Workbench advise, almost no pun intended

[crousetrodomis]

Okay,

I might get screamed at......but here's a question. I'm VERY limited in the space that my garage has. I've got a one car garage that is basically dedicated to myself. (i'm somehow hiding my wife's christmas crap in totes and other various "once a year stuff" on shelves but all are organized in the best places possible) I've got a work bench, a Project center (my tool box), my MK 520, a good sized corner of peg board with various tools, a portable table saw and 2 portable clamping tables (workmates). My "assembly" table if you will is basically a Stanley portable clamping table with a 2x4 ft clamp in table top that I made with scrap plywood and 2x4's. Dont get me wrong, it worked well during my last project which was a very heavy changing table for my son BUT i'm looking to upgrade. NOW, with all my stuff basically being portable and having limited room in my garage, has anyone ever thought of using a Rousseau WorkBench System as a work bench. I'm thinking about taking one, making a custom top with bench dog holes and 2 diffrent types of woodworking vises. (vises being very important focus on this table) I bought my regualr workbench at a big box store and its basically made like the Rousseau system with the exception that the back has peg board and an upper shelf. (its a 6' "gorilla" brand) I'm thinking somewhere along the line of 32"X48" and possibly placing locking casters or some means of keeping it portable incase I need to move it. I dont use my garage for parking my veichle but I do have to keep my lawn mower and portable outdoor fire place in there. My router table and miter saw are tucked in under my regular bench keeping floor space a premium. For the most part, i'm very well organized but I feel that I need a bigger table and so far, i've not seen any benches I could either afford or have the experience in building. I have looked breifly at the "New Fangled Workbench" but have yet been able to see a real plan for it; thinking that it might be the one I'd like because of its clamping abilities. I'm going to try to send a picture of hopefully my bench and makeshift assembly table so I can get some helpful input once I figure out how to send pictures. Thanks,
Crouse!!!

The picture is of my last project thats sitting on my make shift assembly table. My workbench is off to the left which is the back wall of my garage.

[a1gutterman]

............ has anyone ever thought of using a Rousseau WorkBench System as a work bench. I'm thinking about taking one, making a custom top with bench dog holes and 2 diffrent types of woodworking vises. (vises being very important focus on this table) I bought my regualr workbench at a big box store and its basically made like the Rousseau system with the exception that the back has peg board and an upper shelf. (its a 6' "gorilla" brand) ........................
Crouse!!!

The picture is of my last project thats sitting on my make shift assembly table. My workbench is off to the left which is the back wall of my garage.

Hi Crouse,
That looks like a great changing table. Can you tell me what the lighted area and the bare-wood hole are for? As for the work bench, I am not familiar with the Rousseau WorkBench System, but I just went and looked at a video about it. It is probably as good as any. The thing about workbenches is that there are sooo many choices. It really depends on what you are going to do. I like to have more then one. I have one that is designed to have two different vises on it. I have one that is just a flat surface. Both of these are about 34" off the floor. I also like to have one that is only about 12" off the floor. It comes in handy for those large things (like your changing table). Of course, at 5'4", I am not the tallest person in the world, so a taller person may not have the need for a low workbench.

[charlese]

Hello there crouse----! I have the same size shop as yours, although mine is a 16 X 20 ft. stand alone bldg. This gives the advantage of 4 walls, and also give the dis-advantage of 4 walls. I can't occasionally seep out of the confines.

I really don't know about your intended bench system, but I do know mine and it works wonderfully well. Mine is an expandable bench. I a flash I can convert my crowded, littered bench into a 40" wide work area. The bench has a pull out top. No rollers, no gadgets, it just expands.

Also my son gave me a little rolling cart from (Harbor Freight) with a hydraulic lift. I use it for assemblies just like your photo shows.

If you are interested. I can tell you more. Here's a photo. Sorry, don't have a photo of the cart.

[ATTACH]1212[/ATTACH]

[crousetrodomis]

Tim, That lighted area was by the plan supposed to be a set of 3 drawers. The area goes from front to back (all the way back). I originally made a door for the front which was made with stained glass sandwitched in with plexi-glass. I placed an LED in the large cubby hole for a night light, thinking that it would shine through the stained glass for a calming effect. I spent a lot of time on that door but didn't have the heart to drill holes for the euro style hinges for it. I actually found a good basket that fits perfectally in there which acts like one big drawer. The small cubby hole originally was to hold baby power and small things for convience however I placed a light switch inside it which worked out perfectly. Tim, I think the bare wood holes (above the light control) your refering to are 2 pocket hole's that I saw no easy way to plug but they are painted. (This was my first heavy project) The whole cabinet is 26"d x 40.5" w x 35"h, which offered alot of extra stuff to be placed on top aside from just the changing pad. I received the plan from lowes's woodworking mag which suggested that it could hold one of the larger sized mini refridgerators on one side and a microwave on the other. Mine is wired for both, just incase I descide to make it a snack/game room table. (BEER!!!) I'm placing 3 more pictures for a better look see.

