Workbench Build

lowpolyjoe · September 14, 2015, 05:14:58 PM

A few times recently I tried to do some work with my hand tool collection. My DIY vise mounted on the side of my garage cabinet countertop is less than ideal and I was immediately frustrated with every task I attempted.

I had been considering building a workbench for a long time and this weekend I made the commitment by buying a bunch of lumber from Home Depot.

I've heard several sources comment that pine or fir are sufficient for a bench and a few others that claim that such a bench won't last. For my budget and design, Home Depot dimensional lumber fit the bill and I lugged it all home on Sunday afternoon in my little SUV. I believe it's doug-fir.

I'm starting this thread as a motivator for me to make progress on this build since my ambition can sometimes disappear mid-project :D

I like the Roubo style benches with the legs flush against the side of the bench. I have a rough design in my head and a few doodles in a notebook. A few months back I bought what I believe is an old leg vise from a flea market which i'll mount on one side. I'm still uncertain what to do about a tail vise. I'd like a twin-screw vise that stretches the width of the end of the bench, but I don't think I've seen that done so I'm not sure if there are any issues with that idea. Not to mention the fact that some nice twin screw hardware costs a fortune. I don't like the hole in the benchtop that a wagon vise creates. Options still open since it'll be a while before I'm ready for it.

Right now I have the lumber stacked in my garage. I've heard/read that the dimensional stuff from HD is very wet. I'm using mostly 2x6s, which I read are often the wettest (quick turnover?). I don't have a moisture meter and don't think I'll want to add that to my workbench budget. I'll probably just let them sit in the garage for the next week or so until I have time to start work.

Hilltop366 · September 14, 2015, 05:49:48 PM

Warped · September 14, 2015, 05:59:30 PM

My bench is 20 years old-pine, 3/4 plywood top. Held up great and I beat the snot out of it....burn it, smash it, drill into it and it is preserved with plenty of oil. Rebuilt every ram on my tlb on it, and in the vise bolted to it, among a bazillion other projects. I could rip the vise out if I really wanted to push it.
Which brings me to my question, what is a vise with a leg/tail? Believe that's what I have bolted to it. Has a leaf spring on it with stem going to the floor about 2.5 feet long. My pop got it at a flea market and said it was for blacksmithing and was to be mounted in concrete?
Anyways, make sure you put plenty of outlets along your bench.....trust me....or be lazy like me and throw a power strip on there ;D
Oh, I've never ever had a problem with wet 2x6's from The Home Chepot.....quite the opposite actually.

Ljohnsaw · September 14, 2015, 06:08:46 PM

Quite a stack of lumber there for a work bench. How long and deep? Are you doing the 2x6 on edge to make a butcher block type top?

sawguy21 · September 14, 2015, 06:35:01 PM

D-fir will make an excellent bench, it should be kiln dried coming from H-D. I built mine using 4x4 posts and spruce 2x4 held together with lag screws. Carriage bolts would probably be better but I didn't have any and too lazy to go to the hardware store. The top is cut down from a 4' x 8' platform that had been used to raise a truck camper above the cab, it is plenty heavy.

The power bar on the front is very useful. I put a kick panel (which needs to be fixed) under the shelf . Anything I drop will roll underneath and disappear forever into a great void. ;D

WDH · September 14, 2015, 09:02:59 PM

Kiln dried, yes, but to only 19%.

Put a box fan blowing on the sticker stack.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · September 14, 2015, 09:31:28 PM

Quote from: WDH on September 14, 2015, 09:02:59 PM

Put a box fan blowing on the sticker stack.

:D......with a POWER BOX.

Larry · September 14, 2015, 10:13:38 PM

4 X 4's work best for legs, but if you brace the 2 X 6's good they will work.

The first workbench I built nearly 50 years ago used 2 X 6 legs. I moved soon after getting it built. Drug it across the garage floor and one leg caught on the rough floor and a big piece split out of the leg. Had that bench painted nice and I was proud of it until that stupid trick.

