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Not really my FIRST workbench as I was using a couple of stanley foldable sawhorses/workbenches for several years prior, but this is the first one I built myself.

The top I got at a construction salvage warehouse. they referred to it as a "piece of wood" and sold it to me for $25. at first when I saw it I thought it was a laminated piece of maple, which was very exciting - but once I picked it up in one hand, I figured it's most likely NOT maple. it's some sort of light softwood. it was 24"x72" and made as a table top for arts and crafts table - not really for woodworking poundings… but it works just as well for that as well - just gets nicked a bit more easily then other materials.

I cut off 12" of it's length, and ended up with 24"x60" top. the extra 12" strip I cut into 4" wide parts which I used for the vise faces.

originally I had the top mounted on a 2×4 that was mounted on the wall in our old place, which served as a foldable-get-out-of-the-way workbench, I was never able to really test it's capabilities much as we moved from there shortly after I installed it.

I then read about building workbenches, and saw the video at finewoodworking.com where they showed how to build a basic sturdy bench - I used their general design, but instead of the MDF top they suggested - I used the one I already had, and sized all the parts accordingly. I also did not use their method of connecting all the parts using threaded rods, but instead, I decided to practice and made all the joinery glued Mortise and Tenon. sure, it will not disassemble for moving around -but this thing is damn sturdy I hand planed and chiseled M&T and dovetails on it , and it did not move an inch (I did have a couple of drawer cabinets in it though which added ~70lbs to it).

the legs are 4×4 douglas fir from Homedepot, and the rails and stretchers are pine/whitewood 2×4 scraps that I picked up from a construction remodeling site, as they threw these away with some other 2×10s

in the 2nd picture you can see I routed a slot in the top rails/stretchers. the top has fasteners that fit into those slots to keep the entire table together when moving it about, and when exerting force on the top while working.

I am now within reach of finishing my next workbench, and noticed I never posted this one, and thought this might be useful for someone that wants to build a workbench quickly, cost effectively, and one that is sturdy and can take the stress. this one certainly has, and can.

Thanks for reading,
Peace.

Gallery

Comments

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Looks good ,I like the cantilever design for better clearance
 

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Heh, want to see Scary?

Bench #1:


Bench #2 was just a plain old table. Grey plastic topped fiberboard conference table type. It was intended to hold computers, so it did have a metal reinforcement strip so it was at least flat.

Bench #3:


And of course, today, my current beauty:
 

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Well I like it.
That's a good sturdy vice and plenty of room for a project.
You left a bit of lip on the top to get the odd clmp on a board or project.
You will be glad of that too.

Bob
 

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Looks great to me too.
 

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Lev

it looks cool mate and it serves the cause

Andy
 

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Thanks everyone - indeed this is a terrific workbench, however it is now being retired from woodworking, and has been reassigned as my wife's gardening/other workbench. the first gardening workstation with a full set of dogholes, and vise to hold an entire tree! (she doesn't like the vise… so it's gonna be taken off though)

Jon - this is a cool progression display :)
 

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Sharon-how did that bench fare with hand planing. Did it wobble?
 

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Naomi, the bench fared fantastic for hand planing - did not wobble one bit, and was stand fast. I think the addition of weight in the form of 2 drawer cabinets and the tools in them underneath the bench (on the shelf) helped. I used a planing stop for hand planing.

in retrospect, and knowing what I know today - I would have drilled the benchdog holes lengthwise with an end vise and not in relation to the front vise.

I built my current bench because I had the opportunity to do so, and as a learning experience. not because I 'needed' a better bench.
 

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Thank you for posting. Nice work! I am going to build a bench something like this. Were the "fasteners to the top" something you added? If so, can you describe them? At this point, I'm not sure of the best way to attach the top to the supporting structure (recessed bolts come to to mind).

Bill
 

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Bill, I used fasteners like this one:


you can see the groves in the second picture where the fasteners slide in, and are screwed to the top.
 

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realy nice woodworking bench! I whant to make another bigger on simmilar to this.
 

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Thanks. it is a goo bench design, nice simple, and effective.
 

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Hey, i really like your bench. The vise and deadman are great.
 

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two words: flat top

Some cool benches here. But some people post what are really work tables. You have to have a flat surface for woodworking. Any of the overlapping 2X4 with a sheet of MDF etc will sag and warp.
 

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I found your bowling alley bench interesting, I like C. Schwartz for inspiration as well. Now I see your "first bench"; you were smarter than me for first-time around, see Jon's "scary #1" above…no M&T, all plywood/2×4/Sheetrock screws.
Looking good from recent and distant past, strong stable benches.
 
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