multi-purpose workbench/ tables?

[rusnak]

I'm building the new office building, which will have a small workshop attached to it of course. It'll have a roll-up door (insulated), heated and cooled, and I'll probably spend more time there than in my actual office, at least in my ideal world. In that ideal world I will probably have to put a couch in there so that I can watch TV, take a break, and relax with my dogs. The "desk" is going to be a workbench.

So it needs to serve multiple functions. I am no woodworker, but when pressed I can do a decent and very precise job. I just don't know wood types, special fastenting techniques (yet) and finishes. I make stuff like tables and wood bins for special purposes, mostly.

This is what I'm envisioning. What kind of wood should I use? Can I screw the thing together with deck screws and glue? I am going to have the concrete floor expansion joints filled in so the floor is smooth, with probably a colored epoxy floor. So there will be large casters on the bottom instead of just legs.

Do you guys make or have multipurpose workbenches? Pics? Ideas? Comments?

[Jim Bremner]

How many people will be using the benches? heights? will they be working on various items or all the same size?

I used to have a warehouse where 2 other people worked with me filling boxes. I'm tall and leggy so my table was about 38" high and the other two where 36"

If I was filling a tall box sometimes the taller table made the work harder and I needed to use the 36" tall tables.

You really do not need to finish them unless you want to be fancypants. The top sheet I used 3/4" sanded smooth quality plywood

For screws use T25 torx headed screws. they cost 50% more but the time savings pays off

Will you have a pallet jack or forklift at the shop? You don't need fancy casters with locks, just build the tables so that you could slide a pallet jack under and lift the table up and move it where you need.

I don't have pictures of mine but I built them with out a plan and with cutting as little as I could,

I will type it out for you if you want

[look 171]

3/4 Domestic shop Maple. Not expensive, stays straight, and finishes well if need be. Glue and screwed pieces together, and edge all exposed plywood with 1/2 Maple or Poplar (cheaper)would be my choice as it makes the edges durable when you decide to bang siht against it. The solid wood edging finishes well should you decided to do that ( I never do because its work bench). Are you really going to use this as a real work bench? I like a solid 2" Maple, Birch or Beech top. Crazy, but I like that old fashion solid feel. Two of my benches in my shop are built that way except the legs are build out of 4x4. If solid top is too much money (I feel it is too), then double up two 3/4" shop Maple and have a 1/4" Masonite top that you can changed out when you get tired of beating it up. I would just screwed the Masonite straight into the plywood top. The doubling up of the 3/4" top will have the old fashion feel to it. Don't forget to have a few outlets attached to a plug through extension cords. You will thank me for that later.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

How many people will be using the benches? heights? will they be working on various items or all the same size?

I used to have a warehouse where 2 other people worked with me filling boxes. I'm tall and leggy so my table was about 38" high and the other two where 36"

If I was filling a tall box sometimes the taller table made the work harder and I needed to use the 36" tall tables.

You really do not need to finish them unless you want to be fancypants. The top sheet I used 3/4" sanded smooth quality plywood

For screws use T25 torx headed screws. they cost 50% more but the time savings pays off

Will you have a pallet jack or forklift at the shop? You don't need fancy casters with locks, just build the tables so that you could slide a pallet jack under and lift the table up and move it where you need.

I don't have pictures of mine but I built them with out a plan and with cutting as little as I could,

I will type it out for you if you want

Man, those are some great questions.

Torx, like Spax?

I have a forklift, yes. And a pallet jack. I will install pallet racking, but probably not use until we start to make pallet deals on cases of stuff.

The shop is going to be used to store tools and make small repairs. Since it's my place, I can just make people leave me my table, and I can make more benches for the guys. We own a bunch of land and will be maintaining commercial property. I also put on a large pumpkin patch. But I'm thinking more about a farmer's market now. The front half of the building is a retail store. I bought a franchise. Their slogan is something along the lines of a plethora of "good stuff".

My dad gave me a sheet of slate. It's real slate, and as a sort of tribute to him, I want to have it cut to a useful size, and set into the table top. At least that's what I'm thinking right now.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by look 171

3/4 Domestic shop Maple. Not expensive, stays straight, and finishes well if need be. Glue and screwed pieces together, and edge all exposed plywood with 1/2 Maple or Poplar (cheaper)would be my choice as it makes the edges durable when you decide to bang siht against it. The solid wood edging finishes well should you decided to do that ( I never do because its work bench). Are you really going to use this as a real work bench? I like a solid 2" Maple, Birch or Beech top. Crazy, but I like that old fashion solid feel. Two of my benches in my shop are built that way except the legs are build out of 4x4. If solid top is too much money (I feel it is too), then double up two 3/4" shop Maple and have a 1/4" Masonite top that you can changed out when you get tired of beating it up. I would just screwed the Masonite straight into the plywood top. The doubling up of the 3/4" top will have the old fashion feel to it. Don't forget to have a few outlets attached to a plug through extension cords. You will thank me for that later.

Well sort of. I will be using it for everything from writing on plans, to doing repairs. It'll have a solid top, not that hole arrangement. Really dirty work like engine repairs will be done at home, not there, and on a metal shop table, not this thing.

I'm thinking about overhead power, air, and water in retractable reels. I installed those in my shop at home and love it. The walls of course will have 110 outlets. I want one 220v outlet for the compressor.

Many thanks on the wood type. I think Maple sounds great. I won't finish it unless the types of wood end up making it multi-colored. Something in me doesn't like ugly stuff.

