Building a Modders Workbench

KB_Zoom · 08-12-2005, 01:46 PM

Getting Started

Building great stuff is easier with the right tools. While a work surface or workbench may not seem like a tool, it's a basic component to any shop.

Building a bench takes a couple working hours, some patience, some basic tools and simple materials (and maybe a Band-Aid ot two...). A smooth-finished worksurface is handy for all sorts of projects, but we're modding computers here, right? We're not folding laundry on this baby.

Of course, you may want to just go to your local home imprpvement or hardware store to buy a bench, but I decided to build one suited to my needs (and my height), and found that I could get more from my bench for less money by building it myself.

The basic bench plans were found on the Popular Mechanics web site (see the Popular Mechanics site for the original bench plans). A friend and I decided to go in on the project together since it made sense and saved a few bucks since we ended up making two great benches with almost no scrap material left over. The one you will see here is the second bench we built.

The project started by reviewing the basic plans. Right off the bat, we decided that the plan would be more of a guideline than a perfect blueprint since we wanted to remove the drawer and make the bench longer. We decided to drop some of the trim pieces, too, but we used them in other places as the bench was finished.

KB_Zoom · 08-12-2005, 01:54 PM

We could have stayed with the basic bench design and been pretty happy, but if we're building them ourselves, why not build them to suit our needs? Here's what went through my head as we looked over the original plans:

I've got a LOT of cabinets in my garage/workshop and I really don't need another drawer to store stuff.
I have open space to put a larger workbench, so let's build it bigger... like 8 feet long.
I'm six feet five inches tall, so let's raise the worksurface up a few inches so I'm not crouched over.
A plywood surface would be good and solid, but lets add a hardboard top to make it smooth and easier to clean.
Skip the vise for now, maybe I'll add some clamps later.

So, with those initial thoughts, we revised the plans. Rather than a 24x60 inch worksurface with a drawer, it's now 24x84 with no drawer and a hardboard on top of plywood. Rather than a 34 inch high surface, the top is roughly 36 inches high (yes, two inches REALLY makes a difference). Add a tall trim board along the back edge to keep stuff from rolling off the back edge, and we've got some basic but helpful modifications to the original plan. Lets' get to work!

The original parts list was modified to meet my needs, but all things considered, the materials list is nearly complete. The original parts list is shown here as a basis for your project (Thanx Popular Mechanics!)

ORIGINAL MATERIALS LIST-- WORKBENCH
Key
No.
Size and description (use)

A
1
3/4 x 22-1/2 x 58-1/2 plywood (top)

B
2
3/4 x 1-1/2 x 60 pine (edging)

C
2
3/4 x 1-1/2 x 22-1/2 pine (edging)

D
4
1-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 57-1/2 pine (long rail)

E
4
1-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 18-1/2 pine (side rail)

F
4
1-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 33-1/4 pine (leg)

G
1
3/4 x 21-1/2 x 54-1/2 plywood (shelf)

H
2
3/4 x 1-1/2 x 14-1/2 pine (edging)

I
1
3/4 x 18 x 21-1/2 plywood (drawer bottom)

J
1
3/4 x 4-1/4 x 16-1/2 plywood (drawer back)

K
2
3/4 x 4-1/4 x 21-1/2 plywood (drawer side)

L
1
3/4 x 4-1/4 x 16-1/2 plywood (drawer front)

M
1
3/4 x 7-1/2 x 25-5/8 pine (drawer face)

N
1
Drawer pull (see text)

O
2
3/4 x 3 x 21-1/2 plywood (support cleat)

P
2
3/4 x 5-1/8 x 21-1/2 plywood (support side)

Q
1
3/4 x 19-5/8 x 21-1/2 plywood (support bottom)

R
16
3/8 x 3 lagscrew, washer

S
16
3/8 x 3-1/2 machine bolt, nut, washer

With the addition of the 1/4 inch hardboard top, we had to purchase a 4 foot x 8 foot sheet of hardboard and some adhesive. I originally thought of using Gorilla Glue, but decided that an industrial adhesive (found in the Paint/Glue section at Home Depot) was a much cheaper option and would serve the same purpose.

First order of business was to gather up all the 2x4s, bolts, screws, washers and other materials and to cut the plywood and hardboard pieces to final size. Two big (and free!) rip cuts down the length of the at Home Depot and we were in business.

After hefting everything out to the truck and back to the house, we divided everything into two piles for our two workbenches. We set aside approximately 4 hours for construction of the first bench - an estimate that proved to be pretty accurate.

TIP: Layout all your materials and verify that you have EVERYTHING you need based on your plans. Yes that means re-count all the screws, washers, bolts, etc. It's a major pain to run back to the store in the middle of a project if you've forgotten something.

