Here
is a sturdy workbench you can make for about $100.00
It
features 2x4 construction, a thick 1 1/2" plywood top and
no fancy sawcuts to ruin your day.
This
one is 75" wide by 31 1/2" deep and without the extension
piece on the left front allows you to get the 1 1/2" top
from one 4x8 sheet of 3/4" plywood.
Make
it any size you need. Here is what I did...
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The
corner posts are doubled 2x4's and all pieces are screwed
together so it can be disassembled if needed. You will need...
12
- 2x4's
1
- 4x8x3/4" Plywood
approx.
40 - 3 1/2" #10 screws, 25 - 3" #10 screws, 40 - 1
1/2" #10 screws, 25 - 1" #10 screws.
Plus
whatever you can scrounge for backing board, shelf dividers
and shelving.
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The
front and rear sections were first built. The doubled corner
pieces are securely screwed together to act as a 4x4 post. The
rear section holds the backboard/shelf uprights. Notice the
simple brackets made from 3/4" plywood for the shelves.
The actual shelves I used are thick cedar boards from a recycled
picnic table!
Don't
BBQ's make rotten photo backdrops?
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Here
all the cross pieces have been cut and trial fitted. Then the
assembly of the basic framework is fastened together. You can
see the extension section I decided to add-on. You will see why
I built that later!
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If
you want to you could add fancy drawers and tracks. I prefer to
just have sliding shelves to store supplies or to use as an extra
workspace when sitting. Heavy Bristol board, panel board or thin
plywood are all you need for the section seperators.
You
can also see the tool bin I constructed that sits under the
lower shelf. It was built with scrap OSB board and trimmed with
some used baseboard moulding I had lying around the shop.
Why
a tool bin and not pegboard?...I could have an acre of pegboard
and my bench would STILL be a mess. I would never bother to
hang anything up properly! Give me a handy ``cubby-hole"
to toss my tools into and it will actually be used!
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Initial
assembly completed. The right hand lower section is reserved for
a 2 drawer filing cabinet I will enclose in that area later.
Now
I disassembled the whole thing and brought it downstairs to
my basement shop.
The
``counter top" I used is heavy gauge steel that I again
salvaged. Just the top weighs 80lbs!
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Now
You can see why I added the extension! Now
when I clean a rifle I have lots of room and I can use the backboard
to stop the patch from leaving the muzzle and damaging the crown!
This
is the last time you will see the bench clean by the way...Ok,
get busy folks!
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