Every week, I’ll be bringing you a project that you can make over the weekend. For this first podcast, you can learn how to make a workbench for your garage, studio, or get your priorities straight and put it in your livingroom!
Supply list:
1 sheet of 1/2″ plywood, standard 4’x8′.
6 2x4s 8′ long
40 2 1/2″ screws
40 1″ screws
The size of things:
Cut the plywood lengthwise into three pieces of 30″, 12″, and 6″, all 8′ long..
Leave 2 of the 2x4s 8′.
Cut 2 of the 2x4s to be 4 pieces that are 40″-ish long. If you are taller make them longer. If you are shorter, make them shorter so that the workbench fits you perfectly!
Cut 1 of the 2x4s into 4 sections of 2′ each.
With the last 2×4, cut 9″ off the end so it will fit as a cross brace across the bottom.
Tools needed:
Saw
Drill
Right-angle ruler thing
Tape measure
Instructions: Put it all together! First cut all the lumber to length as suggested above. Then, I recommend starting upside-down by putting the top face-down and then build the frame that supports the top using the two 8′ 2x4s and two 2′ 2x4s. Then screw them together at the corners. Add the legs and the 2′ support bracing. With the legs screwed on, you can turn it over and add the lower shelf and vertical back edge which adds stability. You’re all done! If you are feeling fancy, take it outside and put a protective coating on it to make it shine!
You can download Sketchup and go look at the desk in the google Sketchup warehouse or just download the Sketchup file to your computer here. Feel free to leave a comment or drop me a line with your comments, suggestions, feedback and ideas for future weekend projects.
Click here to get the video (MP4) delivered automatically with iTunes. This video will play on PC/Mac/Linux/PSPs and iPod video devices – Link. Here’s the teeny 3gp video for phone watchers. Youtube and Google Video too!
New! This was shot in HD and so now you can watch the video in all the glory of High Definition! (Giant HD Link)
32 thoughts on “Make Podcast: Weekend Projects – Make a Workbench”
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Bre’s tip on getting the store to cut the wood works over here in the UK too, homebase and B & Q stores are often able to provide this service for you here.
Danny
http://orionrobots.co.uk/blogs/dannystaple
does this table stand pretty sturdy? i mean, does it wobble at all? I want to build it but not if it starts getting all loose on me as i use it.
Bre, you really must get your act together. These dimensions are SO WRONG. First, you must cut the last 2×4 by 9 inches, not 6. I currently have a bow legged work bench. Second, the plywood must be shortened. The back panel must be shortened by 3″, the shelf by 6″. Or did you not see the Google sketch? WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? I was very excited to discover the podcast, but now I see that it is completely unreliable.
Hi Axman664, I’m looking at my bench and you’re right, you need to cut off 9 inches, not 6! Luckily, that’s an easy fix, just cut off another 3 inches… It wouldn’t be as easy to fix if I had said to cut off 12 inches! I’ll make the adjustment in the post. Thanks!
I’ve been reading the MAKEzine for a couple months now and hadn’t run across the workbench project. I knew it would be a great project for me, so I gave it a go today. I’m happy to report that it went awesome! The Google Sketchup program and file were a really big help. Two words of advice….pilot holes. At first I tried drilling straight through two pieces of 2×4 and I would end up reaming out the head of the screw with about a ½ inch to go. The materials only cost me about $27 at Home Depot….a bargain for a great bench and experience. I posted a picture of me and my bench on Flickr. Thanks MAKE and Bre.
I’ve been reading the MAKEzine for a couple months now and hadn’t run across the workbench project. I knew it would be a great project for me, so I gave it a go today. I’m happy to report that it went awesome! The Google Sketchup program and file were a really big help. Two words of advice….pilot holes. At first I tried drilling straight through two pieces of 2×4 and I would end up reaming out the head of the screw with about a ½ inch to go. The materials only cost me about $27 at Home Depot….a bargain for a great bench and experience. I posted a picture of me and my bench on Flickr. Thanks MAKE and Bre.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/88923453@N00/
I finally took the plunge and made this workbench. I have always wanted my own workbench but could never find one that I really liked. I have never made anything with wood before so this was a very exciting project for me and it only took 3 hours. Thanks Bre for bringing this weekend project to us :)
I had a go at this over the weekend Bre. I think it turned out really well and it was very enjoyable. The sketchup was really handy too. Thanks! I posted a picture on Flickr here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44932659@N00/360153088/
I built two of these 8′ benches and put them into an ‘L’ in the corner of my garage. The directions and Sketchup files were easy to follow. Thanks!
Photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeoff/sets/72157594528900118/
Great post and a great bench. I knocked it out in about 3 hours myself. I too stripped out quite a few wood screws due to my lack of pilot holes. About half way through I switched from regular wood screws over to decking screws, that solved the stripped head problem and saved the need to switch bits. The screws are a bit more expensive, but make the job much easier.
What about using bolts instead of screws, at least for fastening the 2×4’s? It would be a little more work, but wear and tear from assembly and disassembly, when moving and whatnot, would be minimized.
“I was making a bunch of workbenches for some animatronic technicians making rubber monkeys.”
haha
lesson learned. Boyh the plan publisher and the builder need to double check the measurements. I built a bench similar to this using a solid core door I found cheap. Sturdy enough.
The measurements aren’t all given but so what; they are intuitively obvious. I built mine today and put coaster wheels on it. Nice & simple, yet sturdy and useable. Thanks, Bre, for the nice plan.
Just made this bench last weekend for the garage, with a few tweaks… I used 3/4″ single-sided melamine board ($29 at HomeDepot), added a second shelf out of a 2×12, and some hardboard backing. If I were to make another one. I would probably reduce the length of everything horizontal below the top by 3 inches and shifht the top back by 1.5 inch, to leave space along the side for clamping. Fortunately my piece of melamine was 97 inches, so I have a half inch ledge on the sides, which is enough for certain types of clamps.
I just assembled one of these in a couple of hours. Wood and screws ran about $40 at Home Depot. Nice! I should have done this sooner.