A workbench is an indispensable attribute of any carpentry workshop. It is a work table used for tooling workpieces, storing tools, materials, drawings and accessories.
In this article we will look at the design and dimensions of workbenches, offer an overview of the most popular factory models and introduce step by step instructions, following which you can make a homemade carpentry workbench.
1 Construction and design of carpentry workbenches
Just as for a blacksmith the main working tool is a grinding anvil, so in a carpentry workshop the main working element is a workbench. Such a work table is universal; it simultaneously acts as a place for cutting, processing and assembling wooden parts, storing working tools and accessories.
The basic part of the design of any workbench, no matter how many operations will be performed on it, is a regular tabletop made of hardwood (beech and oak are best). The thickness of the table top should be 60-70 mm, while a longitudinal groove for storage is cut in the back along its entire length small tools. Large fixtures are stored in the underbench - a shelf under the tabletop.
The carpentry workbench must have a vice, which is used to fix the workpieces being processed. The functionality of the table is significantly expanded by holes for installing clamps, which are drilled along the edge of the inner contour of the tabletop.
The overall height of the structure must be selected based on the height of the master; it usually varies between 70-80 cm. The width and length of the tabletop directly depend on the size of the workshop or garage; for a single-seat work table, the optimal length is 2 meters, the width is around 90 cm.
A stationary table can weigh up to 100 kilograms. If you plan to make a folding workbench, then you will need to take care of making it lighter by using less thick wood. The folding design implies the possibility of unscrewing the tabletop from the legs, while the legs themselves can be collapsible or telescopic.
In a workshop, it is best to place a workbench near a window, which will provide the workplace with natural light during the day. The presence of artificial lighting is mandatory, and several sockets for connecting power tools should be placed near the tabletop.
1.1 Material selection and assembly
For the manufacture of the frame and legs, planed timber measuring 100 * 70 mm is well suited; for the tabletop, it is best to take planed oak or beech boards 4-5 cm thick. A cheaper option is a tabletop made of chipboard sheet, however, it will last less. Remember that the thicker the boards used, the heavier and more stable the carpentry workbench will be, which will have a positive effect on the ease of work.
Fastening elements are selected based on whether the table will be stationary (nails and screws are used) or prefabricated (bolts and nuts). From power tools for installation work you will need a drill, a grinder and a screwdriver, they will also come in handy Sander, however, you can get by with a regular plane.
Carpentry workbench Do it yourself in two stages - assembling the frame and installing the countertop. When assembling the base, you need to try to get the frame as rigid as possible; this can be achieved by placing horizontal jumpers between the legs (at a height of 50-60 cm from the floor), which will later serve load-bearing element for installation of shelves.
The frame beams can be connected to each other by gluing them into a tongue-and-groove system, but it is most convenient to use metal corners and self-tapping screws. You can increase the reliability of the structure by rigidly screwing one of the horizontal jumpers to the wall, but this solution is applicable only when making a stationary workbench.
Having finished with the base, you can move on to assembling the second part - the tabletop. If the work surface consists of several boards, they need to be joined together as carefully as possible so that moisture and dust do not accumulate in the cracks. The boards are connected on 3 bars (side and central) located under the tabletop. The dimensions of the tabletop should be such that its contours extend beyond the base by 5-10 cm. Upon completion of assembly, the tabletop is sanded and covered with drying oil; the easiest way to secure it to the base is with steel corners.
You need to fasten the vice to the workbench using M12 bolts and nuts, and you must first cut holes in the tabletops for the bolt heads. You can place the vice in any place convenient for you, but not in a corner, since under heavy load it can break off.
The construction of a carpentry workbench also requires the presence of stops, which can be purchased ready-made and secured with bolts, or made by hand. For the stops, holes are cut in the front part of the tabletop, in which wooden blocks turned to size are placed. For more reliable fixation, they can be made in the form of pegs expanding towards the top.
1.2 Homemade workbench (video)
2 Selecting a factory-made workbench
If it is not possible to make a homemade desktop workbench, it makes sense to pay attention to factory-made products. In the budget price category best choice there will be a Unipro 16900u desktop, which can be bought for less than 3 thousand rubles.
