Help! Need ideas to build the "ultimate" workbench

[Dargo]

Help! Need ideas to build the \"ultimate\" workbench

Now that I have my new MIG welder and have had some practice using it along with my stick welder, I'm ready to get rid of the collection of 4 or 5 odd sized work benches I have in my barn, and make me a 2 piece "ultimate" workbench.

It will have to be 2 piece because my workbenches are under some pallet shelving I have along that side of my barn. I have engines, box scrapers, floor tiles etc. stored on the shelving. It isn't going anywhere. Other than that, I don't know exactly what I want or need. That is where you guys come in. Here are some of my "needs".

First, I want to be able to mount my drill press, my bench grinder, and get me a good vice and mount it as well. (by the way - anyone know where to fine a "real" vice? I got me a "real" anvil quite by chance, now I want a "real" vice to go with it) And, obviously have room for me to have work areas.

Besides those things. I want to be able to stack a few toolboxes on my bench, and be able to put whatever I'm working on up on the bench. That might be a transmission, or something even heavier. In other words, it needs to be really overbuilt, but I don't just want to waste material. I have a good sized forklift to move the bench(s) once built, as I figure they will be too heavy to move by hand.

Okay now. What do I need?? What height? What depth? What steel do I need for the decking, legs, bracing? I'm really looking at making roughly 2 eight foot benches. Any plans or ideas as to what I may be sure to include are welcomed. Although it may take a while, I will post pictures of the finished product.

It seems that steel has dropped slightly as of late after the huge increase, so I'm ready to start buying material as soon as I know what I need. I do not currently own a torch or plasma cutter. The torch got borrowed and never returned; the plasma cutter is currently being researched. I do have a good DeWalt chop saw and a portable band saw besides my welding equipment. Ideas??

 

[RonR]

Re: Help! Need ideas to build the \"ultimate\" workbench

I saw a link on http://weldingweb.com/ where a guy built a weld table/workbench that raised/lowered using a floor jack. Probably the coolest thing I've ever seen for a garage. He has the details of thicknesses also.

I printed the pic and someday plan to build me one. It went flat enough, he could drive a pickup over it. He used it to raise his riding mower also.

Enjoy.

 

[have_blue]

Re: Help! Need ideas to build the \"ultimate\" workbench

Just a mixed bag of ideas:


2x4's on edge, drilled through, glued, and bolted together with long 1/2" all-thread rod is the best bench top I've seen. Plane to a super flat surface for accurate woodwork.

Heavy duty casters on the legs to roll it around. Casters jack up off the floor for hard banging.

A steel frame is great for grounding a welder

A solid metal top is not very versatile. One would be afraid to ruin nice tools on it. If you choose metal, use 1/4 or heavier, and use a sheet of heavy plywood to do woodwork on.

You can never have too many drawers on your work bench.

 

[jmc]

Re: Help! Need ideas to build the \"ultimate\" workbench

Agree with Have Blue on this:

<font color="blue"> 2x4's on edge, drilled through, glued, and bolted together with long 1/2" all-thread rod is the best bench top I've seen. Plane to a super flat surface for accurate woodwork.
</font>
except try finding a cutoff from a laminated rafter company. Maybe cover the working surface with a replaceable masonite or plywood cover.

Good idea to use a metal frame instead of wood. No comparison in lateral rigidity, especially after time. Make good triangles instead of good rectangles wihich become parallelograms. Diagonals between the front legs and near the midpoint of the top width will help support the load and still leave room for your legs if you want to sit.

Heavy bolts for adjustable feet on uneven floors?

 

[Scrounger]

Re: Help! Need ideas to build the \"ultimate\" workbench

Searched all over for the thread you mentioned. Can you post the exact link for send some images?

 

[jim_wilson]

Re: Help! Need ideas to build the \"ultimate\" workbench

Years ago when I got my MIG welder one of the first projects I tackled was making myself a workbench using 2x4 steel tubing for the upper frame - and 2x2 square tubing for the legs and the lower supports. I then made a top for the bench by using two sheets of particle board glued together with a layer of the tempered pressboard (brown stuff similar to the material they use for pegboard) on the top. I used oak flooring screwed and glued onto the edges of the top for edging and then the whole top was varnished using an oil based Minwax polyurethane. This has stood up great for about ten years now. My father built some workbenches using this method probably 30 years ago now and they stand up great to all sorts of abuse. I attached a Wilton vise to one corner of the workbench using some angle iron welded to the steel tubing and it bolted thru the top down to the angle iron. The bench is approximately 6 feet long and about 2 feet deep. I can take some pics and post them if you need some visuals.

 

[Dargo]

Re: Help! Need ideas to build the \"ultimate\" workbench

Thanks for all the ideas. I'm still planning. I'd really figured on having a heavy steel top, but now I'm wondering. I think I defnintely want to be able to mount my vice (I still have not found a suitable heavy vice) to a steel portion, but maybe I don't want a complete steel top. I've seen some 1" thick oak plywood at a couple of the lumber companies. I wonder if I space out some 2X3 steel angle every foot or so under the 1" oak plywood (or something similar) if it wouldn't be fairly sturdy? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Hmm, still thinking. Yet more factors...

 

[aardvark]

Re: Help! Need ideas to build the \"ultimate\" workbench

A wood top would be fine, but you may want a piece or 1/4" aluminum sheet just sitting on top of the wood in places. This would be a good grounding surface for your welders. Just clamp onto the aluminum plate. The aluminum will spread the heat quickly so the wood doesn't burn, and it doesn't have to be fixed mounted. A piece like 36" x 36" would be heavy enough to just sit under it's own weight. This is what I've been doing and it works fine.

For my workbenches, I bought a bunch of Rigid brand static control benches at a Motorola equipment auction about five years ago. Motorola (one of my former employers) was shutting down a plant and they auctioned everything. I got five bences for less than $40 each. These benches brand new are more than $1000. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif They are about 30" or 36" high, 30" deep, about 8" long.

 

[1962]

Re: Help! Need ideas to build the \"ultimate\" workbench

i built this bench in february. heavy drawer for nuts and bolts. plenty of room underneath for ??. cost for the steel was $200.00..

 

[Dargo]

Re: Help! Need ideas to build the \"ultimate\" workbench

Jim, if you could post a pic, that would be great. It's the weekend and I'm trying to cypher again on building my workbenches. 1962 put up a pic of his bench, and it is nice. I think I've about decided to make one bench with a very sturdy wood top, and the other with a steel top. I figure I can mount my vice (if I can find a good one!) to it and use it for a welding bench. I can use the wood top one for quite a bit as well.

I found a guy who has some 3/8" flat stock that I can buy for the top for the steel bench. By the time I go 30" X 84" or so, that makes for a heavy piece! His stuff came from an old shipyard. I now wonder how those ships float!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Again, thanks for all the suggestions. Since I want these to last basically a lifetime, I am a bit slow on just diving in on their construction. Besides, with the cost of steel, I don't want to buy steel that I may not need. I was practicing with my new MillerMatic 210 MIG again this morning. Man, I have to get a better auto darkening hood. I'm about half blind right now. I don't care how fast my el cheapo hood says it darkens; it's not fast enough! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif I have had to learn to "blink" when first starting the MIG arc or I'm blinded. It (the hood) doesn't have that problem with stick welding. The stick welder throws off a few sparks before the big arc, and the hood darkens fast enough. Any suggestions on a good auto darkening hood? I like the auto darkening hoods because I just can't perfect the "nod" to drop the regular hoods. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I will almost say that price isn't an issue since I'm talking about my eyesight. I sure wouldn't want to go blind because I saved $200 by only buying a cheap welding hood!