Show me your workbench

[rhyspw]

I am in the process of putting together my first proper garage, and now need to make my own workbench and am looking for some inspiration. I was thinking about getting two steel garage cabinets/drawers and putting a worktop over them, but I cant justify several hundred quid each for the cabinets. So i was planning on making my own, key things would be room to sit in the middle and plenty of storage plus big and sturdy.....

Any ideas, plans or inspiration greatly received………

[jas xjr]

ikea do some metal cabinets that might be suitable . they are intended for office use but might be worth a look

[roofer]

Just gave away 8 proper old fashioned school woodshop benches with vices on the lot. Sturdy as the day they were nade.

[rhyspw]

bugger!

In an ideal world this is what i would like :

http://12-gaugegarage.com/photos/files/page5-1031-...

[Chris Peacock]

Ive got two commercial counter fridges as used in kitchens (both with the refrigeration part removed).

They both have 4 doors in each and are both stainless steel.

A great work surface with storage (totalling about 10ft long).

I work as a refrigeration engineer so when we remove a counter from a site, I take it away and gain another bench !

[rhyspw]

Any pictures?

Does anybody have any ideas where to get cabinets similar to the ones in the above link?

Thanks!

[944fan]

I made one quite cheepley using a plan from a website. It had three large drawers and a shelf underneath, plenty of storage. The frame was made from laminated 2 x 4s bolted together and the top was a wooden firedoor which is perfectly flat and thick and sturdy. Whole thing cost just over £100 and took just over a day to built the bench. You only need a saw, drill and screw drive to build the bench too.

The drawers took an additional day and half to build. The drawers require a router table to build ideally although you can do with out.

I don't have any pictures because it was so big I had to leave it when I moved house.

Let me try and dig out the plans.

ETA - Found it quicker than I thought:

http://plansnow.com/wwrkbnch.html

Plan only costs approx £3. For materials I used CLS timber from Wickes and this door:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/205848

You'll also need a sheet of plywood for the shelf and the drawer bottoms. The drawer runners are made from wood so quite cheap, any old cheap handles will do. Once complete a couple of coats of satin varnish to protect and it will last for years.

If you want a vice there are plenty on Ebay or Rutlands do a good range quite reasonable and often have sales/offers on.

Edited by 944fan on Tuesday 24th April 11:31

[NiceCupOfTea]

I built one for my garage a couple of years ago, really enjoyed it. It covers one end of the single garage, side to side, used 2x1 battens, 2x2 supports, and 25mm MDF as a surface. I have plans and photos somewhere and there is a thread on here if somebody could search; on my phone at the mo. I use the space underneath for tool cabs, spare wheels, storage, etc.

The only thing I would change is I would lacquer the surface as it has got a bit oily.

[ARH]

I have always used second hand kitchen units and worktops. may not be the pretiest bench but they do put up with a lot of abuse.