Unipro 16900u is great metal workbench, which is well suited for home amateur use. The work table has dimensions of 520*300 mm, which allows you to process workpieces up to 265 mm wide. On the surface of the tabletop there is a protractor, an inch and a metric scale, and there are also sliding holders for workpieces.
The Unipro 16900u model is designed for a total load of up to 100 kg, while the weight of the structure itself is 8 kg. Despite its compactness, the table is quite stable; its only drawback is the supplied bolts, which are made of soft metal. Reviews from owners indicate that it is very easy to tear off the bolt head with a bat, so immediately after purchase it makes sense to replace the bolts with better ones.
If you need a professional workbench, we recommend paying attention to the Master Cut series from Wolfcraft (Germany). The line includes metal tables, for which the manufacturer provides a 10-year guarantee, which indicates their highest quality.
Wolfcraft offers the following woodworking bench models:
- Wolfcraft Master Cut 1500 - working area 78*50 cm, height 86 cm, can withstand a load of 200 kg. Price 24 thousand rubles.
- Wolfcraft Master 700 - features an adjustable height between 78-95 cm and a smaller table (68*39 cm). Designed for a load of up to 150 kg, cost - 17 thousand.
- Wolfcraft Master Cut 200 - the most affordable model in the line professional equipment(price 7 thousand). The tabletop for the workbench has dimensions of 30*44 cm, height - 80 cm. This is an excellent student desk that can be considered as universal workbench for household use.
The German company's assortment also includes carpentry workbenches with drawers for storing tools - Wolfcraft Workshop. Their working surface is made of solid beech 30 mm thick and covered with a sheet of galvanized steel. Characteristic feature The Workshop series is modular - the client gets the opportunity to independently choose the configuration of the storage compartment by combining the shelves and drawers offered in the catalog different sizes at your own discretion.
The total load that the Workshop system can withstand is 600 kg, while Weight Limit per box should not exceed 600 kg. The cost of such equipment directly depends on its configuration; prices start from 40 thousand rubles.
When serious home renovations are underway, it is necessary that everything is at hand at any time, which will allow you to make the most of your time. To do this, it is important to properly organize workplace a home craftsman, if he is used to doing everything with his own hands. During renovation or construction, woodwork takes a significant place. However, sawing timber on a stool or bench is inconvenient and time-consuming. A desktop, also known as a workbench, will help you use time and resources rationally. You can do it at home.
For most men, the garage is both a “home” for the car, a storage room and a workshop at the same time.
Not every owner believes that a workbench is constantly needed on the farm: it is needed only for the period of repair or reconstruction of the building, so he prefers to rent it. But such an opinion is erroneous, especially if he is the owner of a household located on the ground. The carpentry workbench that appeared on the farm will be a real help for him. Having made such a design, the owner receives whole line advantages compared to using a workbench rented or purchased at a construction supermarket.
- He will save a significant amount of money, which he can use for further improvement of the house.
- Will gain additional management experience and practical skills.
- You will have at your disposal a comfortable work table suitable for processing parts made of wood and metal.
- If the owner makes a workbench with his own hands, he can use it at any time.
Therefore, in one room (it’s good if there is a basement) it is necessary to place shelving and a workplace.
Types of tables
Known different kinds workbenches that have different purposes.
- Carpentry workbench for manufacturing wooden parts. It is convenient to process small wooden crafts, but is not intended for primary wood processing. It will require a tabletop three meters long and one meter wide. The parts on it are secured with wooden horizontal and vertical clamps.
- The carpenter's jig is significantly larger in all respects and heavier. Tree trunks are processed on it, boards, beams and other wood blanks are cut.
- The universal table allows you to work with wood and metal; its tabletop is reinforced with metal tape and has wooden and metal clamps.
There is a table for carrying out metalwork and car maintenance in almost every garage.
There is another definition of types of structures based on possible location.
- Mobile (portable). Used to perform minor works with details small sizes. It is comfortable and quite light. It can be moved from one place to another without much difficulty. Staffing carpenter's table a small or medium-sized vice, which allows it to be used for minor metalwork work.
- The stationary desktop is massive and stable. You can use it to process lumber, but a home craftsman will hardly need such a workbench unless he constantly engages in woodworking.
