Work benches. Show me what you got

[bull]

I'm getting ready to get myself a work bench in the garage (I've needed one forever) but I don't know what route to go. I thought about just buying one from Home Depot, Sears or Lowe's but they seem too small and short. I've seen a few custom built benches by friends made of 4x4s, 2x4s and plywood that look ok -- kind of sloppy some of them but practical. Then at work I noticed one that was factory made of metal and although originally short someone had welded what looked like 10-inch leg extensions on it with castors. I liked that one but finding an old metal bench to modify might be a trick, and I don't really want castors on mine. I'm also going to need room for a bench grinder and a vise. I believe it will end up being about 6-7 feet long and roughly 42-inches to the top of the bench with a peg board back and upper shelf where I can attach an electrical strip and light to underneath.

Anyway, what do you guys like? Wood top on metal, metal top on wood, drawers, shelves, peg board, etc., etc.? Any pictures you can provide of yours would be great.

[69bronzeT5]

Mine is a thick metal frame with wood around it. . I'll post pics in a while

[PocketThunder]

This is the only workbench i use. 

[bill440rt]

My buddy is a carpenter, & helped me build mine. This thing is virtually indestructible. It puts any store-bought one to shame.

It has 4x4 posts with 2x4 construction up top, with 2x12's doubled-up nailed to that. Half of the table top is covered with stainless steel for a nice work surface area, the other half is smooth-faced hardboard. It is also anchored to the concrete block wall on the back of my garage.
It is the same depth as a kitchen countertop. I simply got a small kitchen cabinet with drawer & large lower storage at one corner for quick handy items. It is tall enough for most things to go underneath (air compressor, battery charger, empty gas can, jack stands, welder, etc.). I have a bend grinder & vise also mounted on top.

These dinky ready-made ones or bench kits from Sears, Home Depot, etc look like garbage. 

[PocketThunder]

Here is my set up, if you can see it thru all the crap.  I used the kitchen cabinets from my old kitchen.  they work good.

[Charger_Fan]

I thought I had a full-on shot of mine...looks like I've only got one of the upper portion.
Anyhoo, mine's one of the wood flavors. It's got 4x4 legs, 2x4 horizontal boards for the frame, 1" plywood for the upper shelf & doubled up 1" plywood for the workbench tabletop, with a pegboard back. It's pretty stout & is anchored to the wall in two spots, to keep from wiggling when I clamp things to the surface.
There's no way I'd want one on casters. A small work tray maybe, but not a work bench.

I'd like to get a metal table top for mine one day.



If you can find someone selling a used solid wood door from a home remodel, those make great table tops, I've heard.

[70charginglizard]

This is the only workbench i use. 

That was awesome.

[PocketThunder]

If you can find someone selling a used solid wood door from a home remodel, those make great table tops, I've heard.

My old roommates Dad got a lane out of a bowling alley that was getting torn down.  That made for a great work bench top.  And no, he didnt use the whole length, i know that would be your next question. 

[Khyron]

not that great, but a local CVS went out of business and my friend who is a cop hooked up with the former owner and got us in to grab a bunch of stuff, we both made out very well, then some friends redid their Kitchen and I raided that also.

If you can find a drug store going out of business, I strongly recommend trying to get as much peg board and counters as you can. I have a bunch more pegboard in my rafters. You can never have too much

Also have some extra shelfs.

[Old Moparz]

If you can find someone selling a used solid wood door from a home remodel, those make great table tops, I've heard.

That's exactly what I have on both workbenches, the one in the garage & the one in the basement & they are very durable.   

I got them for free from the office building I used to work at when they remodelled part of the building. Each one is roughly 3' x 7' & 2" thick. The core is particle board & the surfaces are oak veneer. One had paint spilled on it, but the other was nice & almost ashame to make a work surface out of it. They were ready for the dumpster when I asked the building super about them. He said take them, but hurry or they'll be gone. These things were so damn heavy that when I went to pick it up from the loading dock, at first I had thought they were stuck to the floor. 

I framed up a base made from leftover 2x4's positioned vertically, & horizontal 2x6's for the lower shelf. The 2 side & back panels are 1/2" OSB sheets from Home Depot's cull lumber cart. (Scrap or damaged wood that's discounted.) Other than the pair of 8' long 2x6's I had to buy, everything was free or from the discount cart. My cost into one bench is probably under $20 & I bet the screws I used cost more than the lumber.

