Crafting a Workable Workbench at Little or No Cost

Q: I need a workbench. After reviewing many plans, I am a little confused. Is there a difference between a garage workbench and a workbench stand? Is there an advantage to making a metal workbench instead of a wooden one? What would you use for the workbench legs? What is the most affordable way to build a workbench?

A: A garage workbench or one in a basement can be the source of enormous pleasure and sometimes great frustration, all in the same project.

There is a big difference between a workbench and a workbench stand. You may discover that once your workbench is finished you need a smaller stand on it to support different items you are adjusting or finishing. A workbench stand is often a small tripod device that adjusts to different heights. It can come in very handy.

There are pros and cons to both metal and wood workbenches. A metal workbench can have enormous strength, but building one can be a challenge. Those who have great welding skills and the required equipment can quickly use common-angle iron to make legs, shelf supports and the horizontal brackets needed to secure the top to the undercarriage. If you can't weld metal, you can substitute sturdy-angle iron that has holes punched at regular intervals. Nuts, bolts and washers take the place of welds when connecting the pieces.

Wood is often the material of choice because it is affordable and many people have both the skills and the tools to work with it.

What's more, with a little planning, you might be able to build your workbench for nothing. I did that with some dandy scrap lumber I had accumulated. Much of the lumber was solid oak, which was salvaged at the loading dock of a supply house. If you or a friend work at a place that has a shipping and receiving dock, you might be able to take advantage of a rich supply of wonderful free wood.

I procured some rough-cut oak that measured 3 by 3 inches. These pieces made wonderful legs for my most recent basement workbench. I used parts of shipping pallets for the frame of the actual workbench.

The top is made from a salvaged piece of plywood that I covered with leftover squares of oak parquet flooring. Try to use oak or some other durable hardwood for the workbench top, as these woods can take the years of abuse typically imposed on workbenches.

Pay attention to the depth of your workbench top. If you plan on having a metal or wood pegboard on the wall above the workbench, then make the workbench top 24 inches deep. Resist the temptation to make the top a generous 30 or 32 inches deep. If you do, you will discover it is hard to reach things hanging from the pegboard. But if you plan to have 12-inch-deep wall cabinets over the top, make the top 32 inches deep.

Be sure to brace the workbench so it does not sway from side to side. You can do this quickly with a scrap piece of plywood, which you should screw to the back legs of the workbench. The taller the plywood, the stronger the workbench.

The height of the finished workbench depends on how tall you are. To get the height right, experiment with your breakfast table. Place a clean drop cloth on the table and place objects on the table that you might work on. Stand at the table and see if the height seems right. If you are tall, try this at a regular kitchen countertop.

Tim Carter can be contacted via his Web site, http://www.askthebuilder.com/printer_Submit_Question.shtml.

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