It is not difficult to assemble a carpentry workbench with your own hands.
A good workbench should be in the household of everyone who works with wood or performs carpentry work.
Before we look at the drawings and start assembling the workbench, let’s get acquainted with its structure and manufacturing nuances.
The workbench consists of a workbench board and a base (underbench).
The board has a vice - one or two, in which the master clamps the parts with screws.
You can place the emphasis directly on the working board of the workbench using wedges that are inserted into holes in the board itself, thereby you can adjust the length of the emphasis in accordance with the length of the workpiece.
The bench board is made of dry wood or plywood up to 8 cm thick. The bench board is made of bars with a thickness of 6 cm.
The underbench is supported by 2 racks, which are transversely fastened together by beams with screws/wedges.
This is necessary so that the workbench does not “move” from side to side when planing and sawing.
Workbench structure in detail:
The complete structure of the workbench is shown in the photo below.
1 - cover; 2 - subsurface; 3 - tray; 4 - front clamp; 5 - rear clamp; 6 - sockets; 7 - adjustable wedges (combs)
Here we meet the first important nuance, which cannot be ignored when making a workbench with your own hands - its height and length.
The minimum permissible height of the workbench is 130 cm, length is no more than 260 cm.
The height of the workbench is adjusted to the height of the person working on it:
Making a workbench has its own nuances, the observance of which guarantees the production of a workbench that will perform its functions flawlessly.
There are a lot of nuances, so we structure them in relation to each stage of the future assembly process:
So, it's time to make your own carpentry workbench. Each stage of assembly is accompanied by a description and photo of the process.
At the end practical instructions Watch the video summarizing the assembly process step by step. We do not provide drawings of the folding version, since it is much more difficult to manufacture.
Let's look at the assembly step by step.
Is your back very tense or not? If everything suits you, measure the distance from your palm to the floor - this will be the total height of the workbench.
Take ready-made bars of the required height, or purchase plywood and cut the sheets into strips of the required width.
Now they need to be glued together: take wood glue or powerful epoxy, put several layers on top of each other, simultaneously gluing them together.
You may need 10 of these strips of plywood for each leg. It is better to glue together 10 sheets of plywood at once and, after drying, cut them into 4 parts.
We take a ready-made board, 4 cm thick - 4 pieces, which will be the sides of the frame-box and assemble the box, placing the sides on the screws.
In another case, you can also take several sheets of plywood, glue them together and then saw them evenly.
But in order to properly connect them together later, it is better to use a router and lamellas.
Having drilled the necessary holes, we assemble the wooden box: we place it on PVA glue using the dowels of the board, and clamp it with clamps. After drying, we attach the legs to the box with self-tapping screws.
From glued plywood (5-6 sheets) we cut out a shelf that is placed in the grooves.
The shelf needs to be secured with confirmations: use a special drill (see photo), which simultaneously chamfers and drills.
The confirmation must be recessed, since this part of the shelf will be used as a guide for the drawer. Now the base of the table is ready.
We take a sheet for the bottom and again 4 strips of plywood from several glued layers. By internal parties We will make grooves on two side walls for the bottom of the box.
And on the outside of these walls we make grooves by milling so that the box can move freely on the shelves. We select the cutters as follows: the smaller one is the thickness of the bottom, the larger one is the thickness of the side strips + 1-2 mm.
To secure the side wall, we install dowels: drill holes for the dowels at the ends of the walls, mark a point for drilling on the adjacent wall with a pencil and drill to a small depth.
Then we place the dowels in both holes using PVA glue. For final assembly When installing a drawer, you should use countersunk screws that will not interfere with the opening and closing of the drawer.
Again we cut strips of plywood glued together in several layers for the base of the table top. We connect the strips into a box using dowels and PVA.
If you use round dowels, then you need to take at least 4 of them for each connection.
While the tabletop box is drying, we assemble its working board: we take wide sheets of plywood and glue them together in several layers.
You can also pick up a tabletop from an old desk and then simply adjust it to size. We glue the tabletop onto a box reinforced with dowels.
As soon as the glue has set and the tabletop is ready, we drill holes in it for wedges for stops and for attaching a vice.
Typically, the vice is placed on 3 holes: two for fastening with bolts, one for the screw that imparts pressure when the handle rotates.
The vice can be taken from an old workbench or purchased ready-made and then simply adjusted to the tabletop by drilling holes of the required pitch.
