| Project by Dave | posted 324 days ago | 1278 views | 1 time favorited | 11 comments |  |
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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.
11 comments so far
sry
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137 posts in 501 days
posted 324 days ago
Looks good so far
Making this exact bench base was what taught me once and for all that I’m not capable of drilling perpendicular holes without help. There’s an extra set of legs sitting in my garage that can attest to that fact.
When I built the top, I just used the MDF as they used in the plans, and put poplar around the edge. So far it seems to be holding up quite well.
-- Steve -- University Heights, Ohio
Scott
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2 posts in 326 days
posted 323 days ago
Thanks for the post – I am planning on building this as well but worried that drilling straight would cause a problem. Looks like I was right! What sort of drill guide did you use?
-- Scott, Chicago
Dave
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15 posts in 332 days
posted 323 days ago
Drilling straight is not my friend :)... That was my biggest issue. I too have a spare set of legs…. I was going to use the mdf but the local homecenter’s mdf selection was pretty thin and what they had wasn’t in the best condition.
I ended up getting a General Drill Guide from Home Depot. It does the trick and is pretty cheap and will save you lots of time and aggravation.
sry
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137 posts in 501 days
posted 323 days ago
I ended up simply making a “drill template” out of some scrap that was a piece of 1×4 with some guide blocks on each side (kind of an I in cross-section). I drilled holes in my guide for both the “side rod” and “bottom rod” locations. In the end, I was able to reduce my overall error and at least ensured that the holes start and end in the right place.
I thought about one of the drill guides Dave suggested, but decided against it for some reason. I can’t really remember why right now, which probably means it wasn’t a particularly good reason to begin with :o)
-- Steve -- University Heights, Ohio
ellen35
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532 posts in 326 days
posted 323 days ago
Nice job. I too made one. It only took about 18 minutes in the podcast…a lot longer in reality!!
I think the idea of banding the table is a good one as the MDF is “dusty”. I got the holes straight by using the level on the top of my drill but I like the idea of a drill guide for other fussier projects.
-- Ellen on Cape Cod
Dave
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15 posts in 332 days
posted 322 days ago
What did you all use for finishes?
McLeanVA
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147 posts in 328 days
posted 312 days ago
Great looking bench Dave. I made a poor-man’s version of a very similar bench. Doubled 2×4’s for legs and no threaded rods. I was able to find a giant solid core door that was being tossed by a demo team gutting an office building. made for an extremely heavy, but ridiculously solid table surface. Yours looks so much nicer. Nice work.
-- Measure, cut, curse, repeat.
PurpLev
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2745 posts in 542 days
posted 312 days ago
looking good!
-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.
Dave
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15 posts in 332 days
posted 311 days ago
Thanks all – It’s almost complete I just put the top on and the vise. I will post a few more pictures once it’s complete.
Rocko69
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1 post in 312 days
posted 311 days ago
It looks nice . clean and solid. It is gonna last for many yrs.
Mitchin
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1 post in 172 days
posted 172 days ago
I’m building one too.. Have to build the top for it. I have the MDF cut already.
Your picture reminds me of what is sitting in my garage.
Hope yours turns out good.