Building a workbench
I’d been discussing workbenches with my Dad who’s just setting up a new workshop after a house move so I asked Brandon from Solid Wood Designs in New Zealand what he thought the basic fundamentals were for creating a workbench.
Brandon Willing: Creating a woodworking bench is recommended for one’s DIY projects. With the appropriate tools and lumber you can put together your own personal workbench easily.
When developing a woodworking bench the first thing you ought to do is work out how big you would like your bench to become. For many DIY projects, a bench 8ft in length and 3ft in width is going to be sufficient.
When setting up a woodworking bench it is important you never build one that completely fills your work space. You should try to leave some open space, no less than 2 feet.
The next phase is to determine what lumber you’re going to use. It is deemed an important step as it is going to be what your woodworking bench will be made of.
Pine planks is going to be sufficiently good in your work surface. In case you’re setting up a three foot wide bench, you should utilize around six pine planks.
With the exception of the plank wood then of course you’ll need 1×4 side boards. You will require two side boards for the length of the work surface, and you will then need another two for the width of your surface.
Additionally, you will need 4×4 posts for your 4 legs with supporting the surface. When setting up your projects bench the sole thing you need to know of certainly is the height of the bench. Ensure that your workbench reaches at least your rib cage whilst you’re standing up. To be sure you get the length of the four legs right, you should measure that height and subtract it by one inch or two.
The next phase when constructing a woodworking bench is to determine your fastener needs. Furthermore you will need to decide how many and just what sort of vises is going to be connected to the bench as soon as the project is done.
The first part you should begin with when you begin building will be the working surface. The next step you will need to concentrate on is piecing together the legs as well as their braces. Each leg will be positioned in the corner on the working surface, so make certain each measurement has each short space as long as the distance between the outside of the legs.
Mentioned are the primary steps in terms of establishing a woodworking bench. Though there are much more details which goes into it, when you have the basic principles the rest of your project ought to be easy.
Discover more woodworking projects, designs and materials at Solid Wood Designs.
Workshopshed: Thanks Brandon
Posted in: Guest, Woodworking, Workshop Furniture
Tags: Bench, solidwooddesigns
Metal sculpture in brass, mounted on an 1800s French Coin
One thing I’ve found really helpful on benches is to build storage underneath. This has several advantages. It provides stability to the bench, means that you don’t waste space and finally it provides weight to the bench so that it does not wobble when you are sawing or planing on the top.
Really nice post. I wanna make a workbench, what kind of wood would be better for building a workbench?
Thanks,
Hi Richard, if your bench has to be movable then go for a lighter wood otherwise go for the heaviest wood you can work with. That means that the bench does not move or rock when you are sawing or working on it. I typically use softwood for the frame and plywood for the top as that fits my budget.
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You mentioned that you should first begin building the working surface. It makes sense that you would want to start on the biggest piece. I wish I had building experience so I could make one of these for my husband! I think that the best thing to do in this situation would be just to buy a workbench. My husband has a lot of tools, so an industrial-sized workbench would probably work better for him.
Hey Kate, thanks for the message. One of the key things to remember when creating a bench for someone else is to get it at a good working height for them. A workbench is quite an ambitious challenge for a first project but have a look at the potting bench project for a guide to construction.
Making a workbench by using woodworking technologies is not an easy task but I highly impressed with this post, because I learn a lot from this article.
Thanks Brandon and Workshopshed for the inspiration to get going on some projects with the kids!