- Prefabricated with connections using bolts. This is a kind of transformer: at any time it can be supplemented with special equipment and the necessary changes can be made, depending on the tasks being solved.
And as a rule, it is homemade, that is, it is made taking into account the characteristics of a particular room.
What type of construction will you choose? House master, directly depends on what goals and objectives he sets:
- a work table is needed for processing small parts and manufacturing small products only for the period of repair and construction work;
- the owner will constantly use it and work with small volumes of wooden parts;
- a workbench will be needed to carry out primary processing of wood, turning it into boards and timber on an ongoing basis;
- The table is intended to be used for periodic processing of small wooden and metal parts.
The shape and dimensions are determined by the configuration of the room.
Experienced home craftsmen claim that even a novice owner who has no skills in handling metalwork tools can make the product.
A workbench for a garage is often compared to a desk because it provides the convenience of carrying out a variety of work and allows you to do everything necessary tools keep on hand.
Material selection
To make a workbench with your own hands, a craftsman needs wood and metal. If you plan to make a small table, then a wooden base will be suitable for it. For the tabletop, laminated chipboard or pressed plywood with a thickness of at least 5–7 cm is suitable. For a stationary table, you can use well-planed boards, tightly fitted to each other, and partially metal.
In addition to the tabletop, it has a large number of shelves and drawers.
And if a home craftsman has an unnecessary desk at his disposal, then it will become a good basis. It is also convenient because it already has several drawers or compartments for storing tools.
The driver's workplace must be strong and stable.
Will find application in design old door made from whole cloth. It will make a wonderful, durable tabletop that doesn’t even require processing.
Under the table there must be cabinets with tools and consumables(drills, hacksaw blades, rags, etc.).
Using available materials on the farm for production carpenter's table DIY will save the home craftsman time and money.
It is irrational to make a monolithic cabinet out of a table; you need somewhere to put your feet during sedentary work.
You can make your own workbench out of metal. It will be strong, reliable and heavy. But experience shows that the most acceptable is an intermediate option, when the frame and cover of the workbench are made of wood and then covered with sheet metal.
However, both sides should be, if not sets of drawers, then at least a set of shelves.
A home craftsman who decides to make a workbench with his own hands will need a certain set of materials. He knows well what is needed for this.
The workbench in the garage should not be part of the rack, therefore, the wall above it is a place for hanging tools.
And for those who do not yet have sufficient experience, we have compiled a list of everything necessary for its manufacture:
- metal corner;
- steel strip and galvanized iron sheet;
- plywood;
- screws;
- anchor bolts;
- square pipe;
- wooden boards ;
- metal screws;
- dye.
Both metal and wooden workbench have the right to life.
What tools will you need?
A self-made small wooden carpentry workbench will take its rightful place in a home workshop. To do it you don't need large quantity tools.
You can always put a piece of plywood or hardboard on a steel sheet, and on wooden surface– galvanized sheet.
You will need a standard set that can be found in every home:
- screwdriver;
- roulette;
- Bulgarian;
- jigsaw or hand saw;
- hammer.
First of all, we determine the ergonomics of the workplace.
Depending on what material will be used for the carpentry workbench, the list of materials and tools may vary. For example, to make a metal desktop, you cannot do without welding machine and electrodes.
The height of the workbench should be such that you don’t have to bend your back and, at the same time, stand on tiptoes.
Where to put it?
Before starting work, it is important to immediately determine what and how often the table will be used and where it will be placed. You can’t do without a drawing. The answers to these questions will determine its size, material and manufacturing procedure.
The best place to place the device can be considered that part of the room (garage or shed) where there is natural light. It is also important to have electrical outlets near your workbench to plug in power tools and a lamp. It is best if the light falls from the left or directly, then the working surface of the table will be illuminated during the day.
Design the dimensions of your working area.
Then the parameters of the future design are determined. Despite existing standards Regarding the size of the table, if you make a carpentry workbench with your own hands, the home craftsman will proceed from the expediency and actually available space, so the tabletop will be such that tools and parts can be freely placed here, without strictly observing the dimensions. The width is usually 50-60 cm; this size is considered optimal, as it allows you to freely reach the opposite edge of the tabletop.