Chuck,
Its funny that you mention Harbor Freight.........I live LITERALLY 500 yards from one and can actually see the store through my back yard. That being said, I still drive 60 miles to my local WoodCraft store for all my fun toys. I do buy some things at "HF", but its limited to razor blades, sand paper, some pipe clamps, dead blow hammers........I know i've bought several things there but most are in the disposable range of tools. Your building is 1 foot bigger than my garage in all directions. My advantage I forgot to type was that in the summer, I open the garage door and pull my tools outside. (my criteria to all my tools are portability with exception of my 6' bench) You have no idea how many dudes i've had to turn away just to clean out my garage because alot of things are on the driveway in what people believe is a sale. I'm lucky that right know, everything BUT the make shift table fits along a wall, giving me a quite a bit of space in the middle floor, (so much space that we have family gatherings there in the summer) That being said i'm trying to have only one item on the middle floor when the garage is not in use. I know that it I sound picky but it is my all around hangout. (I watch TV, Movies, listen to Ipod.......O yeah, its got 5.1 dolby digital surround......my wife has been really good to me) I dont know if I could have stored a hydrolic lift very well but it could have came in handy. I've got a buddy a couple of blocks over who has a 2 car dedicated wood shop, plus he sells hard and exotic wood of all kinds. I evny that guy but he also really does not have a good assembly table. I think if I used the Rousseau legs and stretchers I could do something unique.......and save a little more space than even my current set up allows. As far as knowing what I would like to build.....i've got a couple ideas but I dont think its going to be anything bigger than the changing table, but then again, i'm still not too sure. I think my idea is plausable as long as I can mount a tradional wood working vise and possible tale vise system to it. I'll call Chris at my "local" WoodCraft store tommorrow and give you guys an update.

CROUSE!!!!!

[sandyj]

After reading your post, I came across this pdf file - Google/search for:-
Building the Ultimate Workbench By Brendan Mathews

then there is:=

http://christophermerrill.net/ww/plans/ ... and_1.html

It may be a worthwhile idea.

Good luck
Sandy

[8iowa]

Hello Crouse:

I had to work in 1/2 of a two car garage for 25 years. I had a 2'x8' GP workbench along the wall with shelves above that held my jointer, bandsaw, and other small accessories.

Next to my Shopsmith, the most valuable "tool" in my shop was a cabinetmakers bench with a tail vice and bench dogs. It wasn't easy, but I managed to place it so that I could walk all around it. This bench became indispensible for assembly and gluing.

For my new shop in the U.P., I ordered a Sjoberg Nordic 1660 from Woodcraft on one of their 15% off days. There are three sizes available. This system allows the vices to be placed in various positions around the bench and is a terrific clamping, gluing, and assembly station.

I'm originally from Richmond and still have family in Wayne County.

[berry]

I strongly encourage you to find suitable plans for a workbench (or plans you can modify) and make your own. In this way the size of the bench and its features meet your specific needs. What better project for your SS than to build this most essential of all tools for a shop – the workbench?

I also use a temporary ‘assembly’ table. A couple of saw horses with straight
2 x 4 runners and a sheet of ¾” mdf. It gives me an almost flat 4 x 8 foot surface to dry fit and glue up work. It all comes apart and neatly stores away when not in use.

My shop size is 12 x 14 so I understand the need to organize your shop. All the more reason to custom make your benches. I have pictures of one of my benches and the ‘assembly table here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/berry63/

[Ed in Tampa]

Hi Crouse

This must be the time of year when we all think about making our shop better. I'm basically in the same decision making process as you.

My shop is in a two car garage in which I do park two vehicles. I built a really nice work bench using the maple portion of a bowling alley for the top.
My problem is it is pushed against the wall and is between two cabinets, which effectively limits the useable portion to the front only. Not a real space saver or a very good use of space.

My current thinking is to build a permanent narrower bench (tool catch all) on the wall above it and mount my present bench on wheels so I can haul it out into the middle of the floor. I have even thought of swapping where my bench is presently stored with where I store my SS. That would give me more room to swing my vehicle doors open when I pull in the garage.

