2x Lumber Bench

[Mike Olson]

I finally finished building the main structure of my new workbench.
I still need to create the leg vise and drill the dog holes on the top and on the Apron and front right leg.

The bench is 37 1/2" high, 25 1/2" deep, 5' long.
Built using
15 - 2x4x8
3 - 2x10x8
1/2 Gallon Titebond
2 tubes of Heavy Duty Liquid nails.

I built it without a front stretcher for the legs so I could store my tool chest under it. That's the reason for the 2x10's attached to the front legs to ensure there is no racking. It is ROCK SOLID! A larger Anarchists tool chest is going to replace my small chest eventually.

No metal fasteners were used at all. The top and legs are glued together with Titebond and the legs are attached to the top using Heavy Duty Liquid nails and oak pegs.

It took me a really long time to get this far as it's been WAY to hot to spend much time in the garage working on it. It was finally in the high 70s yesterday so I spent that time flattening the top. Below are some build pictures.

Cutting the lumber to size using my cut table and circular saw.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-FmBNiMKXmJc/T891hit0JHI/AAAAAAAAEfw/6A9OvMyHJKE/s640/IMG_1302.JPG

Flattening the good side of each piece used for the top.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xHCvCw31QHo/T891jW6yQLI/AAAAAAAAEf4/LqNnMbKrvjI/s640/IMG_1304.JPG

That generated just a few shavings
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-l9eSJ5gaecc/T891mFIRAxI/AAAAAAAAEgA/BTWf7CAs0cw/s640/IMG_1305.JPG

Got the top setup and drying in the Clamps.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-sE0ICP83EDQ/T891o9z9twI/AAAAAAAAEgI/bugGtMkMKLg/s640/IMG_1306.JPG

Got the front legs glued up
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t5C94S2npqA/T891z6DI9xI/AAAAAAAAEgY/qT2zOmK_6To/s640/IMG_1313.JPG

Got the back legs glued up
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WR2mcVmeRO4/T8912VPQBVI/AAAAAAAAEgg/wRQcPfBuNwk/s640/IMG_1314.JPG

Making the lap joint on the front legs to fit into the Apron
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-PiAzGdvNvdk/UAQQAWRsgII/AAAAAAAAEkQ/z9EaZYXg-zA/s640/IMG_1332.JPG

Cutting the lap joint in the front apron to recieve the legs. Ended up using a Saws-all with a long blade to cut that out.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-usOheNciEkY/UAQQBHqsbBI/AAAAAAAAEkY/QKFtM1J60GA/s640/IMG_1336.JPG

Finished structure in place in my basement shop.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-kDfaxqm4BVs/UAQOXYfwnoI/AAAAAAAAEj4/ctPmF1biYf4/s640/IMG_1472.JPG

Side shot showing the legs and top glue up.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VpyZwdUQLT4/UAQOZgBbGkI/AAAAAAAAEkA/x9YScN6O2Jo/s640/IMG_1475.JPG

Eventually when I get the Leg Vise screw and install it I'll post some more pictures.

Mike

[Zach Dillinger]

Mike, looking good! Should serve you well. Having built a similar style bench a number of years ago, I would take a look at adding another brace between the front and rear stretchers, one that will support the top a bit. I glued together a top using 3/4" x 4 x 16" birch scrap drawer sides using Titebond. The bench has had around a 1/4" of glue creep at the middle of the slab. Your bench has fewer glue lines and is made of a lighter material, but there is still a chance that it will creep down. Brace it now so that you never have to deal with the problems I've had with mine.

[Don Jarvie]

Check the flatness of the bench every so often. I made a bench out of 2x4s and have noticed two of the opposite corners have raised uP so I need to flatted the top again.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Excellent !!!

[Steve Baumgartner]

Lookin' good! One bit of advice: be sure to maintain the top carefully and protect it with sacrificial boards when doing things that might cut into it. That kind of lumber is soft and easily damaged, and once damaged it starts to give splinters (DAMHIKT).

[Mike Olson]

Brace it now so that you never have to deal with the problems I've had with mine.

Thanks for the tip. Once I get the leg vice hardware and install it, i'll add some additional bracing to prevent any sag in the top.

[John T Barker]

I made a 2 X 4 utility bench for my shop (utility means it is not my primary bench but one I will use for a metal vise, sharpening, etc.) One thing I did that I felt good about and wante to share was to make the legs come through the top. I glued up my top like you did but glued the legs in with the top pieces. I then I laminated more 2 by to the leg to give it a shoulder and "lock it." By tying the top, four legs and bottom shelf like this the entire bench is locked and joined, so to speak.

Considering that the 2 X 4's were cut offs on sale at Home Depot I think I spent more glue then on wood for the whole thing. Can't really put up a picture of it because it is covered by my anvil, a small lathe and a bunch of other stuff right now.

[Jim Koepke]

Nice bench.

The UPC label makes me think of having fun by putting it on a cart and letting the borg clerk scan the sticker and see the look on their face when it rings up for the price of a 2X4.

jtk