# My first workbench



## NewAtWood (Mar 17, 2011)

Didn't take enough pictures to do a build thread. This project was all about learning and trying something new. Had no idea what I would want in a bench, so thought I'd give it a shot with the cheapest wood I could buy (borg lumber). I used doug fir for the feet, legs, stretchers and top. Shelf is 1x pine.

This was a project of firsts: my first time cutting dados, my first time using a planer (father's day gift), my first time laminating anything bigger than a cutting board, my first time trying mortise and tenons. Used mortise and tenons on the feet, stretchers and top support. Added furniture bolts to reinforce the legs/stretchers. Added a Rockler front vice.

Doug fir is soft, and the top will get beat up pretty quick...but that's why I went cheap. Some day, maybe I'll build a hard rock maple bench once I know more about what I want in a bench.

About 80" long and just shy of 38" tall. I made it about 1/8th of an inch shorter than my tablesaw, so I can use it as an outfield table. After I took the pics, I added the Rockler workbench caster kit (love those pop-up wheels)...so now I can wheel my bench all over the neighborhood :blink:

Thanks for looking...


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## NewAtWood (Mar 17, 2011)

And here is the bench...


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## BigJoe16 (Feb 20, 2012)

Looks great. I wish my workbenches looked as nice. There just topped with plywood or hardboard


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## eigersa (Apr 17, 2011)

that looks for too nice to work on! what did you use to finish the top with?


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## Stick (Aug 23, 2007)

Looks beautiful! I think you'll find the pine top won't be as bad as you think unless you use your bench as a machinist bench (pounding on metal with hammers). As long as its heavy enough to not move around when you're trying to use hand tools, I think you've got a keeper for many years to come.


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## troyd1976 (Jul 26, 2011)

looks awsome, you umm know building a bench like that as your first project has really raised our future expectations of your work right? :laughing:


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## CasinoDuck (Jun 15, 2011)

Hell yeah! Damn good job:thumbsup:


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## 65BAJA (May 27, 2012)

Bench looks great! :thumbsup: What size lumber did you use for the top? 2x4's or 2x6's ripped in half?


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## mat 60 (Jul 9, 2012)

That looks great...It will look even better once used a while..:thumbsup:


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## Icutone2 (Nov 4, 2011)

*Super Bench!*

Looks like a fine bench! To fine for working on Ha Ha!:laughing:
For a first project that is ace in my book. Thanks for showing it.
Lee


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## Phaedrus (Jan 18, 2012)

That is a handsome workbench! How much $$ did you end up spending on lumber?


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## buggyman1 (Nov 16, 2011)

Very nice job, almost too nice to work on.


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Very nicely done! That looks ready to do some serious hand tool work!


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

Not sure what you are fussing about the fir for... We use Southern Yellow Pine around here for that sort of thing. The top is going to get character beat into it over the hears anyway. Only thing I would change is add dog holes for the vise, and fill the space between the legs with drawers for storage of your hand tools.


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## NewAtWood (Mar 17, 2011)

eigersa said:


> that looks for too nice to work on! what did you use to finish the top with?


I had part of a can of General Finishes Arm-R-Seal (satin) left over from a table I refinished for my mom, so I just slapped a couple of coats of that on it...oil based wipe-on poly. I found it really easy to work with.


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## NewAtWood (Mar 17, 2011)

65BAJA said:


> Bench looks great! :thumbsup: What size lumber did you use for the top? 2x4's or 2x6's ripped in half?


Thanks! I used 2x4's, which in hindsight I think was a mistake. I bought the boards for the top and stickered them in my garage for a couple of weeks to let them "acclimate". I think at least seven or eight of them were so badly warped and twisted that I didn't bother even trying to use them. Maybe if I had a jointer, but even then I'm not sure I could have saved them.

With the replacement 7 or 8 boards, I ripped and glued them the same day I bought them. Didn't have any problem with warping or twisting. If I had it to do over, I might have even used 2x10's or 2x12's and ripped them down.

Would also have reduced the number of cuts, as I had to rip every 2x4 twice to cut off the roundover.


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## NewAtWood (Mar 17, 2011)

Phaedrus said:


> That is a handsome workbench! How much $$ did you end up spending on lumber?



I don't know exactly, but I think it would have been about $100-$110 for the lumber...except that I had 7 or 8 boards warp/twist real bad, and I made a couple of bad cutting decisions (like cutting the dado on the wrong side of a board 

That added about $20 to the total (doug fir 2x4 studs at the blue big box store in my area are about $3 per; about $2.35 for hem-fir, but I went with the d fir).

Then I added the quick-release front vice from Rockler for about $75 (waited for it to be a sale item)...then I picked up the workbench caster kit (not pictured) for about $60 (again, waited for it to be a sale item). I really like the quick-release feature on the vice and really like the caster set. Throw in some furniture bolts and misc supplies (finish, etc).

After everything, I think it came in around $300, maybe even a little bit under, even with the wasted wood.


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## NewAtWood (Mar 17, 2011)

dbhost said:


> Not sure what you are fussing about the fir for... We use Southern Yellow Pine around here for that sort of thing. The top is going to get character beat into it over the hears anyway. Only thing I would change is add dog holes for the vise, and fill the space between the legs with drawers for storage of your hand tools.


Thanks! That is actually a really good suggestion, and something I've been strongly considering. Especially the drawers.


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## woodbutcher360 (Jul 1, 2012)

Nicely done! You are correct about using 2 x 12. That's the clearest building material lumber that you'll get at a box store or even at a large lumber yard. Especially if you can pick and choose your boards which I do. When I can't I find another source. 
My suggestion for the space under the bench is to build a cabinet to slide into that space, that way when and if you decide to build another you can still use the cabinet.


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## ftk (May 9, 2012)

Very nice! Finish looks great.


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## mike palmowski (Jul 19, 2011)

Did you design the plans for this? This bench looks awesome and has inspired me to try and build something very similar. Great job!


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

that is really an awesome bench:thumbsup::thumbsup:
keep up the good work


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

That came out very nice. Wish I had the room to do one myself. Thanks for sharing.


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## NewAtWood (Mar 17, 2011)

mike palmowski said:


> Did you design the plans for this? This bench looks awesome and has inspired me to try and build something very similar. Great job!



Thanks! No, not my design. This was a woodsmith shop plan. I used the plan as a general guide, but modified it in some places (used different dimensions, different stretcher/stretcher joinery, etc).

I downloaded the plan from plansnow.com (before I figured out how many free plans are out there). I'm guessing you can probably find it other places for free.


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## michael92 (Jun 21, 2012)

That bench looks fantastic, you've done a really good job with that, love the finish.

Well Done!


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