A bench vise is a metal screw with guides and a wood clamp.
You can take several layers of plywood about 5-7 cm thick and simply drill holes in it and put it on a screw - you will get a stop, then put snap brackets so that the vice does not fall out and you're done.
You can drill holes in the stop according to the size of the dowel large diameter, then attach it with a screw to a square of plywood, having previously drilled a recess in the square.
Make 4 such stops and place them all over the tabletop to fix the workpieces with the stop in a vice.
Our workbench is ready!
(All the above steps are shown separately in the video of the assembly process)
There are a number of rules that must be strictly followed in order for the workbench to last as long as possible:
If the main tools of a blacksmith are a hammer and an anvil, then for a carpenter there is nothing “more familiar” than his workbench. For people who work with wood, it can at the same time be a cutting platform and an assembly table, a stop and stand, a device for storing tools and even, if you want, a small carpentry machine, and sometimes a means of earning money. This article tells you how to make woodworking tables with your own hands. The instructions, photographs and drawings presented in it will help even a beginner to install this structure.
Osya member of FORUMHOUSE
First of all, after building a workshop, you need to make yourself a table. A table like a workbench, essentially. This is a table for work - fitting, assembling small things made of wood (stools, shelves, etc.). I'll call it an assembly table.
In fact, the second name for a workbench is “assembly”. But, as you already understand, its purpose goes far beyond assembly operations. Therefore, the design of a multifunctional workbench in a carpentry can be quite intricate (see drawing below), and its development (in the absence of experience) can be spent as much time as it takes to design the carpentry workshop itself.
At the heart of any carpentry workbench, regardless of the number of operations that are supposed to be performed with its help, there is always an ordinary wooden table. It is on it that the master will do carpentry, drill parts, process surfaces, assemble wooden trinkets into one complex design and surprise others with your skills.
A good solid table is the basis. And everything else - vices, clamps, boxes with tools and fasteners - all these are constant attributes of the most useful carpentry workshop.
To make a carpentry workbench with your own hands, you must first understand its parameters that are optimal for you.
The first and most important thing you should pay attention to when developing a project for a future workbench is its height. After all, you will have to work for him for a long time. And you can get tired standing at a workbench that is too high or too low in no time.
The dimensions of the workbench for work are chosen in such a way that you can work while standing at full height and without slouching. For a person of average height, the height of the table should be within 70...90 cm. But it is better to focus on the features of your own anatomy. It is optimal if the upper cut of the legs is at the level of your lowered arms. When a few centimeters are added to this height (the thickness of the workbench lid), you will understand that working while standing at such a table is a pleasure.
Optimal height carpenter's table for standing work for a person of average height - 70-90 cm.
It is better to make the workbench cover, as well as the working surface, from solid wood or plywood. There are people who use particle board materials, light chipboard sheets, etc. for these purposes. We strongly do not recommend that you follow their example. This is a bad design - after all, the loads on the surface of the structure can be quite noticeable, and particle board under such conditions it will quickly fail.
Osya member of FORUMHOUSE
5 years ago I received 2 sheets of plywood as a gift from a neighbor. It was decided to use it in the construction of a workbench. The size of the workbench was determined immediately - it was a pity to cut such a sheet. Experience has shown that there are no extra centimeters at the table. The height was determined by the height of the palms from the floor and amounted to 850 mm.
Ideally, a homemade workbench should have a special tray on the lid for storing tools and wood blanks involved in the work, as well as special holes (sockets) for wedges and combs. Using wedges and (or) combs, parts and workpieces will be secured to the table surface. It is on the cover that auxiliary clamps (vises) should be mounted to fix the processed lumber.
The dimensions of the workbench may vary depending on the size of your workshop. But, as practice shows, the optimal dimensions of the lid are 700 mm wide and 2000 mm long.
The supports (legs) of the workbench can be made from wooden beams 120*120 mm, no more. This will be quite enough to ensure that the structure is stable and does not become loose under the influence of brute physical force.
As practice shows, making a workbench is not difficult. Installing a workbench is no different from assembling an ordinary one wooden table. The vertical supports are fastened together using vertical boards and self-tapping screws. The working surface should also be secured to the supports using self-tapping screws.
When assembling a workbench, you should avoid using nails to connect parts. After all, this can subsequently lead to rapid loosening of the workbench and even distortion of its supporting frame.
