Quick Poll

While some folks claim the table saw is the heart of the shop, the workbench is, in my opinion, where all the action really is.

From setting down that first cup of joe in the morning to survey the shop before you get to work until the final project stands gleaming upon it, it will probably be the location of much planing, cutting, routing, sanding and assembly throughout the course of your build.

While there is very little disagreement about the workbench being the center of action, there are many different workbench situations. Some can double as altars for some minor woodworking religion, while others exist only in the mind.

In today’s poll, how does your workbench  situation look?  If you have multiple work centers/benches in your shop, just address the one you do the most work at.

[poll id=”93″]

10 thoughts on “Quick Poll”

  1. So far, I’m still using a heavy exterior birch door on a couple of sawhorses…definitely not ideal!!

  2. I don’t have a workbench, but building one is on the list of things to do. Right now, my table saw pulls extra duty – as the center of most of my cutting, the place I put my mitre say, an assembly table, etc. I imagine it may be a while before I build one, because I don’t really have the room for it in my garage.

  3. I built my bench out of 2 x 4s and 2 sheets of mdf.
    One sheet for two shelves and one sheet cut in half and doubled up for the top. I wrapped the top edge with 1″x2″ oak. It is good and solid but, I put it on lockable casters because everything in my shop must be moveable.
    Roger

  4. Roger… if you can work on it, it’s an awesome bench. However, these things were like Ferraris… vrooom vrooom….. 🙂

  5. Laminated 3 pcs. 2×8 pine together for each leg—2 laminated pcs. 2×6 for ea. stretcher—lvl(engineered lumber) 14″x 84″ side by side,then sandwiched those between 2 sheets hardwood ply–then covered top w/oak flooring. Top just sits on legs– no fasteners….Weighs a ton but that’s what I wanted….A couple of vises and that’s it…And I’d do it again……Tom….

  6. I polled for a custom situation. While I ultimately intend to build a hybrid of Popular Woodworking’s 21st Century Bench and LVL bench out of LVL’s, I currently have a really cheap and crappy store bought bench which I got off Craig’s List. So far I’ve biscuited and screwed panels of 3/4″ mdf to the sides and back. This has added considerable weight and completely eliminated racking. My next improvement will be to replace the top with one thick enough to hold bench dogs. I’ll probably do this by laminating 4 layers of 3/4″ OSB, as it’s so heavy and flat. This cannibalization of the crappy store bough one should get me through until my shop renovations are complete and I have the space and tools set up to build a real bench from scratch.

  7. I built mine back in 19 and aught 65 out of 2×4’s and a double 3/4″ plywood for the top. You could get real plywood back then. Front vise and end vise from Albert Constantine & Sons set me back almost $40.00…more than I spent for the wood!! My son will probably get it when I’m done with it.

  8. I bought a big bench and I made a nice mobile utility bench/work table.
    (Can’t have enough flat work surfaces, but they take up a lot of room).

    Thanks Tom.

  9. Hey Tom,

    My Pop made me my bench for my 22nd birthday, my first after graduating from school and getting married.

    Tom

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