The Ultimate Workbench

[Rob 88"]

The 'shop is nearly complete(made of ICF) just need to get a garage door up and theres a few things i need to make soon, shop press, portable chop saw roller table, and there will always be a few more that will come into my mind Anyway could anyone share some photos or ideas of a selfmade workbench for metalwork aswell as timber with , storage, racks, power and air outlets , maybe selectable height part powered by i few rams or whatever im sure there are a few out there

 

[knoba]

A metal-work / welding bench I made a while back;

Parallel flange I beams for legs.
Top is 12mm x 2400mm x 600mm mild steel plate fixed with 80mm x 12mm allen head countersunk BZP's. Finished with "B&Can't clear decking oil" (...yeah, the wood preserver ).
SHS is 50mm x 50mm x 3mm.
Mating flange plates are 100mm x 50mm x 6mm
All bolt/stud holes are sleeved & fixed with M12 BZP HT Fixings
Vice is Irwin T36 with M16 BZP HT Fixings.
Tressle finish is sprayed "Smoothrite".

In consideration, I umm'ed & arr'ed over telescopic legs and a back board for it with power and air, but I figured in the end that, for the legs, I would rather have strength over adjustability, & not putting a back board on it would enable me to work on larger items than the size of the top would allow. I can also turn the top over if it gets trashed too badly. The total weight (about 500Lbs) is a genuine bonus (to me). It's also moveable, dismantlable & repairable this way. If I'd have had the space I would have gone for a 2400mm x 1200 table.

A "general use" pine woodwork bench I made just before the metal one;

Custom-made stainless steel fixings in the trestle section.
Top is 2400mm x 600mm x 100mm, gravity held with 25mm o/d dowels, making it disassemblable.
Weighs in @ about 400Lbs.
Oiled finish.
Vice is a good ol' record with quick release.

The designs of both were maximised for clamping surfaces.

HTH

 

[Garreth]

Christ ! My boss is always accusing me of over engineering things at work - wait till I show him your metal work bench.

Are you building a ship ?

Seriously - that is awesome

Garreth

 

[knoba]

Christ ! My boss is always accusing me of over engineering things at work - wait till I show him your metal work bench.

Are you building a ship ?

Seriously - that is awesome

Garreth

building a ship? ...I coundn't possibly, she'd kill me! How big a ship are we talking about here? I'm far too busy, so... let's go over it now before she find out!

 

[hareng]

I would certainly bolt that down to the floor and or wall, dont want to be chasing it around workshop however heaavy.

No piccies myself just see a bit here on one bench with vice on.
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL15/728921/1252422/393696139.jpg
Straighten 1 1/4" x 1/8" hydraulic tube with that. SHS 50X25X2.5 topped with cheap kitchen work surface £35 full length.
The other benches similar two right angled and 3 others housing a mill, horizontal metal band saw, driller, another vice, two small bench top lathes, bead blast cabinet, belt sander, two grinders and tool box. Rest of the stuff is outside.
Welder, compressor and other bigger stuff goes underneath.

Racks are on the walls usually from 25x25x3 angle most with old steel doors and wooden battons from stainless strip deliveries great for knocking nails in to hang things off.