Making a workbench

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23-01-2017, 07:27 PM
Tuckerbox

Making a workbench

Hi guys. Looking at making a workbench for tinkering this winter. Was thinking two benches, 2400x600 wide. Legs frame work, shelves will be made of 90x45 sg8 lvl as I can get it through work but am stuck for a top. I want it to be heavy, hard and last a life time. Thinking 200x100 or 200x75 macro, machine and laminate with threaded rod through bolts to post tension the top. Any thoughts? Will post progress photos here.
23-01-2017, 08:11 PM
kimjon

Sounds like a solid idea.

I got a reject kitchen top for mine from my brothers factory, works pretty good. But if something needs a real beating, I'll do that on the concrete.

Keep the progress updates, be interested in what you end up doing.

Kj
23-01-2017, 08:19 PM
kiwijames

Sounds over the top to me, but still a worthy project all the same. Meet @kimjon half way and do a concrete top?
23-01-2017, 08:45 PM
mikee

Go to Bunnings they have a good selection of 30mm thick x 900 x (I cant remember how long) for between 100-120 bucks
23-01-2017, 09:00 PM
quentin

I just bit the bullet and got one of these: https://www.tradetested.co.nz/workbe...44-x-76cm.html
Seriously heavy top on it, and the steel framing is sturdier than I expected. Also some adjustment on the height was nice.
When I priced up the materials to make a bench there was nothing in it, and this way I did not need to put aside a weekend to do the build.
23-01-2017, 09:43 PM
308

If it's 600 deep you can get some of that hardwood ply 12mm they sell at M10 Mega or Bunnings and cut it lengthwise then double it up

Long square drive screws through to the frame and a couple of tubes worth of glue to stick it together and she ain't going nowhere - next thing is bolt it to the wall studs

If doing serious grinding and metalwork maybe consider a sheet of galv tin glued to the top? Plumbing supply shops like Zip plumbing here in Welly can supply it fairly cheap for plumbers who make their own flashings

Please keep us posted with pics, we're a buncha gear sluts here from what I can tell..
26-01-2017, 07:34 PM
Shelley

I built mine out of wood, not a single nail in it, it's all mortise and tenon for the legs, did a full length well in the middle so I can keep my tools and shavings/dust somewhere, all laminated 2x4 that I then planed flat, was a fun thing to do, it's also got a big vice bolted to it, skirts with dados for the legs, all done with hand tools. Am wanting to put some dogs in next.
All the scars on it now were from hard work, but if I get the time I may plane them out at some stage.
Wood has a quality to it that metal will never have.
28-01-2017, 09:07 AM
kimjon

Consider storage options too. I made this out of old filing cabinets... I love it!

http://i964.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps44o3et3j.jpg

Kj
28-01-2017, 10:22 AM
Tuckerbox

Thanks for all the input guys. Still in planning phase but really getting my design nutted out. What vice should I get? Thinking a record 5 but maybe a multi axis one????
28-01-2017, 02:46 PM
308

I got one that can swivel but don't personally use it to turn that much

one thing I have mounted on my bench that I use a lot is a grinder with a rough wheel on one end and a wire wheel on the other - I use the wire wheel to clean things up all the time
28-01-2017, 06:54 PM
sambnz

That looks awesome @kimjon. Is it just welded together and some wheels screwed on?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
28-01-2017, 08:35 PM
kimjon

Quote:

Originally Posted by sambnz

That looks awesome @kimjon. Is it just welded together and some wheels screwed on?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Pretty much. I did a thread on here a while back on how I made it.
28-01-2017, 10:14 PM
FatLabrador

What about a pallet
28-01-2017, 10:34 PM
308

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatLabrador

What about a pallet

You can get some free pallets that are hardwood and could probably end up fairly solid but really, what is your time worth?
30-01-2017, 07:52 PM
gadgetman

Oh good, a thread like the old conversations with my dad about whether steel or timber was better.

I made one with a steel frame and ply on top. Steel top is too noisy when I'm hammering the crap out of something that needs the crap hammered out of it, though it would be good for welding.
30-01-2017, 07:59 PM
gadgetman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mauser308

If you ever have the need to grab things that are long, a No3 at either end of the bench with the jaws aligned is a real good setup + leaves the center section of the bench free to chuck stuff on.

Depending on how big you need a vice to be (the critical dimension is the height of the top of the jaws for filing, sawing etc measure to the bottom of your elbow with your forearm parallel to the ground and work down from that height, - height of vice to get top of bench height). That's the issue with the big vices they are too tall so you end up with a massive vice on a midget height benchtop or you don't get any throat depth in your vice. My favoured size for general work is the No3 or No4, just due to the dimensions and throat size. You can fit them onto a standard 900mm bench height without having to crane your arm up to use a file or saw. I have a pair of No110 QR steel fitters vices on my steel bench, awesome setup.

I've got a couple of Record No25's here and they are the quick release 6" fitter's vice. They make a record No6 (the industry standard size) look like a kids toy... The QR fitter's vices are excellent but extremely hard to get hold of now, the indian knockoffs are worth over a grand. I have a spare Record No8 as well with new jaws, they are quite useful and not too big but you have to recess them into the bench to get a good combination of vice jaw height and benchtop height.

Oh, so firearms are not your only vice. I just have 4 or 5 myself. One mounted on the bench, one on a lump of ply with a grinder on the other end that I put on saw stools for some jobs. And a couple of others that get attached when and where needed.
30-01-2017, 08:01 PM
gadgetman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mauser308

I can tell you what isn't better - those stupid little swively vices. First time you lean on them you snap them off.

I like the big old ones you could swivel on a shaft co-axial to the screw shaft.
30-01-2017, 10:14 PM
gadgetman

No75 sounds familiar. Such a useful and solid design. Every now and then I try to find one but haven't so far.
31-01-2017, 06:34 AM
hotbarrels

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuckerbox

Hi guys. Looking at making a workbench for tinkering this winter. Was thinking two benches, 2400x600 wide. Legs frame work, shelves will be made of 90x45 sg8 lvl as I can get it through work but am stuck for a top. I want it to be heavy, hard and last a life time. Thinking 200x100 or 200x75 macro, machine and laminate with threaded rod through bolts to post tension the top. Any thoughts? Will post progress photos here.

Build the base however you want (timber frame, steel box section, second hand pallet racking beams and posts), then buy a sheet of container decking ply from Plytech. This stuff is HEAVY and hard and will out last you and your progeny in a work bench situation. If you want extra durable, screw a section of 3mm, 6mm, or 10mm MS plate on top (eg 1200x600 section cut off a 1200x2400 sheet). If you are into welding, then I strongly recommend a separate steel frame, steel top table that you can weld bits to to hold things in place while fabricating, and put it on wheels so you can wheel it into the middle of the workshop for larger items or where you need to get around all sides of the job.