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Work Bench Ideas?

chand

New Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2017
Messages
1
Location
lahore, punjab
If you have a workshop, you must be knowing the importance of a portable workbench,it also used to perform multiple tasks,If you need to operate power tools, you should be stationed closer to a power socket. Make sure that the legs of the portable workbench are perfectly located on the surface before you start to work.If you expect to use power tools on your workbench you will have to look for a bench that has features like inbuilt power sockets. You should have a good idea about the amount you are going to spend on a workbench.
 

WaterDoc

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2010
Messages
126
Location
Toronto
Occupation
Complete water system disinfection services
I like to use doubled up 3/4" plywood for the top of a bench. I use 4x4's for the legs. 2x6's for a frame under the top. I have put well over 1,000lbs on this setup with out an issue.

If you use a wood top for your bench the best piece of advice I can give you is to paint it white. It's very easy to find small clips and springs that fly off on a white bench.

As far as pegboard is concerned I love the stuff, but I only use the 1/8" pegboard which is getting hard to find. Most places sell the 1/4" stuff that the pegs don't stay in.
 

old-iron-habit

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
4,233
Location
Moose Lake, MN
Occupation
Retired Cons't. Supt./Hospitals
If you have a workshop, you must be knowing the importance of a portable workbench,it also used to perform multiple tasks,If you need to operate power tools, you should be stationed closer to a power socket. Make sure that the legs of the portable workbench are perfectly located on the surface before you start to work.If you expect to use power tools on your workbench you will have to look for a bench that has features like inbuilt power sockets. You should have a good idea about the amount you are going to spend on a workbench.

I fully agree that a portable work bench should be electrified. Build in outlets on or above the backsplash and have a power cord permanently wired in on the bench end. Have a hook to hold it rolled up. Just plug it in to a available outlet when you get it rolled to the spot you want to use it. You will have power in the same spot every time and close by.
 

still learn'n

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2012
Messages
455
Location
Kansas
Here is our workbench. It is sloped to the front and then there is a drip tray around the front and right side that drains in bucket
 

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Steve Frazier

Founder
Staff member
Joined
Oct 30, 2003
Messages
6,599
Location
LaGrangeville, N.Y.
Workbench A.jpg Workbench B.jpg Well I changed directions on this project, ended up making it all steel. I built a bench 8 feet by 2 feet and used 3 x 3 x 3/16 square tubing for the legs. Top crossmembers are 2 x 4 x 1/8 and lower crossmembers are 2 x 2 x 1/8. I put a 3/8 steel plate on top. The thing is rock solid!!

I plan to build another bench to hold a benchtop drill press and bench grinder, I think wood will be good enough for that.
 

thepumpguysc

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
Messages
7,445
Location
Sunny South Carolina
Occupation
Master Inj.Pump rebuilder
NICE.. Steve..
For those that drop things all the time, might I suggest..
Going to the dollar store or the wifes kitchen cupboard & snagging a cookie sheet..
Remove your vise & sandwich the cs between the vise & the table..
MAKE SURE it doesn't interfere w/ the handle..
& bolt everything back down..
Saw a "butter finger" mechanic do that once..
Beats crawling around on the floor.. AND it catches drippings..
 

Tinkerer

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
9,342
Location
The shore of the illinois river USA
Nice bench Steve !
You probably know this, but if you mount a vice with the inside jaw close to the edge of a workbench you will be able to clamp things in it in a vertical position down past the bench top. I have found it to be quite handy to rest long pieces on the floor when using my vices.
Another thing I have is a vice mounted in the middle of my bench and another on the RH end. It is real handy to cradle and clamp a pipe in a level position.
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,127
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
Home shop/garage is separate from house, has electric and heat but no running water.

Bench in home shop, where I for the most part just work on small engines and motorcycles and such, is made out of 2X6's ripped in half and then stood on edge. Glued together with three 3/8 inch allthread rods clamping the stack. Kind of a butcher block look to it. Finished off with clear polyurethane I had left over from some old project.