In order to save space in the carpentry workshop, some craftsmen make a homemade workbench folding. It is mounted on the wall. This type of installation means that carpentry work will only be carried out when necessary.
CartmanSr FORUMHOUSE member
In the past, in cramped conditions, I had a workbench board - laminated MDF board 24 mm thick, with dimensions 1200x2200. It had minor modifications, such as: holes and grooves for fastening hand router and circulars, a flush metal frame with threaded holes for fastening rulers and mustache nuts at the bottom, located in the places where the hand plane is attached and drilling machine from a drill with a rocker arm. The tabletop was attached to the wall on three hinges. During non-working hours, it was raised vertically and fixed to the wall. Under the board, also on hinges, are two triangles from the same board. She laid herself on them while working.
This design is an excellent way out of a situation in which inner space workshop is very limited. But such a carpentry table does not withstand intense loads well, and it can only be made independently in exceptional cases.
After you have mounted the frame and working surface of the product, a simple carpentry table can be considered ready. But in order for it to turn into a full-fledged workbench and begin carpentry work, its functionality needs to be slightly expanded by adding specialized equipment to the design.
Taking into account the special specifics of the activity, the carpenter’s workbench must be equipped with appropriate equipment. And if necessary tools always at hand, this is an excellent indicator. And they will help you correctly arrange devices, fastening materials and power tools. structural elements the workbench itself.
Rear and side (front) screw clamps are those elements without which no workbench simply can fulfill its main purpose. Therefore, this part of the structure should be built first.
The rear clamp is designed to hold lumber while planing. As shown in the diagram, its vice blocks move along the front edge of the workbench, allowing the workpiece to be securely secured using lead screws.
The side screw clamp (which, due to its special location, is called the front clamp by many) has the same purpose as the rear clamp. And these elements differ from each other only in their location. Here are the drawings of a carpentry table for making it yourself. FORUMHOUSE member
The fact of the matter is that in the design of a workbench, a lower shelf is absolutely necessary (especially on a mobile workbench). We use a lot of tools and have nowhere to put them outside while working. And it’s also inconvenient in the workshop - climbing back and forth on cabinets and shelves. Fold the same tool 10 times per hour...
The underbench can be adapted for storing power tools. For greater convenience, you can install cabinets and shelves here for small parts, fixtures and hand tools.
Having made a workbench that has all the listed elements, you can begin your carpentry activities. In the process of further work, you may need additional devices. But each master will be able to guess for himself what options to use and what elements to add.
You can learn about the material from which you can subsequently make various products on your carpentry workbench from our previous article. Acquainted with practical ideas concerning, you can in the appropriate section of our forum. Any FORUMHOUSE visitor can become familiar with it by visiting a special topic created for discussion.
When serious home renovations are underway, it is necessary that everything is at hand at any time, which will allow you to make the most of your time. To do this, it is important to properly organize workplace home handyman, if he is used to doing everything with his own hands. During renovation or construction, woodwork takes a significant place. However, sawing timber on a stool or bench is inconvenient and time-consuming. A desktop, also known as a workbench, will help you use time and resources rationally. You can do it at home.
For most men, the garage is both a “home” for the car, a storage room and a workshop at the same time.
Not every owner believes that a workbench is constantly needed on the farm: it is needed only for the period of repair or reconstruction of the building, so he prefers to rent it. But such an opinion is erroneous, especially if he is the owner of a household located on the ground. The carpentry workbench that appeared on the farm will be a real help for him. Having made such a design, the owner receives a number of advantages compared to using a workbench rented or purchased at a construction supermarket.
Therefore, in one room (it’s good if there is a basement) it is necessary to place shelving and a workplace.
Known different kinds workbenches that have different purposes.
There is a table for carrying out metalwork and car maintenance in almost every garage.
There is another definition of types of structures based on possible location.
And as a rule, it is homemade, that is, it is made taking into account the characteristics of a particular room.
What type of construction a home master chooses directly depends on what goals and objectives he sets:
The shape and dimensions are determined by the configuration of the room.
Experienced home craftsmen claim that even a novice owner who has no skills in handling metalwork tools can make the product.
A workbench for a garage is often compared to a desk because it provides ease of carrying out work. various works and makes it possible to keep all the necessary tools at hand.
