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Adam My Workbench
May 3rd, 2005 02:54 AM
Workbenches are also very individual, reflecting both the owner's work methods (hand vs power tools) and a fair indicator of level of expertise. A woodworking bench with holes in the top for work clamping aids called "dogs" and both a side and end vise indicate a good grounding in the use of woodworking hand tools, as the height of the bench also reflect the type of work the owner does most often.

My present bench started out as a simple home DIY affair made of 2x4's stretchers with 4x4 legs and a 3/4 inch plywood top. Over the decades the nails holding the whole affair together were replaced with counter-bored bolts. The 3/4 inch plywood top bumped up to an old solid particle board door (with Masonite faces) that got fitted for a 12 inch Craftsman woodworking vise on one end and a smaller 9 inch woodworking vise on the end. The table has strategically placed holes for the (you guessed it) dogs I machined myself.

The open style was enclosed using beautiful old stained Douglass Fir 3/4 inch shelving material to form vertical paneling.

What was once shelves is now a dual pattern of wooden draws and a lockable solid wood cabinet door on the right.

The large drawers use router jig guides dovetail joints. The smaller wood drawers use a combination of machine and hand cut dovetail joints.

There is a single six foot wide draw on the bottom of the workbench that holds my little friends. Like my 2 foot long Slicks (big chisel), a bruzz (corner chisel), broad axes, corner brace, right angle brace, Pickaroon, and others.

The drawers are secured by a front bar of solid Madrone wood (wicked, wicket strong) with a cabinet key lock.

Although there is relatively little temperature or humidity change in my attached two car garage (with completely removed garage door and solid insulated wall), I'll probably replace the solid door with a floating panel job. This is where the skill-level display factors in.

There is a huge 4 foot high by 7 foot long face-framed tool cabinet attached directly to the rear of the bench that holds the bulk of my commonly used hand woodworking tools.

I used to have sliding doors (royal pain) to provide security in a shared workshop environment. Now it's open. But, due to "just borrowing" from family members, will probably eventually be secured again.

My fluorescent workbench light hangs from two cantilevered dual tapered beams attached to the top of the tool cabinet.

I need to develop the rest of my workshop (another Taunton book title). But, overall, I'm very pleased with the workbench.
Follow Ups:

Craftsman by Joe 2005-05-03 08:04:40

Workbench? by Randal 2005-05-03 11:56:44

Building up the bench by Adam 2005-05-03 19:29:01

Unique uses. by Joe 2005-05-04 07:27:24

Kitchen cabinets by Randal 2005-05-04 11:47:09

Old stuff by Joe 2005-05-04 12:43:14

Kitchen Cabinets by Adam 2005-05-04 17:20:00

Workbench for cheap by Adam 2005-05-04 17:32:59

Workbench by Plumber 2005-05-04 20:14:01

Vises by Joe 2005-05-05 07:41:46

argh by Randal 2005-05-05 10:51:06

A "Pressing" Situation... by Joe 2005-05-05 12:25:01

Bench Vise by Adam 2005-05-05 16:32:10

Vintage by Joe 2005-05-05 17:16:33

Tool vintages by Adam 2005-05-14 12:20:26

Old Gold by Joe 2005-05-26 14:00:46

924 Starrett by Joe 2005-05-27 07:55:51

I wish you wouldn't have told me that by Randal 2005-05-27 11:15:04

Save the Starrett? by Joe 2005-05-28 07:46:16

long breaker bar by Adam 2005-05-29 05:19:59

tossing old tools. by Plumber 2005-05-30 13:22:42

Adam's kinda covered that by Randal 2005-05-30 23:53:46

Shame by Joe 2005-05-31 07:39:28
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