Project Information
These are my recently completed basement workshop benches.
I made them my height, that is, they're too short for normal humans (I'm 5'5"), and it is SO nice to have a bench that isn't too tall for me. I do a lot of sitting down carving work as well and it is even nicer to have a bench that is the right height. Plus, as a hand tool junkie, I can put my body into hand planing rather than just my arms.
The benches are made using a dozen frames of 2×4 squares, each one through mortise and tenon'd together, and then thru bolted. The backs of each frame is screwed into a wall stud and the base is secured to the floor with liquid nails. Thereafter I laid 3 2×6s across the tops of the frames and on top of that 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood glued together. The tops are 1" thick solid laminated beech purchased from IKEA. The edges are framed in 2×4" white oak, with a curly maple backsplash. The drawers are made from 1/2 plywood with solid cherry fronts.
These benches are ROCK solid.
I made them my height, that is, they're too short for normal humans (I'm 5'5"), and it is SO nice to have a bench that isn't too tall for me. I do a lot of sitting down carving work as well and it is even nicer to have a bench that is the right height. Plus, as a hand tool junkie, I can put my body into hand planing rather than just my arms.
The benches are made using a dozen frames of 2×4 squares, each one through mortise and tenon'd together, and then thru bolted. The backs of each frame is screwed into a wall stud and the base is secured to the floor with liquid nails. Thereafter I laid 3 2×6s across the tops of the frames and on top of that 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood glued together. The tops are 1" thick solid laminated beech purchased from IKEA. The edges are framed in 2×4" white oak, with a curly maple backsplash. The drawers are made from 1/2 plywood with solid cherry fronts.
These benches are ROCK solid.