The typical vertical table size is in the range of 850-950 mm.
Another important parameter is the height of the workbench. Exist various ways its definitions, ranging from precise mathematical calculations to folk experience, suggesting that optimal indicator the distance from the extreme point of the arm bent at the elbow to the floor. Experienced master can make it adjustable.
A perforated metal sheet is ideal as a wall for placing tools.
After determining the basic parameters of the product, you can begin assembly.
- First, the legs are fixed (four supports made of steel angles, which are also connected by angles and secured by welding at the top and bottom.). The result is a rectangular welded structure.
- After making the frame, they begin to prepare the tabletop. Boards cut to size are laid out on top of the frame and fastened tightly together. The tabletop is connected to the frame using bolts. The working surface must be processed: planed and sanded. The bottom must be secured with crossbars or wooden blocks. They are screwed to each of the elements of the resulting shield.
After securing it, you need to cover the lid with metal (it is better if it is galvanized). A metal sheet fixed to the surface of the tabletop with self-tapping screws. If burrs form, they must be cleaned off.
The workpieces should be cut before welding begins.
The main work on making the workbench is completed here, but to give greater rigidity to the structure and attach it to the floor, you can weld metal corners from below. If desired, it can be equipped with drawers and shelves for tools.
We reinforce all welded joints with a corner or steel strip.
From necessary equipment There must be a place for a vice on the workbench. They hang on front side tabletops and are used for fastening products. If you often work on large parts, there is a need to install several vices of different sizes.
The main thing is to strengthen all 90° connections.
Under the workbench you can mount shelves where you can place various devices, the right tool or stack processed parts.
Be sure to impregnate the wood with antiseptic and fire-retardant impregnation.
Carefully made with your own hands, the carpentry workbench will become convenient device for home handyman work.
This design is close to the ideal of a DIY garage workbench.
VIDEO: DIY workbench.
Making a workbench with your own hands: 50 photo ideas
It is not difficult to assemble a carpentry workbench with your own hands.
A good workbench should be in the household of everyone who works with wood or performs carpentry work.
Before we look at the drawings and start assembling the workbench, let’s get acquainted with its structure and manufacturing nuances.
The workbench consists of a workbench board and a base (underbench).
The board has a vice - one or two, in which the master clamps the parts with screws.
You can place the emphasis directly on the working board of the workbench using wedges that are inserted into holes in the board itself, thereby you can adjust the length of the emphasis in accordance with the length of the workpiece.
The bench board is made of dry wood or plywood up to 8 cm thick. The bench board is made of bars with a thickness of 6 cm.
The underbench is supported by 2 racks, which are transversely fastened together by beams with screws/wedges.
This is necessary so that the workbench does not “move” from side to side when planing and sawing.
Workbench structure in detail:
- The worktop is made of solid wood/plywood with a thickness of 6 to 8 cm;
- Vise on the front of the table top;
- The workbench supports are made of solid wood/plywood, connected cross bars for stabilization;
- You can install shelves and a tool box on the supports;
- Holes for wedges are drilled in the tabletop to support the workpieces;
- You can make a recess on the side or back of the work board to store tools.
The complete structure of the workbench is shown in the photo below.
1 - cover; 2 - subsurface; 3 - tray; 4 - front clamp; 5 - rear clamp; 6 - sockets; 7 - adjustable wedges (combs)
Workbench dimensions
Here we meet the first important nuance, which cannot be ignored when making a workbench with your own hands - its height and length.
Minimum permissible height workbench – 130 cm, length – no more than 260 cm.
The height of the workbench is adjusted to the height of the person working on it:
- too high will not allow you to push hard, which is important when planing;
- a low workbench will force you to constantly hunch over, which will have a bad effect on your back health after just a couple of months;
- the height will be normal if you stand straight, have your back straight and can place your hands on the board without bending your elbows.
Manufacturing nuances
Making a workbench has its own nuances, the observance of which guarantees the production of a workbench that will perform its functions flawlessly.
