workbenchs n such?

[Birdman]

Just sort of curious. What size workbenchs do you guys have n what are they made of. Solid hard wood tops or plywood or what? How high n long n deep are they. Drawers, tool holders, anything ya might want to share. The fella I bought my house off of was near 6'4" so everything he left is way to tall for me n I've been shortening everything up cause I'm only 5'6" or so. I haven't really decided on just exactly what I want, whether an all in one or several smaller benchs depending on what I'm working on, I think the several benchs is going to win out in the long run.

 

[Allan Gray]

That's a great question. I too have been curious how others out there have their shops set up.
My work bench is an 8' x 30" piece of counter top I salvaged from a job site. it's 1-1/2" solid MDF, laminated with plastic. I built the frame work /legs out of 4x4 redwood. It's solid as a rock.
I like my benches about as high as my belt when I stand up next to them...I think it's about 36" tall.
If you like to stand while you work, too low will cause you to stoop over. If you like to sit on occasion, too high isn't good either. Somewhere in the middle for me.
I don't have drawers, etc. under the bench.
My bench vise is attached with wing nuts, should I ever want to remove it.

 

[Bubba45]

My benches are 8'x 24" and waist high. The tops are two pieces of 3/4" particle board sandwiched between 3/4" plywood glued and screwed together.The benches are screwed to the wall with drywall screws. One bench has a barrle vise on one end and a 6" wilton machinest vise on the other. My other bench has and extention in the middle that protrudes out about 2' with a 5" machinest vise ,a board angles back from under the vise where its attached with screws and attached to the bottom shelf with screws as well with the bottom of board resting on floor.Its quite solid and I can work at all around the stock without moving the stock a lot.

 

[Tinker2]

I use more then one workbench. The tallest is almost to my
elbow. They are all different in composition and size.
For heavy duty work, I want a heavy bench. I like my bench
bolted to the wall and to the floor. Size of a bench would be
based on what you were going to use it for. It is easier to
keep a small bench clean. In my case if it is deep it is easier
to become cluttered.



Tinker2

 

[longshot47]

Different heights for different work.
Generally at the elbow, lower for handplaning, carving and assembly. For the top I like two layers of 3/4" subfloor covered with 1/4" tempered masonite, edge trimmed in hardwood. 3-4" overhang on three edges for clamping. I use a dense, solid stock top, with double rows of benchdogs and a tailvise for most handtool woodworking or occasional routing. A rotating carvers/patternmakers vise mounts thru a dog hole, as does a swingarm light for low angle illumination. Open storage for stock, boxed powertools, etc. beneath; no drawers.
~Longshot

 

[mazo kid]

I still have the first bench I made over 40 years ago; it's made of 2 X 6 planks for the top, has a center opening under it with shelves on the left and 4 drawers on the right. I acquired 3 kitchen base cabinets and used a solid core door for the top; it's placed at right angles to the other bench in an "L" fashion. They match in height very closely. If I could see the tops I would measure them, LOL. Emery

 

[BrownBear]

A friend solved the different height for different jobs really simply. He made up some duck boards for the floor. Drop one in place when you want a lower bench, pull it out of the way when you want a taller bench.

I've got a 3'x 20' bench, but it's usually so covered with "projects" that it might as well be 3x4, considering the space I usually have left to work.

 

[Bountyhunter]

My benches are 30" which--for me--are comfortable to work at, and if I want to sit, I have a chair which makes it comfortable for me to do so.

On thing I did different that I really like, is that I had some flooring left over from a job and used some of it for my bench tops. Weyerhauser T&G plywood flooring, 1-1/4" thick. It is water proof, and much denser than regular plywood. I think it has a lot more epoxy in it, but as such, it bolts down to my steel frame, it doesnt squish under the bolt heads. I have a 1/4" sacrificial MDF sheet over it that stays slick and can be turned over for clean or replaced real cheap.

 

[Birdman]

:hmm: Bountyhunter, I like the idea of the sacrificial top. Light enough to flip over for different jobs n cheap to replace when it gets all buggered up. Keep the ideas coming guys this is interesting, thanks YMHS Birdman :thumbsup:

 

[George F.]

I've gone through the series of adjusting Workbenches myself. First I had the kitchen Table( I live alone). Next was an improvement up to a knock down in a box for around $160, mounted a large Harbor Freight metal working vise and I was happy. Then went to the Granger work station/bench cabinets with maple tops which are a standard 36" Well as I entered my 50's Hunched over a work bench started bothering my back, had a difficult time working with the vise at that hight, So this past spring I made an auxillary work bench/tool organizer mounted on 4x4's cantilevered over the edge of the existing Granger workbench so I could place a stool and be more comfortable. This seemed better, gave me all the gouges and files and misc. Tools organized and at close reach. This has helped. I don't think I'm ever gonna be satisfied though.....Geo.

 

[Rancocas]

My workshop is my 24'x40' pole barn. I built my workbench along one of the long walls, but not the full length of the barn. It is 24' long, 30" wide, and 3' high which puts it just a little over my waist height. I made the frame out of 2"x4"'s and covered that with plywood, just 1/4" stuff on the sides, but 3/4" on the top.
I mounted my vice at one end of the workbench, and my reloading press at the other. In between them I have a benchtop drill press and a grinder, plus plenty of open work space.
Under the workbench there are only two drawers, but a whole series of storage cabinets.
Ocassionally I'll build a wooden canoe, or sea kayak. I made a framework of 2"x4"'s that is 2'x6'x30"high, and set on castors so that I can roll it around. This frame supports the "strongback" which is the stiff beam to which the boat molds are attached, and the canoe or kayak built on them.
Even with a 16' to 18' canoe on this rig, I can roll it around the barn to get it out of the way when I'm working on other projects.
I like my setup, for my purposes. The only regret I have is that I wish I had built a larger barn.