LumberJocks

Multi-purpose workbench

Project by DanTheLumberJockMan posted 88 days ago 1336 views 24 times favorited 28 comments Add to Favorites
Multi-purpose workbench Multi-purpose workbench Multi-purpose workbench Click the pictures to enlarge them

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


28 comments so far

View SteveKorz's profile

SteveKorz

1419 posts in 251 days


posted 88 days ago

SWWEEEEETTTT!!! What an awesome idea…. very creative. Great post!

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

View FJPetruso's profile

FJPetruso

95 posts in 247 days


posted 88 days ago

Great Idea, Beautiful Work!

-- Frank, Florissant, Missouri

View PaBull's profile

PaBull

244 posts in 202 days


posted 88 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

View ND2ELK's profile

ND2ELK

2558 posts in 311 days


posted 88 days ago

Great looking unit. You did a beautiful job on it. Thanks for posting.

god Bless
tom

-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa

View Topapilot's profile

Topapilot

56 posts in 378 days


posted 88 days ago

If theres a record for most dog holes, you win!

That looks like a tremendously useful piece of shop equipment.

View Derek Lyons's profile

Derek Lyons

73 posts in 105 days


posted 88 days ago

Favorited for closer study…

-- Derek, Bremerton WA --

View woodworm's profile

woodworm

1145 posts in 128 days


posted 88 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.

-- Regards, Woodworm

View TedM's profile

TedM

1411 posts in 270 days


posted 88 days ago

Nice!

-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com

View Greg Wurst's profile

Greg Wurst

431 posts in 370 days


posted 88 days ago

Nice work. That should prove to be very useful.

View Woodwrecker's profile

Woodwrecker

48 posts in 113 days


posted 88 days ago

Great Job. That thing is REALLY nice!
I bet you get a LOT of use out of that!

View Jarrod Zion Murphree's profile

Jarrod Zion Murphree

230 posts in 261 days


posted 88 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, Eagle Nest, NM http://anthologyfinefurniture.wordpress.com

View Mike Robinson's profile

Mike Robinson

15 posts in 341 days


posted 88 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

View TheDane's profile

TheDane

29 posts in 200 days


posted 88 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 Dane, Wisconsin

View FlWoodRat's profile

FlWoodRat

308 posts in 446 days


posted 88 days ago

Great looking bench. I want one too.

-- Smile. Life can be FUN!

View Dadoo's profile

Dadoo

1557 posts in 528 days


posted 88 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!

View Mark Shymanski's profile

Mark Shymanski

715 posts in 250 days


posted 88 days ago

Great concept for a bench and an excellent execution. Definitely a favourite.

-- ....next big purchase is wood for the next project, Mark

View ChasHutch's profile

ChasHutch

49 posts in 252 days


posted 88 days ago

That is really great. It looks like a lot of thought went into the design.

-- Hutch - North Dallas, Tx - Safety First

View jm82435's profile

jm82435

237 posts in 279 days


posted 88 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... - Keats

View SCOTSMAN's profile

SCOTSMAN

539 posts in 122 days


posted 87 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

View Planeman's profile

Planeman

38 posts in 115 days


posted 87 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.

View RusticElements's profile

RusticElements

141 posts in 263 days


posted 87 days ago

Can I come over and play? (I’m jealous!!!)

-- Michael R. Harvey - Brewster, NY - RusticElementArt.com - SpaceAware.org - AnConn.com

View thetimberkid's profile (online now)

thetimberkid

1684 posts in 241 days


posted 86 days ago

Great job!

Thanks for the post

Callum

-- Look great, get your TTK merchandise now! http://www.printfection.com/thetimberkid/ Check out my site http://thetimberkid.blogspot.com/

View cabinetmaster's profile

cabinetmaster

121 posts in 95 days


posted 86 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.

-- A man can never have enough tools

View DanTheLumberJockMan's profile

DanTheLumberJockMan

26 posts in 147 days


posted 85 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

View Bob A in NJ's profile

Bob A in NJ

335 posts in 536 days


posted 83 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

View James Frederick's profile

James Frederick

6 posts in 258 days


posted 46 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.

View woodworm's profile

woodworm

1145 posts in 128 days


posted 39 days ago

Beautiful bench with multi-functions.
Great job.

-- Regards, Woodworm

View majeagle1's profile

majeagle1

29 posts in 34 days


posted 2 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

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