Off to the left end is a 24X24 plastic wash tub:

tub.png
And mounted up near ceiling is a plastic 55 gallon drum. I have a plastic pipe that goes down inside the drum and up over the top then down to a valve just above the wash tub. A couple time a year I hook up the garden hose to the valve by the tub and fill the 55 gallon drum. When barrel is full shut off the valve and remove garden hose. When I need some water to wash up turn valve on and water is drawn out of barrel by siphon action. I went this route to avoid concerns of putting a hole in drum and having a leak.

Drain from tub is also very high tech! Five gallon bucket on a set of casters, when it get full, hopefully be for it over flows, roll it out and dump out in the yard! Guess I better check as I don't think it has been dumped lately!
 

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,127
Location
Central New York, USA
Occupation
Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
khansen ;
That is really a neat set-up. No pipes to freeze is a bonus !
Well, maybe a short easy to fix one.
Plus no pump or wiring, just run the hose over once in awhile to "recharge the system. Have considered running the drain out through the side of the garage to eliminate the five gallon drain pail. If I do would put a trap in the line to prevent a cold draft coming up the drain in winter.

One other thing I have thought about for a few years is installing some kind of solar panel on the back side of the garage to see if it would help save of propane for the heat. Would be happy if I could keep temps up to about 45-50 degrees most of the time.
 

Randy88

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
2,149
Location
iowa
Nice work bench Steve, we added steel drawers to our workbench, simple to build, we just had a steel shop bend up the drawer, then welded in the front and back, welded a short angle iron to the front for a pull, then used angle irons welded to the bench to use as drawer slides, done this same thing for my service truck. Below the drawers we added steel sheets to have a shelf to lay larger things on as well, we move them around the shop with a skid steer and pallet fork when we need to, otherwise they are set near a wall.

The last smaller more portable work benches we made out of angle iron, then bolted the steel top on, in case later we decided the make them longer, that way we change out the top and use the old top for plate steel on whatever project comes along, it also makes it nice to just flip the top over and have a new smooth side to work with again, mainly the table we use for welding, then once its cut or splattered up too much, we just unbolt the top and put a new sheet back on. I've used 1/4 inch for most tops.

The absolute ideal workbench I've ever seen was about 30 years ago now, the Railroad had a plate welded up and cut square out of railroad rails turned upside down, welded side by side, it was 10-12 foot square and set up on wooden ties cribbed up. The railroad was done with it and gave it to the farmer who's land they were using to park stuff on when they were working in the area, they even delivered it to him, set it up on a slab of cement he had behind his house, then he built a shed next to it, then put a lean over the plate and made himself a shop in the lean. The last I saw it was 20 years ago, when he farm was sold, have no idea if its still there or whatever happened to it, but thought I'd mention it as an oddity more than a practical workbench, as they say, you can go overkill on a workbench.
 

Metalman 55

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
1,301
Location
Ontario
Here is a used welding bench that I bought from a guy who was going out of business, that I happened to get wind of. It has bottom casters which can be overridded with thread down pads to keep it stationary when required. Top is 1-1/2 plate with slots cut in it for clamping down & the vise can be moved from side to side on slides that can be tighened up once slid to where you want it. Finally, the legs adjust for height with pins that can go in whatever hole is selected. Kind of a nice find I thought!
 

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Graham1

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
300
Location
Hampshire, UK
Here is a used welding bench that I bought from a guy who was going out of business, that I happened to get wind of. It has bottom casters which can be overridded with thread down pads to keep it stationary when required. Top is 1-1/2 plate with slots cut in it for clamping down & the vise can be moved from side to side on slides that can be tighened up once slid to where you want it. Finally, the legs adjust for height with pins that can go in whatever hole is selected. Kind of a nice find I thought!
That is a nice bench. I could do with one like it. Currently I have problems with my bench moving when I get really physical with stuff in the vice which tends to annoy me.
Graham
 
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