Workbench almost done

[Matt Meiser]

I've been working on building Popular Woodworking's "24 Hour" workbench this week. The premise is that you can build the bench in a total of 24 hours of work. I've been trying to figure out for a year now what I wanted to build for a workbench. I've been afraid to spend the money a "real" bench would cost in case I didn't get it right. Finally, I decided this would be the way to go.

I started last Saturday picking up the lumber. Sunday I glued up the top. A few nights this week I spent a couple hours each machining parts and building the base. Yesterday I glued the banding on the top, and finished everything else today. All that's left is to apply finish. I figure I'll be right about at 24 hours when I'm done, not including cleaning up the mess. I'm also adding a couple of enhancements that I've seen in my other readings on the subject.

The top is 4 layers of 3/4" baltic birch banded with 2x SYP. The base is all SYP. The vises are Record's which I picked up at two different liquidation places over the past 2 years. It is very solid, but possibly a little light. I plan to build tool storage for underneath which should solve the weight issue. In all, I'll probably have about $200 in the bench.

[Jim Becker]

Matt, that's really looking great! Sturdy comes to mind when I look at the picture, too. You are right on about adding weight, however, especially if you plan on working in the Neander way a bit. That's the major downfall of my current bench. It's nice and good quality, but way too light...something I'm going to have to rectify one of these days!

[Jerry Olexa]

Good looking bench...solid and sturdy.. You'll enjoy having it when you start your next project...

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Great looking bench, Matt!

[Roger Barga]

nice bench. inspires me to build one of my own. keep us posted on your progress. roger

[Frank Pellow]

Well done, Matt! And, congratulations on the fact that you will complete the bench in the estimated time. I have undertaken a few magazine "complete in x hours" projects over the years and it usually takes me about 25% more time than x.

[Jack Hogoboom]

Matt,

Really nice bench. Can you talk a little more about construction and the modifications you made? I'm looking to build a bench too and would like to hear more about your experiences.

Thanks for sharing.

Jack

[Tyler Howell]

Nice Matt,

Looking at some designs now for my own creation.:cool:

[Louis Bois]

Nicely done Matt...very impressive considering the timeframe!

[David Tang]

I built a similar bench, not as nice looking as yours, but I did install a 3/4" plywood shelf down below and put my power tools down there. It's pretty heavy.

[Marshall Harrison]

Nice looking bench Matt.

Question for everyone - what is the best way to add weight to a bench? Like several people here my bench is too light. Great work area and the vises are ok but it needs more weight.

[Chris Padilla]

Marshall,

Cinder blocks and sandbags come to mind as fairly cheap and heavy. :)

[Louis Bois]

...or some old steel weights that can be had really cheaply at most garage sales...

[Russell Svenningsen]

I built the same bench and love it. I too added a plywood shelf. It holds my Delta 22-580 planer, Delta mortiser, Dewalt belt sander, biscuit jointer, and a 1967 Chevy Nova. Sits still most of the time. Okay, I made up that one part.

I don't own a mortiser! :rolleyes:

[Chris Padilla]

I *knew* the mortiser was the fake part on your bench.... :)

[Matt Meiser]

I applied a coat of BLO thinned with mineral spirits last night followed a couple hours later by a coat of unthinned BLO. Depending on how it looks I might add another coat tonight.

More construction details:

All of the base is made from 2x12 SYP construction lumber which was machined have four flat, square sides. The legs are laminated from two pieces each, so they are about 3" square. All of the joints are mortise and tenon joints. The ends are glued and the cross pieces are bolted using Veritas bench bolts.

The top is four layers of 3/4" Baltic Birch laminated together. The edges are banded with more of the SYP. The top is simply attached with 4 6" steel brackets.

The modifications I made included:
- adding the front vise and corresponding dog holes
- I didn't bother with any kind of fancy joint at the corners of the banding on the top
- I added dog holes along the front to give me the ability to add support for long pieces.
- I'm adding some kind of planing stop on the left side. I'm not sure if I'm going to make something that pops up, or something that fits into the dog holes for the front vise.