Work Bench

I've never had a real workbench, just tables that get repurposed, so I decided it was time to build a workbench.

Mostly Done

The carcass is pretty much done. It still needs some trim, a couple of doors and some drawer fronts. The surface of the workbench itself will be a layer of 3/4" plywood with 2 3/4" layers of MDF topped with a 1/4" layer of hardboard. This will rest on the 4x4 legs seen here. The work surface will be 3' x 6'.

The base is made out of 2x4's. The pullout shelves are made from 3/4" plywood with pine around the edges. The drawer bottoms are 1/2" plywood, and everything else is 3/4" plywood.

The final workbench height will be 37". My vise is 8" high, placing, the top of the vise at 45", which is how high the bottom of my elbow is when I'm standing (I'm 6'-4" tall). Bigger...

Foot Support

One feature I really like about this workbench is that it has wheels. When the bench is stationary, a piece of 3/4" plywood goes under each leg which lifts the wheels off the ground. Using a prybar, the 3/4" pieces of plywood are popped out and the wheels contact the ground. Bigger...

Full Extension Shelves

All of the shelves and drawers have full extension slides on them. You can see the 4 bolts where one of the wheels attach. Bigger...

Shelves & Drawers Open

Here's a picture with most of the shelves pulled out and all of the drawers pulled out. Lots of storage! Bigger...

Vise Support

I decided that since the front of the work bench overhangs the support posts by about 7 inches, that I better add some support. The two mounting bolts for the vise will go right through the 2x4's. I had to cut some notches in the 2x4's so that my 6 inch bolts would fit. Bigger...

Added Support

I also decided it would be a good idea to have some support under the work surface so I threw a 2x4 across the back. I didn't put one across the front because I wanted to leave the large open area above the drawers.

You can also see that I added some trim to the front. Bigger...

Added the Work Surface

One layer of 3/4" plywood, followed by two layers of 3/4" MDF and topped off with a removable layer of 1/4" hardboard make up the top. I guesstimate that the top weighs in around 140 lbs. I need to add some trim around the edges. Bigger...

New life for a vise

I gave some new life to an old vise that my Dad had. Details...

More pictures to come, as development progresses.

Home - Wood Working

Copyright 2010 by Dave Hylands