Idea for Buying a Workbench

[Dan Stuewe]

My wife and I were walking through the local Ikea store last night and I saw these freestanding kitchen cabinets and I first thought I was looking at workbenches. Looking at the price they are that much more attractive. There are a couple different drawer/cabinet combinations, but this basic one has two drawers and the cabinets. it is 57.5" wide, 25.5" deep and 35.5" tall and the all important weight is 189 lbs. Oh, and all for $389. For reference, at Woodcraft you can get the Sjoberg Duo (86 lbs) for $499 (http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?DeptID=2078&FamilyID=5213) without the storage ($100-$200 for drawers). The top is only a bit over an inch thick, but it is solid (birch i think). You'd have to buy and install bench vice(s) and drill dog holes, but I think that wouldn't be too tough. Seems like a potential good deal. What do you think?

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=12&productId=18579&langId=-1&parentCats=10110*10255*10257

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=12&productId=18342&langId=-1&parentCats=10110*10255*10257

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=12&productId=53489&langId=-1&parentCats=10110*10255*10257

[Tim Morton]

I built that same bench as you have pictured for a work station at my last job. When I was building it was also thinking about wood shop uses...I think with some modifications it could be used for lots of things in t he shop, however i do not believe it is built well enough to be used as a true workbench. It is only screwed together with small short screws and the majority of it is particle board. YMMV...but I do not think for the money it would be a good workbench....work table yes...outfeed table storage yes....but not something you would need real solid build long term for.

[Mark Singer]

Dan,

I used those cabinets in some apartments and they are not real durable. The top should be thicker and the cabinet is partile board in places...

[Jim Becker]

Mark makes a good point...while these are very nice looking cabinets, they are not designed to support the forces you would put on a work bench and would fall apart faster than you would prefer. That said, the design is very nice and worthy of your duplication with a more appropriate joinery and material plan.

[Jamie Buxton]

Okay, the other guys have rained on your idea. However, Ikea does sell "butcherblock" counter top material for a nice price. The one I almost used was 25"x60"x1.5", was solid beech, and cost around $4/bdft. That'd be a real good start for a workbench.

[Charles McKinley]

Ikea also sells (sold) a kitchen island that doesnot have a cabenet underneath it. The legs are about 4x4 with about a 2x4 stretchers, butcher block top about 2feet x 5 feet. A guy I help out has them. I don't know if Ikea still carries them or not though.

[Kurt Loup]

I was in Sam's yesterday and noticed that they sell a workbench with metal legs and a 1 3/4" thick maple top, no vises. If I remember correctly, it was less than $200. I can't remember the size though, but I think it is large enough for a smaller bench.

KUrt