Garage & Workbench

[markie*mark0]

Hi Everyone,

Looking for some advice on a workbench project im doing to be doing soon.
I've got a very crude drawing of the garage floor plan, but i dont know how to post it on the forum?

the area is 24ft in one direction and then 6ft at the end, making a long L shape

It'll be used for multitude of things, mechanic work, woodworking (although nothing extravagant) so im looking on some advice on what method is best to use, mortise & tenon, but how to build the "corner" section and then to allow as much under bench storage as possible.

Also what type of wood would be best to use? im thinking rough sawn 3x3 for the main legs and then 18mm plywood for the tops.

 

[MARK.B.]

You may want to rethink the top thickness, 18mm is imho not enough and you need twice that thickness at the very least.

 

[markie*mark0]

Cheers mark, im open to any suggestions to improve the bench in honesty, at first i was looking at "second" kitchen tops, but i dont they they are deep enough and maybe a little flimsy for the job, hence why i thought of ply, what else would you reccomend?

 

[bodge]

I'm no expert, but my take would be to make it as heavy as possible. Then it shouldn't move when you are planing or whatever. No reason why you can't laminate a second worktop and a piece of ply together to give you the thickness.
I made a rough and ready temporary bench until I had finished organising the garage and it is still going strong. That was 4x4 fence posts for the legs and rails and a couple of bits of 18mm MDF for the top. This then had hardboard on top as a sacrificial surface, so when it gets roughed up i can throw it away and fit a new one.

 

[MARK.B.]

Old kitchen worktops laminated together would be ok to use or as Bodge suggests worktop and ply will work as well,you can tidy up the edges with solid timber to make it look good and hide any rough bits.A hardboard top layer is a cheap and easy way to get a nice smooth surface to work on . It needs to be solid with no movement(as it will only get worse with use) how you construct it will depend on your skills and available tools.If screws and nails rather than M&T work for you then use them.Make the most of the space underneath with a combination of cupboards and drawers .Give some thought to the finished height and width(your back will thank you).

 

[markie*mark0]

thanks for the replys fella's

I have a mitre saw, router, table saw. All budget equipment but after some new blades they should be ok, so i was going to have ago at M&T the frame for a new challenge and some strength.