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Work Bench Ideas?

Steve Frazier

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I've rented an airplane hangar to use as a shop and am setting things up. I need to build a workbench and am not sure on which way to go. The back side will be against a wall and most likely bolted to it. One end will have a good sized vise. I've seen where I can get manufactured legs but I'm not sure what would make the best top. I'm planning for it to be 8 to 10 feet wide, I have pegboard for behind it and could build shelving for frequently used tools and such. I'll be doing car and truck repairs mostly with some fabrication and want a solid bench that I can hammer on without fear. I'm wondering if a combination of wood and steel or all steel would work best?
 

td25c

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indiana
Sounds like our local airport Steve . As long as the hanger has an aircraft in it they don't mind what else is stored or what ya do with it .

I'd say you are on the right track with a wood bench mounted to the wall & laminate the top with 1/8 inch sheet steel .

Something else to consider is a heavy floor mount vice if the hanger owner would allow it . https://www.pinterest.com/pin/545005992393125725/

Really like the ability to be able to walk around the vice on repairs & when welding / fabricating . My portable work table gets used more often then the work bench as I can slide it up right beside the project easy .
https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/outriger-repack.11843/#post-148752

Anvil mounted on top of 3 brake drums works good for heavy hitting on stubborn projects . It's semi mobile ... At 400 pounds can slide it around on the concrete floor if need be . We haven't turned it over yet .:D

I reckon a feller could also mount a heavy vice like we did the anvil .

http://www.heavytruckforums.com/showthread.php?363-Ccc&p=3830&viewfull=1#post3830
 

crane operator

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sw missouri
I have both wood and steel benches in my shop, probably use the wood one most, but that's probably because its a little taller than the steel one. Steel for welding, wood one for everything else.

I wouldn't use pegboard on the wall, its just not stout enough, the pegs always pull out. I'd stick a sheet of 3/4 plywood up there and drive nails or screws where you want to hang things up. That's what I have and it works great.
 

Steve Frazier

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LaGrangeville, N.Y.
Thanks for the tips!

Do you think 1/8" plate is heavy enough? I remember seeing a bench somewhere that I thought had 1/8" and was dimpled from hammering. I'm also wondering about how to make the top under it, a couple ideas hit me. I could stand 2x4 or 2x6 on edge and run a few threaded rods through them to clamp them together like a butcher block or another option would be 2 or three layers of 3/4 inch plywood with heavy framing underneath. I want the thing solid!

An anvil is on my list of tools but damn they're not cheap!! A good sized one can cost $1000 or more and I'd imagine the shipping would be pretty high too!
 

wosama931b

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The more benches the better , I think you should add a smaller one on wheels, easy to use and move around. I had a friend who has one that is so heavy it took a forklift to move. have fun.
 

td25c

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indiana
Do you think 1/8" plate is heavy enough? I remember seeing a bench somewhere that I thought had 1/8" and was dimpled from hammering. I'm also wondering about how to make the top under it, a couple ideas hit me. I could stand 2x4 or 2x6 on edge and run a few threaded rods through them to clamp them together like a butcher block or another option would be 2 or three layers of 3/4 inch plywood with heavy framing underneath. I want the thing solid!

Just depends how rough your going to get with it . Could go 1/4 " with it if your a wild blacksmith :)

I like the idea of the 2x4's on edge . Could even use 4x6 posts .

Customer came in Friday evening with a PTO shaft for u joint replacement . Had to get a little wild on it as caps were pretty tight . It was all done off the floor mount vice & anvil .

Railroad rail makes a pretty good anvil as well .
https://www.spaco.org/Blacksmithing/Anvils/RailAnvils.htm
 

repowerguy

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Mar 18, 2015
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United States southern Ohio
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mixer truck mechanic
My workbench I use is a free standing unit I made with 2x4 rectangular tubing legs and 2x3 tubing top frame with gusseting and a 1/2" steel top with a 8" vice on the right corner. I have used, misused and abused it and it won't quit.
 

Steve Frazier

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My workbench I use is a free standing unit I made with 2x4 rectangular tubing legs and 2x3 tubing top frame with gusseting and a 1/2" steel top with a 8" vice on the right corner. I have used, misused and abused it and it won't quit.

What thickness is the tubing? Any feet on the legs?
 

repowerguy

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Mar 18, 2015
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The tubing was some kind of packing crate I cut up and reused, I seem to remember it was about 3/16" wall or so, not very thick really. I put no feet on it so the tube walls could sort of bite into the floor, it's not a slick floor, float and fresno it looks to be. I'll take a few pics tomorrow and post them.
 

f311fr1

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May 11, 2016
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Middle TN
Schedule 80 pipe or square tube for legs. Stringers mid height around the legs. Square tube is easier to run the stringers. A shelf fitted to the stringers is a great place to store short pieces of metal stock you just do not want to throw away. Plates on the bottom of the legs. 1/4 or 3/8 inch steel for a top 30 inches out from the wall. Make the height to accomodate your most comfortable working height. Mount the vice to a brake drum off of a semi truck. Fairly mobile but won't move around much. plus you have 360 degree access. There is a good video on you tube. Be sure to have a scrap metal bin you can move when full.
 