With all the pieces laid out, we started by gluing the hardboard surface to the plywood. This is a modification of the plans, and adds about 24 hours onto the overall timeline, simply because the adhesive needs to cure for the pieces to be 100% stuck together. Using a caulking gun, I spread adhesive on the plywood and carefully placed the hardboard on top, making sure to roll over 100% of the surface with a roller, and checking the edges to make sure everything was square. I could have used screws or nails to hold the hardboard surface down, but I wanted a smooth, unperforated top.

Lay the top flat on the floor and let it cure for 12-24 hours. Unless you have an existing worksurface capable of holding the entire top, I suggest you use the floor (or the bed of a pickup) rather than sawhorses to hold up the top as it sets up. The sawhorses hold up only a very small portion of the entire surface, and it is possible that areas may pull apart before they are fully set up. While the adhesive is drying, you can start measuring for table legs, supports, and cross pieces.

With the work surface setting up, we figured it would be a good time to get out the other tools we'd need.

KB_Zoom · 08-12-2005, 02:00 PM

Gathering up the tools is straightforward if you have lots of tools... or (even better) if your relatives and neighbors have lots of tools they want to lend to you.

Thinking back, the tool list included:
- Cordless power drill
- Corded power drill
- Hammer
- Socket wrenches
- Crescent wrench
- Wood clamps
- Hand saw
- Circular saw
- Radial arm saw
- Wood chisels
- Various sizes of drill bits
- Air compressor
- Air nailer (finishing nailer)
- Safety goggles
- Ear plugs
- Mountain Dew

Many of these tools are commonly found in an existing home workshop, but the larger items, like the air compressor and table saws may be harder to come by. I was fortunate to have access to all these time-saving tools and we made good use of them.

TIP: Be sure that the saws you use have clean, sharp blades. When cutting materials like hardboard and plywood, clean cuts make it possible to have neatly finished edges without needing to use trim boards or a router to finish the edges. Dull blades eat away at the wood and can even start to scorch the wood.

mechem · 08-12-2005, 02:22 PM

this seems tight. I myself need a bench i got nothing. And like you im tall, 6'3" and im only 15. So i hear u on that. Honestly though i dont trust my building skills hehe. What i need is a large bench about 6-8 feet long with a board along back of it so i can mount up stuff. I always have proj. going on and i just cant get things together. Since we moved into our house my dad has yet to buy a workbench, and once he does i can use the other one that we had. Good stuff u got tho

BeaMeR · 08-12-2005, 02:51 PM

Hmmm not too bad it says it cost under $75.00 so I guess that's good no idea what a bench from Home depot would cost you.

KB_Zoom · 08-12-2005, 02:55 PM

Once all the tools are out and the materials are laid out, it's time to dive in.

TIP: When you are measuring stuff with a measuring tape or ruler, make sure you use the SAME measuring tape or tuler each time. It may sound lame, but they don't all seem to be exactly the same. Being a bit of a perfectionist, the discrepancies between the tape measures was annoying.

OK. I've got the saws out, I've got a few sharpened pencils, and i'm ready to start cutting stuff!

Marking the 2x4s for cutting is not that hard. I mean, if you can read a ruler and make lines with a pencil, it's about that hard. Of course, the cutting part is a bit different. Rather than use the method described in the original plans/directions , I marked the boards for cutting then made my notch cuts using a radial arm saw. This allowed me to completely cut away the material on 4 boards at once with the added benefit that I knew that all the cuts would be identical. It created a LOT of sawdust, however, and I am glad we were making these cuts outside on the driveway.

Once all the cuts are made, the table leg assemblies need to be put together. The plans call for a bunch of large lag bolts and lag screws to hold this bench together, but I did not use all of them. i'm still hoping this was a good decision!

When the end pieces (the table legs and the crosspieces as shown in the image above) are positioned together, I drilled pilot holes for all the bolts and screws. Insert just one bolt at each fastening point then check the assembly to make sure it is square (use a framing square, speed square, or even just a square pad of paper) then put in all the other bolts and screws. When the whole assembly is square and tight, everything was tightened down and checked (again) for square. So far so good!

With a leg/support assembly at each end tied together with 8 foot 2x4s, the bench frame is complete. I just need to add the top!

KB_Zoom · 08-12-2005, 03:10 PM

Exclusive of the cost of the tools and such, the project cost so far has come to about 50 bucks. The original plans said it'd be about 75 bucks, but I figured that with the modifications, the price would drop. Even with the hardboard worksurface, the price was less than the plan estimates, and I have much less scrap than if I'd simply followed the plans.

Prebuilt workbenches come in all shapes and sizes, and start at around 200 bucks (at least at the few places I've looked recently). The come in some combination of metal and wood and usually have some branding (like Stanley, or Husky, or Ryobi or something like that) on them. For the cost of the materials and the skills (if you can call them that) I learned in shop class all those years ago, I have a bigger, better bench.

Of course, the utility of this bench is somewhat limited for people who want to have a drawer or two, but adding a drawer would be simple - I just chose not to.

