My workbench is looking pretty weak and with a couple kits about ready for building I think I need to replace it.

Does anyone out there have good workbench plans? Hopefully something a little deeper than 2 feet. 2 feet seems to be the norm out there but more table top space would be nice for the planes. I'm also thinking of building some shelves underneath the bench top.

Any Plans or even pictures of what you did to give me ideas would be great!!!!

Jock:

Many people swear by a 30" or 36" by 80" flat faced door sitting on two tall sawhorses. No plans needed. Get some short cabinets to use in place of the sawhorses if you want storage.

I go with the cabinets for mine, but I use formica faced counter tops for the bench surface. Costs more, but it's almost impossible to damage one, and CA just pops right off when you have a spill.

HTH.

Bill.

I thought the dinning room table was a very good design, chairs and walking room on all sides. LOL

Miloh.

Another idea is to go to Lowes and get the cheap you finish it center island cabinet and put a door on it. Can also use base cabinets budy them togther and put the door on them. Pete

Buy a copy of this months Popular Mechanics. If you want build one yourself they have a nice utilitarian bench that looks like it would be perfect for a building table.

Ok thanks all and I will check out the Popular Mechanics mag. I built the last one and am going to build a new one...Don't need anything rigged up.

Do a google search on workbenches, you'll find lots of plans.
I think both Lowes and Home Depot have some.
Check Simpson Strong-Tie as they make some great brackets for building benches. They are at strontie.com. I built my bench using their ties and it's rock solid.
KW Counter

If you add wheels you will find it very convenient to shift it around,
of course unless it it mounted like a counter against a wall.

these images show a steel table that I fabricated. It is built EXTREMELY STRAIGHT and will have a life span much greater than myself. The last picture shows a little tab sticking out under the top plate. This is just one of MANY shims to get the table perfectly straight. The table is 2 ft x 8 ft long...over the span of 8 ft, it is within 10 thousandths of an inch....

a table like this is expensive to build, but if you do a lot of building, you shouldn't do without.

I use a 2" thick solid core door from a hospital room screwed to the top of a stack of waterbed under dressers. They are stacked three high (three per side). The whole thing sits on a sheet of 3/4 plywood with eight casters so I can move it around my shop as needed. Of course I have tools and supplies in the dresser drawers. You can find the under dressers at garage sales. Try it, youll like it!
Rob