# Garage Work Bench?



## Anguspapa (May 4, 2013)

I was wondering is anyone has a link or basic plans for a small work table / bench. What I would like to do is make a work bench with a top that is approximately 30" x 72" and would be able to put a 5" craftsmen vise on it. Thanks


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

Welcome to the forum!

There have been many many workbench build threads posted here. Take a look through the Project Showcase section and you should find quite a few if you go back a ways. There are a wide range of different types and sizes that you'll see, so look through them and see what features you'd like to include on yours. It should help refine any ideas you have and may push you in a certain direction when you see all the different types that members have made.


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## rb88 (May 4, 2013)

If you want something quick and simple, I suggest checking out www.startwoodworking.com and look at the plans they show for the Rock Solid Plywood Bench. It looks very simple to build and should work out perfect for what you are wanting.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

You may find that a 30" top is too deep, unless it's going to be free-standing (away from the wall). I did when I built a bench that deep.

As other people have said, there's a lot of good plans on the site: take a look around!

My bench (smaller, but you could easily make a bigger top), with build notes, is displayed at http://cheapsawdust.blogspot.com/2012/12/an-inexpensive-bench.html.


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## Anguspapa (May 4, 2013)

amckenzie4 said:


> You may find that a 30" top is too deep, unless it's going to be free-standing (away from the wall). I did when I built a bench that deep.
> 
> As other people have said, there's a lot of good plans on the site: take a look around!
> 
> My bench (smaller, but you could easily make a bigger top), with build notes, is displayed at http://cheapsawdust.blogspot.com/2012/12/an-inexpensive-bench.html.


It will be against the wall, what would you suggest? Thanks


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## MissionIsMyMission (Apr 3, 2012)

This is my all time favorite Garage Workbench Plan. Folds out of the way, plenty of storage and easy to build from plain 2x4 stock.
http://plansnow.com/wbenchfold.html


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Anguspapa said:


> It will be against the wall, what would you suggest? Thanks


I found that at 30" I had to stretch to reach anything hung on the wall behind the bench, and if the bench had a large project on it the wall was just unreachable. 24" was much more usable, and is also about the depth of a standard kitchen counter.


As a note on bench sizes: how much space you need depends a lot on what you're doing, but you probably don't need as much space as you think you do. I've started watching how I use my bench top, and it's been interesting. Right now my bench is 2'x4', give or take. (Actually something like 24 3/4" x 49 1/2", but that's close enough.) I'm currently in the process of building a bedframe, and the largest single piece is 9" wide by 72 1/2" long. I find that I tend to clamp things as close to the front edge as I can to make them easy to reach, and use the back half of the bench for setting tools on. 

So right now, for this project, I could be working on a 20" bench with plenty of space left over. Now, the LENGTH is an issue, and I'm going to build a larger bench as soon as I have a job again; I'd really like the bench to be about 6' long, since that's more than adequate for most things I work on. But the new top will probably be about two feet deep again, with a tool well occupying the back 10".

Of course, I have no idea what you're going to be building; if you're going to be building things a lot deeper than what I do, you may need that 30". But think carefully, and consider building a top that you can remove and replace later if you decide a different size would be better.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

This is from experience ... I got a bunch of 29 1/2" wide modular office (cube) desktops from my workplace when they were remodeling. I currently have 6 of them on one long work surface along one wall in my garage, with a bunch of stuff hanging on the wall behind them. The lower stuff is not too hard to reach, but the higher stuff is a pain to get to. At 5'11", I am maybe a tad taller than average.

So, I agree with the others ... in my opinion, a 30" deep bench against the wall is a little too wide. 24" is about as deep as I would go. For length, the longer the better. As to height, I like the kitchen counter top height, which I THINK is about 36" or so.


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## Anguspapa (May 4, 2013)

After reading everyone's links and comments I found a design that I think will be pretty simple to build and with in my tight budget. I already have he plywood, it's been sitting on saw horses and my wife's getting P.O. at me because it takes up so much room. She also has hobbies in he garage! Then there is all my work tools and materials in the garage! This is only a small 2 car garage. Thanks again for the help and I'm still open for more info and thoughts. 

http://www.eaa1000.av.org/technicl/worktabl/tablefig.htm


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

Anguspapa - simple design is good. A work bench needs 2 basic ingredients. First - it needs to be flat like a tabletop or plywood. Second, a bench needs to be sturdy and that is why a lot of folks love those fancy European workbenches. But your simple design can be sturdy if you anchor it to the wall or floor. My bench is a flat door on a 2X4 frame built into the floor of my workshop. It is basically simple like your bench, but I modified it to be versatile and quite easy to use. Take a quick look at it and maybe in a few years, you may want to modify your bench with some of the ideas I've used. My bench

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/versatile-small-shop-work-bench-unique-40361/


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

BernieL said:


> Anguspapa - simple design is good. A work bench needs 2 basic ingredients. First - it needs to be flat like a tabletop or plywood. Second, a bench needs to be sturdy and that is why a lot of folks love those fancy European workbenches. But your simple design can be sturdy if you anchor it to the wall or floor. My bench is a flat door on a 2X4 frame built into the floor of my workshop. It is basically simple like your bench, but I modified it to be versatile and quite easy to use. Take a quick look at it and maybe in a few years, you may want to modify your bench with some of the ideas I've used. My bench
> 
> http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/versatile-small-shop-work-bench-unique-40361/


 
THAT was one of the nicer benches I have seen... :thumbsup:

Very nice indeed! :yes:


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

This serves me well:


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Anguspapa said:


> After reading everyone's links and comments I found a design that I think will be pretty simple to build and with in my tight budget. I already have he plywood, it's been sitting on saw horses and my wife's getting P.O. at me because it takes up so much room. She also has hobbies in he garage! Then there is all my work tools and materials in the garage! This is only a small 2 car garage. Thanks again for the help and I'm still open for more info and thoughts.
> 
> http://www.eaa1000.av.org/technicl/worktabl/tablefig.htm


i made my long work table along the wall very much like that. it will be very sturdy.


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## Tilaran (Dec 22, 2012)

Anguspapa said:


> I was wondering is anyone has a link or basic plans for a small work table / bench. What I would like to do is make a work bench with a top that is approximately 30" x 72" and would be able to put a 5" craftsmen vise on it. Thanks


No plan required.
Hinge it to the wall. Fold it up when you need garage space. The support is merely a wedge.


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## Tilaran (Dec 22, 2012)

:yeson't think the system wont hold weight. This one is 32 in by about 10-11 feet, 2 inches thick.
I ban snatch the tools, put them on my tool room and fold it flat to the wall in five minutes if I need to work on a car.


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## Tilaran (Dec 22, 2012)

Kinda easy to sweep and mop under too. She likes it ! This is VERY important. Saves us time for the jacuzzi :cool2:


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

if you use a cleat to attach it to the wall, it will hold more weight than you could ever put on it.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

amckenzie4 said:


> You may find that a 30" top is too deep, unless it's going to be free-standing (away from the wall). I did when I built a bench that deep.
> 
> As other people have said, there's a lot of good plans on the site: take a look around!
> 
> My bench (smaller, but you could easily make a bigger top), with build notes, is displayed at http://cheapsawdust.blogspot.com/2012/12/an-inexpensive-bench.html.


Unless you have short arms 30" should be fine.

George


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