How to utilize a corner benchtop?

[Greg Urwiller]

I've got 2 laminate benchtop sections, an 8' and a 10', that I'm about ready to set up. I've built 2 cabinets to go under them, a 6' and an 8'. I plan on setting these up in a corner of my workshop so I'd have an L configuration. Now, I'm wondering about my placement plans. I was figuring on butting one of the sections up against the other, not sure which section was going to be the full length, 8' or 10'. Now that I'm getting close to finishing everything, I'm beginning to wonder about utilizing the corner area. Anyone out there have a unique idea for using this section efficiently? I can do this a couple of different ways, either butt one top up against the other, or, I could set the tops to touch on the corners, then build a square "corner coupler" of some kind. The tops are just laminated construction 2x lumber, about 2 1/16" thick by 28" wide. It would be a little harder to make a separate "corner coupler" to match and look decent. About the only thing I'd really gain would be a longer benchtop leg on one side and give me a little bit more open space under the top to roll something under to store (don't really know what), or to put a garbage can, etc. It might help to figure it out if I knew how to utilize the corner efficiently. Is the corner just going to be where I shove the benchtop mortiser, or does someone have a really cool use for this area? Thanks. Greg

[John T Barker]

Corners are often a puzzler to people when they are furnishing their houses too. They restrict, obviously. In the shop you can't put a chop saw or mortiser in the corner. Even the drill press will eventually need to be moved when you are drilling in a long piece. Your idea of a garbage can is a good one. Depending on the layout of the underneath you could put a lazy susan under and above the benchtop...that would make better use of the vertical space then a garbage can. I've heard a lot of guys put TV's in their shops (not my taste) and certainly radios. A computer? (Again, not my taste but this is the age.)

Hope the rambling helped,
John

[Kent A Bathurst]

Had a comparable issue while "helping" a friend build benches for his garage shop.

"Our" solution: Set the two sections apart [not so the corners of the tops touch] leaving 24" - 30" between the corners. Now you can build a section to connect them, creating an actual usable 24" - 30" section of bench front. Then - 28" back from the front edge of this section, build a wall out of 2x and plywood that runs at 45* from wall-to-wall. Or - maybe more than 28" back, but not so far that you can't easily reach it. Put shelves across this section. Or hang tools on it.

The problem I find with leaving the corner as is, is that it become a haven for junk. Stuff you can't reach, stuff you don't need very often, and you've got other stuff in the way of THAT stuff.

[Greg Urwiller]

John, you didn't ramble on compared to what I was afraid I was doing trying to ask a simple question! I originally figured I'd have just enough room to roll my shop vac underneath and maybe a narrow trash can. But, as usual, I'm second guessing that plan, trying to come up with the "perfect" setup. Kent, I may have to consider that idea, I hadn't thought of angling the corner section! Thanks for the replies. Greg

[Kent A Bathurst]

FWIW.........

Didn't clean this up much. Blue is 2 x 4 framing. Green is the outline of double 3/4" birch ply bench top, glued, screwed, and shellacked. The red line is the false wall in the corner. The CMS is inset [lowered] so the bench top elevation matches the saw bed. Fence, measuring system, and cutoff stop to the right of the CMS. Lumber racks on the wall above that. 2 stacks of 5 drawers under the bench to the left of the CMS. Shop vac under the CMS. Bench overhangs framing & drawer faces by 3" for clamping.

The 36" depth is a normally bit much - it was driven by driven by the CMS dim. Tool racks & shelves against the garage walls.....we covered those walls with 1/2" ply - same as the red line [framing behind the red line not shown].

Bonus - there's a 1/2" ply "top shelf" installed above the 4' tall false wall. My friend insists that he must, at all costs, hang on to those annoying molded plastic cases the elec tools came in. I finally got him to take the tools out of the damn cases [well, actually, I started refusing to put them back in the cases]. The top shelf of the false wall is filled with molded plastic cases that have not been touched since they went up there 18 months ago. The bonus part - whenever I go visit him, I can just nod my head toward them and say "Nice collection of plastic cases you got there, bud." :D What are friends for?

Have fun.


..214620

[Steve Meliza]

I've decided to use my corner for the air compressor, it has a footprint of about 2'x2'. It is a great stationary tool as you just add air hoses to reach the job site rather than an extension cord, so I just can't see needing to pull it out of the corner for anything but maintenance or repairs.