Exit the workbench with shop renovation, sigh.....

Thinking of going somewhere? I think you and your bench still have a lot of projects to build.

can’t loose the bench till it shows a little wear… it still looks brand new !

-- keeping myself entertained ... Humor and fun lubricate the brain

The bench is plenty worn. This a picture on the day it was finished!

-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful.

well dan, i say come together with your thoughts and do what you feel is right for you and your shop, you will do what you think is right for you….

-- GRIZZMAN ...[''''']

I built that same bench and my shop is smaller (16×10) than yours, and it is going to get a major rework. I have seen some small work benches but have not decided which one yet. FWW showed one that was two torsion boxes that could be put on special sawhorses. One idea to explore anyway. Like you said, this is a good bench but you need the room. To use it.

-- jstegall

I am one of those who is bench less. Got rid of my workbenches years ago and use workmates and a Rockwell jawhorse with MDF on top. That way I can move these any where I want and then hang them up on my Gladiator wall hooks. It really does save a ton of space and I have never regretted it.

just ribbing you Daniel … The first bench I built is in my garage. It was too big for my shop too.

-- keeping myself entertained ... Humor and fun lubricate the brain

Would making the bench mobile help? I’d hate to do it but would making the top narrow help?

-- Dan, Naperville IL, I.G.N.

I can move it now so it’s okay to get out of the way. And it’s not that big to begin with. Maybe the picture makes it look that way.

-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful.

Thanks for the insight and thoughts. I haven’t built one yet and it probably won’t be a big one ;’-)

-- Bob in WW ~ "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence

I think traditional benches are best for hand planing, chiseling, and handsawing. Otherwise a regular table will probably be sufficient for a shop where machines are the primary tools. I’m sure if you ever feel the need for a planing bench again you will simply build another.

-- Mike, an American living in Norway.

Hi Dan, We have similar ideas. I’m about 75% complete on my Ultimate mobile Workbench. It’s probably more elaborate than what you’re thinking for your moveable table saw/assembly bench but I can tell you that it’s working great already.

I’m very challenged on space and facilities. One half of a two car garage in a rented house. I like to do much of the work outside in the driveway. The UHMW let’s me take most of my tools with me so I’m not constantly trekking back and forth into the garage. The open Paulk bench concept let’s me keep hand tools handy without cluttering the work surface. I building a compact Thien style dust separator to fit under the bench now.

-- Garry, North Carolina woodworker and engineer - The journey you're preparing for has already begun.

Frankly, I have been a little puzzled by all the attention that these kinds of benches get here. As Stefang said, they are limited in their usefulness and a lot of those limits are geared towards hand tools.

I recently redid my shop and I opted for more of an assembly table. I started with a 1 1/2” thick laminated top from an electronics bench that my company was throwing away, reinforced and braced it to keep it perfectly flat and then added drawers underneath it to keep the small tools handy – screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, etc.

This table is too low to use as an outfeed table, however. I prefer to work with the table saw at a higher elevation than is comfortable at an assembly table. I use the router table (also at a higher elevation) for outfeed.

-- "Find out what you cannot do and then go do it!"

Do you remember this one :
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/60275

-- Sylvain, Brussels, Belgium, Europe - The more I learn, the more there is to learn

Craftsman; just my two cents, I built the roubo bench from chris schwarze’s book. not only was it challenging; but its been the best tool in my garage. two vise’s, square bench dogs, the hold fasts; I think I use the most. while routing, carving and such. 3 3/4 inch thick top, you can clamp and pound on it till you wear your self out. But I do like what you mentioned about the kick down out feed table for the table saw. I need to make one this coming year. Wish I had the room for an assembling table, but I don’t; maybe someday…