I bought some pine boards with the intent of making a new toychest for my kids, but so far that project has not even started. These boards would make an excellent simple shelf under the bench... I think I picked up these boards for like 2 bucks each at Home Depot this summer during a clearance.

A big advantage of working from the plans and modifying them is that I can see the best places to make changes. The crosspieces (along the bottom) are a perfect height from the floor to make a large shelf (as in the original plans) or to add in store-bought cabinets (or get them from a friend who is replacing cabinets in their house!). The back of the main worksurface could be flat, but I've put on a small trim piece to keep screws and stuff from rolling off the back. I still plan to replace that trim piece with a 2x6 board so I can mount a long strip of electrical outlets along the back (diamondplate, baby!), making it even easier to get power to the computers and the tools as I progress with mod projects.

KB_Zoom · 08-12-2005, 03:34 PM

Big and Strong

Think this workbench is a wussy little thing? It's not. OK, it may not be a good place to work on your car engine, but it's definitely up to the task of holding your computers and a monitor or two.

After attaching the top of the workbench with a few deck screws, I decided to put it to the test in a very personal way: self endangerment. That's right sportsfans, I wanted to see how strong the bench was, so I climbed up on top of it.

Some information you probably don't want to know: the doctor says I'm roughly 50 lbs overveight, but I fugured that a stress test for the bench would be smart... riiiiiiiiiiight. Note to self: don't climb on things in the garage with bare feet.

Much to my continued happiness, the bench not only held up my 250 lb frame, it did not even flex or creak. I think my wife was wondering what I was doing climbing on the workbench at 12:30AM, but when I decided to do it, I wanted to test the bench RIGHT NOW. She probably thinks I'm a dork, but I'm a computer modding, woodworking dork, consarnit!

For those who have asked, no, I am not hanging onto the rafters of the garage, and no, I have not tried jumping up and down on the bench. I may be foolish, but I did not just fall of the turnip truck.

cplklinger · 08-12-2005, 04:25 PM

hell i just used a bench down stairs that used to be a counter top and hung my dremel above it. its been 2 months of fighting with my sis to get control of that table so today i claimed it and said it was manafest destiny. but i like the bench, thinking of maybe changing the one down stair to look like that.

TimberWolf · 08-12-2005, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tencent

mountain dew is the most important item on that last of required tools. Its not limited to mountain dew though <-- insert favorite drink -->

And it doesn't take much effort to include a small 'frige under the bench, either . . .

cplklinger · 08-12-2005, 07:51 PM

nope all you need is a plug. and a brain to use the plug... i have a full size one near my work bench.

KB_Zoom · 08-12-2005, 09:44 PM

The fridge idea is great! I was not thinking of anything like that, but talk about a timesaver... fill it with Dew and Bawls!

While I'm at it, maybe I should do something with that extra little microwave from college too...

Thanks for the ideas!

InFuZiOn · 08-13-2005, 01:40 AM

Yeah and you could have a little fold-up cot with a pillow, a TV and some dinosaur pajamas and it'll be just like when you lived in your mom's basement during your high school years! Yay!

KikBox · 08-16-2005, 10:05 AM

I have this same bench and it works great! The hardboard surface is nice and smooth, easy to clean and resists water stains from cold beer bottles.

I also have a temporary work surface that I like to use for all kinds of things. We took a 4'x4' sheet of plywood and glued a 4'x4' sheet of 1/8 inch thick hard board to one side (used liquid nails as the adhesive). When I need to use it I pull it out and set it between 2 saw horses. This makes an awesome work surface and it totally portable. This may be a good low budget solution for those of you who need work space but don't have an area for a permanent bench.

When I am doing wiring and assembly I use the hardboard side and then I am painting or doing other messy work I use the plywood side. This table system also doubles as a nice portable table for LAN parties. You can easily fit 2 rigs on it with flat panel monitors, extension cords, power strips and hubs.

Sleeper Cell · 08-16-2005, 12:56 PM

Wow that looks nice. That would definately be a nice idea for all those hardcore modders.

InFuZiOn · 08-16-2005, 12:57 PM

Yeah thats what I was thinking. I'll take a picture of my "work area" so you guys can see why I'm not able to mod to my fullest abilities haha

KikBox · 08-16-2005, 01:43 PM

It works really well. The plywood comes in 4'x8' sheets so if you buy the hardboard and the plywood in standard sheets you can get 2 tables out of it. If you have a friend who is interested you can split the cost and it's a cheap solution.

I really like the fact that I just tip it on edge and slide it up against the garage wall and it takes no space. The added advantage is that if it's a nice day you can setup in the driveway.

I use this temporary table in combination with a full bench exactly like the one KB_Zoom has outlined and I have all the room I need to work and store my tools.

This pictures shows the hardboard surface. I switch to that when doing wiring and other clean stuff.