# My new (used) workbench for $300



## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

Found it in the local classifieds.

-Rockler vices
-select Douglas Fir 
-homemade and weighs a ton! (Well, it's heavy…)


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Looks nice and it seems not at all a bad deal.


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## nightguy (Aug 2, 2016)

Is the top as thick as the apron? I dont know your locality, but seems a bit high$, $200 in my market would be about right, no lower cabinet or drawers, but you could build a fit in modual cabinet with drawers/ shelves to insert below the top.


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

Oh, SoCal. A Sjoberg table here is a $550 for less than half the size. The vices alone are $300 retail. Yes, on the apron. Or, it has none-if I understand you.


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## jwmalone (Jun 23, 2016)

I think you got ripped off my man. But since I'm such a nice guy ill buy it from you for what you paid. That way you're not out anything


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

Awfully nice of you JW, but I think I'll keep her for the moment and cut my losses!


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## nightguy (Aug 2, 2016)

Doug Fir is a hard and dence Conifer Wood, but soft in MHO for a bench top. Makes nice legs and rails for a hard wood top. I will stand by my original post, $100 to much based on my local. 
I made mine, 30" deep, 72" wide/long, Doug Fir legs and upper and lower rails. 3/4"OSB with a 1 1/8 High Density Particle Board bench top, glued and screwed together, with a 1/4" Masonite Tempered screwed on layer.
Made a lower cabinet with drawers and shelves, all said and done, about $300, plus a CL $35 wood vice with quick release.


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## nightguy (Aug 2, 2016)

This was my model, as I said different top material, and the lower space I put in/filled it with a modular cabinet, drawers on one side shelving with slide out rails on the other side.
https://www.woodstore.net/plans/shop-plans/workbenches/1665-Traditional-Workbench.html


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

That's a beautiful bench.


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

That's a real nice looking bench. My only beef is the OSB shelf. I absolutely hate OSB and in spite of that it's what I used for the walls and ceiling in my garage. Go figure.


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

At some point I'll replace it. Yeah. Right now, I'm gonna clean it up and flatten it.


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## nightguy (Aug 2, 2016)

> At some point I ll replace it. Yeah. Right now, I m gonna clean it up and flatten it.
> 
> - Axle505


What the top or lower shelf?? if the top flatten and get Masonite Tempered Masonite board for a hard top and sacrificial, if just screwed on with counter sunk flat heads so yoou dont harm a plane blade.


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

The lower self.

Hm. Masonite….


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## nightguy (Aug 2, 2016)

> The lower self.
> 
> Hm. Masonite….
> 
> - Axle505


Well I was referring to the top, whey flatten a lower shelf?


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

Sorry, got confused.


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## nightguy (Aug 2, 2016)

> Doug Fir is a hard and dence Conifer Wood, but soft in MHO for a bench top. Makes nice legs and rails for a hard wood top. I will stand by my original post, $100 to much based on my local.
> I made mine, 30" deep, 72" wide/long, Doug Fir legs and upper and lower rails. 3/4"OSB with a 1 1/8 High Density Particle Board bench top, glued and screwed together, with a 1/4" Masonite Tempered screwed on layer.
> Made a lower cabinet with drawers and shelves, all said and done, about $300, plus a CL $35 wood vice with quick release.
> 
> ...


Forgot to say, that I bordered the top with 2" White Ash the same thickness as the finished top.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

> Found it in the local classifieds.
> 
> -Rockler vices
> -select Douglas Fir
> ...


Nice looking bench. That should last your lifetime, and possibly, someone elses. Not to shabby for $300.


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

Thanks! I hope so. I know it's not perfect-but it's my first woodworking bench. And, I still have money to eat.


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## nightguy (Aug 2, 2016)

> Found it in the local classifieds.
> 
> -Rockler vices
> -select Douglas Fir
> ...


I sure hope that long over hang on the vice side does not make it rocky when something is in the vice and doing some hand work that might be down pressure.


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

I'll keep it in mind-seems like it would take a lot of pressure though.


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## nightguy (Aug 2, 2016)

> I ll keep it in mind-seems like it would take a lot of pressure though.
> 
> - Axle505


Might be okay, I did not notice the over hang on the other side to off set the other side, I think you will be okay. Not a hater, just devils advocate!!


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

No, it looks like you have a lot of experience. Thank you. For me, it's just been a hobby for the last two years. But I'm enjoying the hell out of myself, and maybe I'll do this into semi-retirement someday.

These cell phones have wide-angle lenses. It looks longer than it really is, I think.


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## nightguy (Aug 2, 2016)

> No, it looks like you have a lot of experience. Thank you. For me, it s just been a hobby for the last two years. But I m enjoying the hell out of myself, and maybe I ll do this into semi-retirement someday.
> 
> These cell phones have wide-angle lenses. It looks longer than it really is, I think.
> 
> - Axle505


Enjoy, it is a life long hobby if you dont get bored or run out of projects. I made all my furniture minus the recliner, and may make a Morris one, but many M&T joints, I have seen some with less but too modern looking for my taste. Cell phone? Or a camera that is a phone? Wish I had a smart one, easier then taking a camera pic, down load it into the pic app then save to desk top to recoup it to post. Smart phone, take pick, send it to my email then just post.


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## ksSlim (Jun 27, 2010)

Nice find! Some folks are just [email protected]?


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

Good pick up and well worth what you paid, especially when you consider the time to buy vs build.

As far as the Doug Fir top goes, there are different philosophies about workbench top material. Some like a very hard surface that wears well, others prefer a softer wood so that if you drop a workpiece, the softer workbench gets dinged instead of the piece you are working on. Paul Sellers has a couple blog series on how to build a bench out of SPF construction lumber and there are many of us on Lumberjocks that have and use softwood benches. Go use it to make some sawdust.


