This is my second project and second workbench. This one is going to be mine and is being built for woodworking. I’m using the plans from finewoodworking.com. They have a nice video series for getting started in woodworking. This project has been a bit more challenging for me since it’s one of the first time I have used a router and dowels.

This is my second attempt making this bench as the first time I ran into a few problems… The first was drilling the holes in the legs for the threaded rod. I didn’t read the plan correclty and drilled them in the wrong spots and to go along with the holes were not straight. I ran into the same issues when I drilled the dowels, some of them weren’t so straight. Since then I have invested in a drill guide and that helped a ton now everything is nice and straight :). I’m strongly considering a drill press as my next tool purchase, that or a dust collector.

The stretchers are held to the legs with dowels and 3/8” threaded rod. The grooves for the rods were made with a straight router bit. I used 4×4’s for the legs and 2×4’s for the stretchers. I’m surprised by how solid the base is without the top. The threaded rod and the dowels provide very solid joints.

For the top I will be using two 3/4” pieces of plywood glued and then screwed together. I have a nice piece of sanded Birch plywood for very top piece that will make a nice working surface. I will also be adding a shelf underneath thinking either 2×4’s of regular 3/4” plywood. I plan on adding a woodowrking vise and some holes for benchdogs. Not sure what to use for a finish on it, maybe some of the Danish Oil and some wax, I need to do some more reading or if anyone has any suggestions.

Here is my first project. I made a workbench for my father for Christmas. It came out pretty good for a first project, the plans came from the Lowes website. I made a few modifications but all in all it’s pretty much what the plan called for. What you can’t see in these pictures is the underneath the 3/4” plywood top there is 2×4’s standing on edge and are glued together, made for a nice and solid top.