Alex Liebert
08-01-2018, 8:39 PM
I finished my first woodworking project awhile ago, almost entirely hand tools- with lots of questions here and there to you guys which as been immensely helpful. I'm eager to build more, but the biggest thing I learned from the project is what I need from a basic bench, and how inadequate my current store bought bench is. It's racked, it's sagging very significantly in the center, the laminations are splitting apart, the vise has lots of play, the dog holes are too lose...I considered reinforcing it, flattening it, and adding a new vise, but the top is less than .75" thick and it seems any time or money spent trying to improve the bench I have would be a waste.
But I also have this 20+ year old craftsman cabinet (photo from the internet, but exact same model):
390794
It's a great size for my small space, it's very sturdy, and heavy enough for me (especially when loaded with my tools, which it can fit all of perfectly.) And it's free because I already have it.
Under the top there is no central support- the factory melamine top is attached to a ~1" turned over metal lip that runs along the long edges only, with 4 screw holes. Rough illustration:
390795
I'd like to put on a new top, drill some dog holes, and attach a vise on the face and the end. I will likely find used cast iron vises fairly cheap.
But I'm not sure how to handle the top...
I think I've read every variant of the "cheap beginner bench" article on the internet by now.
The cheapest option I can think of is to use one layer of 1.5" MDF (which I can source locally) or laminate multiple sheets of MDF (which add at the very least the expense of a router to trim the edges flush) - and screw it on. My reservation with this is that it will almost certainly sag on the ends under the weight of the vises, and likely sag in the center. I'm not sure what options there would be to add support given the way the base is made and my limited knowledge.
Any suggestions on how to build adequate support to keep MDF flat on this base?
But I also have this 20+ year old craftsman cabinet (photo from the internet, but exact same model):
390794
It's a great size for my small space, it's very sturdy, and heavy enough for me (especially when loaded with my tools, which it can fit all of perfectly.) And it's free because I already have it.
Under the top there is no central support- the factory melamine top is attached to a ~1" turned over metal lip that runs along the long edges only, with 4 screw holes. Rough illustration:
390795
I'd like to put on a new top, drill some dog holes, and attach a vise on the face and the end. I will likely find used cast iron vises fairly cheap.
But I'm not sure how to handle the top...
I think I've read every variant of the "cheap beginner bench" article on the internet by now.
The cheapest option I can think of is to use one layer of 1.5" MDF (which I can source locally) or laminate multiple sheets of MDF (which add at the very least the expense of a router to trim the edges flush) - and screw it on. My reservation with this is that it will almost certainly sag on the ends under the weight of the vises, and likely sag in the center. I'm not sure what options there would be to add support given the way the base is made and my limited knowledge.
Any suggestions on how to build adequate support to keep MDF flat on this base?