| Project by DanTheLumberJockMan | posted 88 days ago | 1336 views | 24 times favorited | 28 comments | ![]() |
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
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28 comments so far
SteveKorz
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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)
FJPetruso
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95 posts in 247 days
posted 88 days ago
Great Idea, Beautiful Work!
-- Frank, Florissant, Missouri
PaBull
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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
ND2ELK
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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
Topapilot
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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.
Derek Lyons
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73 posts in 105 days
posted 88 days ago
Favorited for closer study…
-- Derek, Bremerton WA --
woodworm
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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
TedM
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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
Greg Wurst
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431 posts in 370 days
posted 88 days ago
Nice work. That should prove to be very useful.
Woodwrecker
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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!
Jarrod Zion Murphree
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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
Mike Robinson
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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
TheDane
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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
FlWoodRat
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308 posts in 446 days
posted 88 days ago
Great looking bench. I want one too.
-- Smile. Life can be FUN!
Dadoo
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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!
Mark Shymanski
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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
ChasHutch
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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
jm82435
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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
SCOTSMAN
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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
Planeman
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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.
RusticElements
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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
thetimberkid
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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/
cabinetmaster
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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
DanTheLumberJockMan
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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
Bob A in NJ
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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
James Frederick
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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.
woodworm
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1145 posts in 128 days
posted 39 days ago
Beautiful bench with multi-functions.
Great job.
-- Regards, Woodworm
majeagle1
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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