There are a lot of nuances, so we structure them in relation to each stage of the future assembly process:
- Initial stage of work. You need to start with a working board. Someone will rush to look for an expensive solid piece of wood, and not just any kind, but according to science - oak, beech or ash. Experts will advise you to take a ready-made wooden table top, which will cost an order of magnitude less;
- Working with the future working surface of the workbench. The surface must be made smooth, therefore any wood prepared for the role of a workbench board must be properly sanded. To varnish or not is up to you;
- An important point is that a workbench is a type of table. Your task, in essence, is to make a table on which they cut not sausage, but wood. Therefore, having assembled the workbench, fasten it thoroughly on four legs and then connect them with transverse slats to each other for stability;
- Drawers are an important element of comfort. Take the drawer out of the bedside table and pay attention to how it is installed: there are a pair of guides in the shape of the letter “P” along which the side slats of the drawer slide. Nail two guide rails at a distance from each other equal to the width of the drawer and you're done;
- You need a sawing table if you are going to saw. The table is placed 20-30 cm beyond the board itself. It is a small board that is attached to the desktop with screws (see photo);
- The bench board should be straight. Planing, sawing, burning, carving and other manipulations can be carried out strictly on flat surface and nothing else;
- Don't forget the wedges! Wedges are needed to provide emphasis when planing the workpiece. In the table at certain step(10-15 cm) you need to drill a row of holes (several rows in a row are possible), into which you will then insert rounded wedges. If possible, use a nozzle for drilling square holes - square wedges hold the stop better due to their shape than round ones, which tend to deviate the vector of the applied load - the workpiece will fly out of the stop every now and then.
Practical instructions for creating a workbench
So, it's time to make your own carpentry workbench. Each stage of assembly is accompanied by a description and photo of the process.
At the end practical instructions Watch the video summarizing the assembly process step by step. We do not provide drawings of the folding version, since it is much more difficult to manufacture.
Let's look at the assembly step by step.
Step 1 – take measurements
Is your back very tense or not? If everything suits you, measure the distance from your palm to the floor - this will be the total height of the workbench.
Step 2 - making the legs
Take ready-made bars of the required height, or purchase plywood and cut the sheets into strips of the required width.
Now they need to be glued together: take wood glue or powerful epoxy, put several layers on top of each other, simultaneously gluing them together.
You may need 10 of these strips of plywood for each leg. It is better to glue together 10 sheets of plywood at once and, after drying, cut them into 4 parts.
Step 3 - making the frame of the workbench
We take a ready-made board, 4 cm thick - 4 pieces, which will be the sides of the frame-box and assemble the box, placing the sides on the screws.
In another case, you can also take several sheets of plywood, glue them together and then saw them evenly.
But in order to properly connect them together later, it is better to use a router and lamellas.
Having drilled the necessary holes, we assemble the wooden box: we place it on PVA glue using the dowels of the board, and clamp it with clamps. After drying, we attach the legs to the box with self-tapping screws.
Step 3 – assembling the tool shelf
From glued plywood (5-6 sheets) we cut out a shelf that is placed in the grooves.
The shelf needs to be secured with confirmations: use a special drill (see photo), which simultaneously chamfers and drills.
The confirmation must be recessed, since this part of the shelf will be used as a guide for the drawer. Now the base of the table is ready.
Step 4 – making a drawer for the countertop
We take a sheet for the bottom and again 4 strips of plywood from several glued layers. By internal parties We will make grooves on two side walls for the bottom of the box.
And on the outside of these walls we make grooves by milling so that the box can move freely on the shelves. We select the cutters as follows: the smaller one is the thickness of the bottom, the larger one is the thickness of the side strips + 1-2 mm.
To secure the side wall, we install dowels: drill holes for the dowels at the ends of the walls, mark a point for drilling on the adjacent wall with a pencil and drill to a small depth.
Then we place the dowels in both holes using PVA glue. For final assembly When installing a drawer, you should use countersunk screws that will not interfere with the opening and closing of the drawer.
Step 5 - making the tabletop itself
Again we cut strips of plywood glued together in several layers for the base of the table top. We connect the strips into a box using dowels and PVA.
If you use round dowels, then you need to take at least 4 of them for each connection.
While the tabletop box is drying, we assemble its working board: we take wide sheets of plywood and glue them together in several layers.
You can also choose a tabletop from an old one desk and then just adjust it to size. We glue the tabletop onto a box reinforced with dowels.
