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.