Anyone remember that repro 1971 Barracuda grille I posted about? Well, that crate I built & shipped to Premiere Plastics so they could send the grille back to me in, is now mounted on the wall above my bench for an overhead cabinet. I just added some firring strips inside to support a shelf. 

I'll get a picture after work tonight & add it later, but if you look in the lower left corner of the pic below you can see it.

[HITMAN 149]

This is the only workbench i use. 

fred garvin "male prostitute"!! 

[Brock Samson]

  wow you guys got room,.. what a concept!  mines on the right under the boxes about four deep...
so, anyhow,... Since my dad got ill ten years ago and i moved back in with him, i folded the band and the music studio and all that stuff plus my stuff is stuffed in the garage and around the house now,... so these two black steamer trunks (my dad's) have been my work benches for a decade now... they are kinda' convienient and near the door so with the garage open i get good natural light the stuff is where i can reach it too, i just move the stuff around as i need it..  looks like crap but i also have work surfaces scattered around the house..

[HITMAN 149]

work with what ya got!!!!!!!!

[Charger_Fan]

wow you guys got room,.. what a concept!  mines on the right under the boxes about four deep...

you need some shelves in there & maybe even a small loft.

[Old Moparz]

wow you guys got room,.. what a concept!  mines on the right under the boxes about four deep...

you need some shelves in there & maybe even a small loft.

Boxes too. 

You'd be surprised at how much better things can be stored by stacking boxes. Of course you have to label them or you're screwed. When I bought all that discount lumber at Home Depot, a lot of it was 1x3's & lots of 1/4" thick, 2 feet by 4 feet OSB sheets. These things made great storage shelves on the second floor of the garage from floor to ceiling.

[bull]

Looks like some pretty cool setups. Sounds like most of you are in favor of the custom, do-it-yourself models and i'm pretty sure that's the route I'll be going. You just can't anything premade nearly as sturdy and large for the price. I look at some of the $175 work benches at the home improvement places and it's almost as if you expect to see the word Playskool on them somewhere. I bet I can get one built for less than $50, even with regularly-priced lumber.

[Khyron]

Looks like some pretty cool setups. Sounds like most of you are in favor of the custom, do-it-yourself models and i'm pretty sure that's the route I'll be going. You just can't anything premade nearly as sturdy and large for the price. I look at some of the $175 work benches at the home improvement places and it's almost as if you expect to see the word Playskool on them somewhere. I bet I can get one built for less than $50, even with regularly-priced lumber.

Mine went in phases, Go to craigs list and look for people that are getting rid of kitchen stuff. I would say even go as far as posting an add saying that you will haul any cabinets and counters away.

Cars cost money, counter space shouldn't

[bull]

One question if I go with formica: how do you attach it to the framework without screwing it up?

[Khyron]

you can attach from the bottom.

If you get cabinets they have the provisions, if not, then just drill half was through the 2x4 from the bottom up, then put in the screw 

of you can just silicone it up

[Brock Samson]

well i built lotsa' shelves and a small 6x4' loft 'n their all loaded with boxes...   
your making me ambitious,.. what i need is to make a serious dump run...

[HITMAN 149]

well i built lotsa' shelves and a small 6x4' loft 'n their all loaded with boxes...   
your making me ambitious,.. what i need is to make a serious dump run...

brock...
or all you need to do is have one of your famous.... pull everything out & what does anybody need weekends!!! 
i remember seeing a couple things i could use!!!! hehehe

[HITMAN 149]

beat it kid.... i said it first!!!!!!!!!! 

[rav440]

not the best pics , this was 16 foot but i had to notch out 3 foot of it  for the fridge / tap system now its a 9 footer on the left and 4 foot where the pc sits . its aaprox 34" high with 4 X 4 posts , 2 X 4 16" o/c framming 3/4" plywood top covers by 3/4" MDF with purple laminate

[69bronzeT5]

beat it kid.... i said it first!!!!!!!!!! 

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

 

[NHCharger]

This is the only pic I could find of my work bench. Made it out of left over 2x4's and two pieces of 3/4" Advantech sheathing. I was going to top it with some 1/8" steel I found at work but when I went back to get the steel someone had already snagged it. It's 3' deep and 16' long, plenty of area to accumulate broken/worthless parts.

[bull]

And I see a couple DodgeCharger.com posters above it.

Is 3' a good depth for you? That's the only qualm I have about using old kitchen counter tops; they aren't usually much deeper than about 2' I believe and I'd like something deeper.

[rav440]

And I see a couple DodgeCharger.com posters above it.

