| Project by DanTheLumberJockMan | posted 449 days ago | 3704 views | 49 times favorited | 32 comments | ![]() |
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It’s finally done. I’ve been working on this bench for months now. It took a long time because it really does perform many different functions in the shop.
It’s:
A Workbench (duh)
A downdraft table
An air filter
An outfeed table
A finishing table (due to the roll of paper on the end :)
Storage for saw blades, biscuits, etc.
It has a vise for clamping as well as dog holes and Kreg clamps (the blue things in the corners)
It provides electricity to the table saw, the router table, and anything else I care to plug in to it.
I looked at a lot of benches and took all the best ideas I saw and made one bench that does it all. It’s very heavy, but it has two wheels so you can lift up one end and roll it (slowly).
You can see in the second picture that there is a squirrel-cage fan in the bottom that sucks air through the downdraft holes. The air is filtered by the two filters you see in the middle (the sloping shelves are off in this photo). One filter catches the large stuff, the other is a more expensive filter that can clean up the air down to a couple of microns. The table actually acts like an air filter when it’s running.
It’s just made out of birch ply pocket screwed together, but the top is 1 3/4” maple and the drawer fronts are maple. The whole thing is coated with wipe-on polyurethane.
-- Dan, San Diego, CA































32 comments so far
SteveKorz
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2030 posts in 612 days
posted 449 days ago
SWWEEEEETTTT!!! What an awesome idea…. very creative. Great post!
-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †
FJPetruso
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163 posts in 608 days
posted 449 days ago
Great Idea, Beautiful Work!
-- Frank, Florissant, Missouri "The New Show-Me Woodshop"
PaBull
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292 posts in 563 days
posted 449 days ago
Very very nice, I love it. You have a lot of fun with this table! Thanks for the post.
-- http://www.twinoaksgrowers.com
ND2ELK
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6222 posts in 672 days
posted 449 days ago
Great looking unit. You did a beautiful job on it. Thanks for posting.
god Bless
tom
-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa
Topapilot
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123 posts in 738 days
posted 449 days ago
If theres a record for most dog holes, you win!
That looks like a tremendously useful piece of shop equipment.
Derek Lyons
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266 posts in 466 days
posted 449 days ago
Favorited for closer study…
-- Derek, Bremerton WA --
woodworm
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8310 posts in 488 days
posted 449 days ago
Very very nice combi workbench indeed.
A kind of workbench where you can maximize space usage.
The multiple drawers sitting at the corner of the shop is great too. Post some pics when you have time.
Thanks fro the post.
-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.
TedM
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1844 posts in 630 days
posted 448 days ago
Nice!
-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com
Greg Wurst
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716 posts in 730 days
posted 448 days ago
Nice work. That should prove to be very useful.
-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.
Woodwrecker
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496 posts in 473 days
posted 448 days ago
Great Job. That thing is REALLY nice!
I bet you get a LOT of use out of that!
-- Eric
Jarrod Zion Murphree
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348 posts in 621 days
posted 448 days ago
I really like the idea with the Kreg bench clamps. I do alot of kitchen remodels and build alot of cabinets and those would be handy.
Nice bench; well thought out.
Regards, JM
-- Jarrod, Taos, NM http://jzmurphree.wordpress.com/
Mike Robinson
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15 posts in 701 days
posted 448 days ago
What a great looking bench. I just finished a router table and next on my list was a mobil bench. I think I’ll be doing some copying. Do you have plans or did you “wing it” as you went? I think this deserves a full how-to writeup.
Cheers
Mike
TheDane
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209 posts in 561 days
posted 448 days ago
Wow … this project would answer a lot of needs in my shop.
Your design looks to be well executed, and gives me some ideas to work with. Thanks!
-- The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. -- Vincent T. Lombardi
FlWoodRat
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586 posts in 807 days
posted 448 days ago
Great looking bench. I want one too.
-- I love the smell of sawdust in the morning....
Dadoo
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1723 posts in 888 days
posted 448 days ago
Excellent! Very good project and very well thought out! You should blog this for the others so they can build their own.
