How many folks have their bench against a wall vs freestanding?

[Joe Beaulieu]

Hey All,
I am not happy with my cutrent shop setup. I have a two car garage with a center support beam in the front center. The beam drives me nuts. I have had to shrink things into this smaller space from a full wonderful basement back in Massachusetts. California is a great place unless you like big houses with basements.

Regardless, I was thinking of putting my bench against one of my long walls. I have never had my bech aginst a wall a d am wo dering about the shorcomings of doing so. It is a typical European cabinetmakers bench with tool well in the back. It's a DIefenbach bench from when they were made well, its very sturdy. (I know thats not important to the discussion, just wanted to gloat. :-) )

Thanks guys and ladies Any help is apprecisted

Joe

[Andy Giddings]

Have mine against a wall without issues - same space as you but no center beam

[Wayne Lomman]

I work with a bench against the wall and a bench I can walk around. Always have done, even now when I only have a 30 square metre shop. There are just too many things that need both benches. Cheers

[Frederick Skelly]

I have my bench against the wall. Every once in a while, it would be handy to be able to work from the other side. But it really does work just fine as-is.

I'd try it a while and change it back if it doesn't suit.

[Jim Finn]

I have two benches along one wall. Equipment on other three, with table saw on wheels but stored along one wall. Has worked well for me for 11 years now. I make small items, not cabinets.

[Jim Becker]

Against the wall does limit access to an assembly/workpiece from all sides. Perhaps a good compromise would be for the bench to be made easily mobile (a wheels off the floor method to insure stability during use) so you have the ability to move it out when a project demands it.

[glenn bradley]

I have worked both ways and definitely prefer free standing but, both are doable. I was happier when I put my "against the wall" bench about 6" from the wall so I could at least partially use the back edge. If you are used to circling the bench during tasks, there sill be an adjustment period but, it sounds preferable to what you are suffering now.

[Doug Hepler]

Joe,

I have been making "fine furniture" with my bench against the wall since 2003. It does occasionally limit the size of the piece I can put on it, as others have already said.

I made a large mobile tool cart that is the same height as the bench. The tool cart has a large dropleaf that is supported by folding legs when it is open. When I have a large piece like a six-drawer dresser or a dining table top I can arrange the cart, dropleaf, and workbench to suit my needs. Another trick is to put an inexpensive interior flush door on top of the cart and workbench to serve as a large assembly surface that I can walk around. You can also work out a similar arrangement involving your table saw and outfeed table (if you have one).

So, put your workbench wherever it seems to fit.

Doug

[Doug Walls]

I have two 6 foot long work benches in a two car garage & they are both against a wall! One has a sheet-metal top & is against the back wall which is used mainly for metalworking & automotive type jobs. The other one is against a side wall & used mainly for woodworking. Everything else is pretty much on wheels & gets moved up against the other wall when I need to get my truck into the garage.

I have several sets of saw-horses & a couple of 2" x 2"/framed plywood table tops that I can set-up in the center of the garage as a work/assembly area. One set-up is the same height as my table saw & is also used as an out-feed table.

Doug

[Brian Henderson]

Mine is against the wall and I have never had a problem with it. Of course, I have an outfeed/assembly table as well that I can walk all the way around if need be.

[Bill McNiel]

My 8' x 30" bench is perpendicular to a wall with less than 2' of a walk/work area on one side. I would be very unhappy with a bench against a wall, but that's just me (I build a fair amount of large pieces and frequently need access to both sides).

To each his/her own.

[Prashun Patel]

Try it. You may like it.

I've had mine both ways. I prefer free standing because I can work from all angles - which for me is especially helpful when hand sawing. However, when my bench was against the wall, I had much more floor space, which made me feel less cramped.

This is a personal decision - even though my way is the best.

[Bradley Gray]

I have 2 freestanding and 2 against a wall. My problem with against the wall is they are much harder (for me) to keep cleared. Seems like the against the wall benches are always piled with crap!

[Randall J Cox]

My 250 lb bench is against the wall as I have a smaller shop, prob 19x16, and don't have a choice. No problems in years, but I don't do fine furniture either... Randy

[John Sanford]

Freestanding. I have a row of 'small footprint' machines against the wall. Space. Then my bench. More space (this is the vise side of the bench), then my "backwall unit", which is a 6'x6' rolling shelf unit with all my handtools on it.

Because my bench is directly behind me when I work at the drill press and such, I'm able to use it.

Note that I have NO floor cabinets or other built-ins in this space, so I have no counter space.

I personally dislike a bench against the wall unless it has a window. Haven't had one of those since the early 80's.