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Garage Workbench

I'm building a workbench in the garage to help arrange it a little bit better - it's a bit of a mess with stuff everywhere. Wanted to see if people would post pics of their own - wanted to see if anyone has incorporated anything "cool" into theirs. (I have a week off next week, just looking to fill the time)

Current plans: pretty simple/straight forward rectangular bench w/ bottom shelf, and grid board for the wall. (2x4's, plywood) Nothing overtly fancy, just a way to have some workspace and get all the clutter into an organized fashion.


Thanks 🙂 -Mel
 
The wife bought me this over 10 years ago:

20150204_225221.jpg


It's a tank. It will outlive me.
 
My first house came with a nice workbench setup. It is two lower cabinets with a sheet of Formica on top. The cabinets are utility grade wood cabinets with two drawers and then the door covered area. It holds a lot of crap, and looks nice. I have now moved it 3 times. The last house I sold, the buyers asked for it and I said ok, but then could find anything anywhere near as good and had to buy it back from the buyers 🙁 ($500 mistake, but I sold the house for more than I thought I'd get and no repairs, so oh-well).
 
A nice thing about the workbench I linked is that it is cut from a single 4x8 sheet of plywood. You can have the hardware store make the sheet cuts for you and you won't need a truck to get it home.
Also, it's just a bunch of simple 2x4 pieces. I liquid nails and trim nailed the top on.
I also urethaned the top a few coats.

I don't have lights under the top shelf because it's too short and wouldn't be that beneficial. It would also be right in your eye line all the time. I have a shop light hanging from the ceiling back away from the bench a little.

The top and bottom shelves are nice.
 
A nice thing about the workbench I linked is that it is cut from a single 4x8 sheet of plywood. You can have the hardware store make the sheet cuts for you and you won't need a truck to get it home.
Also, it's just a bunch of simple 2x4 pieces. I liquid nails and trim nailed the top on.
I also urethaned the top a few coats.

I don't have lights under the top shelf because it's too short and wouldn't be that beneficial. It would also be right in your eye line all the time. I have a shop light hanging from the ceiling back away from the bench a little.

The top and bottom shelves are nice.

You know, that was one of my initial worries about the plywood, as I'd have no way to get it home. Looked at a few 2x4 pieces that I can fit in...cost wise, it ends up being slightly more expensive than the 4x8...didn't really think about that. Good call!
 
I built this ~27 years ago right after I bought this house. PT 4x4 legs, 2x4 framed 1/2" plywood top. Bolted it to the wall studs with steel "L" brackets. Indestructible.

wbench2.jpg


wbench.jpg
 
Anyone have one that folds away? Have to make room for my bike.
There are lots of fold down workbench plans on the net.
I recommend one with legs that fold down and make contact with the ground.
Some fold down versions hang from the wall via boards or chains.
 
10 years and it still looks like new, how'd you do that? Mine is a year old and looks like I've been testing explosives on it.
The picture makes it look better than it is. There are plenty of nicks, dings, gouges, and assorted stains on it.

Pretty bench, Mike. Is that vice permanently mounted there?
It's free-floating, Ron. There have been occasions when I have considered mounting it but so far there hasn't been a good reason to start drilling.
 
There are a lot of plans you can see on Fine Woodworking and other sites for work benches. I have been looking at some over the last month because I will soon have an empty garage to fix up. I hope to make some of the furniture for that house in it.
 
I just got a Gladiator 6' workbench during BF for $250 + ShopYourWay points. I love it so far. Haven't put everything on the walls yet but I'll post pics when I am done.
 
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