I have a workbench. Now I need to design my workbench...

[dbhost]

Yeah that was no typo... As you may or may not recall, I built a modified version of Fine Woodworking Magazine's "Get Started in Woodworking" bench, with a 72" instead of a 60" top. Well, I couldn't find SYP 4x4s that weren't either split, or water logged for the project, so I went with cedar. Certainly rot resistant I thought, and I figured the weight of the stuff kept on the lower shelf would provide enough ballast...

It doesn't.

So I am not on to thinking about scrapping this bench all together, re-using the base for a potting bench for LOML, and building a proper work bench.

I like the "Weekend Workbench" plan from Shop Notes "The Complete Small Shop" publication, except I am thinking of making 4 changes.

#1. Overall height different. I need the height to be just under the table height of the BT3100 as I rely on my bench for out feed for my table saw.

#2. Overall narrower. This bench is sized to use a solid core door at 7' long, I need my bench to be 6' in length. That puts one end even with the wide table on my BT, and clears the SMT.

#3. Do away entirely with the solid core door top. I am thinking about a laminated SYP butcher block top, 72" long by 30" deep. In my experience, the 24" top I have now isn't deep enough, but 36" is too deep. I think 30" is ideal for me...

#4 Storage. The original designer set his up with 3 drawers just below the bench top, which I like, but the area below is open for just stashing stuff. I don't like that setup too well. I am considering enclosing it, with slotted compartments possibly for my nailers. I orignally thought of putting the nailers in a cabinet between my clamshell cabinets, but I more or less only use them at the bench, so why not have them there? I would likely use this enclosure / cabinet to get some rail and stile door building practice in. I had posted elsewhere about the idea of using good quality lumber core plywood for raised panels, and this is the project I was thinking about for that material. I think it was one of the turners on SMC that got me thinking about unusual uses for plywood. Wherever it was, the guy had laminated a stack of hardwood ply, oak probably, and turned a hollow form out of it. The plies just looked REALLY cool to me... Okay maybe I am having a brain fart...

So what do you guys think, can it be done without killing myself, and is it even worth trying?

[BigguyZ]

I definitely think it's worth re-doing if it's not working for you.

As far as your changes, I agree with Marc Spagnolo when he says a workbench is just another tool. It should be built/ modified to be whatever you need it to be. So changing the length/ storage areas is great, becasue that's what you need. Whatever works best for you is what you should be building.

As far as the top, I made a BB type 2x4 pine top and leveled it with the router sled method I found online.

That worked well, but holy crap is that a lof of work.

I'm moving, and first and foremost I don't know if the top will be able to be moved out of the basement. I don't want to re-build the base, but I'm thinking of abandoning the top and remaking it using a MDF torsion box design. Maybe inlay an oak section for the bog holes, but overall I don't see the advantage of a solid wood top. I'd much prefer having something that was able to be replaced easilty for the top (I'll add a sacrafice layer of MFD), something that's rigid (torsion box design means it won't warp, and it'll be stiff), and something that's dead flat right away (again, MDF + torsion box design).

I don't do anything with hand tools that require an ultra-heavy bench. But if I did, I think it'd be incredibly easy to add sand in the top before you seal it up.

[dbhost]

Well, part of the top lamination idea is honestly, I like laminated bench tops from an aesthetic point of view...

On yours, would it be possible to remove the top and then haul it up the stairs?

My flattening idea was to make the top in sections, less than 6" wide (to fit my jointer), then using biscuits for alignment glue the sections into 12" segments (except for the last 6"), get them flat, run the 12" sections through some skimming passes on the planer, then glue the 12" and remaining 6" together to get my 30" width. I will have to go long to have enough to cut off for snipe, but we are talking SYP 2x stock after all... At that point, I figure it should be pretty uniform just needing a tiny bit of touch up with the hand planes...

And even though I am primarily a power tool user, I do find that hand tools are MUCH more pleasant to use on a HEAVY and secure workbench than on my feather light version... You are quite correct though, I don't see why a torsion box couldn't be filled with sand for ballast...

While not on a bench top, but I have done the router sled flattening trick on LOML's cutting board a couple of years ago, and yes, that is an insane amount of work, but the results are awfully nice...

Shop Notes Magazine this month has what they call an "Heirloom Workbench" in the current issue. It looks like an awful lot of work for something that will be beat on, and finishes spilled all over, but boy is it nice to look at! There are an awful lot of furniture like trim features on this bench that make it earn the name Heirloom...

[pelligrini]

I made my bench 30" wide and I like it. Flattening a glued up SYP top isn't that hard, especially if you take a little more effort during the glueup on alignment. I used a few cauls to keep mine aligned. A little more work with a handplane after was all I needed. It would have gone even quicker if I would have known how to sharpen a plane properly.

I'd prefer a solid wood top to plywood or MDF, especially if there are a bunch of dog holes planned. Sometimes traditional hold downs don't work as well in MDF or plywood. I love the stability and rigidity of my bench. Lots of mass keeps it in place. Planing and especially chopping mortises is much better than my old lightweight MDF topped temp bench.

[Larryl]

#4 Storage. The original designer set his up with 3 drawers just below the bench top, which I like, but the area below is open for just stashing stuff. I don't like that setup too well. I am considering enclosing it, with slotted compartments possibly for my nailers. I orignally thought of putting the nailers in a cabinet between my clamshell cabinets, but I more or less only use them at the bench, so why not have them there? I would likely use this enclosure / cabinet to get some rail and stile door building practice in. I had posted elsewhere about the idea of using good quality lumber core plywood for raised panels, and this is the project I was thinking about for that material. I think it was one of the turners on SMC that got me thinking about unusual uses for plywood. Wherever it was, the guy had laminated a stack of hardwood ply, oak probably, and turned a hollow form out of it. The plies just looked REALLY cool to me... Okay maybe I am having a brain fart...

David, one thing you haven't mentioned is using some type of hold-down or bench dogs. I have modified one of the little HF benches and use the bench dogs all the time. If you do use dog holes you will need to consider leaving some room open under the top to accommodate some type of hold-down. Here are some pictures of what I use:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Y...0/IMAG0151.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-g...0/IMAG0152.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-c...0/IMAG0155.jpg

[chopnhack]

DB, have you ever seen the 21st century workbench design? I am considering building this for my shop (when I get that in order...)

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/video/bench

[Russianwolf]

I have a glued up 2x4 top on my workbench. It takes two men to move that SOB when and if you move but I brought it with me to the new shop. I LOVE the weight as it is like pounding on a rock. I do need to improve my leg design a bit, but what I do on that top I couldn't do on a torsion box design.

I am planning some other benches and they will be of the torsion box design type, but they won't get the kind of abuse that the laminated bench gets.