Comments on: Shop Projects: Benches on a Budget

By: DGr

DGr — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 06:13:13 +0000

I agree with woodworkerkaty about putting the legs on the outside of the frames. But, what do you mean in your statement “I would have made sides using 1/4″ plywood that would fit into a dado in the side legs or screw it to the legs for a finished look.” Let us know please.

By: woodworkerkaty

woodworkerkaty — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 20:25:56 +0000

I would have put the legs on the outside so that the bottom shelf would have been the same as the top in size. I would allow the plywood top to cover the legs.
and I would have made sides using 1/4″ plywood that would fit into a dado in the side legs or screw it to the legs for a finished look.

By: mtnjak

mtnjak — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:45:19 +0000

I didn’t realize this was an old post. I just clicked on this link from a PW email I received today. My “basic” shop workbenches are pretty close to this design (only 1 vertical 2×4 in each corner) and they are great. 3/4″ ply screwed on top the frame with 1/4″ hardboard glued to the plywood top. A good multipurpose shop bench/table design for about $60 per bench.

By: Michael Rogen

Michael Rogen — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:58:52 +0000

Bob,
I was given a grinder and never having used one before I’m not sure at what height would be best suited for me. I am 5’8" and I plan on building one of the benches to build one of your benches for it. Do you have any idea at what height would work without suffering any more back pain? I’m thinking of making it mobile so casters would factor into the overall height.
I would like to incorporate my sharpening area into the plan as well but the height for that I think I can handle.

I thank you again for your help on matters likee these, and for your articles,columns and blog entries which I enjoy very much.

Michael

By: Bob Lang

Bob Lang — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:28:18 +0000

Hi Michael,

Yes it definitely helps to cut to rough length. Most of the moisture will leave a board through the end grain, so this shortens the route and opens up the middle of the board.

We tested moisture meters in the Autumn 2006 issue of Woodworking Magazine. We found the real cheap ones had issues. The Mini-Ligno (about $100)to be a dependable meter and a good value.

Bob

By: Michael Rogen

Michael Rogen — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 17:31:55 +0000

Bob,
Two questions. Does it help to first cut the 8′ 2×4′s to a rough length and then sticker them if neccesary, and what is a good not too expensive moisture meter to get?

Thanks,
Michael

By: Ben

Ben — Sat, 26 May 2007 10:44:27 +0000

Hi Bob,

What heights (leg lengths) did you end up choosing for your two benches?

Cheers,
Ben

By: Bob Lang

Bob Lang — Fri, 25 May 2007 10:01:57 +0000

It pays to be a picky shopper, and weight and feel give a good indication of what will be useful stock. The rules for "kiln dried" for softwood dimension lumber are quite different than those for hardwoods. Kiln dried softwoods come out of the kiln at 18-20% moisture content. I waited to use these until they were at 9-10%. For the legs and frames of these benches I needed stuff that was decent, but not great.

Chris has made a number of benches out of wider and longer dimensional lumber. Next time you’re looking for something, go past the 2 X 4a and look at 12′ and longer 2 X 8s, 10s and 12s. These are generally better, even if you need to rip them to get narrower pieces, but they will cost a bit more.

Bob

By: Bob McGonigle

Bob McGonigle — Thu, 24 May 2007 16:54:37 +0000

I recently read that it’s better to buy the 14′ or 16′ lengths of 2×4, as they have less knots and junk compared to the 8′ lengths. Any merrit to that?

By: Bob Lang

Bob Lang — Wed, 23 May 2007 19:49:45 +0000

Beginning with the October, 2006 issue of Popular Woodworking, we have been running a continuing series on "Setting Up Shop", which will conclude in our August issue. Each month, it is 8 pages of information on a different aspect of creating the ideal shop space.

For space planning, Grizzly has a cool interactive layout tool that let’s you shove around images of tools, benches and machines:

http://www.grizzly.com/workshopplanner.aspx

I also tend to look in the backgraound of magazine articles and books to see what others have come up with.

Bob