Is 3' a good depth for you? That's the only qualm I have about using old kitchen counter tops; they aren't usually much deeper than about 2' I believe and I'd like something deeper.

32"- 36 " is a good depth anyless the bench is to confined , any more its a pain to reach for stuff unless your a giant or you make the to of the bench lower than 30" 

[NHCharger]

And I see a couple DodgeCharger.com posters above it.

Good eyes.

As Rav said anything less tan 32" really doesn't give you room to work on some of the larger stuff.
If you want to make your own bench with formica just use a finish grade plywood and glue the formica onto the bench with contact cement.

[bordin34]

My workbench is a sheet of plywood painted blue with foldable table legs on it.

[keepat]

I had a friend who works with stainless steel, custom bend and weld S/S to fit over 1" plywood. The counter is only 25" deep but it 14' long. Cost for S/S $325, 1' plywood $125, Good Friend to help Priceless!
Pat

[bordin34]

My workbench.

[Musicman]

Here's two of them anyway...

[A383Wing]

Well, here's my little workbench..nuthin' special, but notice the "lighting" system in the background over the cars. Made from spare lenses & housings from 66 Charger, 70 Charger, & 73 Pontiac we own. Figured they weer sitting there collecting dust, might as well put them to use. All powered by 110v lights inside when main garage lights turned on. Complete rotating headlight & grill assembly being put together now from a 66 Charger to hang up there as well.

Bryan

[472 R/T SE]

There's a bench in there somewhere.  Now you know why I need your assistance Curtis.  It wasn't like this until I got hurt.  Only thing unique about mine is I used particle board truss' for the legs that I picked up while hauling sticks.  Chunks of them come in handy while working on cars too.

[bull]

Quite the range of different benches here. Keepat's looks like an operating room, A383's garage looks llike Napa and Mike needs a 5,000 sq foot shop.

I wish I had more time to collect all my building materials on the cheap but I would like to get my grill restored pretty soon and I need a bench for that to happen. I have no real work space in my garage and I'm not going to do this on the floor. Anyone ever seen any plans/blue prints for one?

[Charger_Fan]

You should be able to get some plans from this site; http://www.workbenchmagazine.com/main/wb000-toc.html

This is the only other one I've stumbled across, sort of a little excessive, though; http://www.rd.com/familyhandyman/content/17667/

[John_Kunkel]

I would post a pic of my workbench but you wouldn't be able to see it for the clutter.

I have a simple observation, all horizontal surfaces in the shop eventually become storage.

[MOPARHOUND!]

You might watch the auctions in your local paper.  Watch for a farm auction or auto repair shop that went out of business.  Might pick-up a cheap work bench that away.

Bought mine at a rail-car repair shop that went out of business.  They used them for working on rail-car axles, trusses, and the like.  They are total overkill, rated for 1000+ and heavy, but I got them way cheap.  They have a trick center section that is removable as needed, allowing access to the bottom side of what you are working on.   

Sorry, no pic's.

[69bronzeT5]

Sorry it took so long. Heres mine

[69bronzeT5]

Last one

[Neal_J]

My cheap and sturdy work bench consists of four Home Depot particle board base cabinets bolted together (8 foot long).  Adjustible legs assure it is dead-level both directions. 

The top is two layers of 3/4" plywood (10 foot long by 24" wide), topped by 1/16" stainless steel plate.   The overhang allows for woodworking and metalworking vices at the ends and for clamping along the full length.  The stainless steel top makes it greaseproof, spillproof and possibly bulletproof. 

Peace,

Neal

[kidsixpack]

If my picture comes out?  This is the Gladiator 8' bench from Sears.  It's great since I don't have a lot of room and it's built really well.
KIDSIXPACK
www.sixpacksuperbee.homestead.com

[Musicman]

If a clean desk is a sign of a disturbed mind, then what are the implications of an "Eat Off The Floor" garage?
Are these garages or display cases 

Mike 

[lilwendal]

Hers a couple of mine. First the shop. Then the surplus US Gov table in the garage. And finally the low cost hollow core door over plastic shelves table in the house. 

[69bronzeT5]

Thats ALOT of gauges!

[472 R/T SE]

Holy cow!  I thought I had a lot of clusters.  I don't hold a candle to you. 

