Thread: Making a workbench

Hi guys. Looking at making a workbench for tinkering this winter. Was thinking two benches, 2400x600 wide. Legs frame work, shelves will be made of 90x45 sg8 lvl as I can get it through work but am stuck for a top. I want it to be heavy, hard and last a life time. Thinking 200x100 or 200x75 macro, machine and laminate with threaded rod through bolts to post tension the top. Any thoughts? Will post progress photos here.

Sounds like a solid idea.

I got a reject kitchen top for mine from my brothers factory, works pretty good. But if something needs a real beating, I'll do that on the concrete.

Keep the progress updates, be interested in what you end up doing.

Kj

Sounds over the top to me, but still a worthy project all the same. Meet @kimjon half way and do a concrete top?

Go to Bunnings they have a good selection of 30mm thick x 900 x (I cant remember how long) for between 100-120 bucks

I just bit the bullet and got one of these: https://www.tradetested.co.nz/workbe...44-x-76cm.html
Seriously heavy top on it, and the steel framing is sturdier than I expected. Also some adjustment on the height was nice.
When I priced up the materials to make a bench there was nothing in it, and this way I did not need to put aside a weekend to do the build.

If it's 600 deep you can get some of that hardwood ply 12mm they sell at M10 Mega or Bunnings and cut it lengthwise then double it up

Long square drive screws through to the frame and a couple of tubes worth of glue to stick it together and she ain't going nowhere - next thing is bolt it to the wall studs

If doing serious grinding and metalwork maybe consider a sheet of galv tin glued to the top? Plumbing supply shops like Zip plumbing here in Welly can supply it fairly cheap for plumbers who make their own flashings

Please keep us posted with pics, we're a buncha gear sluts here from what I can tell..

I built mine out of wood, not a single nail in it, it's all mortise and tenon for the legs, did a full length well in the middle so I can keep my tools and shavings/dust somewhere, all laminated 2x4 that I then planed flat, was a fun thing to do, it's also got a big vice bolted to it, skirts with dados for the legs, all done with hand tools. Am wanting to put some dogs in next.
All the scars on it now were from hard work, but if I get the time I may plane them out at some stage.
Wood has a quality to it that metal will never have.

Consider storage options too. I made this out of old filing cabinets... I love it!



Kj

Thanks for all the input guys. Still in planning phase but really getting my design nutted out. What vice should I get? Thinking a record 5 but maybe a multi axis one????

I got one that can swivel but don't personally use it to turn that much

one thing I have mounted on my bench that I use a lot is a grinder with a rough wheel on one end and a wire wheel on the other - I use the wire wheel to clean things up all the time

That looks awesome @kimjon. Is it just welded together and some wheels screwed on?


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Originally Posted by sambnz

That looks awesome @kimjon. Is it just welded together and some wheels screwed on?


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Pretty much. I did a thread on here a while back on how I made it.

What about a pallet

Originally Posted by FatLabrador

What about a pallet

You can get some free pallets that are hardwood and could probably end up fairly solid but really, what is your time worth?

Oh good, a thread like the old conversations with my dad about whether steel or timber was better.

I made one with a steel frame and ply on top. Steel top is too noisy when I'm hammering the crap out of something that needs the crap hammered out of it, though it would be good for welding.