Building a workbench

[Hartman]

Hey guys, I have plans to build a workbench but I have a question. What sort of wood should I use? I want the wood to be strong and look decent unfinished, but I don't want to spend over $100 on the wood itself (the workbench is only going to be about 4 feet long).

Any suggestions would be great.

 

[ipozestu]

2x4's and 3/4" plywood man. Cheapest way to go, strong as hell too.

 

[FrankRizzo]

D

If you have a Home Depot nearby (who doesn't?) they sell pre-fabbed countertops already covered with laminate that makes them easy to clean - thye might even have one that is around 5 foot long in stock. You can mount it to a 3/4 plywood base, and you end up with about a 1-1/2 inch thick countertop. The problem is that they have a backsplash on them - but if you don't want stuff rolling off the back it might be the way to go!
In my buddy's garage we used some 2 hour rated commercial doors for a countertop, but the holes from the door hardware are a PITA.

Nothing seems to work as well two layers of 3/4" CDX plywood glued and screwed together, covered in laminate. Since plywood comes in 4x8 sheets, it's halfway custom cut for you...

 

[james t]

as much as i hate to agree with Rizzo, i say follow his suggestion. i am using my reloading bench in the garage as a work bench, and i made it with a pre-fab counter top. its about 5 foot long, and 2.5 foot wide. works great. i have beat the hell out of it, and its still holding up.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Well I have made (in the past) a whole workbench out of 3/4 particle board. Looked just like cabinets with countertop. I even made some upper cabinets. I doubled some for the top then used some casing for a drip edge. At first I just painted the top gray, but then later I got some broken sheets of laminate from supply store for almost nothing and laminated the top and sides. My cost for all this was less than $70 and I ended up getting a work area of like 8x8 with a corner section. The top was similar to this pic from some designs I created a few years back. just picture it with base cabinets and on each side of the corner was a wing.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Oooppps hit submit b4 I added pic

 

[Crankcase]

What is a drip edge CAD master AJ ????

 

[taxx]

4 foot long, but how deep? And plywood works great as a top and cheap. For the frame I wold go with 2x6s instead of 2x4s. Maybe even 2x8s. At the corners but two pieces together into a 90 degree ange for strength. it will look like and L. You will get more support and more lateral stability.

 

[IgotTwo]

Nothing seems to work as well two layers of 3/4" CDX plywood glued and screwed together, covered in laminate. Since plywood comes in 4x8 sheets, it's halfway custom cut for you...

This has always worked for me too ...only I no do lam the top. I just "poly the H#$ out to the top ....when it starts looking crummy...I get out the belt sander and just re poly the top.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Originally posted by Crankcase
What is a drip edge CAD master AJ ????

Ever notice how the front of counter tops have a raised section at front its called the drip edge. It stops crap from dripping off counter, mainly it keeps water from flowing off counter. Here is an image of what I mean

 

[VairKing]

If you can find an old steel door, like from the front of a house, without a window, that is the BEST thing I have found to use. You can beat the piss out of it, it wont break, it wont stain, its heavy, and strong.

 

[mattadams]

When my office shut down and "emergency moved" to another location, I swiped (with permission of course) three cubicle desk top's and the filing cabinets that support them (four filing cabinets). Now I have about 15 feet of good solid workspace, for free .

 

[aldive]

Cut 1/4" plywood to fit the top and screw it down; then you can simply replace it when it gets boogered up/

 

[rocket 5979]

Though it would cost more than $100 i think it would be pretty nice to build a multipurpose work/reload/build engine/please the wife bench out of 1/4" flat stock. and get some good size angle iron for the legs and diagonal bracing. Then i would get it all Rhino-lined. and for those SPECIAL OCCASIONS, i would have a leopard skind car cover (hey got to stick with the garage theme!) for whenever the misses wants to know what your doin out in the garage. lol. Ok so i am sick but at least she wont fully object to the idea once she has had a chance to demo it. Oh by the way i would also be required to put the minimum amount of equipment such as drill press, computer controlled metal lathe, RCBS Rockchucker press w/ powder trickler scales and the works. Wow i just thought to be able to fit alllll that and the misses i think i need more room. Better go the smart safe way and just build another garage. Or maybe a machine shed. Oh man this could be fun!!!! Oh sorry i got a ilttle overboard with my idea. Back to the subject. Yeah 2x6's for frame and heck just go with some 2x6's for the top too while you are at it. And put it all together with some 3" lag bolts.

 

[Hartman]

Well I got my lumber today. I got 7 2x6s, 2 8x4x4 posts for the legs, and an 96x48 sheet of laminated pine for the top. I got a little more than I needed just so I didn't have to go back and get more. The total cost for the lumber was $75.55, well under my $100 budget. The only other purchase I need to make is a Craftsman vice which should be another $40 or so. I will post pics of it when I'm done.

 

[Hartman]

BTW, it took some creative thinking to fit all that wood inside my Ex that has a sub box for 3 12s.

 

[XplorerKid]

kool hartman

good luck with the workbench


PEACE

 

[FrankRizzo]

Use your pal, Mr. Ebay for the vise...you can probably do better than Crapsman...

 

[taxx]

Shipping a vise would cost a fortune

 

[Hartman]

Originally posted by FrankRizzo
you can probably do better than Crapsman...

You are an evil man.