| Who Needs Workbench Plans? | | | | to show off to their friends. It's a very passionate |
| Today my knees are really killing me, again. Even | | | | kind of hobby, where serious woodworkers get all |
| after promising myself that I would never try to build | | | | perky and excited from just a little whiff of sawdust |
| something on the floor, last night I was in the | | | | in the air. That kind of thing. But believe me, serious |
| basement, back down on the concrete trying to | | | | woodworkers pay out the wallet for their |
| replace the belt on a vacuum cleaner. I tried to make | | | | woodworking passion. Most really nice woodworking |
| the job more tolerable by tossing down one of those | | | | benches (made from hardwoods like oak or maple) |
| foam pads you see for working in the garden. I even | | | | will cost you no less than about $500 for a kit (like at |
| tried throwing down some old pillows and blankets, | | | | Rockler.com) or at least several hundred dollars in |
| but nothing seemed to really work. Then I started | | | | wood and materials just to build it yourself. Not to |
| thinking about those professional-style knee pads I | | | | mention that you'll also need some fairly sophisticated |
| always see at Lowes - which I always walk past | | | | shop tools to build the really nice woodworking |
| because I think I'll only use them once. | | | | benches...like a planer, drill press, router table, that |
| So today I decided that what I really need is a way | | | | sort of thing. |
| to get my work up off the floor and keep it at a | | | | Something Simple |
| reasonable height...something that my back will | | | | But back to my original problem, what I need is |
| appreciate. That's an easy one. But where do I get | | | | simply something to get my work up off the floor |
| one? I'm not even sure what "get" means at this | | | | and at a reasonable height - and not spend a lot of |
| point. I suppose I've seen a couple of workbench kits | | | | money doing it. The kind of bench I'm talking about |
| at places like Home Depot and Lowes, but I didn't | | | | goes together with really simple materials...like 2x4s |
| see much of a selection really. I could buy one of | | | | and wood screws that you can buy at Home Depot |
| those bright-red, metal frame workbenches that | | | | or Lowes. And this is stuff I might even be able to |
| have the particle board top and a pegboard back. | | | | fit in the back of my hatchback (and save $50 on a |
| Those workbenches would probably be easy enough | | | | delivery charge). Heck, you can even slide 2x4s in the |
| to set up without too much trouble. That is, if I'm | | | | back trunk with some cars (if you have an open |
| willing to pay the $100 bucks or so to buy it...and, also | | | | panel behind the back seats). |
| if I have a way to get those huge boxes into my | | | | But I'm not ready to head off to the lumber store |
| car. | | | | just yet. I still need to have a rough idea how the |
| Build a Workbench or Buy One? | | | | 2x4s should go together, and then how many of the |
| I guess I'm thinking that a simple workbench should | | | | boards I'll need to buy once I get there. This is |
| be a fairly easy thing to build myself. And doesn't it | | | | where at least some type of workbench plan can |
| make sense to build my own...especially if I'm going to | | | | come in handy, especially if you want to get started |
| use that workbench to build more stuff? That makes | | | | right away on the project. Believe me, starting off |
| sense. Besides, a lot of the workbenches I've seen in | | | | with someone else's design can remove a lot (and I |
| other people's basements look fairly simple...like | | | | mean a lot ) of the guesswork you'd otherwise be |
| they're put together with 2x4s. I could handle that. If | | | | facing if you design your bench from scratch. |
| only I could remember (or even understand) how | | | | Finding a Simple Workbench Plan |
| everything went together. That's kind of the | | | | If you haven't already noticed, there are tons of |
| problem. Even with my rough sketches of the kind of | | | | websites on the topic of building a workbench. |
| workbench I think I'd like to build, I'm still a little fuzzy | | | | However, be ready to do some digging to find the |
| about what kind of joinery I should use in the | | | | kind of simple workbench design I've been talking |
| corners where the legs come together. I'm not an | | | | about so far. Remember, most "workbench" plans |
| engineer after all, and I don't want this thing to be | | | | you'll find on the Web are designed for some pretty |
| wobbling all over the place after I get it set up. | | | | serious woodworking. They might look nice, but be |
| A Little Help with a Plan | | | | prepared for instructions that want you to do work |
| What I'm looking for is just a little help with the | | | | on a planer, a drill press, a router table, and some |
| overall design of the workbench. So with a quick | | | | other tools I've never heard of. |
| search on Google for "workbench design" and | | | | Free Plans? |
| "workbench plans" I'm seeing lots of websites that | | | | The next thing you'll notice with your online search is |
| say they can help me out with a plan... and most of | | | | that a lot of the listings advertise free plans. Believe |
| these I can get for free. At first I'm pretty excited | | | | me, I've meticulously gone through these "free |
| that there's so much to pick from. | | | | workbench plans" websites and I can tell you without |
| Woodworking or Just Work? | | | | hesitation that this stuff is mostly junk. Like a lot of |
| First thing I notice with my Web search for | | | | stuff on the Web, it's simply a ploy to get you |
| workbench plans is that the word "workbench" is | | | | interested in looking at something else...like a new cell |
| mostly about woodworking...which might not be what | | | | phone or a free credit report. |
| I'm looking for exactly. Here's the test: If you have | | | | A Better Plan...under $10 |
| no idea what a mortise and a tenon joint is, then | | | | My opinion in regard to workbench plans overall is |
| most of the workbench plans that come up in a | | | | that you're better off to spend the $5-$10 and get |
| Google search are probably not what you're looking | | | | something that more resembles what a real |
| for. Nothing against woodworking, really. In fact, I | | | | workbench plan should be-step-by-step instructions |
| hope someday I can delve into the fine craft of | | | | with nice illustrations, cutting diagrams, and shop tips |
| building fine furniture. That would be wonderful. | | | | and techniques. What I'm talking about here are plans |
| Maybe build a baby crib for a grandkid. If this is | | | | that have at least five pages of content (unlike the |
| something you are leaning towards, then by all means | | | | photo-copied isometric drawings that some free sites |
| you should consider taking the leap into building (or | | | | have) and some reasonably good-quality photos of |
| buying) a nice woodworking bench. | | | | the finished product. The photos alone can be real life |
| A workbench can be a beautiful pieces of shop | | | | savers when you're trying to put everything together |
| furniture, actually. And experienced woodworkers | | | | the way it should go together. |
| take no greater pride in having a beautiful workbench | | | | |