# Looking For Work Bench Plans



## Maveric777 (Jul 30, 2008)

Hey everyone, I am in the process of trying to figure out how and what all I want to incorporate into my main work bench. I have found so much stuff here in the WWW that I seem to be getting confused... Don't know what direction to go. So instead of trusting random places I wanted to get yall's input on it. Here are a few things I am looking for...

Mobile... I am working out of a garage and I hate clutter. I want to be able to roll it to the middle of the garage (or even drive way) then secure it so it doesn't move. I want some sort of way to secure besides locking wheels.

Solid.... I don't want to have to build another one a couple of years down the line.

Cabinets... I despise clutter ( wife calls me OCD...lol ) so I want to incorporate cabinets below so things can be put in its place.

Vice... I am very new, but do know I would like a woodwork vice built into the top. I have no clue all the tricks to using one (im sure there are uses for it besides clamping two boards together...lol)

Dog Legs... I am completely clueless on what the are used for (or even if I am using the term correctly... They are the holes in the top of the bench that accepts wooden inserts for help with work .... right?)

I am just looking for some plans or ideas ... or even somewhere to go to find the info I would be very thankful. I just don't want to start throwing money at it without having a game plan.

Thanks for any help....


Dan


----------



## John in Tennessee (Jun 11, 2008)

*No Clutter........*

How will you ever find anything??????


----------



## NathanT (Sep 11, 2009)

http://homeimprovement.lovetoknow.com/Workbench_Plans

Should get you started in the right direction.

1. Mobile without relying on wheels: The only way I can think of would be to use retractable wheels, not an easy feat and certainly not cheap. Pretty much a metal frame inside the leg frames, a foot lever and tons of stubbed toes. Other option would be to use a screw crank, but still trying to wrap my head around how a corner screw would raise four wheels at once.

2. Laminated Maple is tops, IPE is more difficult but insanely hard. You can make do with Southern Yellow Pine or Douglas/Hem Fir.

3. If you're incorporating cabinets below and bench dogs you can do one of two things. The first is to not make through dogs, a challenge since you'll have to blow the dust out of unused dogs. The other, and more common option is to leave 3-4 inches of space between the bottom of the benchtop and the start of the cabinets, wide enough to shove a shopvac attachment in to clean out the dust occasionally

4. There are quite a few options for bench vices. The main use on a woodworking bench is to hold a piece while you are working on it. 

Check your local library for either the Landis book or Sam Allen's, that or you can pick up a cheap copy online. You'd be amazed at the compromises and challenges of building a good workbench.

If time and materials are more valuable, Woodcraft has a deal on their entry level bench, a very decent design.

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2005401/15505/Sjoberg-s-Nordic-Plus-1450-Workbench.aspx

$299 for the bench and add another $165 for the under storage. Once you work out a mobility solution you could have a long-term bench for around $700.


----------



## Streamwinner (Nov 25, 2008)

Hi Dan,

Not sure why you're so opposed to locking wheels, but I find that they work particularly well if you get a nice set. I recently built a mobile base for my table saw and I can lock just two of the wheels and it's not going anywhere. Other ways to bypass lockable wheels is to use risers like a short, threaded rod with a foot on the end and raises the bench off the wheels. More of a pain because you'll be bending down and screwing and unscrewing them all the time.

Bench dogs are for clamping, and are really only needed if you have a need to clamp wide stock or other boards which you will be doing a lot of surface work on (like planing). You would insert dogs (basically pegs) into the work bench and in the end of your vise, then you can clamp a work piece between the dogs in your vice and the dogs in your bench. This leaves the entire face open for working. I built my bench and included dog holes but have never really had a need to use them. 

This page has 168 free workbench plans:

http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/resources/index.php?cat=485

Good luck, and post some pics when it's done.


