitchen that is my "work area".

Since I rarely actually do any work anymore, it's become the classic horizontal surface in my kitchen..

BTW, that's a nice body you have started there.

back on topic: That's a nice station you have going.
 
#14
Alembicplyr said:


I have to go searching for a top laminate, I was thinking of doing 1/8" or 1/2" sheet of Oak. I will need to decide what to use for trim around the edges, on the top, probably 1x3 oak. Also whether to make the bottom wider for a shelf.
Click to expand...

I recently re-make my workbench and i used a 3/4" plywood under the working surface too. This way, I can clamp stuff almost anywhere, I'm only limited by my clamps depth. I found this new "feature" very usefull and worth sharing.

I hope I am clear enough, I just woke up from a necessary afternoon nap :p
 
#16
Attaching the top osb (bottom layer). Marked out the placement of the frame:
Workbench2001.jpg

Workbench2002.jpg





Had to hit it with a sanding block after that:
Workbench2003.jpg





Ran different lines for the second one:
Workbench2004.jpg





Had to "true" up all the edges with a square, fortunately I had a square piece of poplar in the bunch to use as a saw guide:
Workbench2005.jpg

Workbench2006.jpg

Workbench2007.jpg





Finally, it is square. As for the frame to the osb, it was 3/8" out of square, but at least the top itself is square:
Workbench2008.jpg






Capped off the feet on the "front side":
Workbench2009.jpg

Workbench2010.jpg






I'll glue the top on sometime tomorrow or the next day and put the edge pieces on. I gotta decide what to do about some under table storage space. I have to also clear some things from the area that I'm putting this in. I will build a smaller table with wheels, but I'm going to get this 100% first.

As far as shop space is concerned, I'm good, I've got what you would consider a good size 2 car garage.And climate controlled (Yay :) )
The background on this is, I bought my parents house at a decent price and next door to this house is what my father ran his heating and air conditioning shop out of for many many years and has since then moved to more suitable "commercial" place. It's even got a full sized kitchen on the other side and a 2 room apartment on the back of it. Right now, I'll have it setup for guitar repair and small furniture repair, but I definitely want to do some builds too (Almost done with Melvyn Hiscocks "Make Your Own Electric Guitar"). I've already have someone that'll pay for materials and hardware, so that should be enough for a build, that is of course after I attempt to build one for myself.

No matter what size my shop is, I can't measure up to youse guys, especially you Wilser ;)
 
#19
Nice looking workbench. The last one I built was a bit cruder. I found a large 2" thick door made from particle board at a lumber yard that hadn't been routed out for a handle or hinges. Bought it pretty cheap then trimmed it in the length so I could get it down to my basement. I think I cut it to 5' 6". I made a base from 2x6 softwood I had lots of and reinforced the sides and back with 1/2" plywood panels. No movement after that. I put a 3/4" plywood bottom shelf on to store my Skillsaw, router and drills. I covered the top with 1/4" tempered hardboard (Masonite) and trimmed the edge with some 1"x3"x 3/4" scrap I had and added a tool tray at the back. That made a great place to lose small things like screwdrivers and files forever under all the woodchips that collected there.

Naturally the thing weighed a ton and I mounted it on some heavy duty 4" wheels I found on sale. I could move it with a lot of effort.

I've since moved to a new house and left it behind. There's no way short of cutting it up with a chainsaw I could have got it out of the house. Luckily the new owner liked it.
 
#20
Well, the one thing I can say, regarding the weight is, This one is actually pretty light. I can slide it across the shop or put a dolley under one side and pull it too. This is my "stationary" bench. I still have to build perhaps 3 more smaller tables for my, drill press, sanding station and router. I'll need locking casters for those tables.
 

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