Building a new workbench #11: Project Completion: The tool trays are completed & installed

That is an amazing looking workbench!!! That should be a great tool to use for any future projects.

-- Steve-o

Absolutely amazing! The 21st Century Workbench at its finest! I want to build the same one. I am going to favorite your bench and definitely refer back to it when it’s my turn to build it. I like the contrasting woods that you used. Very nice.

-- Spencer, Gilbert Az (http://www.azwoodshop.com)

you can rightfully be proud of that one.

-- if the hand is not working it is not a pure hand

That’s incredibly gorgeous… Are you busting at the seems to work on it? I’d be afraid to muff up something that nice… Great work!!!!

-- Sponsored by craigslist brand power tools!

That is one awesome bench. Great work.

thanks for sharing the progress with us.

-- Hope Never fails

Great job, the tool trays in the middle are a great touch. The workbench should last a lifetime.

Very nice. Looks impressive! Congrats!

Thats a nice looking workbench.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

I was just looking back over the entire workbench series and this looks like a great project.

As I understand, this bench is designed with knock-down components so it can be disassembled at some point.

How are the slab tops attached to the upright leg frames that they still remain removable? I tried to extract this information from pictures, but didn’t catch that part.

The bench top is secured to the legs with lag screws. Two per slab per leg. Eight screws in total.

If you are considering making this bench then there are a couple of modifications I would make now that I’ve used it for a few years.
1) eliminate the top cross-member. You don’t need it. The bench does not rack at all with it removed. If you are concerned about that you could always increase the width of the bottom crossmember.
2) add a sliding deadman. Elimination of the crossmember will allow you to install the sliding deadman. As it stands I find that panel edges often fall in the gap above and below the top cross member and I have no easy way to support it.
3) eliminate the trays and just make a gap 1 1/2” – 2” wide to allow you to get a clamp through it.
4) fill the gap with a filler that creates a 3/8” gap to store chisels and saws in while working. If you create the filler piece to be taller than the bench top slabs by 3/8” and then notch it around the leg cross braces you will be able to flip it over and have a nice planing stop. My trays are rarely flipped over. They looked great, but don’t get much use in reality. I made another bench with a split-top as described and I like it a lot better.
5) make the bench top slabs asymmetrical with the wider one in the the front and the narrower one in the back. That will give you as much room as possible to work without having to maneuver around things stores in the slot.

-- Mark