My problem is once I get my bench on wheels is stability. I have checked out a lot of locking wheels and so far most have a lot of movement even in the locked postion.

The plans for the ultimate work bench someone cited above offers another solution, use normal wheels and have screw down anchors. Other than the fact screwing and unscrewing the anchors could get tiresome that may be the best answer.

I have even considered scrapping my present work bench and going to a portable table like the Festool's Multi function table.

My only concern with using the Rousseau WorkBench System you mentioned is Metal in direct contact with cement usually is a recipe for rust and corrosion. Also the metal is more or less limited to structure where if you build out of wood the uprights can be used for various things. Aux support for clamping, hanging storage, vertical clamping and etc.

Be sure and let us know what you do decide to do.

By the way the changing table makes a lot of sense now that you supplied the other pictures. Great! Job! and you have a great looking baby!
Ed

[crousetrodomis]

Hey Kids,

Thanks for the links and ideas, please keep them comming. Sandy, I've been thinking of a modular design like the link you sent but still not too sure (dont believe I've got the skill yet for something like that but I have seen other plans like that) Well, today I didnt get much done so I'll have to call WoodCraft tommorrow. Just from being online in the past several minutes i've run across a picture of a larger workbench that looks interesting. In ShopNotes #65, there is a "heavy Duty Work Bench". Its around 7 feet long though. I like the with, but the length needs edited for my garage. If I could make it about 5 feet it would be within my best interest. I would like to see the plan first before I buy it so I will be calling around to some of my older woodworkers seeing if they might have the copy of ShopNotes from 2002. I'm guessing not though. Here's the link for the plans: http://www.shopnotes.com/plans/heavy-duty-workbench/ And here's a modification that I really enjoy for that table and would most likely do this if I built it (providing I feel confident in my skills; i'm rather new at this, first year and all. I was pretty busy with getting married, medic school, assisting my wife with her masters degree and ofcourse buying the tools.) http://garageshop.org/workbench.htm From the 2nd link, this guy added a second tail vise and a face vise but managed to shorten the project to just over 5.5 ft. I believe I could fabricate some casters that would drop down, kind of like what my SS has, therefore it would be heavy but portable around my garage. What I like about the plan is that there isn't much laminate work (which i've never done) and that the top is of MDF material with bench dog holes. I've only got a 3/4" top on my work bench thats MDF and i'm impressed with the amount of pounding and abuse its received my me in the past 5 years let alone 2 1/4". It looks like easy construction due to the lack of mortise and tendons (which i've never done).


Thoughts, feelings, concerns??????

CROUSE!!!!

[crousetrodomis]

I'm still planning on making that work bench however since I'm in the business of workbenches right now I think I'm going to make an upgrade on my existing one. I know that in my last post I was really pushing the reilability of my 3/4" MDF top but I think i'm going to do some editing on it. (really more of a deletion actually) The top is 6' by 2' with a 4" bench vise mounted to the right corner. I think i'm going to completely replace that top with 3/4" baltic birch BUT i'm going to rout out sections for adding T-track. I'm going to have a 6' section about 5" from the back wall and then 3 or 4 channels of 16-18" track running up to the 6' track. I got the idea because a while back I was pulling free plans off the internet and ran into this one: http://www.bobsplans.com/FreePlans/DNLD/Workbench.pdf Now, I'm not too sure if I could pull off the t-track on the sides like Bob's theory due inpart that my bench is made of angled steel but I believe making my top more accessable to home made style clamps and jig peices from Rockler or Wood craft would be to my benefit. Here in Muncie, we have a outlet store that is ran by habitat for humanity where I could get steaply discounted cabinets to atleast save me some time and money to make Bob's workbench (which I do think is pretty cool) and have actually though about removing my current workbench with "Bob's Bench". (having a small area could make that useful, I could place my ShopSmith on that wall and move my work bench to the other........but thats just thinking um.....outloud??) ANYHOW, I'm planning on making clamps for my T-track out of UHMW stock and cutting it down into jigs like in Bob's plan. I dont know if I'm going to place my Bench vise back on the bench or if i'm going to add it to a base where I could slide it into the t-track for a "modular design". I also thought about making two 6' tracks down the legnth of my workbench and making sort of a grid system. Has anyone ever used T-track like this or have any suggestions??????

To Bob's credit, I did make his router table which I did use until I bought my Kreg Table. (the making of said table resulted in slight injury....ie...see pictures)