[bull]

I finally had time to cobble one together last night. I went to Lowe's and looked at a Waterloo work bench for $100 and figured the "huge" 18"x36" (at most) work space just wouldn't cut it. What a joke. I went to the lumber section and picked out what I figured I would need without cutting too much. I got six 2x4s, 2 4x4s, a couple of 4'x2' ready-made table tops (cheaper than a piece of plywood), a box of wood screws and a pair of shop lights and bulbs all for $80. After I finished it I decided to make a pegboard back with an overhang for the lights in the near future so I didn't mount the lights yet. I also need to buy a couple more of those table tops for a lower shelf top but for now the Christmas decoration boxes will fill that space. Plus, I'm going to make a couple of modifications before I'm officially done; the first one I make will be to move those two lower end supports to the inside of the 4x4 legs like the top ones so I have a little more storage space on the sides and so it matches. So here it is, my 43"-inch tall, 2'x8' work bench:

[chargerman68]

will be starting mine after the holidays....

[A383Wing]

Thats ALOT of gauges!

Got a few also....more on the shelves.....   

Bryan

[1BAD68]

A year after moving in I finally put together a work bench. I found this 2" thick 8' long bucher block for the top.

[THE STIG]

Hers a couple of mine. First the shop. Then the surplus US Gov table in the garage. And finally the low cost hollow core door over plastic shelves table in the house. 

What do you do with all those gauges are you in the gauge selling business?

[Tilar]

A year after moving in I finally put together a work bench. I found this 2" thick 8' long bucher block for the top.

I Like the John Deere 140.

Hers a couple of mine. First the shop. Then the surplus US Gov table in the garage. And finally the low cost hollow core door over plastic shelves table in the house. 

What do you do with all those gauges are you in the gauge selling business?

Mr. Stig, Meet the king of 2nd Generation Cluster Restoration
 http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,37999.0/topicseen.html

[billssuperbird]

 

[DC_1]

 

[SFRT]

[SFRT]

crowded and messy but a lot gets done.

[SFRT]

the upstairs are is for the more finicky 'clean' work..painting stuff etc

[NorwayCharger]

My place..

[68chargerboy]

^^^^^^ can i live there??? 

[twodko]

I got dibs on the air tool bench............plenty of living space for me.

Tom

[BlueSS454]

Here's one I built...



And some of the others I have all cluttered up.  I am thinking of using this rainy weekend to clean them allup and get a little more organized....

[Skeletoil]

your dead meat if you don't eat...

[69bronzeT5]

Since I moved and lack of garage space is an issue right now, here is my current work bench I usually use the concrete in the driveway though

[greenpigs]

I use a roll around that was a gift a few years. For small jobs it fits the bill and doesn't take up much space.

[Charger´69]

Well my garage isn´t so big and gorgeous, but I can do everything what necessary there and I kinda like it 

I´m going to buy there a carlift before summer and then there is everything I need 

Of course I would like to have much bigger garage but no can do at the moment 

I´m very sorry about that Mustang in there, I bought it while ago and fixed it to my brother who is going to buy that... I don´t do anything with it because my Charger is coming hopefully soon 

[LoneStar Mopar]

I'm getting some good ideas on how to organize my future shop with pictures of some of these work spaces. Keep the pics coming!

[jaak]

Excuse the mess,,,,Here's my workbench. A buddy give me the 4x4's I used for the legs, my father in law gave me the 2x4's, the plywood I used for the top and the pegboard, was leaned up against the wall in the shop when I bought the house. Even the large vise was given to me at a shop I used to work at. The drawer on the left side came off an old entertainment center, that I took out of my house. The only thing I bought when I put this together one evening was the bolts to bolt the vice to the bench......



I work for the State, they bought an building that use to be a medical office, for right of way. We are using this building for a project office until it comes time to tear the building down. well anyways I took this outta of one of the examination rooms and placed it between my garage doors......



Jason

[Topher]

My place..

Where did you get your cabinets with the small drawers?

[chargergirl]

Looks good everybody...you got to work with what you got. We had to rearrange the garage to get the 66 in there. Another idea for benches is desks. Colleges have BIG sales every year with overage and old desks. They are fairly high and you can put a few together...and they have storage. In the newly organizing garage we put our old top from benches side by side on supports. Will post this weekend...the place is feeling roomy!

[1970Moparmann]

After reading this thread and looking at the pictures I came to a conclusion.  Outside of a few posts, the MAJORITY of us have a crappy garage!  LOL.  I wish, I wish, I wish, one day I will have a good garage to stay......

[4cruzin]

WOW I'm totally impressed with some of the work areas you all have!  Jelious is a word that comes to mind . . .  I totally love my house but the 2 car garage is just not enough . . .  


Here is one of my work areas in my man cave . . . .