Step 6 - install the vise
As soon as the glue has set and the tabletop is ready, we drill holes in it for wedges for stops and for attaching a vice.
Typically, the vice is placed on 3 holes: two for fastening with bolts, one for the screw that imparts pressure when the handle rotates.
The vice can be taken from an old workbench or purchased ready-made and then simply adjusted to the tabletop by drilling holes of the required pitch.
A bench vise is a metal screw with guides and a wood clamp.
You can take several layers of plywood about 5-7 cm thick and simply drill holes in it and put it on a screw - you will get a stop, then put snap brackets so that the vice does not fall out and you're done.
You can drill holes in the stop according to the size of the dowel large diameter, then attach it with a screw to a square of plywood, having previously drilled a recess in the square.
Make 4 such stops and place them all over the tabletop to fix the workpieces with the stop in a vice.
Our workbench is ready!
(All the above steps are shown separately in the video of the assembly process)
Rules of care and use
There are a number of rules that must be strictly followed in order for the workbench to last as long as possible:
- Clean the surface from dust and glue after each use;
- Wipe the surface once a month with hot drying oil;
- Do not flood the workbench with water or place anything adhesive on it, including parts to be glued.
- The chopping workbench is not used under any circumstances;
- Place a board or plywood under the workpiece if you want to use a cutting tool.
- Do not over-tighten the vice screws;
- When the screws are tightened, do not hit the vice;
- The workbench is attached to its permanent location using strips with screws or nails;
- The bench board should not move. Otherwise, strengthen all its connection points;
- Wipe wooden screws with dry soap, paraffin or graphite, and metal screws only with machine oil.
Any business man needs his own equipped workplace for storing tools and performing carpentry and plumbing work. In that case, just necessary element your workplace will become a workbench, and now we will tell you how to make a workbench on your own.
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Indeed, to buy it, you will need to shell out a significant amount and, in addition, select right size specifically for your premises seems to be quite a difficult task. But if you do it yourself, you can choose the required size of the workbench to the nearest centimeter.
What kind of workbenches are there?
A workbench is a work table on which a craftsman performs manual work on processing wooden, metal and other parts. Self-made workbenches are installed in the garage, at the dacha and even in the apartment. The workbench is equipped with various additional devices that may be needed during work, such as stops and a vice. In addition, storage containers are installed in workbenches various instruments and even documentation. Based on the type of work, there are carpentry, carpentry and metal workbenches.
DIY workbench video:
Carpentry workbench
A standard carpentry workbench has this design. The main parts are the bench plate and the bench. The underframe looks like a stand (usually two) that are connected to each other wooden blocks. The material of this table element is usually pine or other softwood.
The bench board or cover is made of hard wood, such as oak, and has a thickness of up to 8 cm. The surface of the board is covered with drying oil. If you are going to assemble a workbench with your own hands, then you should know what additional devices need to be installed on the tabletop.
Note!
First of all, it should be a vice located in the front part and used to fix parts.
It is necessary to make a recess in the back to store small tools. There are holes on the edge of the bench board into which wooden blocks and metal combs are inserted. A standard workbench is mainly suitable for self made, and if you also want to use power tools, then for this you need to choose a workbench board with a large number of holes for stops.
Mechanic's workbench
A mechanic's workbench is a more powerful structure. It has metal carcass, on which a wooden cover up to 6 cm thick and covered with an iron sheet is placed. The lid is edged with a three-sided edge and, in most cases, a bench vice is installed on it. The tabletop on such workbenches is made powerful so that it can withstand high impact loads, including sledgehammers.
The material is chosen at will, but the most popular is MDF with galvanization, which allows you to protect the countertop from the influence of aggressive environments such as gasoline, oils or solvents. In addition, such a tabletop is easy to clean from dirt. The bench is equipped with several pull-out drawers for storing tools.
Carpenter's workbench
Another type of such structure is the carpenter's workbench. This workplace is designed for processing boards and has dimensions significantly larger than the two previous options. Its dimensions are up to 6 m long and 1 m wide. A stop for processing the board must be installed on the carpentry workbench. It has a triangle-shaped cutout for securing the board with wedges, and is used when processing its edges.