-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!
Mark Shymanski
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1555 posts in 610 days
posted 448 days ago
Great concept for a bench and an excellent execution. Definitely a favourite.
-- ...it's rennovation time!!!
ChasHutch
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56 posts in 613 days
posted 448 days ago
That is really great. It looks like a lot of thought went into the design.
-- Hutch - North Dallas, Tx - Safety First
jm82435
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508 posts in 640 days
posted 448 days ago
I think we could all use one of these! Very impressive top. Thanks for sharing this with us. I second the blog suggestion.
-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...
SCOTSMAN
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2244 posts in 483 days
posted 448 days ago
I take inspiration for this as I need a nice workbench (been too long without a nice one) and I need a downdraft table never had one so thanks for the post.Alistair
-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease
Planeman
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61 posts in 475 days
posted 448 days ago
That’s slicker than deer guts on a door knob!
I was about to put a top on the bench I am working on but now I am going to consider some of your innovations.
Rufus
-- Always remember half of the people in this country are below average.
RusticElements
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166 posts in 623 days
posted 448 days ago
Can I come over and play? (I’m jealous!!!)
-- Michael R. Harvey - Brewster, NY - RusticElementArt.com - SpaceAware.org - AnConn.com
thetimberkid
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1944 posts in 601 days
posted 447 days ago
Great job!
Thanks for the post
Callum
-- For wood working podcasts with a twist check out http://thetimberkid.com/
cabinetmaster
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8663 posts in 456 days
posted 447 days ago
I third the blog. What a great idea for a workbench, air filter, finishing table, clamping table and downdraft table, all in one. Those of us with a very small workshop could really use one of these. Please consider doing a blog series on building this table. Great job. It will be one of my favorites also.
-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps
DanTheLumberJockMan
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26 posts in 508 days
posted 445 days ago
Ok, by popular demand I created my first blog here on LumberJocks. Enjoy.
Unfortunately, LumberJocks seems to crop the photos a bit on the right. You can view the full series here.
-- Dan, San Diego, CA
Bob A in NJ
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530 posts in 897 days
posted 444 days ago
As a maker of a recent multi-function bench, I love this one also. The downdraft idea is one I had not thought of. Looks like you also built the ultimate crosscut sled, please show a photo of that. I also built one of those folding miter stands. I’ll be posting that one soon. I used a similar but different design for the foldng extensions. Looks like we’re both having too much fun in the shop! Nice projects, well done.
I also like the roll of paper on the bench, I’ll have to add that feature. I’ve been using a piece of removeable 1/4 MDF for my finishing work.
-- Bob A in NJ
James Frederick
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14 posts in 618 days
posted 406 days ago
Sharp, I am designing my work bench, assy , and all around table. I may steal some of you ideas if you don’t mind.
Good looking project.
-- James F., San Antonio TX.
woodworm
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8310 posts in 488 days
posted 399 days ago
Beautiful bench with multi-functions.
Great job.
-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.
majeagle1
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431 posts in 394 days
posted 363 days ago
Wow, talk about inspiration…........... I have been trying to think of a way to incorporate a downdraft sanding area into a bench and , voila, here it is…........ A couple of questions: Where/how do you change the filters? ( maybe I am blind, couldn’t see an access location ), How did you determine the size of the holes? Does it depend on the blower? I do work with a lot of small pieces and might need to have smaller holes.
Thanks for the post, If I ever get my act together and build one, I will post it also.
-- Gene, Majestic Eagle Woodworks, http://majesticeagleww.etsy.com/, http://www.flickr.com/photos/majesticeagle/
TopamaxSurvivor
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3063 posts in 574 days
posted 294 days ago
Looks too good to use!
-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.
amat55
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31 posts in 220 days
posted 219 days ago
Nice Job!! This is something I need to work on thanks for sharing
God Bless
-- "Well done is better than well said"
bigike
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221 posts in 186 days
posted 27 days ago
nice multi surface/cleaner
-- Ike, Big Daddies Woodshop,www.icombadaniels@yahoo.com
a1Jim
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17022 posts in 475 days
posted 27 days ago
Very nice combo bench great job.
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com