This is my mobile workbench i made last year. Most of the materials came from scrap lumber from machine crates. It didn’t cost an arm and a leg, just a little portion of my finger. Actually, 25% of my right thumb.
I made the bench to my height. This means there is no bending over to work off of it. THis is the advantage of making your own, versus buying one. it is over 45 inches tall and wieghs in at over 450lbs. THis project taught me an aweful lot about fine woodworking compared to slap-it-together work. All of the 2 inch wide boards used on the sides and back are 3/8 thick and joined together with 3/16 dowels, 6 per piece. The doors are my first shot at frame and panel, and i must say they turned out perfect. I use an Excel spreadsheet to calculate the sizes and it worked great. The top is 2.5 inch thich solid red oak, with mirror finish epoxy. The Mirror Finish helped to make the top pefectly flat so glue-ups are better. I use a mat to protect it. I can’t stand the thought of a chisel coming near it. Oh, the casters you ask? These are made by Milwaukee and came off of the mobile accetyline cylinder cart they make. My bench doubles as a serving table at our backyard gatherings. The last phot is my buddy.
The last photo is the bench in action. I cant put my router table, planer, and other things on top and it is the perfect height. I drew the bench on Autocad at work (dont tell my boss!)
Todd
16 comments so far
a1Jim
home | projects | blog
89156 posts in 1775 days
#1 posted 1340 days ago
Very nice work Todd
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
woodworm
home | projects | blog
14105 posts in 1788 days
#2 posted 1340 days ago
Great idea, great workbench, great save!
-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.
cstrang
home | projects | blog
1747 posts in 1366 days
#3 posted 1340 days ago
Nice job!
-- A hammer dangling from a wall will bang and sound like work when the wind blows the right way.
NBeener
home | projects | blog
4805 posts in 1372 days
#4 posted 1340 days ago
I love it.
How’d your thumb get munched … and … will it heal, fully?
In short (don’t need to spell out formulas for me <grin>), how’d you use Excel to calc sizes? I’m just trying to understand the process a bit better … particularly since I thought that things like Sketchup and autocad could generate those for you.
Also, you seem to be a man who appreciates horsepower. As a native Motor City boy … cheers!
-- -- Neil
ToddTurner
home | projects | blog
144 posts in 1521 days
#5 posted 1340 days ago
Well, NB, on the back is a board with a very small knot that i wanted to keep. I like knots because they add personality to wood. While ripping this particular stock, (all safeties were on my saw) a piece of the knot flew out, hit me in the face and startled me. My kneejerk reaction was to push the board downward and my thumb slipped into the blade. OUCH! I think i made up a few new cusswords, not to mention gave the guys at work something to ridicule me about! The doctor in the ER said it would grow back. I asked him was i a man or a lizard! it did not grow back but healed over. AND you notice the wife’s GT huh?! Most women in their 40’s want luxury and quiet. Not my redhead. She wanted horsepower and straight exhaust! It can be heard for 2 miles away. And the truck pushes 500hp. I will email you my excel sheet for calculating dimensions.
Scott Bryan
home | projects | blog
27253 posts in 2020 days
#6 posted 1340 days ago
Todd, that is a nice bench that would be a welcome addition to any shop. Making it mobile was a good idea, as well. I like the finish that you put on it. I have never used mirror epoxy but will certainly have to look into it.
Nice job.
-- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful- Joshua Marine
huff
home | projects | blog
2597 posts in 1483 days
#7 posted 1340 days ago
Great bench, and I like the idea of making it higher then nomal. much easier to stand at and work. Very nice.
-- John @ http://www.thehuffordfurnituregroup.com
loupitou06
home | projects | blog
96 posts in 1524 days
#8 posted 1340 days ago
Sorry to hear about your thumb but I have a question about your last picture, what exactly do you use for planing. Is that a carrier that moves with the board for flattening wide boards ?
Thanks for sharing
-- 100 fois sur le metier remettez votre ouvrage
ToddTurner
home | projects | blog
144 posts in 1521 days
#9 posted 1340 days ago
no its a dead conveyor
Beginningwoodworker
home | projects | blog
13238 posts in 1871 days
#10 posted 1340 days ago
Todd, thats a nice workbench.
-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker
ToddTurner
home | projects | blog
144 posts in 1521 days
#11 posted 1340 days ago
I do greatly appreciate the comments and notes, guys. The 4th picture is a dead roller, aluminum conveyor. As with most of the planers of this style, a little push is sometimes needed.
panther
home | projects | blog
59 posts in 1441 days
#12 posted 1340 days ago
wow very nice bench
-- you must live for something or die for nothing (rambo)
jim1953
home | projects | blog
2568 posts in 2040 days
#13 posted 1340 days ago
Great Lookin Bench
-- Jim, Kentucky
NBeener
home | projects | blog
4805 posts in 1372 days
#14 posted 1339 days ago
Todd,
a) Thanks much for the worksheet. I’ll look at it asap.
b) Good luck with the thumb. I did one of those “Sheesh” + inhale like a hissing sound things when I read that. I can imagine how easily that could happen.
c) I’ve seen a couple of those ‘stangs. Beautiful! May she be safe and ticket free with it! I’ll keep you in mind if we ever choose to re-locate our house. I imagine your truck could hall the structure quite nicely ;-)
Heal fast!
-- -- Neil
WistysWoodWorkingWonders
home | projects | blog
11516 posts in 1354 days
#15 posted 1198 days ago
nice work on your bench… wish I had some red oak to use up on shop benches.. most of mine are made from Spruce or Fir…
-- New Project = New Tool... it's just the way it is, don't fight it... :)
View all comments »
showing 1 through 15 of 16 comments
Have your say...