One more question as I start assembling my bench...

[Jim O'Dell]

Glue and screw, or log bolts, or carriage/hex bolts and nuts? I'm thinking the glue and screws will be stronger in the end, and I have no reason to want to disassemble it for any reason. But I want to do this right. This is not a "woodworking" bench with dog holes and vises. Nor is it an assembly table. This is where I'll work on stuff, and is where I'll keep my non-woodworking hand tools. Thanks for the help! I'll shoot some pictures as I assemble it tomorrow. Jim.

[frank shic]

i built my very first workbench with a combination of screws and lag bolts without any glue. have fun!

[Bill Huber]

I just framed mine with 2x4s, used lag screws to hold it all together then covered it with 3/4 plywood and then and 1/8 Masonite as a top. As the top gets all messed up I can just change it to a fresh one.

[Tim Wagner]

So would Face gluing like 15 2X4's be overkill for a workbench? Or should that be used only for an assembly table?

[Jim O'Dell]

Tim, I thought about doing that too, but decided I'd have too much problem getting it flat. With the 2x material on it's sides, I figure I can shim it if I have a low spot. I think I'll screw and glue the frame and legs, but just screw the top down.
As a note, I've got about a 1 1/2" overhang off the front to clamp to also. The sacrificial masonite top will sit about 5/16" below the surface of the frame on the sides and back. Hopefully that will corral little screws and other small stuff when they go flying!! Jim.

[everett lowell]

I glued up my 2x4's but its not super flat:(

[John Schreiber]

Glue and screw makes sense to me. There is some "fine woodworking" goal of assembly without metal, but from my point of view I don't think it applies to a worktable like you are describing.

[Jim O'Dell]

snip There is some "fine woodworking" goal of assembly without metal, but from my point of view I don't think it applies to a worktable like you are describing.

Yes, there is, John. I'll save the other method for when I buile a wood working bench. Right now, Iagree that screws are fine, and they are quicker, less maddening :eek: :D , and perfectly fine for this type of bench. Jim.

[Jim O'Dell]

Ok, here are the pictures. I dry fitted the parts as I cut them, in the alcove where the bench would go. This allowed me to get a very tight fit. So tight that I had to pull the lower back stretcher off to get the assembled unit in the alcove!! Then I put the stretcher back on.
These are the tops of the legs. 63040 They are cut so that the apron fits on to the legs for proper support. This shot is of the leveling feet 63041that were given to me by a fellow woodworker, and adopter of a couple of our rescue dogs. (Bob also gave me the 1950's Shopmaster 6" jointer.) This shot is of the unit dry fitted in the alcove. 63042Then the unit being glued and screwed together on the open (heh) floor. 63043 And finally the unit reassembled in the alcove. 63044
I did get the first 2 of 3 2Xs cut for the top. The third is rough cut, and needs to be trimmed to fit, then all of them screwed down, and the masonite cut and screwed into place.
There was one funny thing that happened yesterday late. A honey bee came in and fell in love with the lighting. I must have changed which light was on 25 time, just watching it go back and forth. Finally I ended it. I watched a rent car at work pull in, and within 30 minutes have a ball of bees the size of a cantaloupe form on one of the rear tires. Didn't want that to happen in the shop. We figured that the car ran over a queen, and the workers were trying to start a new hive. Who knows, but not in my shop!
I'm sore, and I have to go to work tomorrow. Vacation was fun while it lasted! Have a good week! Jim.