Where to buy a garage workbench?

[Rockatansky]

I'm going to try to get round to sorting out my garage, we moved house a couple of years ago and it's still chaos..

I'd like some decent storage shelving and a workbench but I'm not sure about the various merits of what I've seen in my brief look online.

I just need the bench for basic tinkering and occasional home mechanicing, but it needs to be solid enough for a vice (which I brought with me from the last place).

My previous bench was home made by the guy before me in the last house. He'd used a fire door blank for the top and it was pretty solid. I'm not great with woodwork / joinery so I'm not sure if making my own is a good idea.

So..... Who are the go to places for this kind of stuff? Don't want to spend a fortune, but I don't want a load of flimsy crap.

[vaud]

I’ve found machine mart to be pretty good value.

Alternatively look to eBay and Facebook marketplace / free cycle for something more industrial.

[RicksAlfas]

We've used BigDug before at work. This looks decent, with various options for drawers/doors:
https://www.bigdug.co.uk/workshop-flooring-c348/wo...

If you don't like woodwork, but like Meccano, these guys do some great stuff. Everything is cut to length and you just bolt it together. They will make it bespoke if you want something a certain size. We needed a weird shaped work station and we planned one out, ordered it and all the bits arrived next day.
https://www.themetalstore.co.uk/products/tube-clam...

[Zio Di Roma]

vaud said:

I’ve found machine mart to be pretty good value.

.

I've got one of theirs currently. It's solid and a cheerful red colour.

[Len Clifton]

Zio Di Roma said:

I've got one of theirs currently. It's solid and a cheerful red colour.

Another vote for Machine Mart. Be careful though, before you know it, you’ll be up to your armpits in pillar drills and welders you have no need for.

[Rockatansky]

Len Clifton said:

Another vote for Machine Mart. Be careful though, before you know it, you’ll be up to your armpits in pillar drills and welders you have no need for.

Thanks for the suggestions so far, I'll take a look later on after work.

[Griffith4ever]

Seriously, build one. Its so easy, cheap, an sturdy as hell. Very little DIY skills needed. You'll need a drill driver, preferable a chop/mitre saw but a hand saw works just fine and cuts through the timber in question really easily, and really, a circular saw (or track saw) to trim off the worksurface and lower shelf. That's it. Some 2x4 and a half sheet of OSB, oh, and screws. If you want pics and dims ask and I'll upload them.

They are SUPER easy to make and I use them for small scale manufacturing, plus bike engine work, etc etc.

Like I said, if you are interested, ask, and I'll go into details inc exactly which timber to buy from Wickes. I've three of them and built another, plus a wall mounted version, only a couple of weeks ago. Then end up costing very little.

[Metric Max]

I made my bench 17 years ago using some old Dexion racking and a piece of old kitchen worktop. I have a large engineers vise bolted to it.
Solid as a rock
I belive B&Q sell offcuts of worktop
In order to provide some storage i got an old kitchen base unit with drawers and cupboards and fitted that underneath.
Total cost not much, I had to buy a few bolts and I already had the vise

[996Type]

Griffith4ever said:

Seriously, build one. Its so easy, cheap, an sturdy as hell. Very little DIY skills needed. You'll need a drill driver, preferable a chop/mitre saw but a hand saw works just fine and cuts through the timber in question really easily, and really, a circular saw (or track saw) to trim off the worksurface and lower shelf. That's it. Some 2x4 and a half sheet of OSB, oh, and screws. If you want pics and dims ask and I'll upload them.

They are SUPER easy to make and I use them for small scale manufacturing, plus bike engine work, etc etc.

Like I said, if you are interested, ask, and I'll go into details inc exactly which timber to buy from Wickes. I've three of them and built another, plus a wall mounted version, only a couple of weeks ago. Then end up costing very little.

I’m sure for reference the above would be very useful for many people as inspiration if you do have time,

I’m going to build some racking and a bench for storage boxes once a small workshop space is cleared to allow it and thought of doing it myself due to some awkward angles etc…

[996Type]

Double post…

Edited by 996Type on Tuesday 18th March 10:28

[RicksAlfas]

Metric Max said:

I made my bench 17 years ago using some old Dexion racking and a piece of old kitchen worktop.

