Weekend Workbench
This simple but sturdy workbench ticks all the boxes when it comes to a reliable workcentre. It’s made of a trio of fairly economical materials — 90 x 45 Douglas fir framing stock forms the skeleton, pegboard in the sides and MDF for the shelf and the top. Plus, all this stuff is available at local hardware stores and timber yards.
As simple as it is, this bench will excel on multiple fronts. If you need a large flat surface to assemble a project, or repair a chair, you’ve got it here. But your more focused woodworking desires aren’t shortchanged either, notice the heavy duty vice bolted to the front. Also, the wood jaw has a pair of dog holes that align to the holes in the top. So if planing, scraping or most any other woodworking task is at hand, you’ll be able to tackle them with your material held firmly in place.
The subject of how much workshop storage you should have is similar to the age-old clamp conundrum — you can’t have too much storage or too many clamps. That’s especially true when you look at the cabinet here that sits on the shelf of the workbench. So, lets see — a new bench, with added storage options, it’s a win-win on all accounts.
If you so desire you could probably build this bench in a weekend (maybe a long weekend). But what’s the hurry? This strong bench is going to give you years of service, so take your time and enjoy the journey.
