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Building a workbench

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 8:37 pm
by Kevin Sjostrand
Guys,
I have started making the parts for a workbench. I am using TOP CHOICE douglas fir 8 ft, 2 x 4's, cutting and milling them down, laminating them to have 2 7/8" x 3" trestles, legs and stretchers, and the bench top will be 3" thick, laminating probably 18 boards.
My dimensions will be 66" long, by about 27" deep, and 37" tall.
So far I have the trestles laminated, with mortises cut in BEFORE laminating, done on the table saw. The legs I'm doing the same way with mortises for the stretchers. I will probably put a vise on the left front and put on an end vise.

I read a lot about using softwoods for a bench top, a lot of people against, and many for it. I decided I like the idea of the cost, and I'm having fun so far doing it.

I might still purchase a Ramia beech bench with under cabinet for about $1000, but if I like how this turns out, I might just try and be satisfied with it too.

I'll post some more pics as it progresses.

Kevin

Re: Building a workbench

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 1:46 am
by Stray Feathers
Kevin - Doug-fir is lovely stuff and I'm interested to hear how this works out. One tip - years and years ago a friend made a table top of laminated 2x3s which he had run through a planer for clean gluing faces. Apparently something wasn't set up perfectly so the faces were very slightly out of parallel. When he was finished the table had a dip in it. He realized he should have alternated the pieces, one up, next one down, to compensate for any discrepancy.

Re: Building a workbench

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 1:30 pm
by Diane Kauffmds
This is my HUSBAND's next project (for me). He likes to do this kind of stuff, so this is his territory. I'm finally in need of a bench and a room.

Re: Building a workbench

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 6:56 am
by MaineGeezer
Looking good!

If you want a smooth replaceable top, 1/4" tempered Masonite works quite well.

Re: Building a workbench

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 12:10 pm
by Kevin Sjostrand
I now have the legs dimensioned to 2 7/8" square and cut to length at 34". I'm ending up with a little over the 2 7/8" after surfacing the 2 x 4's and laminating 2 together, so the width of the trestles, legs and stretchers will all mate up at the same width.
Next I need to clean up the mortises a little bit with a chisel for any misalignment from the laminating process since they the mortise halves were pre-cut. Then I will cut the tenons on both ends of the legs, which I'm going to do on my bandsaw. When I fit the legs into the bottom and top trestles, I will be doing a drawbore pinning through the tenons to pull the parts tightly together. I have some scraps of mahogany I'm thinking of making some dowels from so the contrast of the dowel heads to the fir will look nice.

Re: Building a workbench

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 2:03 pm
by Diane Kauffmds
It's amazing the discipline that building guitars instills. Truthfully, before building guitars, would you have cut and chiseled the mortises and tenons as precisely (would you have even used them?) Would you have been so precise in building the workbench?
I know I wouldn't, but now it comes naturally. It's looking good Kevin.

Re: Building a workbench

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 12:17 pm
by Kevin Sjostrand
Last night I cut and fit my first tenon. Cut on the bandsaw a little big so I could fine tune the fit. Took my an hour, but it fits snug and I can just push it down most of the way after a few fittings. Hopefully the other 7 won't take as long.

Re: Building a workbench

Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 10:30 pm
by Kevin Sjostrand
This weekend I was able to make and fit all the leg tenons, and shaped the base and top trestle ends.
It all fits okay. Plenty good enough for a working workbench. Assembled for the picture, I still need to sand, round over edges, drill holes for the drawbore pins.
Next I'll start working on the two bottom stretchers, same dimension square and 48" long overall.

Re: Building a workbench

Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 11:14 pm
by johnnparchem
Wow that will be some work bench. I like watch how it goes together. I really get the need for the tight heavy structure. When I work on my cheap benches the benches want to move as I work.

Re: Building a workbench

Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 7:03 am
by Diane Kauffmds
I second what John said.

Kevin, are you making the bench standing height or chair height? I'm trying to figure out the proper ergonomic height for a workbench. The table on which I've worked was slightly high and I have shoulder pain as a result.

How do you determine the height of a table for standing work?