# Modular Workbench By Josh Finn in Fine Woodworking Magazine



## Klaatu9898 (Apr 22, 2018)

My workshop is just a 2 car garage that the wife and I both park in, so needless to say, free space is hard to come by.

Having said that, workbench design has to accommodate my space. I found a very intriguing design, here is a link:

https://www.finewoodworking.com/2008/12/01/forget-what-you-know-about-workbenches

It looks like not only a great workbench, but also more importantly, compatible with my space, as I can take the boxes off and stack them in the corner. I don't plan on using the homasote for the top like in the article, likely one side as melamine for glue ups and what not, and the other probably just baltic birch. I also plan on adding a track down the middle of each box (dado on one and a strip on the other) so that they "lock" together when pushed together, and a latch/hasp system to lash them together on the ends.

I'm just curious if anyone else has explored or executed this method?


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## Klaatu9898 (Apr 22, 2018)

I also plan on making the two torsion boxes 12" wide instead of 9" wide


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## lumbering_on (Jan 21, 2017)

I haven't used torsion boxes, but I've used two small work benches and saw horses before. The big issue I ran into was large glue-up, especially laminating panels. I got around this by using a rack for my pipe clamps, but you can also use a vertical rack, I just don't have the space.

Other than that, you'll find you have to do a few work around every now and then, but it's definitely doable.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

"Simple system of beams and bases does everything a traditional bench can, and more"

There is no mass present here, this is just a flat bench to use for assembly, and "light" tool work, so it doesn't do "everything"

If you got to work hand planing on that, you would be skittering all over the floor. This could be a power hand tool bench though, assembly sure, just not a true WORKbench.

I have used a torsion box on saw horses, and it won't do everything a true bench will do, but it's hard to pop a big workbench in the back of the truck to take out on a job site. I would think this would do well in that capacity for most people. Either that or a "make do" bench for folks with no room to commit to a full sized heavyweight bench. If that were the case I think they would have to rethink those saw horses, they do not appear to be of the fold up variety, and if you can afford that much floor space, just build a full sized bench, or at least a smaller version of one.

No hand tools? Sure you can make any type of a flat, clamp ready structure, to use for power hand tools, and assembly.


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