It's still below freezing in my neck of the woods, and my shop(2 car garage) has just enough heat to keep things from freezing. As soon as it hits a temperature warm enough to work comfortably, I'm finally going to build a woodworkers workbench. Haven't decided exactly what style yet. Seems each new plan or magazine article on a bench changes my mind this way or that way. I've lived with a solid core door top so long I don't really know any different. I've got my hardware for the vices and the wood for everything but the top.


Anybody here want to share a picture of their bench and what they like and don't like about yours?

Mine is a mess, but the top consists of 2x4 on edge with tie bolts pulling it all together. It has a replacable 'masonite' top over a planed smooth top surface.

It was not made exclusively for wood working so no ww vises. A CI wilton vise on right end and a cobbled pipe clamp vice on the left face front.

I really like Shipwright's bench with the leg vice and the trolley end vice.

Started out as freestanding, with 3 - 2 x 10's x 8' long flat over 2 x 4 frame which was bolted together. Over 40+ years it had a masonite top, now a melamine top. Shelves below evolved from loose scraps of plywood over 2 x 4's that spanned between legs to a combination of drawers and fixed shelves as my tool collection and woodworking skills improved. I built it 40" tall because I had disliked how my Dad's had required stooping over to work on anything.

br549 wrote:Started out as freestanding, with 3 - 2 x 10's x 8' long flat over 2 x 4 frame which was bolted together. Over 40+ years it had a masonite top, now a melamine top. Shelves below evolved from loose scraps of plywood over 2 x 4's that spanned between legs to a combination of drawers and fixed shelves as my tool collection and woodworking skills improved. I built it 40" tall because I had disliked how my Dad's had required stooping over to work on anything.

Wow! I have never seen a workbench devoid of clutter before!

ChrisNeilan wrote:

br549 wrote:Started out as freestanding, with 3 - 2 x 10's x 8' long flat over 2 x 4 frame which was bolted together. Over 40+ years it had a masonite top, now a melamine top. Shelves below evolved from loose scraps of plywood over 2 x 4's that spanned between legs to a combination of drawers and fixed shelves as my tool collection and woodworking skills improved. I built it 40" tall because I had disliked how my Dad's had required stooping over to work on anything.

Wow! I have never seen a workbench devoid of clutter before!

Look at the organization of those items on the shelves. This is a neat and orderly work shop. One to be proud of.

With my bad habits I could quickly change that.

Here's mine, JackBench plans used with MFT style custom sized top.

Jack

I have two work benches.. The out feed table on my cabinet saw also serves as a work bench. The small bench on the right was made when I was still working in my garage. The large bench on the left was made after the dedicated shop was built. It has dog holes in the top and the full width Veritas twin screw vice jaw. I also have a pattern makers vise to mount on the left front.

The small bench and out feed table are 1 1/2" thick laminated Maple. The large bench is also laminated Maple. It is 2" thick in the center with 4" wide aprons.

Check this one out...

https://youtu.be/wVjhhV9ivvk

jsburger wrote:I have two work benches.. The out feed table on my cabinet saw also serves as a work bench. The small bench on the right was made when I was still working in my garage. The large bench on the left was made after the dedicated shop was built. It has dog holes in the top and the full width Veritas twin screw vice jaw. I also have a pattern makers vise to mount on the left front.

The small bench and out feed table are 1 1/2" thick laminated Maple. The large bench is also laminated Maple. It is 2" thick in the center with 4" wide aprons.

I like the compactness of the dual wheel grinder on the pole stand you have. Is it stable on that stand or did you need to mount it to the wall on the back or bolt it to the floor to keep it from tipping over? What brand is it? I am in the market to get one and yours looks very interesting...also very nice looking shop! Thanks for sharing.

I made a Paul Seller's bench from 2x4's several years ago, I use it all the time and it works great. Mind you only the end with the vise is still clear and the strip sander (used for sharpening) has a space in the middle, the rest has accumulated stuff. Build was documented in this thread. https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/beginning-woodworking-f6/woodwork-bench-build-t12550.html

Building it was a good way to learn and practice using hand tools, It is easily taken apart should it need to be moved.

Last year he did a new series on building the bench from 2x4's,