Woodworking Work Bench

Very nice. You’ll get a tremendous amount of use out of that.

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †

Nice bench. It looks like you have a lot of room on the top.

-- Wayne - Plymouth MN

That should last forever.

-- Father of two sons. Both Eagle Scouts.

Very nice looking bench…well done. I have a question for you…or anyone who may be able to answer.

The holes you drilled for your bench dogs…how do they hold up in MDF Vs. hardwood ? I ask because I have drawn up some plans for a work bench…and was debating using doubled up MDF Vs. Hardwood for $$$$ reasons. My only fear was that the holes would start to split and chip out when pressure was put against them day after day.

I was actually thinking of making the holes bigger…and inserting short steel pipes into them to back them up, and then slide my dogs into them.

So I guess what I am asking is do I even need to mess with the pipes…or are the holes through double MDF enough ?

-- Don S.E. OK

Nice job, Bill. Looks like a nice heavy bench. This is my kind of workbench too. I don’t have much patience when it comes to trying to get work done and protecting the top of my workbench. Fortunately, my bench is made out of old solid core maple door, that now looks like it’s been living in a butcher shop. Guess I may have to think about putting a layer of tempered hardboard on it. Thanks for the post.

Thanks for the comments guys.

Don, I haven’t used the dogs much yet, but I don’t foresee any problems since the tempered board should absorb most of the pressure.

-- Bill - If I knew GRANDKIDS were so much fun I would have had them first.

Nice looking bench. Similar to what I built for my first project but a lot nicer!

Since I’m such a noob . . . . . what does SYP stand for? Southern Yellow Pine?

Hey bhack,
Now that is a nice looking bench….....well done.

Bill,

You mentioned that the hardboard top is removable. How did you accomplish that? Is it not glued down, and only set in place, or is it just screwed on? I am designing right now, and have been scratching my head about this issue for a couple of days now… Thanks for the help, and the bench looks GREAT!!

-- Derrek L.

bigdave – You got it. Southern Yellow Pine.

Derrek LeRouax – I used 17ga brads 1 inch long and tacked it down at about 8 inch intervals. Did the same on old bench and it is 8 years old and never came up. Works for me but others may have a better way. Used a hammer and nail set.

Thanks for looking.

-- Bill - If I knew GRANDKIDS were so much fun I would have had them first.

Bill,

Thanks for the response. you have solved my design problem of the week.

-- Derrek L.

Hello, very nice bench, wanting to do the same with getting a bench made, very simple and fast for the shop, as i am getting by with just a top with legs on wheels. Tell me, do you have a finish on your bench or wanting one, i heard about the varnish and turpentine combo’s for a thin finish on workbenches. Even on the tempered board tops i have seen. I have also seen a setup for benches to protect the top by installing a large roll of paper underneath one of the ends, and have a sheet of paper rolled out to protect top, for painting, finishing etc.

-- Tim The Toolman Dayton, Ohio

At this time there is no finish. If I put one on it will be two or three coats of shellac.

Thanks for looking at my project

-- Bill - If I knew GRANDKIDS were so much fun I would have had them first.

Nice bench. You will get many years of use out of this solid looking bench.

-- //FC - Round Rock, TX - "Experience is what you get just after you need it"

I’d let nature take its course…let the wood age naturally…no finish….

May your arrow hit the bullseye.