Work bench ideas

I made my workbench. I really like the results. I used two of those plastic drawer units as the two uprights- the kind of drawer units from office supply and department stores, with translucent plastic case and drawers, and castors on bottom. They are frequently on sale. The top is made from a sandwich of top and bottom being 2 x 4 foot sheets of 1/2 inch MDF, and a core of 1 x 2 pine, a rectangle with two intermediate girders, to keep it from sagging over time. I also made a rectangle of 1 x 2 for the back, screwed to top, to mount 1/8 inch hardboard pegboard for hanging tools.

Iā€™ve made mine. Theyā€™ve been large, sturdy, and simple. Itā€™s not like Iā€™m a carpenter, but I have a table saw and some paper to draw plans. In both cases, Iā€™ve landed nice workbench tops and designed the bench to support that. Iā€™ve also added storage shelves and pegboard where applicable. Iā€™ll probably continue to add as long as I see deficencies, but Iā€™m happy for the moment. I just added overhead, LED shop lights, but they arenā€™t pictured.

IMG_1231 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_1232 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_1233 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_1234 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

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I put one of the 4ā€™ LED shop lites on my 7x15 porch, and it really lights it up, can pick them up on sale for under $35. Was going to make that my summertime work area, but plans have changed, for the better I thinkā€¦

thats a nice setup!

Thanks everyone for the ideas!!

Awesome to see all your pictures and ideas as I still consider what to do. I will be on the road traveling the next two weeks.

Thanks!

David

I like the workbench threads, bring this one back to life to see what you guys all work with. Im in a small spare bedroom, just put a painters cloth cover over my very first kitchen table I bought in my 20ā€™s, itā€™s very small, but I like it.

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Sounds like a steelcase ā€˜Tankerā€™ desk. They are awesome - Iā€™ve had one for years. Theyā€™ve gotten pretty pricey.

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I use a cosco 6ā€™ centerfold table. Sturdy and I donā€™t care if I spill anything on it.

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I use an old ā€œL shapedā€ desk when my office was at home.

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I like that light you have.

Itā€™s a neatfi. Very bright

Oh nice thanks for the link!

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Very cool. Need to look into it


Mine is an old desk i found on marketplace for $25. I built the paint rack on the left and the filler under the paint booth

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Great workbench TJ. Where did you get the 2 aircraft posters above your spray booth? I love those. Againā€¦ really like your work space. I also appreciate your organization.

Iā€™m still unpacking my stuff like kits, paints, and other stuff. This is my retirement ā€œFishing Boatā€


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Anderson, the two posters came from dogfightink.com. Man I wish I had the space like your desk. Really like the three separate stations

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Dudeā€¦that is one mean set up youā€™ve got going there. VERY well put together.

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My benchtop is made from two sheets of 2ā€™ x4ā€™ mdf board cut to 20" width. Between the sheets is a simple grid of five pieces of pine 1 x 2".

This benchtop sits on top of two cheap plastic cabinets with drawers from an office supply store (they even come with swivel wheels). I found they were not high enough for a comfortable working height, so I built two rectangles of m1 x 4 pine (boards again on edge. Fastened a simple vertical frame onto back of desktop that holds a 2ā€™ x 4ā€™ pegboard. I cover the top with self adhesive white shelf liner, simple to replace when it is too cut up.
Don

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Thank you very much for the information TJ. I built it with the intention of 3 stationsā€¦ model assembly, diorama assembly, and paint. When the day comes I will be sitting in that chair a lot :joy::joy: