Building a
Basic Workbench
It is not difficult to build
a basic workbench. Solid wood such as maple, cherry, mahogany and pine
are all great choices to work with. Although using a plywood or hardboard
bench top may be cheaper they don't hold their corners and edges well
and can't be resurfaced with a plane.
To make a basic workbench
(5 ft x 3 ft) you will need the following materials;
- 3 inch x 2 inch pine for
horizontals.
- 2 inch x 2 inch pine for
legs
- Adjustable feet
- 3/16 inch (minimum) rawlbolts
or similar. These are anchors for brick/concrete for bolting horizontal
supports firmly to a wall.
- 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch exterior
quality or marine ply.
- Woodscrews
- 8mm dia coach screws and
bolts.
- Cut the four horizontals
to size, and prepare the joints (see diagram).
- Decide on the height
of the worktop. Then allowing for the thickness of the worktop, very
carefully mark on the walls the center-line for the horizontal supports.
- Mark out hole centers
for rawlbolts approximately 18 inches apart on wall.
- Using appropriate masonry
bit, drill into wall, clean out hole and attach anchor bolts.
- Drill holes in the horizontals
for rawlbolts, slip over rawlbolts, and bolt firmly to wall. Horizontals
must all be at the same height and perfectly level.
- Now you should have two
horizontals anchored to the adjacent walls in the corner.
- Trial fit horizontal
3 to horizontal 2.
- Trial fit horizontal
4 to horizontal 1 and horizontal 3. Support the corner of 3 and 4
temporarily using a leg of wood clamped to both horizontals.
- Mark out holes at corner
in horizontals 3 and 4 for coach bolts for leg attachment. Coach bolts
go through the leg at ninety degrees to each other, so they must be
slightly staggered vertically.
- Drill out for bolts in
both legs and horizontals - to ensure accuracy, drill from both sides
of the material.
- Fit an adjustable foot
to the leg.
- Glue, screw and clamp
all joints corner joints with the leg bolted in place. The carcase
is now complete.
- Cut the top to size and
screw into carcase using 1 1/2" wood screws countersunk.
- Drill worktop for vice.
Note the bolts for the vice can either completely clear the horizontal,
or be screwed straight into it.
- Adjust the foot until
all edges are true.
- If your table is longer
than about 5 ft, it's a good idea to add a cross-piece and a second
leg midway along H4.
Print these easy step-by-step
instructions on how to build a basic workbench.
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