My plan today was to build a workbench for the new workshop. I had the day to myself and wanted to get the thing built before I had to start dinner. This is actually a lofty goal since I had no idea what I was building. I didn’t plan much, I stopped by Agent Orange on the way home from work yesterday and asked them to rip a sheet of MDF to 23-1/2 “ wide. Got some 2×3 pine to along with that, total price, $28. The rest of the materials were things I had saved from my old shop, a couple of 4×4 redwoods and some 1×3 poplars.
I did know the bench would be built permanently onto the wall, it would have a way to clamp wood for planning and cutting dovetails and tenons. That was it. My last work bench was an IKEA stepstool I had purchased for $9.99. It’s design would inspire my new workbench by having a multipurpose slot on the top.
So I went to work. Now, I’m not good at taking pictures of the procedures since it slows down my creative process. But this is the final product. Six hours of work and about $60 worth of materials. I hope it works. The slot is designed for my Japanese saw, it cuts on the pull stroke, so I use the downward force to hold down the wood. This notch gives me clearance as I like to kneel and cut on the down stroke.
The front slots is for clamps, there’s plenty of holes so it offers plenty of flexibility. I have more ideas on jigs and attachment for my bench, but that will have to wait for later.
The top is held down my gravity and wood dowels, hammered in and cut flushed. This lets me flip the top and change it should it wears.
After dinner, I continued working on the shop and found a used for an old bamboo ladder. I had a left over cherry door form one of my kitchen client, I used it on the white bookshelf even though it didn’t fit. It thought it looks better with it. Next step is to make wall cabinets from the old shelving the last owner left behind. 
-- Thuan
13 comments so far
grovemadman
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556 posts in 1943 days
#1 posted 1908 days ago
Looks solid and simple. I like the clamp slots in the front a lot and they look handy. Looks like you got plenty of room to expand if needed…
-- --Chuck
kshipp
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179 posts in 1949 days
#2 posted 1908 days ago
Those keyholes at the front of the bench are an excellent idea for clamping. I was trying to figure out the other day how I could hold some boards vertically on my workbench.
-- Kyle Shipp, http://battleshipp.blogspot.com
GaryK
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10263 posts in 2159 days
#3 posted 1908 days ago
I’ve never seen anything like your clamp slots before. That’s a great idea!
-- Gary - Never pass up the opportunity to make a mistake look like you planned it that way - Tyler, TX
Dorje
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1761 posts in 2168 days
#4 posted 1908 days ago
Very inventive! Visually appealing too!
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
WhiskeyWaters
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213 posts in 1976 days
#5 posted 1908 days ago
I like the cut slot personally – might be getting myself a new workshop space. I’ll have to steal er…cough borrow your ideas.
-- make it safe & keep the rubber side down.
dustynewt
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628 posts in 2033 days
#6 posted 1908 days ago
Fresh, simple ideas! I knew when you came on board LumberJocks that you would be interesting to follow. Thanks for sharing, Thuan.
-- Peace in Wood ~ http://www.etsy.com/shop/DustyNewt
Thuan
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203 posts in 1989 days
#7 posted 1907 days ago
Thanks everyone, I really wanted to add something of value to the Lumberjock community so that we can all share. I receive plenty of ideas from this site.
-- Thuan
RobS
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1331 posts in 2477 days
#8 posted 1907 days ago
Awesome bench and excellent ideas! You are very resourceful, thanks for sharing.
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
Blake
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3421 posts in 2045 days
#9 posted 1906 days ago
You are amazing, Thuan. Your simple yet extremely effective sense of “streamlined” style is so cool. You incorporated multiple ideas into this bench that I had never seen or would have thought of before. Are they original ideas straight from the brain of Thuan or have you seen them somewhere before? Either way, bravo. Very cool bench. For $60 bucks and an afternoon it looks as solid as a rock. What was for dinner?
-- Happy woodworking! http://www.blakeweber.us
bfd
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502 posts in 1978 days
#10 posted 1874 days ago
Hi Thuan,
Gotta tell you that is a great idea for a clamp rack! Man you think outside the box. Your innovated ideas and sensibility on how to re-purpose things and use them in a new way is amazing! I love your bench and the thought that went into it. The fact that you spent $60 and did it in an afternoon is just incredible. To call you resourceful would be an understatement. Your passion for the craft definitely shows. I can’t wait to see more on this blog from you.
-- Brian, Folsom, CA http://www.brianfullerdesigns.com
SteveKorz
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2119 posts in 1885 days
#11 posted 1874 days ago
Thuan, I really like the clamp slots. I’m going to have to incoroprate that into something I build, like an assembly cart. Very good job! Thanks for the post!
—Steve
-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †
Ad Marketing Guy - Bill
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314 posts in 1969 days
#12 posted 1874 days ago
I fully agree with what everyone has said, this is such a simple design but unbelievabaly useful- what a FANtastic design. The clamp design and saw slot are very unique.
Thuan, did you use dowels to joint the 4×4 legs and front support? Also how did you attach the bottom layer of MDF to the front support and wall cleat?
GREAT Project – nice contribution!
-- Bill - - Ad-Marketing Guy, Ramsey NJ
Ad Marketing Guy - Bill
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314 posts in 1969 days
#13 posted 1874 days ago
PS to the Entire Group – Thuan’s blog is truly amazing a clinic in fine craftsmanship!
It is definitely worth a visit to read his blog and look at his style.
KUDOS Thuan!
-- Bill - - Ad-Marketing Guy, Ramsey NJ
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