# Recessed area on Workbench



## arvanlaar (Dec 29, 2014)

Hey All,

So I have been gathering plans and ideas to make a workbench for my shop. As I have been scourering the world wide web I have seen several benches with recessed areas in the middle of the bench or at the back (or front... not sure of the orientation). Here is an example:










My question is what is this recessed area and what is it used for? How important is it and why do some benches have it and others dont?

Thanks guys!


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Personally I cannot think of any practicable use other than catching trash and getting dirty.

George


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## fareastern (Sep 19, 2014)

A well in a bench is very traditional and gives you somewhere to place tools while keeping the top surface clear.The tools are out of the way and can't escape and the whole width of the bench top is free for assembly jobs.I have worked on a few benches of this style,but don't think its a great advantage in all situations.


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

Although I haven't seen any posts by a particular member ( I respect his inactive status), he built a bench with such a recess but the recess was wider and had 3/4" rabbit cuts to accept 3/4" thick boards. He would cover the recess with 3/4" thick and some fillers had desktop tools mounted on them.

Other then that, the recess can be used for drilling and jig saw operations.

I have a t-track system for my workbench that can serve all these operations. I have mini saw horses and jigs and tools mounted on plywood blanks which are easily swapped out in a quick minute.


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

BernieL said:


> Although I haven't seen any posts by a particular member ( I respect his inactive status), he built a bench with such a recess but the recess was wider and had 3/4" rabbit cuts to accept 3/4" thick boards. He would cover the recess with 3/4" thick and some fillers had desktop tools mounted on them.
> 
> Other then that, the recess can be used for drilling and jig saw operations.
> 
> I have a t-track system for my workbench that can serve all these operations. I have mini saw horses and jigs and tools mounted on plywood blanks which are easily swapped out in a quick minute.


If, and when, I grow up, I want to be just like Bernie! :icon_smile:


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## TerryQ (Apr 8, 2014)

I have a workbench with a tool tray and wouldn't want it any other way. It's a place to put anything that you want protected. Ever knock a chisel or bench plane off your workbench when rotating a work piece? Even little things of no consequence like pencils, screw drivers, screws and hardware can benefit from the tool tray. Life is getting too short to bend down and pick stuff up off the floor all the time. 
I guess I should add that my workbench is away from the wall so I can walk around it. Perhaps if it was up against a wall, the wall would help keeping things from falling off. I personally wouldn't find a bench up against a wall as versatile as a bench in the center of a room.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*If I made a bench like this ....*










I would make a gap in the center as shown in the darker wood tray. I would make the tray removable and reversible. By turning the tray over you would have a totally smooth surface, IF that's what you needed for some reason. Other wise it's a tray to hold carving tools or chisels etc.

It could also be a jig to, hold long pipe clamps for clamping, having the pipes below the bench top surface and having just the jaws above.

Years back I made some scale model prototype work benches with the legs integral with the top by leaving spaces in the laminations for them rather than cutting out the mortises:
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/workbench-integral-legs-22946/


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

Looked at your old post Wood and I think you should use it more often when folks are looking for plans on "simple" or "inexpensive" and "sturdy" etc type of workbench. For new folks starting to learn our passion, that bench is perfect.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Looks like you would be plagued with the well filling with dust and wood chips. I have a shelf under my bench and it usually has about an inch deep layer of dirt on it.


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## Sorrowful Jones (Nov 28, 2010)

It is for tool storage but I am not sure if that would be something I would want or not.


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

its on the side of my bench, 84"X6"X4" and it does occasionally collect debris, lots of it, but it helps keep the TT less cluttered, holds more tools/accessories close by than crap and makes it easier to vac the crap when it requires emptying.


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## arvanlaar (Dec 29, 2014)

Thanks for the input guys! Woodnthings I really like your idea of reversible holders so that I can flip them


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