Child's Workbench

[Rob Will]

I'm not sure this really constitutes woodworking but I did use some scraps from the woodshop floor to make it.......a child's workbench.

My 3 yr-old shop rat daughter Anna was always climbing up on my bench or building stuff down on the floor. I realized that she needed something her height.

Her bench is 40" wide x 20" deep x 18-3/4" high. The frame is simply some scrap 2x4's that I sent through the planer to give them a clean surface. Since this is supposed to look like a workbench and NOT like her mom's cherry end tables:eek:, I just screwed/glued the 2x4 frame together and left the screw heads showing. The top is 3/4 birch plywood attached with pocket screws.

Notice that all edges have been smoothed with a 1/4" roundover bit. Anna helped sand everything and splash on some Colonial Maple stain. Later, I gave it a couple of coats of spray can lacquer.

The bench is equipped with Anna's personalized nameplate (that I ran through the CarveWright machine), a small HF vise, and two plastic parts bins. The parts bins are screwed down to the top so they don't spill.

Anna likes to build toy trains from blocks of wood so I ordered an assortment of wooden wheels, axles, smokestacks etc. from an online craft supply co. (highly recommended if you have kids around - they love it)

I found a used child-size chair for $3 at a surplus store. The bench is sized to work with that particular chair. The front of the work surface has a set-back apron so there is plenty of room for little legs. This allows the top to be set fairly low and creates a more comfortable height for manipulating tools.

Thanks for looking.

Rob

[Edward Garrett]

This is awesome, just awesome Rob! My daughter oftem joins me in my shop, and we end up moving things around to build a makeshift bench for her....nevertheless, some of my most fulfilling times in the shop are seeing her imgination run wild with a few simple scraps of wood....

Looks like you have taken this to a whole new level! Now I can't wait for Saturday so I can use your design to build her her own bench....Thanks for sharing!

[Paul Downes]

Great idea! Would you believe it, I had to go with my son to cub scouts tonight for pine wood derby races and felt embarassed because we didn't have a car for him. I just got off night shift work and the wife had been handleing those meetings. Anyway she forgot where she left the kit and forgot to tell me about the meeting until 10 min. before it started. I ended up taking 3 of our other kids and there I was, a woodworker with a big shop, and no cars! One of the other dads gave my son a car to race and also gave the younger kids some of those little cars like your daughter was constructing. I sure felt like an accomplished ww'er. :o

I guess when I make my own workbench, I'll have to make something like you did for your daughter. My kids are often out in the shop with me sweeping up and pounding nails. It's great to get them involved at an early age.

[Ken Potts]

Rob,

What a great idea, my grandson spends a lot of time in my shop with me. That will be my next project. Thank you.

Ken.

[Craig Thompson]

Rob,

Superb Idea... my older kids help around the shop... but that would fix the youngests' 'blues'...

[Rob Will]

Thanks for the comments.
I did forget to mention that I used some Minwax Wood Conditioner prior to applying the stain. It helped even out the stain and keep the exposed end grain from becoming too dark.

Also, if you are careful, you can trim the legs in your CMS to make it sit level on the floor and to establish final height.

The plastic storage bins with lids that I used came from Harbor Frieght (as did the tiny vise).

We ordered the wooden wheels and various other parts here:
http://www.craftparts.com/mall/page38.asp
http://www.craftparts.com/mall/page37.asp
Our wheels all have the same hole size (1/4"). That way, we only have to have one size axle (15/64"). These folks only sell in bulk quantities so I now have a lifetime supply of wheels and train parts:o. The beauty is that when little friends come over they can make whatever they want and I don't worry about using up our parts.

I hope your little ones also have fun with a bench of thier very own:).

Rob

[Jim Becker]

Nice job, Rob!! Your DD looks like she's enjoying her workbench!

[Greg Cole]

Hey Rob,
Very cool. I've printed out the pics of this to see if my 6 year old little dude wants to help make is own. He's graduated from the plastic "worker guy" tools and bench and not quite big enough for my size stuff.....
Thanks for the info on the small parts n peices, with my little dude I never seem to have enough scrap around for him to drill holes in, pound nails etc.... I do have more toy motorcycle ramps in my shop than I have jigs though.:rolleyes:

Thanks for sharing.

Greg

[Mike Spanbauer]

Clever! I may have to make one of these shortly, but upgrade with folding / collapsible legs.

Very cool!

mike

[Rob Will]

Clever! I may have to make one of these shortly, but upgrade with folding / collapsible legs.

Very cool!

mike

Interesting idea Mike.

Maybe folding plywood sides that pin (removable pin) together with a door hinge in the back corners?

If the ends were hinged directly to the top and the back were spaced down a bit at it's hinge point, everthing would fold flat against the top.

Rob

[Dave Bureau]

I really like the vise idea

[Jude Tuliszewski]

Cleaver, neat and a great way to use up scrap material, not to mention the hours of fun for the kid.

[Rob Will]

If anybody builds a child's workbench, our kids would find it entertaining to see a pic on SMC.

Rob