check

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in the mail
I wouldn't use pegboard on the wall, its just not stout enough, the pegs always pull out. I'd stick a sheet of 3/4 plywood up there and drive nails or screws where you want to hang things up.
Pegboards were a stupid idea promoted by Popular Mechanics and other junk magazines, probably to sell pegs. I had one once, every time I grabbed an item off the pegboard, the peg flew across the shop. I agree with 3/4" plywood. I used ten penny casing nails at a slight angle. The small nail head made it easy to slide the tools off. Pegboard has no use whatsoever, as far as I'm concerned.
 

Ct Farmer

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Dec 8, 2016
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Connecticut
I agree with " the more benches the better" idea. There never seems to be enough space to work. I always have several things going and don't like to move one project to do another. Plus space makes for easier work. So we have lots of benches. Most have at least one vise on it.

The main bench in the shop is 3x10 with 3/4 steel top covered in fomica. Tons of light above and cabinets on back, a few shelves and mag strips for driver bits, punches etc., vise each end. We don't hammer hard on it. It is strong and flat. Holds most anything. Great for assembly, rebuild work, most anything.

Welding/fab bench came from an auction 2-1/2" steel top with 5" square tube legs. One vise, shelves and racks underneath for clamps etc. A few fab jigs live on top.

Machine shop has wood benches with replaceable Masonite tops. Wood shop has mostly butcher block benches.

A few thoughts. Have more light than you think you need. The bigger the vise the better. Fab/welding benches should be accessible from all sides for ease of work. If you can there are never enough electrical outlets. Compressed air should be available at the bench. Keep as much off the benches as you can - store things away from it.

I'll try to get a few pictures on Monday.
 

Coaldust

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3x10 is a great size and makes for a versatile bench. This one IMG_0489.JPG IMG_1731.JPG IMG_0489.JPG is my favorite. 1/4" top. Just heavy enough for most projects.
 

Bumpsteer

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My main bench is 84" x 34" x 3/4 thick AR plate steel.
Legs 2" square tube.
Went with the thick top plate (salvage) so I could safely use my mag drill on it. The top is 2 pieces with spacers welded in so you can clamp work down through the slots.
It doesn't move around.

This was a "honeydoo" project..lol, needed straight holes for casters.

Ed
20170907_213026.jpg
 

AusDave

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Nov 2, 2008
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Australia
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Self employed
I purchased a steel freestanding workbench from a metal fabricator. It is approx 12ft x 4ft and the top is 3/4" solid steel with beefy legs to match. Probably weighs a couple of tons
It's fantastic for hammering anything on or clamping steel to a flat surface for welding or machining. Having a bench which is so solid is a delight to work on and I found a massive vise second hand to go with it. Being freestanding is good as it doesn't rattle the building like a bench attached to a wall and of course you can work on all sides. I can also use my magnetic drill on it anywhere which has been very useful.

AusDave
 

DMiller

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I don't think you had enough drill!!:confused:

Weld shop at work used 4x4 3/16" wall for legs, 1'2" for top so could weld to them for constructing whatever then grind the tack welds off to remove, average welding table 4x6' some 4'x4' 40-42" off floor. Legs had a 3/4" nut welded on a cap plate and a bolt run in after finished to level. Had conventional benches, 40" height, commercial legs and lower shelf 1/8" skin top, also a couple laminated 2x4 on edge tops on two others all at 8' long, 30" deep
 

Jakebreak

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Dec 5, 2016
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Bakersfield Ca
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operator/pipelayer/mechanic
We made one out of 3'x5' trench plate we had sitting around its 1" thick we used 6" 1/4 wall pipe for legs it makes a good bench to beat on if I get a chance I will take a picture of it this week
 

willie59

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Dec 21, 2008
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Knoxville TN
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I'm like others, in a mechanic/fabricator shop I like a thick steel top, 1/2 to 3/4 range. You can beat it, bang it, wail on it, weld on it, or set a heavy component on it and it says, mehh. Additionally, in my shop with several machines (could also be vehicles/trucks) scattered about, from the mechanic standpoint, I find (and use) a necessary compliment to the work bench is a rolling work cart. I use a simple Rubbermaid cart when working on a machine. At the end of the day I simply roll the cart laden with tools into my secure tool room and lock it up, next day roll the cart back to the project machine, and promptly unload the cart as soon as the project is complete because I swear I'll have damn near half my tool boxes unloaded on that cart and can't find a damn thing because there's so much on it. Beats all I've ever seen, a simple task unloads my tool boxes on that cart. Maybe I need psych evaluation?
 

Jakebreak

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Bakersfield Ca
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IMG_1453.JPG IMG_1454.JPG Here is a picture of the work bench we built out of a trench plate I didn't get a picture of our beating table we call it
 
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