Making a construction workbench
Let's figure out how to make a carpentry workbench with your own hands. First you need to make a frame from beams, and between the legs, for strength, install a jumper and drawer ( connecting element, holding the structure together). It is advisable that they be located at a distance of about 45 cm from the floor. Installation of the workbench frame occurs in this order. First you need to prepare the grooves, then we assemble the structure and coat the connection points with glue. The final fastening is carried out using clamps.
Workbench table top
It is worth recalling that the production of any design occurs more quickly and efficiently if you have at least the simplest drawing of a carpentry workbench or part of it at hand. Below we show a drawing of the tabletop, top view.
If the tabletop is made of several boards, then it is necessary to ensure that there are no gaps between them, in order to avoid dust getting in there during subsequent work. The dimensions of the tabletop should be 3-5 cm larger than the workbench itself, for greater ease of cleaning the tool. The tabletop must be sanded and varnished. This will serve as protection against getting splinters into your hands.
Installing a vice and creating stops
After we have installed the tabletop, we need to mount a vice on them. For this, on work surface it is necessary to cut a recess so that the vertical plate can be placed in the same plane as the tabletop. We place the vice in the place where it will stand in the future, preferably not at a corner, and make a mark for drilling. Then fasten it with nuts.
Note!
Stops can be purchased at the store, or you can make them yourself.
Then we recommend making them rectangular in shape with the ability to adjust the height. It is advisable to make holes for the stops at a length of 50% of the vice stroke. In this situation, you will be able to fix various workpieces well. Video instructions for making a workbench can be viewed in our article.
Wooden workbench
Making a metal workbench
Let's look at how you can make a mechanic's workbench with your own hands.
- Let's determine the height of the future table. It can be different for each person, for example, if a man is 180 cm tall, then the height of the workbench is 90 cm. But still, for the final decision you need to focus only on yourself.
- Don't forget that the drawings mechanic's workbench, drawn by you, will be useful for faster and better assembly.
- For a metalworking workbench, the frame is best welded from profile pipe and corners, but in as a last resort it can be made in the same way as a carpentry structure, from beams.
- To make the structure as strong as possible, you need to place spacers between the legs. Sometimes, instead of spacers, a shelf is installed, into which you can later put tools, paint and varnish liquids, or other necessary items.
- For structural stability, you can attach the legs to the floor. This will prevent the workbench from wobbling while working.
- Build a countertop from MDF and galvanize it if possible. This will significantly increase its strength.
- If you want your workbench to be equipped drawers, then place runners under the upper beams, similar to those installed for drawers in. Then you will have storage space for small parts, screws and nails.
Folding workbench
There is another type of workbenches that are used for both carpentry and plumbing work. This is a folding workbench. It is very convenient when there is no extra space in the room. After working on it, you can always fold it and put it in a corner to wait next job. In addition, when folded, it can be transported to the country house. This workbench consists of two parts: a removable workbench board and a folding table. It is usually made in smaller sizes than a stationary table.
DIY workbench video:
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A home handyman must have comfortable spot, this is a guarantee not only of convenience and speed of work, but also of safety. High-quality European-made workbenches cost as much as industrial equipment, Chinese and handicraft assemblies are not reliable. However, you can make a good workbench with your own hands, because, in essence, it is a table equipped with various fastenings, stops and tool storage.
Workbench project
The height of the workbench depends on the height of its owner; it should be comfortable to stand, without slouching, to perform basic operations. For average height, this is usually 70-90 cm. The configuration of the workbench and the necessary fastenings and devices depend on what operations are most often performed on it, but it is worthwhile to provide several stops and a pair of screw vices or clamps (). You also need to take into account which hand the owner of the workbench uses.
Workbench diagram - first option
The width and length of the workbench depend on the area of the workshop; it is convenient if the length of the workbench is at least 2 meters and the width is 80-100 cm. It is convenient if drawers or cabinets are mounted under the workbench for storing tools and consumables.
When designing a workbench, you need to consider whether it will be permanently installed in the workshop or constantly assembled and disassembled. In the second case, it would be reasonable to lighten the structure due to a material of less thickness. In a collapsible workbench, you can make a tabletop that can be unscrewed, or you can also provide folding legs.