Mine is old kitchen worktop too. The old Formica over 2" chipboard style. As you say they are really solid, but the other advantage is they wipe clean when you are dealing with messy parts. Mine must be 25 years plus now.

[vaud]

One option might be to get a machine mart workbench and add a kitchen worktop. Also i think with some you can bolt them into the floor/wall for added stability.

[SoliD]

I was planning on getting the SGS ones, as I have a few of their bits, but baulked at the price of the larger units, ended up searching around quite a bit and found the exact same bench as they all appear to come from the same manufacturer for about £200 less, it didn't come with a 10 year warranty, but based on my other SGS stuff I think i'll be ok.

[IAN1967]

Two kitchen base units in white and a top from Ikea is what I have and been ok for the last few years.

It has a proper vice bolted to it and at the moment a motorbike engine sitting on top, albeit only a 50cc one.

[mattvanders]

I was able to grab on old kitchen from work for free, got my chippy to install it for me. I’ve added a swivel vice to the top to aid working on it (just want to add a bigger base plate underneath to spread the load instead of just washers). Use the space for working on the mountain bikes so don’t need anything too heavy duty though

[z4RRSchris]

Sealey did mine.

[Juan B]

I reckon give it a go building one

whats the worst that can happen

[OutInTheShed]

Juan B said:

I reckon give it a go building one

whats the worst that can happen

The worst that can happen is that it costs a fair bit in time and materials and isn't very good.

I have a couple of benches. One is a cheap metal framed kit from Amazon, reinforced with a worktop and bolted to the wall,
The other is a metal desk I got for £15 years back.

[Griffith4ever]

996Type said:

I’m sure for reference the above would be very useful for many people as inspiration if you do have time,

I’m going to build some racking and a bench for storage boxes once a small workshop space is cleared to allow it and thought of doing it myself due to some awkward angles etc…

Ok, They are pretty much this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MovF5vjmOQg

But at the bottom I have a slightly raised shelf instead of an "inverted top" - depends on what you want. They key is VERY simple to make, and cheap as chips - about £60 a table, Wickes non-trade price. Be cheaper from a timber yeard, or 10% less wickes trade. They don't move an inch when you climb on them. Depends what you are after of course - these you can hammer things on and there won't be any movement. My vice has never even suggested moving.

All made out of 95x45mm C16 from Wickes - cheap. strong, and straight. I use 18mm OSB. All very cheap materials. If you odn't havea van you can buy smaller sheets of the OSB.

If you divide up a sheet correctly you can make 2 benches out of one sheet. That would give you 1.2m long, 600 deep x 2 I ended up with a 1.2 x 650, and another 1.2 x 550 , both with 78cm tall legs. I needed one a little smaller.

Then... when I got my new workshop I moved the smaller one over, and then used the same technique to build a longer version but wall mounted , with no bottom shelf. Its all dead simple stuff but is sturdy as hell. Neither benches were fixed to walls or floor and they never moved - and have been used with belt sanders, drill press, vice etc with no give or movement. You can jump on them all day long. And the C16 is super easy to drive long screws straight in with no predrilling. A very easy build. Just cut the tops to what you want then build the frames around their dims.

The original I built nearly 10 years ago:



The smaller version, same age - moved to new workshop and bolted to the new frame.



New frame / version with no bottom shelf. Rear rail screwed to the wall (and the two outer legs are fixed down with L brackets too)

Edited by Griffith4ever on Monday 17th March 15:26

Edited by Griffith4ever on Monday 17th March 15:27

[Trustmeimadoctor]

SoliD said:

I was planning on getting the SGS ones, as I have a few of their bits, but baulked at the price of the larger units, ended up searching around quite a bit and found the exact same bench as they all appear to come from the same manufacturer for about £200 less, it didn't come with a 10 year warranty, but based on my other SGS stuff I think i'll be ok.

Any link?