Advise On Building A Work Bench

[Tupers]

Now that I've got my big fancy roll cabinet I'd quite like to make myself a big heavy duty work bench. I'm planning on using it for metal shaping, general mechanical work and welding but want something that'll really stand up to some heavy abuse.

I'm planing on using 4x4" tube for the legs and 2x4" tube for the frame and braces under the work top. What wall thickness would you guys recommend? I was thinking 4MM would be good.

I'd like to use 1" thick cold rolled for the top but haven't got any quotes yet so I may end up going with 1/2" depending on the price. I'm thinking 5x3.5' would make a decent size top and give me some scope for jigging stuff like subframes and suspension arms up on it.

What do you guys think? I know it wont be cheap but I'd like something I can really abuse with having to worry about it flexing or moving around on me.

 

[shenion]

I have a 3/16" (just under 5mm) top on my bench. No bracing at all, front and rear bent down for stiffness.

It is surprisingly strong. A bit of flex in the middle If I pound on it but was made in 1/2 hour: Can be seen here. Legs are wobbly but I counted on bolting it to the concrete wall.

I think you could make it all out of 2x3 square tube and be plenty strong. a 4mm top would be plenty strong enough.

Note: I got the sheet pre-bent. 40" deep, 60: wide. I plan on cutting the front bent edge off and welding it back on reversed so I'll have a lip to clamp onto.

The guy I gout the top made several benches using 2x2", 3/16" thick square tube. Beat the hell out of them and no problems.

 

[knoba]

I agree with shenion on the suitability of using "2x2", 3/16" thick square tube".

The search doesn't appear to parse albums, so here's mine.

 

[Drains]

At work I have a 75mm box framed, 1" topped bench, 1m x 2m and a 50x4mm box framed, 10mm topped bench, 3 ft x 10 ft.

The heavy one can only be moved with a pallet truck or forklift (the "light" one's a bit of a struggle too ).

Both are good benches, but 1" plate for the top is overkill, as is cold rolled. The 10mm job is solid as, and ample. It's not going anywhere, and it's not about to fall apart or bend, no matter how much abuse it gets.

If you want something thick and heavy for hitting things on, get an anvil. If you're really concerned about the bench warping when you're pulling down frames and weldments, fix the bench to the floor. But honestly, you have to go some to pull things like this around.

 

[Welderpaul]

4mm might be a bit thin. 6mm ish sounds about right. Ours are 20mm thick, on 100*100*10 SHS legs. Maybe overkill, but we have some fairly heavy stuff on it. Its had 2.5t on it and never shifted.

 

[Wedg1e]

My main bench is made from a slab of 5mm-ish chequerplate mounted pattern-down on a frame made from that Z-section rail that holds up industrial shelving.

 

[Tupers]

Thanks for the replys guys. It might seem a bit extreme seen as I only work on Minis but in my mind over building something an not having to worry about it breaking seems better than down grading and worry about what might break!

We've got a couple 5MM topped benches at work already and if you run your hand over them you can feel dents from past abuse hence my wanting to go for something thicker.

@WelderPaul, When you say 6MM instead of 4MM I take it you're talking about wall thickness for the tubing?

 

[Hitch]

Unless you are going for heavy fabrication, I'd go for about 8mm-10mm top, with a simple 60x60x 4 mm box frame.

Not much point having legs bigger than the main supports.



1" cold rolled, probably a struggle to find that, i doubt it even exists.

 

[s410man]

weve got a 6mm top on a bench at work and due to leaving a lip around the edge to clamp to it has pulled down on the edges fropm being hit

the other bech is 19mm and hasnt bent a bit

the 6mm one will be replaced soon with 19mm as well

it might be a bit of overkill but if you want to leave a wide lip to clamp onto on the edge i think its about right

i have heard of 40mm benches but if you use 4 inch clamps youve havent got much movement

 

[shenion]

You can use steel angle around the edge to reinforce the edge and still give something to clamp to. That way you can use a thinner top.

 

[Welderpaul]

@WelderPaul, When you say 6MM instead of 4MM I take it you're talking about wall thickness for the tubing?

No, thickness of the top - 6mm plate

 

[astro_al]

IMHO for tables used for hobby-ish activities, even heavy ones, you're better off putting more cash into the frame that supports the top than into the top itself. Yes it is possible to bend 6 or 8mm steel, but much harder when well supported all over - plenty of ribs underneath.

I have 3", 1/2" and 1/4" topped tables and the 1/4" has had the most abuse and survived it well. People obsess over thick tops unnecessarily, I think. Design it intelligently and save some money.

Al.