To make a workbench with your own hands, a craftsman needs wood and metal. If you intend to make small table, then it will be suitable for him wooden base. For the tabletop, laminated chipboard or pressed plywood with a thickness of at least 5–7 cm is suitable. For a stationary table, you can use well-planed boards, tightly fitted to each other, and partially metal.
In addition to the tabletop, it has a large number of shelves and drawers.
And if a home craftsman has an unnecessary desk at his disposal, then it will become a good basis. It is also convenient because it already has several drawers or compartments for storing tools.
The driver's workplace must be strong and stable.
Will find application in design old door made from whole cloth. It will make a wonderful, durable tabletop that doesn’t even require processing.
Under the table there must be cabinets with tools and consumables (drills, hacksaw blades, rags, etc.).
Using available materials on the farm to make a carpentry table with your own hands will save the home craftsman time and money.
It is irrational to make a monolithic cabinet out of a table; you need somewhere to put your feet during sedentary work.
You can make your own workbench out of metal. It will be strong, reliable and heavy. But experience shows that the most acceptable is an intermediate option, when the frame and cover of the workbench are made of wood and then covered with sheet metal.
However, both sides must be if not complete sets drawers, then at least a set of shelves.
A home craftsman who decides to make a workbench with his own hands will need a certain set of materials. He knows well what is needed for this.
The workbench in the garage should not be part of the rack, therefore, the wall above it is a place for hanging tools.
And for those who do not yet have sufficient experience, we have compiled a list of everything necessary for its manufacture:
Both metal and wooden workbench have the right to life.
A self-made small wooden carpentry workbench will take its rightful place in a home workshop. To do it you don't need large quantity tools.
You can always put a piece of plywood or hardboard on a steel sheet, and on wooden surface– galvanized sheet.
You will need a standard set that can be found in every home:
First of all, we determine the ergonomics of the workplace.
Depending on what material will be used for the carpentry workbench, the list of materials and tools may vary. For example, to make a metal desktop, you cannot do without welding machine and electrodes.
The height of the workbench should be such that you don’t have to bend your back and, at the same time, stand on tiptoes.
Before starting work, it is important to immediately determine what and how often the table will be used and where it will be placed. You can’t do without a drawing. The answers to these questions will determine its size, material and manufacturing procedure.
The best place to place the device can be considered that part of the room (garage or shed) where there is daylight. It is also important to have electrical outlets near your workbench to plug in power tools and a lamp. It is best if the light falls from the left or directly, then the working surface of the table will be illuminated during the day.
Design the dimensions of your work area.
Then the parameters of the future design are determined. Despite existing standards Regarding the size of the table, if you make a carpentry workbench with your own hands, the home craftsman will proceed from the expediency and actually available space, so the tabletop will be such that tools and parts can be freely placed here, without strictly observing the dimensions. The width is usually 50-60 cm; this size is considered optimal, as it allows you to freely reach the opposite edge of the tabletop.
The typical vertical table size is in the range of 850-950 mm.
Another important parameter– height of the workbench. Exist various ways its definitions, ranging from precise mathematical calculations to folk experience, suggesting that optimal indicator the distance from the extreme point of the arm bent at the elbow to the floor. Experienced master can make it adjustable.
A perforated metal sheet is ideal as a wall for placing tools.
After determining the basic parameters of the product, you can begin assembly.
After securing it, you need to cover the lid with metal (it is better if it is galvanized). The metal sheet is fixed to the surface of the tabletop with self-tapping screws. If burrs form, they must be cleaned off.
The workpieces should be cut before welding begins.
The main work on making the workbench is completed here, but to give greater rigidity to the structure and attach it to the floor, you can weld metal corners from below. If desired, it can be equipped with drawers and shelves for tools.
We reinforce all welded joints with a corner or steel strip.
From necessary equipment There must be a place for a vice on the workbench. They hang on front side tabletops and are used for fastening products. If you often work on large parts, there is a need to install several vices of different sizes.
The main thing is to strengthen all 90° connections.
Under the workbench you can mount shelves where you can place various devices, the right tool or stack processed parts.
Be sure to impregnate the wood with antiseptic and fire-retardant impregnation.
Carefully made with your own hands, the carpentry workbench will become convenient device for home handyman work.
This design is close to the ideal of a DIY garage workbench.
A home handyman who prefers to do all the housework himself needs a comfortable and safe workplace. The best option will become a workbench. Thanks to this simple design, the work will be significantly accelerated, since the master will work in comfortable conditions and all the necessary tools and devices will be at hand.
