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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.

Gallery

Comments

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1,910 Posts
Oooooh my, is that nice! And, unlike mine, you can still see the top.
 

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396 Posts
Very nice….......I'm green with envy !
 

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That is a really nice bench. Lots of work space, and it's made like it belongs in a fine kitchen. Nice work.
 

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112 Posts
Beautiful and solid. Archeologists will probably dig these up in a thousand years and wonder what manner of man was this.
 

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2,185 Posts
Very nice. I also have been eyeing that IKEA beech top. Hard to pass it up.
 

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1,832 Posts
That's a really nice setup. Nice find on the Ikea benches.
 

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2,489 Posts
My kind of benches. That is some floor for a wood shop. Well done.
 

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6,840 Posts
Wow! Niiiiice!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess they ARE rock-solid. They must weigh as much as a Sherman tank.
 

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3,873 Posts
Great looking benchs! Too pretty to use… almost.
 

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1,466 Posts
Great arrangement, and TONS of working space. I love it. Load them up with crap on top and then they will be real workbenches.

Very nice, and it seems like you did it economically. Very good.
 

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1,410 Posts
Really really nice!!!! Could you post more pictures so we can see below the long side of it?
 

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97 Posts
And why isn't that in MY SHOP? hmmmm?

Really nice!!!!
 

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Wow what a really nice job. I am going to build my own workbench here in a few weeks and I am going to think about the height now. I am 6'5" so i think it will be nice to bring it up a bit. Really nice project!!!!
 

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137 Posts
I know what I what for christmas . . . a bench just like that . . . only a little taller, I'm 6'2" :)
Excellent work!!!
 

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1,057 Posts
Looks like a great set-up! Nice work!
 

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Oops posted the same comment again - let me change it to a Q

What will your strategy be to plane long boards?
 

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1,342 Posts
Great looking benches. Nice job. I would like some benches like that, but taller.
 

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207 Posts
Love the benches and the hieght, I'm 5' 6" with my boots on. I make my benches and tables lower.
 

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1,100 Posts
I, too, made mine the appropriate height for someone 5'6".

I've a friend whose shop is built for his height 6'2" and I have to climb up on his stools and cannot work on his bench. But it is fine for him.

Your sure will be sturdy for your hand planing.
 
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