It is better to place the workbench near the window; additional local lighting is also required. Directly next to the workbench you need to provide several electrical outlets for equipment. All wires near the work area must be enclosed in a box or corrugated pipe.
Selection of materials
The optimal material for a workbench is planed timber, from which the frame frame and legs will be made. For legs, you can take it with a size of 100 * 70 mm, and for jumpers - 100 * 50 mm. The tabletop can be made from flat boards 5 cm thick. It can also be made from a solid piece, for example, an old blind door or laminated chipboard with a fairly durable coating. For a workbench it is better to choose hard rocks wood, preferably beech, oak or maple. Thicker bars and boards will make the workbench heavier and more stable, and will be more comfortable to work on.
Fasteners for making a workbench are selected taking into account whether it will be prefabricated or dismountable. Self-tapping screws, nails and nuts with bolts will come in handy.
Before building a workbench, you need to select a vice. It is convenient if there are 2 of them - on the right side and on the left in front. In the first, you can fix long boards, and in the second, you can clamp short parts. The most universal jaw width is 175 mm.
Scheme of the second version of the workbench
We are building a workbench. Base
The production of a workbench takes place in 2 stages: assembly of the base and installation. At each stage and during each operation, you need to control the size of the parts and the evenness of their installation using a level.
The base is a frame of beams fastened in such a way that the structure is as rigid as possible. To do this, a horizontal jumper is placed between the legs of the workbench, and a drawer is provided in the middle, along the length. The lintels and drawer are placed 40-50 cm from the floor, then shelves for storing tools can be installed on them. The beams for the base are combined using a tongue-and-groove connection, gluing it. In places where this is not possible, self-tapping screws are used. If the workbench is expected to be disassembled, then the parts of the support frame can be connected using metal corners. Usually, the grooves and tenons are first prepared according to the drawing, and then the entire structure is assembled at once, gluing the joints with wood glue and fixing them with clamps.
A good option for a stationary workbench, if one or more parts The support frames can be screwed to the wall, so the structure will be even more reliable. Strength can be increased using diagonal jumpers or wedge-shaped inserts between the legs and the upper part of the frame from the same timber, which are fastened with self-tapping screws. The narrow ends of the upper part of the frame also need to be connected with a jumper.
Tabletop and useful accessories 
If the tabletop is constructed from separate boards, then they need to be properly fitted to each other so that debris does not get into the cracks. The size of the tabletop should be a few centimeters larger than the base to make it convenient to work and clean. The boards are nailed or screwed to 3 bars located across the boards with reverse side countertops. In the base you need to provide grooves for these bars.
The board tabletop is carefully sanded several times and coated with a protective solution, preferably oil or drying oil, to avoid injury from chips during further work. The tabletop is screwed to the base using metal corners.
A vice is attached to the finished tabletop; a recess must be provided for it at the end of the tabletop so that vertical plate formed one plane with it. You will also need a plywood pad on the underside of the workbench. The jaws of the vice should be flush with the surface of the countertop. Applying a vice, mark the location for the holes and secure them with bolts and nuts (M12 is suitable). The holes for the bolt heads must be pre-milled so that they sink completely into them. The vice should not be located in the very corner, so as not to tear it off under heavy load.
In addition to the vice, it is necessary to provide stops on the workbench. You can secure ready-made ones by drilling a hole of the required diameter in the tabletop, or make them yourself. You should not use bolts or round dowels instead of stops, since the bolts can damage the workpieces with their heads, and the dowels do not fix the parts well enough.
It’s easier to make rectangular stops, or pegs, which can be adjusted in height to fit different parts and securely fix them. Under them you need to make holes in the tabletop or build it up using blocks of suitable thickness, screwed to its edge, and covered with a strip on the other side. The nests should be located from each other at a distance of half the travel of the vice so that any workpiece can be fixed.
The pegs themselves are cut out of hard wood; you can make them with a “spring” that is screwed to the base, or you can simply make them rectangular. The rectangular stops can be slightly expanded at the top, then they will be fixed in the sockets more reliably.
Building a carpentry workbench with your own hands is not an easy task, but then this workplace will be able to serve the owner for a long time, acquire useful parts and devices, and adapt to the specific needs of each craftsman.
