Workbench v 0.1

IMAG0544.jpg

Frame built, pieces nearly square. Imprecision in cuts and bore holes resulted in some torquing and gaps, but lag screws largely pulled pieces back to perpendicular.

Top at the moment is simply a loose piece of plywood to check for level. I’ll start building the tabletop this week (32 54″ 1×2′s, pulled tight by five threaded rods and nuts, then sanded flat and level). The tabletop will have four small recesses to clear the lag screw heads at the underside. It will be secured with 4 4½ lag screws up through the 2×4′s and into the tabletop.

I’ll probably add plywood cut to size atop the stretchers as a shelf, perhaps with backings for both that and the tabletop to keep anything from falling off the back. Ideally I’d craft and attach drawers on the underside of the tabletop, but that’s something entirely different to learn.

Full plans at Popular Mechanics.

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  • Cat

    Wow, awesome. I may have to take on this project myself since I don’t currently have a shop to work at anymore.

  • http://fungibleconvictions.com/ Andrew Whitacre

    It’s been this great reverse-meta-process, Cat. We found plans for bedside tables, right? http://www.oldpaintdesign.com/2012/01/03/argie-bedside-tables/ So we decide to make them — but stop minutes later when we realize we don’t know how to make anything.

    So I sign up for the adult ed woodworking class at the high school shop, where my plan is to build a bedside table. But I realize I can’t do the work at home I need to do, because I don’t have a workbench. So I decide to use the first weeks of the class making the parts of the workbench that I can’t make at home, while at home I prep the things I’ll need for the coming week’s class, not on a workbench but on a piece of plywood on the basement floor.

    Where this gets really confusing is that I’ll use this workbench to build a better one — and likely cannibalize a few pieces from the old one for the new one…

    …all so I can come back around to making bedside tables.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Catalin-Florea/100003621891764 Catalin Florea

    I am not sure who the first “Cat” was but this is Cat from DC … great project, good luck! I will have to show you my “corner” where my workshop has been relegated …

  • http://fungibleconvictions.com/ Andrew Whitacre

    Cat2: unfortunately Cat1 is also (originally) from DC, so that’s not much help. :) Is your workshop stuck in the corner due to family? Can’t Dan just go on the road again?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Catalin-Florea/100003621891764 Catalin Florea

    he he he … ok, it’s not even a corner. i was sent to the space from under the porch! concrete ceiling hanging low, narrow space – not for the claustrophobic type!
    as for DC or not DC … i live in DC, ok? can Cat-1 claim that too? i did not think so! ;-)