Figure 1. The carpentry workbench is a reliable comfortable table, necessary for processing parts.
A carpentry workbench is a durable, comfortable table designed for processing various parts (Fig. 1). Its tabletop must be durable and large enough to accommodate additional devices: a vice, a milling cutter, a circular saw and other devices. To make small tools accessible, there should be drawers or shelves nearby to store them.
Before you build a workbench, you need to decide on its design and dimensions. One of the main parameters is the height of the table. When performing work, the master should be comfortable and should not experience any discomfort. To determine the height, you need to stand up straight and bend your elbows, mentally leaning on an imaginary table. The height between the bent arms and the floor will be the desired value.
In addition, you need to decide on the configuration of the workbench, the width and length of the tabletop. The width should not exceed 80-100 cm. This will allow you to easily reach the opposite edge, where shelves for tools can be organized. The length will depend on the area of the workshop and the number of devices that are planned to be fixed to the surface. It is better to equip the space under the workbench with a cabinet or drawers to store Consumables and other items.
It is also important to decide whether the workbench will be a stationary structure or a mobile one that can be disassembled and moved to another location. If a mobile version is being built, then it would be more rational to make the structure lighter, using material of less thickness. Also mobile version must have folding legs or a removable tabletop.
The place where the workbench will be placed should be bright. To provide additional lighting and equipment operation, it is necessary to provide a device electrical outlets and switches. Electric wires located near the machine must be enclosed in a corrugated pipe or a special box.
Before starting work, you need to draw up a diagram of the future structure, on which you indicate all the dimensions and indicate the places of fastenings. This will help you correctly calculate the required amount of material and avoid mistakes during assembly. To make the frame of a future workbench, it is best to use wooden beam. For legs, you should choose blanks measuring at least 100x70 or 100x80 mm; lintels can be made from larger thin material, for example, 100x50 mm. For the tabletop, smooth boards are used, the thickness of which is at least 50 mm. It is necessary to choose hardwood: oak, beech, maple. Then the workbench will be strong and stable.
To make your own carpentry workbench, you will need the following materials and tools:
The workbench is constructed in two stages. First, the frame is assembled, and then the tabletop is installed.
All work is carried out in strict accordance with the drawing. Each connection is checked with a level and square.
Figure 2. Workbench frame clamp diagram.
The base of the structure is a frame made of beams (Fig. 2). To make it as rigid as possible, a horizontal jumper is installed between the legs at a height of 40-50 cm from the floor, and a drawer along the length. Subsequently, they can become the basis for tool boxes. Top part The frame is strengthened with diagonal jumpers. To fasten the parts together, a tongue-and-groove connection with preliminary gluing is used. Where such a connection is not possible, you can use self-tapping screws.
If the workbench is built in a mobile version, then the support frame is assembled using metal corners. If you do not plan to move the structure, the frame can be screwed to the wall and to the floor. This will make it stronger and more stable.
Figure 3. Assembling the workbench.
For the tabletop, a solid canvas or separate boards can be used. If you use boards, you need to carefully adjust them to each other. There should be no cracks or irregularities on the surface. The dimensions of the tabletop should exceed the base by 10-15 cm.
To connect the boards together and attach them to the base, you will need 3 bars, the length of which is equal to the width of the tabletop. They are located across the boards (Fig. 3). Grooves should be made on the base into which these bars will fit. Metal corners are used to secure the tabletop to the base.
The surface must be thoroughly sanded using sandpaper or grinder. Then it should be covered with drying oil.
You can make a comfortable workbench with your own hands from any material, for example, from an old table. Any design is suitable for this, the main condition is that it is not too old. Before as old table will start new life, it needs to be prepared. All fasteners must be inspected and tightened. If cracks or chips are found on the supporting frame, it is necessary to install metal plates in these places. This technique will add more strength to the table parts. In addition, the wood must be treated with special antiseptics, preventing its damage.
When assembling the workbench, you need to take into account that its surface should be thick enough so that it does not break when struck.
After preparatory work you can assemble a workbench. The surface of the countertop must be durable to withstand the severity of any work. To construct it, you need to choose boards that are at least 3 cm thick. They need to be installed sequentially on the table surface and secured with self-tapping screws. The boards must be fitted tightly to each other so that there are no gaps on the surface.
