Spec me a man bench!

bainbridge · 15 Mar 2020 at 18:12

Hi all

After years of not having a garage we're soon to move into a house with garage attached and one of the things I've always wanted is a sturdy workbench. Not the fold up type (which I do have) but a strong table that I can bolt a vice to.

Any suggestions? It'll have to be cheap because all our money will be going on doing up the house itself. I was thinking about maybe getting hold of an old kitchen worktop to use as a tabletop and making up some legs with 2x4 and some other wood to brace it. Or even getting some very strong shelf brackets and bolting a strong work surface to the wall.

We're not talking putting car engines on it but I want a work area where I can put my tools either side, have some tools up on the wall in front of me and just crack on doing man jobs with the radio on

Any suggestions much appreciated.

Jasoncmor · 15 Mar 2020 at 19:16

Sounds like you've already got the idea. I would make it yourself, old kitchen worktop and 4x2s as you've mentioned, you can make it the exact size you want, something you generally don't get with pre made items, plus you get the satisfaction of having made it yourself, that's what I'd anyway.

bainbridge · 15 Mar 2020 at 20:28

Cheers Jason that's what I was thinking, just been looking online and there's a couple that look similar to that galvanised racking you can get and they look strong enough but it's £100 that could be spent on the house.

PlacidCasual · 15 Mar 2020 at 21:54

You can’t have a workshop without making it your own workbench. A few 6 by 2’s couple of sheets of ply nicely manly job to launch your new work space.

TBirdUK · 15 Mar 2020 at 22:02

I made my own workbenches with wood from a recycling yard, biscuit jointed the 2x4s to make the top, very sturdy, made a lower bench for my router and table saw, but this has been 'owned' by my 5yo boy!

LuckyBenski · 16 Mar 2020 at 01:15

Kitchen counter for the win. Cheap, so you won't be precious about it either and can replace if needed.

A hidden benefit of this is that you can make it the right height for you. Standard workbench height is pretty low. If you're 6' or taller you want to add at least 6 inches to the bench surface height. Your back will thank you and you can use a bar stool which I find much better for proper work, than a normal chair. Easier to shift on and off as I work.

ttaskmaster · 16 Mar 2020 at 11:20

Google for Paul Sellers Workbench.
Several versions, each easily tailored to whatever size and height you want.
Mine is 39" high and is 3' x 8', with 4x2 edge-jointed for the worktop and a massive vintage Record 53 vice. Considering putting a mechanic's vice on the other end.

rhysduck · 16 Mar 2020 at 11:24

Kitchen worktop.
2x4"
Screws
Impact Driver
Saw
Few packets of T brackets

Job jobbed.
It's how I did mine and it's solid. Could quite happily sit on it and it wont move! Happy to post some pictures if required.

samcat · 16 Mar 2020 at 13:41

Concrete blocks, cement and the cheapest 4m kitchen worktop they sold (£85 delivered)

ttaskmaster · 16 Mar 2020 at 14:31

samcat said:
Concrete blocks, cement and the cheapest 4m kitchen worktop they sold (£85 delivered)

Was that £85 for the lot, or just the worktop?

Martynt74 · 16 Mar 2020 at 14:48

Interesting idea that.

For those with sliding mitre saws. How do you cope? My workbench is 60cm deep but i've found that i can't slide it all the way back. It's very annoying. Think i'm going to have to build a little shelf to extend the depth!

#Chri5# · 16 Mar 2020 at 14:55

Marvt74 said:
Interesting idea that.

For those with sliding mitre saws. How do you cope? My workbench is 60cm deep but i've found that i can't slide it all the way back. It's very annoying. Think i'm going to have to build a little shelf to extend the depth!

I just bit the bullet & shelled out on the Evolution mitre saw stand

bainbridge · 16 Mar 2020 at 18:39

rhysduck said:
Kitchen worktop.
2x4"
Screws
Impact Driver
Saw
Few packets of T brackets

Job jobbed.
It's how I did mine and it's solid. Could quite happily sit on it and it wont move! Happy to post some pictures if required.

Yes please!

bainbridge · 16 Mar 2020 at 18:41

samcat said:
Concrete blocks, cement and the cheapest 4m kitchen worktop they sold (£85 delivered)

Great idea!

bainbridge · 16 Mar 2020 at 18:43

ttaskmaster said:
Google for Paul Sellers Workbench.
Several versions, each easily tailored to whatever size and height you want.
Mine is 39" high and is 3' x 8', with 4x2 edge-jointed for the worktop and a massive vintage Record 53 vice. Considering putting a mechanic's vice on the other end.

That looks ideal, what was the cost of materials?

jellybeard999 · 16 Mar 2020 at 19:56

I've ikea kitchen cabinets and a worktop - fine for my light use. Light grinding with a cheap bench grinder and hand filing with a vice are probably my heaveist uses.

What are you going to be doing with it?

bainbridge · 16 Mar 2020 at 20:02

jellybeard999 said:
I've ikea kitchen cabinets and a worktop - fine for my light use. Light grinding with a cheap bench grinder and hand filing with a vice are probably my heaveist uses.

What are you going to be doing with it?

Nothing too heavy, might be doing up a motorcycle so a bike engine will be the most weight.

samcat · 16 Mar 2020 at 20:48

ttaskmaster said:
Was that £85 for the lot, or just the worktop?

Just the worktop from WorktopExpress.
Blocks were from Travis Perkins, didnt cost mad money. Bag of sand and bag of cement.

Noakesy85 · 17 Mar 2020 at 08:01

I've always wanted a 'Roubo' style workbench with a Leg Vice/Sliding deadman combination and a Tail Vice with Dogholes but unfortunately my Single Car garage set up is waaaaaaay too small for something so elaborate.

Definitely going to have to make something a bit smaller as I'm tired of working off the kitchen floor when i want something relatively flat

NickK · 17 Mar 2020 at 10:16

Hmm if you’re breaking down engines then I suspect you may want to add a “dirty” top with an metal oil pan holder.

A dirty top is simply a wood cover (cheap but sealed wood) that has blocks to hold an oil pan in place. That way you can remove the top and still have a normal work top.

I built my own bench from b&q garden timber. Mortice and tenon joints - the legs have upper and lower rungs but should really have a cross struct(s) at the back and the wood warped a little on the top. However given the idea was to have something that could be used and more abused - it’s heavy, and I think nothing of drilling through and accidental putting a hole in the surface or clamping a mower blade to it for sharpening. The smooth surface is simply the garden timber power planed.

Could do with a removable vice - it has a longer overhang in one end for this reason.