Every since than when I built a bench I attached feet to the legs that presented flat grain to the floor. Made it easier to drag and no more splitting out a leg. Glue it on and use a couple of 1/2" dowels to hold in place.

Warped · September 14, 2015, 10:26:04 PM

Quote from: WDH on September 14, 2015, 09:02:59 PM
Kiln dried, yes, but to only 19%.

Put a box fan blowing on the sticker stack.

Huh, never knew that. I know the p.t. is gosh darn wet, you'd think they were trying to sell it by the pound!

lowpolyjoe · September 14, 2015, 10:46:15 PM

Warped - glad to hear your pine bench has held up. The leg vise I'm talking about is the type that goes on a woodworking bench - I'm not sure if it's related to the type you're talking about. It runs up one of the legs of the table with the leg being the inside jaw and generally has one screw near the top and then a board at the bottom that sticks into the bench leg and has adjustment pins to prevent racking. I've also seen some sort of scissor hinge used in place of the lower board, but that might be a newer invention. I just snapped a few pics of what I've got:

WHD - thanks for the tip about the fan. I had heard it in a video somewhere so I set one up as soon as I finished stacking the boards

. I'm not sure how long I will let them sit, but I suppose every little bit helps. And i'll second Warped's comment about the pressure treated lumber. I bought some 4x4s last year and they were practically dripping. don't know if that's part of the treatment.

Sawguy21 - bench looks good. I completely forgot about shelf. I'll have to work that into my build somehow. The powerstrip attached to the bench might be a good idea too. I have 2 industrial type powerstrips I got dumpster diving a long time ago. One is currently unused but maybe i'll find a home for it on the new bench 8)

Larry - thanks for the warning about the leg break-out. I remember hearing/reading someone else recommend making risers for a garage bench because the end grain of straight legs would wick up moisture. Both very good points. I had not planned on making risers but i'll have to think more about it now.

sawguy21 · September 14, 2015, 10:55:48 PM

I never thought about the legs wicking up moisture, mine are pressure treated so should be alright.

lowpolyjoe · September 14, 2015, 10:57:46 PM

A little more info about the plan. I bought (20) 2x6s and (6) 2x10s, all 8' long.

I was planning on an 8' bench, but after doing some measuring, it's just not practical for the space I have. I'm thinking i'll probably end up with a 6' bench.

After removing the roundovers from the 2x6s, I think they'll end up near 1.5 x 5 or slightly less? I plan to glue them edge-wise and make a butcherblock type benchtop.

My plan is to laminate (3) layers of 2x10s to make the legs. This should give stout support and a nice beefy surface for the leg vise to clamp against.

This reminds me of a question I had for you guys - why is there such an aggressive roundover on dimensional lumber? Removing it wastes so much wood. Why is there any roundover? Just barely breaking the sharp edges seems like it would be fine.

Also, Paul Sellers commented that the UK has larger 2x4s than the US - I forget the exact dimensions he quoted, but they're a bit fatter/wider. Anyone know why? Are we wasting wood over here when cutting down from rough sawn to dimensional?

Warped · September 14, 2015, 11:06:08 PM

Quote from: sawguy21 on September 14, 2015, 10:55:48 PM
I never thought about the legs wicking up moisture, mine are pressure treated so should be alright.

Me either. I heat my pool with a hydrostove in the garage and when it drains/ leaks it floods under my bench...
Also I have no rear legs, just screwed a 2x4 ledger across the studs to carry the plywood. Also thought about formica but figured it'd be too slippery.

Warped · September 14, 2015, 11:10:23 PM

Holy smokes, just what are you working on? Aircraft carriers? :D

Jemclimber · September 16, 2015, 08:08:31 AM

Quote from: lowpolyjoe on September 14, 2015, 10:57:46 PM
This reminds me of a question I had for you guys - why is there such an aggressive roundover on dimensional lumber? Removing it wastes so much wood. Why is there any roundover? Just barely breaking the sharp edges seems like it would be fine.