[Charles Freeborn]

As said, Maple or Birch ply. Look for a 13 ply core with the outer plies heavy. If you're willing to spend the money use Baltic Birch.
That bench has the hole pattern found on Festool benches that allow the toggle clamp hold downs. A really nice system, as are the tools. The Festool track saw is the cat's pjs. Do a search and you'll come up with lots of plans.

[wayner]

While one of my benches has a plywood top, and the other has a multiple board top,
I use a replaceable piece of white hard board for the surface on each.

When it gets chewed up or soiled I flip it over or replace it.

Also, this could be used on top of a holed bench when you don't need the holes (writing on etc)

[1990C4S]

I throw MDF on top of mine, then use the MDF sheet in a project when the back side gets too beat up.

MDF is flat and smooth, it's good to work on.

[Pazuzu]

I had leftover pieces of cheap laminate flooring from a project that I covered my garage workbench in. It's surprisingly tough, looks great, cleans up quickly from oil and water spills, flat and smooth, and if i do gouge or crack a piece, I still have a few lengths laying around.
This was the $0.99 a square foot junk, a single box (20-25 square feet) would do quite a large workbench while being a fraction the price of 3/4 sheet of real wood.

[vash]

one of my few regrets was not monkey rolling over and grabbing one of several badass worktables at a japanese woodworking store. the store closed and they liquidated everything. the tables were awesome. the tops had built in vises. the table tops were slotted vices. super cool, super patina. they sold for about $1000 ea.

i didnt have a good answer when my wife asked me WTF was i gonna do with a japanese woodworking table. plus my house at the time didnt have room for a card table, much less this monstrosity.. wish i kept photo at least.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by Charles Freeborn

As said, Maple or Birch ply. Look for a 13 ply core with the outer plies heavy. If you're willing to spend the money use Baltic Birch.
That bench has the hole pattern found on Festool benches that allow the toggle clamp hold downs. A really nice system, as are the tools. The Festool track saw is the cat's pjs. Do a search and you'll come up with lots of plans.

Yes, Sir! You know your stuff. I was looking at Festool workbenches and came across the Festool forum, where I stole those pics.

Where do I buy Maple and Maple plywood? I have a feeling you're going to say to the local specialty lumberyard. That place charges a fortune for wood.

Originally Posted by vash

one of my few regrets was not monkey rolling over and grabbing one of several badass worktables at a japanese woodworking store. the store closed and they liquidated everything. the tables were awesome. the tops had built in vises. the table tops were slotted vices. super cool, super patina. they sold for about $1000 ea.

i didnt have a good answer when my wife asked me WTF was i gonna do with a japanese woodworking table. plus my house at the time didnt have room for a card table, much less this monstrosity.. wish i kept photo at least.

Didn't you have a badass butcher block table on casters? My goodness that thing is the tits.

[Evans, Marv]

I've mentioned this before a couple of times on work bench topics and will mention it again as an alternative. I bought a piece of 4x8, tongue & grove, plywood flooring at HD for my workbench top. The thing is 1 1/8 in. thick. So it offers a really good, stable base for a work top, and although I have it covered with outdoor carpet and use pieces of hard rubber mat to work on, I can cover it with something else if I want. I used the left over strip as a backsplash, since it's up against a wall.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Yes, Sir! You know your stuff. I was looking at Festool workbenches and came across the Festool forum, where I stole those pics.

Where do I buy Maple and Maple plywood? I have a feeling you're going to say to the local specialty lumberyard. That place charges a fortune for wood.




Didn't you have a badass butcher block table on casters? My goodness that thing is the tits.

You buy shop Maple. That's the rejected A face grade due to defects on the face, purely cosmetics. They normally run 40 bucks per piece, yes, from those plywood houses. Ask for "Shop" grade, if not, they will stick you with "A" face panels.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

I've mentioned this before a couple of times on work bench topics and will mention it again as an alternative. I bought a piece of 4x8, tongue & grove, plywood flooring at HD for my workbench top. The thing is 1 1/8 in. thick. So it offers a really good, stable base for a work top, and although I have it covered with outdoor carpet and use pieces of hard rubber mat to work on, I can cover it with something else if I want. I used the left over strip as a backsplash, since it's up against a wall.

I'm going to build shelves and another table with exactly this. Flooring panels.

Originally Posted by look 171

You buy shop Maple. That's the rejected A face grade due to defects on the face, purely cosmetics. They normally run 40 bucks per piece, yes, from those plywood houses. Ask for "Shop" grade, if not, they will stick you with "A" face panels.

I'll be walking in there like I know what I'm doing now!

Me: "I'd like shop Maple please. The rejected A face grade".

Them: "Do you want low formaldehyde non CFC emitting glue lam?"

Me: (deer in the headlights look)

[look 171]

Originally Posted by rusnak

I'm going to build shelves and another table with exactly this. Flooring panels.



I'll be walking in there like I know what I'm doing now!

Me: "I'd like shop Maple please. The rejected A face grade".

Them: "Do you want low formaldehyde non CFC emitting glue lam?"

Me: (deer in the headlights look)

They wouldn't ask you that. Just call and ask to see if they have any shop Maple, Birch, or Red Oak. 9I hate Red Oak, BTW). Structurally there are nothing wrong with any of them. If you say Rejected A face, then they will tear you apart

[rusnak]

^ ooh. Got it! They'd be all imitating me after I left too.