Home Made work benches

[HarrisonTX]

The home made garage tools thread got me thinking.

I'm not sure if this would belong here, or the pic/vid..
First off, I don't call myself a carpenter.
I slapped this thing together when I moved in here, because working on the floor got old quickly.
All of the 2x4's are squeezed together with about 5 pieces of all-thread running through all of them. The 2x4 that you see is simply a cover to hide the all-thread. The plan was to sand the top smooth like a butcher block, but I don't know anything about lumber, and I quickly learned white pine would just gouge instantly. I use this masonite as a simple, and easily replaceable cover to protect the wood.
Found the wrenches for $1 at the pate, they made decent handles.
Also, on the side shot, you can see that all the 2x4''s are not exactly lined up. I wasnt too concerned since I was going to sand them down. The masonite helps.

Constructive criticism is welcome, as well as posting your own handy work.
I'd like to see what some of you guys have come up with.





My buddy loaned me a crackle box. And I wanted to try my hand at a little welding. Tacked it together for my first welding project. I was going to trim the top plate to fit squarely, but there is no need. The added work space is nice. I realize the pads for the casters are probably the weak spot, but I didnt know what I was doing. It's supported a t-5, and my body weight.
The casters are from harbor fright, and suck dick. Its all 2'' angle, except for the bottom shelf, which is 1x1''.

[CJ]

questionable caster placement. It's going to bend those brackets guaranteed. Might want to relocate them to the center and cut off the rest of the bracket.

[HarrisonTX]

Well, that makes alot of sense. Like half of the caster on the outside, and half on the inside? I see it.

[Stunter Bob]

Don't really get the 294857839 2x4s stacked together for support. I would have just made a frame underneath and used a nice piece of 3/4 plywood myself.

[Lason]

Don't really get the 294857839 2x4s stacked together for support. I would have just made a frame underneath and used a nice piece of 3/4 plywood myself.

Yeah I have to agree, all the 2x4's is overkill.

I just bought this one for $129 using a coupon I got in the mail. Its short and not very deep though.

http://www.harborfreight.com/60-inch-solid-oak-workbench-93454.html

I kind of wish I would have gone with this instead so I could have built it the way I wanted.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200226224_200226224

[HarrisonTX]

Don't really get the 294857839 2x4s stacked together for support. I would have just made a frame underneath and used a nice piece of 3/4 plywood myself.

Yeah I have to agree, all the 2x4's is overkill.

I just bought this one for $129 using a coupon I got in the mail. Its short and not very deep though.

http://www.harborfreight.com/60-inch-solid-oak-workbench-93454.html

I kind of wish I would have gone with this instead so I could have built it the way I wanted.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200226224_200226224

Well, I was going for this look


I see its overkill, but it works, and is solid. And, I don't have near $130. I would say $40, tops.

Anyone else made their own stuff?

[Lason]

Yeah the butcher block thing is a good idea and I see what you were going for. Only problem is if you dont have access to a planer then you wont get a good surface. I had the same idea for the top on the bench I wanted to build.

On a positive note, all those 2x4's will make for a heavy bench and that is a great thing.

[HarrisonTX]

Yeah the butcher block thing is a good idea and I see what you were going for. Only problem is if you dont have access to a planer then you wont get a good surface. I had the same idea for the top on the bench I wanted to build.

On a positive note, all those 2x4's will make for a heavy bench and that is a great thing.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60057852

Well, there is your table top. I think that's a reasonable price. I've thought about building a third one using this, and some 1.5''x1.5'' or 2x2 steel tubing for the base, painted a deep green. Think it would look real nice.

[bitterboy]

Here's the one I made. Nothing fancy but figured the paint would hide some of the imperfections. I suck at carpentry myself.

[TENGRAM]

Don't really get the 294857839 2x4s stacked together for support. I would have just made a frame underneath and used a nice piece of 3/4 plywood myself.

I used 3/4 plywood on mine but it'd be nice to have something sturdier like his for really banging on shit.



here's mine (sorry, that's the only picture I have...):



There are actually two identical ones along that wall. I took the minimalist approach and built a simple frame with plywood top, added 4x4 legs in front and anchored the rear to the wall studs. I left a little overhang on the front to make clamping things down easier.

[CJ]

couple little wood projects.

[Up0n0ne]

If some one wants one I made one that's kinda in the way. lol

[8mpg]

Cant find the link anymore but a guy on Honda-Tech had a badass metal work bench he made to organize all his tools. It was on casters and air bags. The legs and frame held air to air up the bags a few times to lift the table up so it can be moved. Flip 2 brass valves and the thing was movable. Flip another set of valves and air out the bags and the table was on the ground and stable. I will build one if I ever have a shop to work on cars.

[juiceweezl]

I work for a company that makes metal connectors. Most of our stuff is for construction, but we have a line of DIY products. Here's a link to some brackets for shelves and stuff.

http://www.strongtie.com/ftp/fliers/DIY-PROJECT08.pdf

My workbench is 8 feet long by 2 feet deep for the frame. I put a piece of melamine on top of it that has a few inches overhang in the back (when I built it there was a curb that kept it from flushing to the wall so I made it overhang in the back) plus a few inches on each side and about 6 inches in front. I ripped 1x4's in half and then mitered the edges to trim it up nice and rounded them over with a small router round over bit for a smooth finish. Then I ran electrical on it. The frame is 2x4's with the RCT24 brackets on the link. The outlets are mounted underneath the front overhang and protect whatever is plugged in. There is one outlet underneath that houses a surge strip and all my cordless charging stations.

I put 4'x8' pegboard on the wall over it (mounted on 2x2's) so I could hang most of my tools, framing squares, levels, etc. I have a cheap stack-on type 5 drawer tool box sitting in the corner and a vice mounted on the other corner. You could easily park 500 pounds on top it. The shelves underneath hold power tools, extension cords, etc. I'll try to get pics of it when I'm back in town and post. It works out nicely.

[mk5.0]

My house in Waco I built a all metal table for under $200. Used 3" box tubing for the legs and bought a 1/2 " thick 4x8 sheet of metal for the top. I cut the sheet in half and plug welded it together to make a 1" thick 2x8 top. I'll see if I can dig up some pics.