One reason is it has to do with combustion. The rounded edge is slower/more difficult to catch fire. There may be other reasons as well.

lowpolyjoe · September 16, 2015, 02:30:36 PM

Thanks for the insight Jemclimber.

My first thought was to maybe reduce the sharpness of corners to limit fraying of wire or anything else that might contact the edges.... but I couldn't think of a case where wires or anything else of consequence should be rubbing the corners.

Maybe i'll put a little communications tower on my bench and make it into an aircraft carrier :D

LaneC · September 17, 2015, 10:30:46 PM

They have a good book called "Work bench design book" By Chris Schwarz. The benches in it are mainly for traditional woodworking, but you could use it for whatever you wanted. The Roubo type is presented in the book in good detail. They seem to be the Cadillac of wood working benches. There are a lot of tips in the book that may be helpful. You may get some good designs while that lumber is drying out. The book is available from Amazon. Hope this helps.

OffGrid973 · September 17, 2015, 11:15:38 PM

Keep in mind the tools that may need to be on a shelf between top and bottom. Having two shelves is nice but once you buy planers, sanders, chop saws, etc you quickly run out of space.

That much time stickering cheapo lumber you have the itch. No worries, built two full sheet bches from cheapo with 2x6 and 4x4, just make sure the base is sturdy if you wanting use the vice properly and avoid shaking.

Good luck and send pics

lowpolyjoe · September 18, 2015, 08:38:17 AM

Thanks for the book reference Lane - I have watched many workbench videos on YouTube in the past couple years and several people have referenced that book. I just ordered it :-)

Chris - I'm definitely looking to make a heavy bench with a Sturdy base to avoid shaking when I work on it. I'll probably try to design one low shelf on the bottom. Don't think I'll try to fit two. I was just thinking it might be nice to permanently store my antique hand tool box below the bench. I would probably have to remove the lid hinge and make the top come off completely but it might work. Have some measuring to do. Have to make the most of my tiny garage shop space

Ljohnsaw · September 18, 2015, 11:59:11 AM

Make your shelf about 13" or so off the floor, then you can slide plastic milk crates under it. They can hold a lot, slide easily and are pretty indestructible! If you get them with all the same color, that will even look better ;)

49er · September 18, 2015, 08:44:50 PM

lowpolyjoe, I have utilized concrete in several things I have made when I wanted stability. I have considered it for a future workbench. Each base below is filled with concrete.

Machinist vise is on concrete.

sawguy21 · September 18, 2015, 10:31:26 PM

That shop is too clean and well organized. Do you actually use it? ;D

49er · September 19, 2015, 11:20:44 AM

Sawguy,Right now it's not so clean. I have an automatic transmission all apart on the bench. However, it will probably be there for a couple of months. The wife broke her leg and now I am a nurse.
We had planned to be in Murry Ky. for a GTG. and then leave for Utah but here I sit.

lowpolyjoe · September 24, 2015, 08:00:54 AM

49er - I'm real jealous of your shop. I'm confined to half of a 2 car garage.

Concrete sounds good for stability. I expect my bench will weigh enough to be stable, but I'll keep that trick in mind, thanks

I got the Schwartz book a few days ago. Nice hardcover book with great pics. Couple of great tips on how to change the bench height and add casters without ending up with a bench that won't stay put.

Been too busy to do any work in the shop but I'm hoping this weekend I'll make some progress

lowpolyjoe · September 24, 2015, 09:52:42 PM

Had some unexpected free time this afternoon so I started ripping down my 2x6's. I took 1/4" off each side to get them square at 5" wide.

I had a hard time holding the boards tight against the fence to get a consistent cut for all 8'. The wooden clamp at the infeed side helped a lot to keep things in line. It looks like my board is feeding into the blade and away from the fence, but it's the fence that's crooked :-[. I always have problems with this fence. I tried to square it several times but the far end just kept wandering. Luckily it wasn't pinching the cut. The cuts seemed relatively straight even with the fence problems. Really need a new tablesaw. Don't think it's worth throwing a good fence on this one.