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## gargey (Apr 11, 2016)

> Doug Fir is a hard and dence Conifer Wood, but soft in MHO for a bench top. Makes nice legs and rails for a hard wood top. I will stand by my original post, $100 to much based on my local.
> I made mine, 30" deep, 72" wide/long, Doug Fir legs and upper and lower rails. 3/4"OSB with a 1 1/8 High Density Particle Board bench top, glued and screwed together, with a 1/4" Masonite Tempered screwed on layer.
> Made a lower cabinet with drawers and shelves, all said and done, about $300, plus a CL $35 wood vice with quick release.
> 
> - nightguy


What a dick.


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## Crickett (May 7, 2014)

I second Gargey's notion…. not cool.
I say good find and happy woodworking. If I could say my two cents: nobodies first workbench is ever someone's last workbench. EVER. Use the hell out of it; enjoy it, see what you like and dislike; make notes of what you'd what in your next bench. At first glance, it may appear a little light if you're a hand tool guy it could walk a little bit during some tasks, but hey, that's what you need to determine. Good find brother, and make some awesome projects!


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

Time to flatten things…


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## nightguy (Aug 2, 2016)

> Doug Fir is a hard and dence Conifer Wood, but soft in MHO for a bench top. Makes nice legs and rails for a hard wood top. I will stand by my original post, $100 to much based on my local.
> I made mine, 30" deep, 72" wide/long, Doug Fir legs and upper and lower rails. 3/4"OSB with a 1 1/8 High Density Particle Board bench top, glued and screwed together, with a 1/4" Masonite Tempered screwed on layer.
> Made a lower cabinet with drawers and shelves, all said and done, about $300, plus a CL $35 wood vice with quick release.
> 
> ...


I guess you know the value in my neck of the woods on CL. At least I was not calling him a dick for paying $300 for it. Just what it cost me to make mine with a lower cabinet, with 4 drawers and 2 slide out shelves, and $70 ish of that part was in drawer guides. I hope you are having a better night tonight!!!


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## derekcohen (Jul 15, 2007)

> Found it in the local classifieds.
> 
> -Rockler vices
> -select Douglas Fir
> ...


I think that is a good buy for the money - should last a whole lot longer than a bench laminated from MDF and hardboard 

There is nothing wrong with softwood for a bench. It is kinder to work pieces.

For hand planing you may need to add some mass. If so, that could take the form of a set of drawers (with tools) that you build in at some stage.

Regards from Perth

Derek


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## nightguy (Aug 2, 2016)

> Found it in the local classifieds.
> 
> -Rockler vices
> -select Douglas Fir
> ...


Thats what I did in that lower area, built a carcase that slipped in there with 4 drawers on one side and slide out shelves on the other, for handy tools and things.


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## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

Where I live you dont buy much for $300.
I think you got a very good deal.
Maybe some can buy material cheaper…..add labor to it and ! 
You will get a lot of use from the bench…...enjoy


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

Thank you! I appreciate it!


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## splatman (Jul 27, 2014)

If it turns out to be too light, put a cabinet in the bottom and load it with tools. Or load the shelf with bricks (which may also be used for weight-clamping).


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

Great buy, love the look of it too. Masonite for drawer bottoms, not for bench tops; it's durable but not great for work holding. +10 for a lower cabinet. I did the same (blog series here on LJs) and haven't looked back.


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## PaulHWood (Mar 26, 2012)

Great buy, figure there is $300 worth of materials in there and you received free build labor.

Definitely place a small chest below, but remember to keep some room for the holdfasts. I held mine a few inches lower, but in retrospect would have held it even lower as I still place items on top of the chest of drawers and hit those items with my holdfasts.

I also think the wood choice for your top is common. You would rather dent your bench than your project. If the original guy used thinned BLO for the finish, then you can refinish once a year or so.

Good Luck


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

Thanks for the encouragement and advice guys!

So, planing and orbital sanding later, I found the need to knock off the edges to eliminate a gradual cup in the table. I used a level to detect where I needed to do this by sliding a piece of paper under it and marking where the paper stopped.

The idea is to keep repeating things until I can't slide paper easily under the level. Still working on it…


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## nightguy (Aug 2, 2016)

Nice pics, nice to see the man behind the $300 bench!!!!!!


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

$300 bucks worth of fun! (Seems like everything, new or used, needs modifying anyway.) I thought about using the sled-jig-router method for flattening, which looks very cool, but I think I'd spend more time on preparing the system than just using planes and elbow grease instead. Also, I've got an Army locker that's gonna work well on that bottom shelf.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

That bench is already a lot flatter than mine. Nice attention to detail.


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

Thanks! Great quote-LOL!


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

> -homemade and weighs a ton! (Well, it s heavy…)
> - Axle505


Hmmm..after looking at your picture, I have this tidbit to offer concerning the space under the bench. My workbench is fashioned out of 2×4's and other stuff. I also had an area under the bench that didn't do anything but collect things I dropped on the floor and couldn't find.

One day I had an idea. I collected the various pieces of material I had laying around and built a roll out drawer that fits under the bench. I have it loaded with clamps. Believe me, it works great!

Here is the link.
http://lumberjocks.com/MT_Stringer/blog/37503

Mike


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## KelleyCrafts (May 17, 2016)

That's flatter than mine too I think that's fair for the money. The vices are worth it and from what I have gathered from your other posts hand tool wood working is relatively new to you so buying this was also probably helpful, good plane practice too. Keep that blade sharp.


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## Axle505 (Feb 11, 2016)

Thanks-it's nice to finally have one. Was waiting for a classifieds ad to come through.

So, here it is-done. I used a poly covering on the legs and bottom shelf, and Formby's Tong Oil on the top. Now I got to clean up the garage!


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