Workbench

[GrahamHggins]

Hi - I may be setting up a temporary shop and would need to knock up a work table and stands for equipment - chop saws etc.

Why do metal workers make the table base from metal?
Could the table frame not be made of wood and a sheet of 6mm taken off and on?


I'd be doing a mix of wood and steel.

 

[123hotchef]

why not

 

[monkeh]

Before i built my metal welding bench i used a wooden one with a steel sheet on top and sometimes it would start to smolder under the sheet, it used to flex a bit as well if you were to aggressive with the job.

 

[MoreWellie]

My dad made me a wooden bench a few years ago and I really like it, yes it has a few burn marks where I haven't bothered to put a sheet on top of it when tacking things up but it doesn't affect the usefulness of the bench

The only time I think it would be better having more weight is when I have something big in the vice and am trying to straighten/bend it and the bench insists on following me around the room but that is as much the design where the legs could be further out to the corners but it would be rude to change it

In my opinion wood bench tops are quieter to work on and there is less chance of damaging things you move around on them

 

[123hotchef]

I have both but the metal one gets used mainly for welding the work can be clamped to the bench and tacked up without messing about moving the return clamp every minute and it will not burn like the wooden one has

 

[GrahamHggins]

Yes, i guess clamping down would be an issue alright.
And i can see the weight being an advantage as well.

But for temporary set up, it may work. Thanks for feedback all.

 

[keithski122]

My workbench is made from dexion with a chipboard top, doesn't matter if its not strong as its so full of crap that I tend to work on the floor.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

as its so full of crap that I tend to work on the floor.

Well, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing the legs are strong enough.

 

[c-k]

Iv just done one out of pallet racking with 30mm board, need to get sheet of metal to finish the top

 

[Screwdriver]

Apologies if I have cut and paste this before but it has stood the test of time.


Plans for this type of bench are available freely all over the web, though this design needs little more than three different lengths of 4x2 and a top to match. It is dead strong and dead easy to make, this one took me about 2-3 hours.
Start out with your odds and ends of 4x2 (100x50mm)
If they've been propping up a tree in the garden, bring them in to dry out.
I got most of these out of various skips...

My bench is going to be 1800mm long so I cut the following:
Four off 900mm legs
Four off 1700 front rail
Four off 800 side rail
Planed roughly to dress.

Front rails and legs are positioned on a flat surface and set squared.
Drill and screw one screw in each corner, check the frame is square by matching the diagonals, then drill and screw three more times per joint. I used 3" screws, I didn't bother with glue.

Once both front and rear parts are made up, square up, drill and screw the two side rails.
Do this on both pieces, two side rails each.

Assemble the frame upside down, clamp, square, drill, screw.

Cut out two sheets for the top and bottom surface.
Mine are 1800x800 1/2 inch marine ply.
Again I got the marine ply free from a local building site (no, I asked if I could help myself to a pile they were obviously clearing away)
Make cut outs for the bottom board.

Jobs a good 'un.

This is a very substantial bench. You could happily park a bike on top of it.
I will be covering the work surface either with stainless steel sheet or possibly aluminium. A sheet of stainless (with a couple of bends) is £100 whereas a sheet of 2mm alloy is nearer £50. Not quite decided yet. I think aluminium might be a bit soft for a general purpose bench.
Screwd.

 

[Screwdriver]

It's been edited a few times over the years.

It's a nice basic sturdy bench which can be tailored to suit any purpose. The wood vise at the side gets a lot of use for example.
S.

 

[GrahamHggins]

We just did something simple...

 

[Jim Davey]

Hate seeing freestanding cylinders.

Apart from that, nice workspace.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

We just did something simple...

That's FAR too 'uncluttered'.......

 

[123hotchef]

My workbench is made from dexion with a chipboard top, doesn't matter if its not strong as its so full of crap that I tend to work on the floor.

I thought that was just me

 

[GrahamHggins]

Behind the windows is actually a timber merchants - so bit of a step into the unknown!

Maybe combining metal legs and slabs of 2" cherry would work well.


But we'll see how it goes.

 

[armalites]

Surely everyone knows benches are not for working on they are for storing things when the shelves are full of the boxes that the things were once stored in?