Where to get a workbench?

[kimbo]

Hi Guys,

Another piece of advice needed here. For the first time in my life I'm going to have a place I can make into a workshop - only as SWMBO has allowed it, of course. The house we're moving to has a great big converted garage in the garden. Over the years I've accumulated a few small tools for various 'projects' but have only ever had the kitchen table to work on.

Now I've got the chance to get a 'proper' work bench and the wife gets the kitchen table back - but where to get one from? I've seen hugely expensive ones on the net, which are way outta my price range and I have seen very cheap and very flimsy ones as well.

The question is - what would you advise to use as a good workbench and where to get it from?

As usual, thanks for all the help!

 

[Rothley Bill]

Hi have a look on the web for workbench plans, there are lots of american plans online. All made from 4x2's and plywood. Or find an old table and brace it up with plywood, then put a 3" plywood top on it for stability.

Mine is made from an old school table with a 6" thick top, four pieces of 3/4 ply glued together. bomb proof and cost 20 quid.

 

[hiho]

sorry can't help but mines knocked together from old floorboards.

 

[Mesquite]

I made mine out of 75x50mm timber for the framework with 100mm fence posts for the legs. The worktop is a piece of 25x2400x900mm MDF the builders were chucking out at work. I then bolted it to the garage wall and it's rock solid. For wall cupboards I used some old kitchen units that were again being chucked out.

All in all I think I spent about £15 to build it. Mind you the little wifey works for a builders merchant so I get my material heavily discounted

 

[John Fenna]

Mine is an old school toilet door (rescued from a skip) on recycled 4x4s, braced out and surfaced with recycled ply wood....

 

[joejoe]

try machine mart

 

[Rosco]

I'm making one at the moment from a firedoor bought off ebay. Dead flat, heavy and easy to screw into of course. All you have to do is make leg assemblies, edge it with strips of softwood/hardwood and Tung oil the surface.
Cheers John

 

[burning]

Make your own, it's got to fit into your space
If you can't get the wood, try loot for a cheap used one. Don't buy a workmate whatever you do, you need something you can bolt a decent vice to at least.

Don't know about where you live but there is 3X3 in skips round here why waste good wood like that? that's the legs sorted.

The top, well thick as a bulls ***** is preffered but anything will do as long as you don't treat it badly. I'd go for wood if poss as chipboard etc will need replacing sooner than later. I inherited the one my dad made 40 yrs ago and it's still good, all stuff he collected nothing bought maybe glue n screws HTH

 

[Big Geordie]

Do you know of any demolitions near you? Perhaps of old shops with counters? Or as I did, an old bakery. I rescued the ancient oak table which they had used for over a century to make their cakes & pies on.

I trimmed it fitted shelves underneath & installed it in the garage and then fixed the vices to it. Best ever.
Wherever or whichever method you adopt, take the time to construct or adapt it yourself. You will feel sooooo much better than if you just buy one.
Good luck with the project.
George

 

[weaver]

You could write a book on workbenches, matter of fact there are several.

Here's a list on Amazon, Christopher Schwarz is the best.

Amazon list

There there's the cheap sturdy workbench.

http://swingleydev.com/woodworking/projects.php

The plans PDF are at the bottom of the page.

 

[stevesteve]

I made a top using 2x4"s which I butt joined using No More Nails with truck straps instead of sash clamps. I think I used seven of them so it's 28" front-to-back. They were screwed to a couple of lengths of 2x4" underneath to brace them and hold the surface flat.

More 2x4" as legs and you could park a car on it!.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[IanM]

Over build it. don't stint.

 

[JohnC]

Also made mine, a framework of cls timber that was cheap in B&Q and a inch plywood screwed on top that can be replaced overtime..

 

[Kerne]

If you win the lottery - these are the ones to go for:

http://www.ulmia.de/English/Ulmia_S...ell-2-4.htm#Schreinerhobelbank%20Modell 2

 

[Dano]

Kimbo,

I suggest you make one yourself, its easy to do and much cheaper than buying one, I made mine out of 4x2’s and ¾ inch ply for the work surface and shelf, I built two benches 2feet by 4 and hinged them so that I could either have an 8x2 or swing them together to make a 4x4 bench depending on what I was working on.
Find a nice vice and bolt it to one end and I would recommend using hardboard on the work surface so you can replace it as it gets damaged over time and ½ inch steel angle on the edges to protect them, this should end up flush with the hardboard

 

[dwardo]

A good palce to get a worktop when making your own bench is kitchen retail places. They often have scratched or damaged kitchen work surfaces and will sell them off VERY cheap.

 

[SiWhite]

I'll second kitchen worktops - very strong when braced underneath. My benches are build into the wall of the workshop (I have a breezeblock wall to about 3 feet) and reinforced with 2x4s every couple of feet.

 

[woof]

I rescued 2 stainless steel tables from a restaurant kitchen refurb, topped with wood, they're superb.

 

[Sniper]

2 fence posts 6' long 4 x 4 cut in half to 3' length for legs braced top and a foot from the bottom with 2 x 2 with a top made from 3/4" MDF, it's so strong you could drive a bus over it, and of course you can fit it to the space and will take a good solid vice and pillar drill mounted with bolts.

 

[kimbo]

WOW! Thanks for the massive response guys, you've certainly given me loads to think about.
I think I'll go with the concensus of opinion here and build my own once I get into the new place. Initially I wanted one asap so I coud get on with my little projects.....but now building it is gonna be my first project!
If I'm not too ashamed the results I may even post a pic haha.
Once again, thanks.

Kim