The dimensions of the new tabletop should exceed the old base by 15-20 cm. This allowance is necessary for convenient and reliable installation of additional equipment.
For storing tools and other necessary materials you need to make boxes. They should be made strong, with convenient systems and reliable fittings. The number of boxes and their sizes depend on the desire of the master and the size of the workbench. They need to be installed so that they do not interfere with work.
You can attach the necessary devices for work to the finished workbench. To install the vice, you need to prepare recesses on the table top, and provide a plywood spacer on the bottom side. Their vertical plate should be in the same plane with the surface of the table. The vice must be applied to the surface and the fastening points must be marked. When using bolts, the holes for their heads must be pre-processed with a milling cutter. This will cause the bolt heads to sink into the surface.
In addition to the vice, stops can be installed on the workbench. It is best to use rectangular ones that can be adjusted in height. They will allow you to process various parts, securely fixing them. To install stops, holes must be provided on the tabletop. Any turning equipment can be installed on the workbench, but it is mainly used as a regular flat surface on which it is convenient to work.
Most home craftsmen, who comprise the bulk of subscribers and visitors to our site, have, to one degree or another, already solved the problem of organizing their workplace by arranging comfortable workbenches in their workshops and on the balcony.
But there are also those who are looking closely at home handicrafts, trying out this universal profession, which includes many specialties, becoming a very useful hobby for the family.
First of all, this article is for them, but perhaps it will also be useful for those who have already found themselves in the role of a DIYer and, having decided on the main types of work, can competently set about arranging a home workbench for the workshop with their own hands.
A workbench is a table for carrying out various specialized processing works. different materials. Accordingly, depending on what material you have to work with and what operations to carry out, workbenches differ from each other in size, configuration and material of manufacture. Based on the type of materials processed, workbenches are divided into:
Based design features, the following types are added to them:
Folding universal workbenches are produced by different companies with different lists of functions, and distinctive feature, first of all, is their mobility. Therefore, if you convert your experience as a home craftsman into banknotes outside your apartment or the yard of your house, you can either choose a universal factory-made folding workbench for yourself, or, after analyzing a number of design features of a particular model, make it yourself.
But for a home workshop, more massive workbenches are suitable and here there are three options:
Let us immediately note that last option is not the best solution, since it does not allow full high-quality performance of both carpentry and plumbing types of work, but is only relatively adapted for their production, therefore the first 2 options, in our opinion, are preferable. It is these options that we will consider in examples for self-production.
The most a simple workbench for a home workshop there will be a fairly powerful table with a small set additional functions: drawers, shelves, etc. for storing tools and remanent.
It’s good if it is possible to slightly transform it to perform work on metal or wood, but more on that below.
To create such a workbench we will take wooden blocks 40x80 and cut out 4 legs: 2 pcs. 700 mm long, 2 pcs. 750 mm long and 2 lower jumpers 500 mm long. For the 2 upper jumpers of the same length, we used a 40x100 block available on the farm.
It will also go for top harness the base of our workbench is from the front, with a length of 1400 mm at the bottom and 1600 mm at the top. And at the back we use edged board 40x150x1600, but we will need all the long pieces later.
If you have a tenoning tool, use it like we did.
If not, make them by hand or you can butt the pieces together using overhead metal fasteners.
Assemble the side posts as shown in the photo below.
After this, you can begin assembling the entire frame.
The central jumper inside the frame, made from the same 40x80 block, mounted on small wooden brackets 40x40x180, in addition to strengthening the structure, serves as a stop for two bedside tables with drawers from the old ones desks, which we decided to use in our workbench.
For the working surface of the workbench, we also used our existing laminated fiberboard surface. We screwed a board to the front edge on metal plates, which will protect its edge from peeling during use. It will also serve as the basis for attaching a small bench vice with a clamp.
We attached the working surface to the frame using metal corners and got a fairly powerful workbench general purpose for our home workshop.
If you primarily work with wood, then the logical thing to do would be to build a woodworking bench and make some modifications to the design for metalworking operations.
A traditional carpentry workbench for a workshop has a design that has been proven over centuries, which has undergone virtually no significant changes until the present day. Its basis is a massive frame with tenon joints, using wedges for tightening in case of drying out, a powerful (often stacked) tabletop with a recessed tray for collecting chips and tools, and two vice-clamps for fastening workpieces.
