Workbench Complete

J

jesse

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Oct 2, 2005
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Jesse
Home Airfield
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I've always wanted a large amount of surface space for working on various projects. The intent of this work bench is for indoor projects, like building rc airplanes, fixing / cleaning guns, etc etc.

This house had a pretty small finished room in the basement and it seemed to be a pretty good place to build it. I decided that I would cover two of the walls in bench.

I wasn't really sure how to build such a thing but went to Menards anyways. Kitchen counter top seemed like a pretty good surface that would look good in a room. I also bought a bunch of 2x4s and some plywood. I had a hard time visualising how to build the supporting structure in a way that would permit sitting while being strong. I eventually just started cutting wood and driving screws. It worked out.

It provides about 16 feet in total length of work-space. Seems very sturdy. I would like to add electrical outlets to it in the near future...

Work area:
4.jpg

Here is the 2x4/plywood structure which will support the counter-top and it's load:
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Test fits:
2.jpg

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Time for paint:
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Installed in the room:
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I am planning some further enhancements like electrical outlets.

Cost
Counter-tops: $118
2x4s: $14
Plywood $28
Milter Bolts: 5
Paint: $12
Paint brushes/roller: $10
Total: $187

Of course -- I spent quite a bit more on tools and other misc. items I didn't own.
 
Nice work. One piece of advice, however, based on experience with a similar-colored top surface. If you're working with small parts (like set screws, pins, other little dark-colored stuff, place a solid color mat, or white towel, or other material on top of the work surface. Otherwise little stuff will simply disappear against the background; and every year it will disappear quicker.
 
wabower said:
Nice work. One piece of advice, however, based on experience with a similar-colored top surface. If you're working with small parts (like set screws, pins, other little dark-colored stuff, place a solid color mat, or white towel, or other material on top of the work surface. Otherwise little stuff will simply disappear against the background; and every year it will disappear quicker.
Click to expand...

Good catch.

I suggest a few old fashioned ice cube trays. They stack away nicely and are great for temporary screw/part storage when disassembling.
 
wabower said:
Nice work. One piece of advice, however, based on experience with a similar-colored top surface. If you're working with small parts (like set screws, pins, other little dark-colored stuff, place a solid color mat, or white towel, or other material on top of the work surface. Otherwise little stuff will simply disappear against the background; and every year it will disappear quicker.
Click to expand...
Yeah -- I considered that. But the options at Menards were rather limited. I don't generally place loose screws on the surface anyways. I always stick them to masking tape in the same orientation that they go into the device.

Too many times have I discovered that screws are different lengths when I've went to assemble it later. By using the masking tape and a digital camera throughout the process I can ensure it always goes back to the same hole.
 
Nice job, Jesse. Cool having a house to fix up JUST HOW YOU LIKE IT, eh?!
 
It's dropping or fumbling it while I'm taking it apart or putting it back together--especiallly when a spring is involved) that drives me nuts.

jesse said:
Yeah -- I considered that. But the options at Menards were rather limited. I don't generally place loose screws on the surface anyways. I always stick them to masking tape in the same orientation that they go into the device.

Too many times have I discovered that screws are different lengths when I've went to assemble it later. By using the masking tape and a digital camera throughout the process I can ensure it always goes back to the same hole.
Click to expand...
 
wabower said:
It's dropping or fumbling it while I'm taking it apart or putting it back together--especiallly when a spring is involved) that drives me nuts.
Click to expand...

What I hate is when I don't know there is a spring and such behind plate 'x'. Remove screws a, b, and c, then when you pull d, the whole thing explodes on you, gears and springs going everywhere. And you then look at it and say it.
 
A 12-letter hyphenated word repeated three times with additional emphasis on each repetition?

TangoWhiskey said:
What I hate is when I don't know there is a spring and such behind plate 'x'. Remove screws a, b, and c, then when you pull d, the whole thing explodes on you, gears and springs going everywhere. And you then look at it and say it.
Click to expand...
 
TangoWhiskey said:
What I hate is when I don't know there is a spring and such behind plate 'x'. Remove screws a, b, and c, then when you pull d, the whole thing explodes on you, gears and springs going everywhere. And you then look at it and say it.
Click to expand...
I once tried to take apart a wind up alarm clock. I was about ten years old and needless to say it didn't work out for me. I hid it for fear of getting in trouble since I broke it. As a result -- I over-slept and got in even more trouble.
 
Nice! Add some diagonal cross-members underneath, and it'll hold your house together in a tornado. :yes:
 
Nice work.

We need to see pictures once it's put into revenue service!!!:D
 
Jesse- it looks good!

FlyNE said:
Good catch.

I suggest a few old fashioned ice cube trays. They stack away nicely and are great for temporary screw/part storage when disassembling.
Click to expand...
Egg trays work for me too.

jesse said:
Yeah -- I considered that. But the options at Menards were rather limited. I don't generally place loose screws on the surface anyways. I always stick them to masking tape in the same orientation that they go into the device.

<SNIP>
Click to expand...
I think I'll buy stock in Menards now..the tape is another way to go- as you often start with an assembled product that requires work. I was thinking storage when building something when I mentioned the egg cartons.
 
One more hint. Before you load it, measure the distance from the floor to the underside of the top structure (where the toolchest will eventually go) to be sure you have the right height to accomodate the common sizes. Adding some adjustable feet now, if you only need a 1/2" or so, may save you some headaches down the road. BTDT too.
 
A lot of the RC airplane stuff I have always needs 12 volt power. I got sick of not having a clean way to power them.

I just built this little power panel onto the workbench tonight - it uses a PC power supply - rather cheap solution that is pretty clean.

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I also added pegboard:
pegboard.jpg
 
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Having seen Jesse's workbench, I must admit that it's a lot nicer than mine. But what else would you expect from a man who drives a Chrysler Concorde?
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Nice job, Jesse. Cool having a house to fix up JUST HOW YOU LIKE IT, eh?!
Click to expand...

:incazzato: If you ignore that's it a curse that you shoudl have warned the guy about, yeah. (He says as he keeps thinking about how many cables he has to pull to get the place the way he wants it....and there is very little access.)

Good work, Jesse! I was thinking of scanning Craigslist to find some usable tables for one or two computers in my new "bedroom suite." I might just steal that idea and put something like that in the corner of the "office."

The current dilemma, which I've thought about for a while, is how to make it so I can watch/listen to TV and audio in that room and the attached bathroom. Sonos is expensive and won't quite cut it. A Slingbox is looking like a key part - even eliminating the need for the second TiVo. I'm thinking a new Mac Mini will do it with some video over Cat 6 and some runs of speaker wires. It never ends.
 
Sooner or later all horizontal surfaces become a storage shelf....
 
That's not a real workbench. You can see the top. I'll have to go out and take a picture of mine when I get home and show you a real workbench. I know it's under all that stuff somewhere. :D
 
Ghery said:
That's not a real workbench. You can see the top. I'll have to go out and take a picture of mine when I get home and show you a real workbench. I know it's under all that stuff somewhere. :D
Click to expand...

And by law you cannot own a PC or other device that has all of the screws in the case.


Because by another law the likelihood of it working is inversely proportional to the number of screws replaced.
 
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