----------



## badshot (Sep 14, 2009)

Here are some nice plans but they'll cost you a few bucks. 
http://www.woodsmith.com/plans/categories/workbench/


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Look at them this way*

Tops, there a few ways to make the work surface: Glue up hardwood stock, glue up plywood sheets, use a solid core door, cover with a disposable work surface like Masonite/hardboard.... 
Storage below, make plywood cabinets or boxes with drawers, open shelves, premade tool storage units as from Sears, Kennedy, File cabinets legal or standard with roller bearing drawers, (that's what I use) ......
Bases, mortises and tenon Old School European style, use any of the above...
Make it mobile, casters that lock, casters with screw down or cammed legs that drop...
A mobile workbench is sort of a mixed metaphor, you really don't want it movin' around on you, Mine, for metal working, weighs about 500 lbs loaded with tool boxes, above and to the rear, stuff on the shelves below, 2 big metal working vises, a solid core door. I have to move it with car jacks. 
Mine for woodworking is a 3" laminated maple top with a quick release woodworkers vise, on 2 legal file cabinets with storage between. Not mobile, however. bill


----------



## Maveric777 (Jul 30, 2008)

What a great wealth of information! Thanks for the input and help. I had a chance to check a couple of suggestions so far, and I feel like I am on the right track now.
As far as my opposition to locking wheels I cant help but think of my regular profession (head technician for an ambulance service) and I ran into a few situations where the locking wheels not really locking got me into some hairy situations. I may look into a combination of locking wheels and anchor set up. I considered some sort of screw down set up that would lower the anchor down to my desired pressure. I was thinking of construction it out of 1' all thread and use some sort of rubber bottom similar to what you would find at the bottom of a walking cane. That way I can find an easy replacement when it starts to break down.
How do yall feel about MDF tops? I have no experience with it and makes me a tad nervous. I am worried on how well it will hold up for me. When I think MDF I think of cheap furniture.... Most likely due to my ignorance of it. 
When it comes to the Dogs I am torn. I cant think of anything off the top of my head right now I could use them for, but knowing my luck..... as soon as I build it without them I will need them...lol
Thanks again for all the help so far yall. I am finishing up my "HUGE" back patio project (ohhh my back...lol) then I plan on getting serious about my bench. I am ready to get this thing moving...:thumbsup:


----------



## Streamwinner (Nov 25, 2008)

If you can't see any function for dogs right now, just leave them out. You can always drill dog holes later if you feel like you need them (as long as you make room in your worktop).

For the top of my workbench, I glued and screwed together two pieces of 3/4 MDF and it works great. There's 12" of overhang where I mounted the vise and it is perfectly firm all the way out to the edge. Here's a picture right after I finished building it but before I mounted the vise.


----------



## Streamwinner (Nov 25, 2008)

Saw this today, thought it was interesting.

http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/Chop+Drop+And+Roll.aspx


----------



## Streamwinner (Nov 25, 2008)

Also over here:

http://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2008/0...te-guide-to-free-woodworking-workbench-plans/


----------



## Willie T (Feb 1, 2009)

One thing you might want to consider is having the top over hang at all edges. This is so you can easily get a clamp on your work to hold it in place when you don't have a third hand to steady it.


----------



## RavLev (Aug 25, 2011)

*Streamwinner's Workbench*

Dear SW,

Was searching the Internet for workbench plans and came across your post and pic from Nov 14, 2009. Looks like a very sturdy build and perhaps one that I, a relative novice, can accomplish. Do you, by chance, have plans?

Many thanks.

Ravlev


----------



## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Hey, thanks for bubbling this thread up! Lots of good stuff. I was recently looking at this as a scaled down commitment for building my own workbench:
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/projects/175_workbench


----------



## Streamwinner (Nov 25, 2008)

RavLev said:


> Dear SW,
> 
> Was searching the Internet for workbench plans and came across your post and pic from Nov 14, 2009. Looks like a very sturdy build and perhaps one that I, a relative novice, can accomplish. Do you, by chance, have plans?
> 
> ...



Crazy, first time on the forum in several weeks and saw your post. Good news is that I usually save my plans and pics. Bad news is that my hard drive failed this past month. I'm hoping that the data can be recovered, and shopping around for data recovery services is on my list for tomorrow. 

Please send me a private message. That way when I get my data back I will have your contact info and can send the plans if I have them.

Best, -SW


----------



## cellophane (Oct 6, 2009)

Willie T said:


> One thing you might want to consider is having the top over hang at all edges. This is so you can easily get a clamp on your work to hold it in place when you don't have a third hand to steady it.


:thumbsup:

This is an good thread on a roubo bench build using plans from Benchcrafted. (here's the documented build thread)

It all depends on your budget I guess.


----------