The dimensions of such a workbench are selected depending on maximum length workpieces that will be processed on it. If you are going to make wooden doors yourself, then the length of the workbench must be at least 2.5 m and the width at least 0.8 m, otherwise your work on it will turn into hard labor. The workbench of my grandfather - the best carpenter in the area for at least 50 km in all directions - was 3000x1000 and he said that to make large frames for verandas he was missing 20 centimeters in width.
The dimensions of the school carpentry workbench are 1200 x 500 x 750. If the plan dimensions suit you and you are willing to spend about 13 thousand rubles on it, then the height can be adjusted by screwing bars of appropriate sizes to the legs. But you can also consider alternative options.
As a matter of fact, these are variations on the theme of the same carpentry workbench for a workshop with various materials for the countertop, the presence or absence of drawers, shelves and different vice mechanisms. Now in order:
1. We make the bed from dry pine lumber 40-50 x 80-100 mm, calculating the height to suit your height. If your workbench will be installed in a room where there will be no sudden changes in humidity, then the connection of its elements can be done in any way in a convenient way, albeit end-to-end using fixing metal plates and corners.
2. The tabletop can be made from ready-made laminated wooden panels, sold in most construction supermarkets, or glued together from planed bars with a thickness of at least 50 mm yourself using PVA glue, having built a simple clamping device. It is important to remember that the top side of the future workbench should be as flat as possible. You can also use thick-layer plywood for the tabletop, but it is still advisable to paste over its ends wooden slats made of oak, beech or ash.
3. To fasten the clamping mechanisms, the bottom of the workbench tabletop is extended with bars of appropriate sizes. The most popular are these clamping fixtures:
— carpentry lead screw with two guides made in Czech Republic Tr 24*5, 390/205 at a price of about 3 thousand rubles.
Spanish Piher carpentry vice, 150 mm, costing approx. 2 thousand rubles;
You can also make something similar yourself, using a pin with a diameter of 14 - 16 mm, which, of course, will not transfer the same forces as a vice, but will make your clamp extremely economical and repairable, due to its low cost;
Or make an even simpler clamping device from the same pins, but due to the lack of guides, put 2 of these clamps on one vice.
4. Make holes for stop pegs in two directions opposite the vice lead screw. It is also useful to make them across the entire surface of the tabletop parallel to each other for secure fastening of large products.
5. Attach the workbench tabletop to the base using strong metal corners and, if you do not plan to move it, use them to secure it to the floor.
And you have successfully completed the first task of the workbench version described in this section of the article.
Now, several options for devices for performing metalwork work on such a workbench.
You can, of course, adjust the holes for the stops to fit the vice fasteners, but with a thick pad you can do without it. Also interesting is the option of attaching a bench vice directly to the table top of a carpenter's workbench using an adapter bar-stand and a powerful clamp.
And the overlay should not cover the entire area of the workbench. There are a lot of options, the choice is yours.
Often, especially if the household has a car and a garage, the main workbench is a metalworker’s.
We will not consider the process of its manufacture in this article, but about simple ways We’ll tell you how to adapt it for carpentry work, especially since it’s not at all difficult. To fully use your bench as a carpenter's bench, you will need to dismantle the bench vice and make several simple devices.
Let's take a closer look at them.
1. From the first picture below, when modifying a bench, we will be interested primarily in the side stop (1), which is not difficult to make removable. And together with the holes for the dowels (14) along the front end of the workbench (and this can be a solid removable structure) and a suitable wedge, we get a simple and reliable device attaching the board to the workbench. You can simply make a wooden plate secured with recessed clamps, with the entire set of workpiece fastenings shown, and understand that the level of the working surface will rise by its thickness, which can be compensated for by the corresponding height with a ladder at the workbench.
There is nothing to say about the back stop; it simply performs a supporting function for long workpieces.
2. You can make an overhead planing board with a universal stop, shown in the second picture. By increasing the height of the stop (or changing it depending on the height of the bar being processed) and screwing the bar from the bottom to the right edge of the workbench, we get the simplest device that turns a metalworker's workbench into a carpenter's workbench.
3. A slightly more complex overlay with a fairly powerful option for securing the workpiece also allows you to solve this problem. The only thing we would recommend in this case is to also screw the stop on the right side and choose a thickness of at least 50-70 mm for more reliable fastening of the front pegs and sufficient depth of the lock and clamp.
The method of installing the last two planing devices on the workbench is shown in the diagram:
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