How to make a carpentry workbench with your own hands? Do-it-yourself workbench for the garage and at home - this task is up to us! Carpenter's table workbench do it yourself
For a zealous owner, a desktop is an indispensable attribute of a garage, barn or extension to the house. Of course, a carpentry workbench can be purchased. But if this is a product of a well-known brand, then it is quite expensive. In addition, it is not known whether it will fully meet all the requests of the master. Cheap tables will not last long - definitely.
The most rational solution, if you really want to have the most convenient and versatile carpentry workbench, is to make it yourself. Having dealt with the optimal dimensions, drawings, features of the selection of materials and a number of other issues, it will become clear that there is nothing difficult in this for any man.
Selecting a workbench project
You need to start with this. Any desktop is made for some specific purposes and premises. Joiner's workbench - the name is generalized. One is needed only for woodworking on a personal plot (for example, during construction or overhaul), the other is assembled for everyday work with small details, and from different materials. Depending on the specifics of use and the place of installation, its design features, dimensions, and drawing are determined.
Option A - portable workbench (mobile). Such a desktop is most often assembled with your own hands for small rooms (an extension, a garage), with a complex layout, and its main purpose is to perform small work with small parts. The relatively low weight of the structure makes it easy to move it, if necessary, to another segment. As a rule, the maximum that such a workbench can be equipped with is a medium-sized vice and e / emery. This will allow the carpentry table to be partially used for small plumbing work.
For domestic purposes, a table according to option A is best suited for a home master. It is called mobile only conditionally, only because of its relatively low weight. If a specific place is allocated for him in a barn or garage, nothing prevents the owner from fixing his legs on the floor (fill with concrete, “fasten” with large self-tapping screws, and so on). With your own hands, whatever.
Drafting a carpentry workbench
If the workbench is assembled for domestic use, then there are recommended linear parameters (in cm) that you can focus on. But this is not an axiom, so the master himself is free to change anything, at his own discretion.
- Length - at least 180.
- Working surface width – 90±10.
- Workbench height - 80 ± 10 (taking into account the thickness of the tabletop). Deciding on this parameter, you need to focus on your own growth. It is unlikely that working with a tree will be effective and will bring satisfaction if you have to constantly stoop or, on the contrary, rise “on tiptoe”.
What to consider:
- The number and type of compartments in the cabinet table. It can be open boxes, drawers or drawers with doors, shelves. Another thing is whether the master needs them?
- To make it more convenient to work with samples of different lengths, it is worth drilling several “nests” in the tabletop to install limiters.
- To fix the workpieces, it is desirable to have a couple of clamping devices (clamps or screw vices) on the workbench. The optimal width of their "sponges" is 170 ± 5 mm.
- Desktop location. Depending on the level of illumination, the number of fixtures fixed on the workbench (and above it) is determined. But at least a couple of pieces, on the edges of the tabletop, are necessary for “spot” lighting.
If the owner is left-handed, then this should be foreseen. All standard drawings posted on the Internet are designed for craftsmen whose "working" hand is right. Therefore, you will have to place additional / equipment on the table according to the “mirror” principle.
Workbench drawing example
Selection of materials
The bar is planed. He will go to the frame (frame) of the workbench. The section is selected in accordance with the dimensions of the structure. For a large table - at least 100 x 100. If it is compact, for universal use, you can limit yourself to blanks of 100 x 70 (50). They are also perfect for various jumpers. Board. For a countertop, its minimum thickness is 50. Here you need to think about how to use the workbench more rationally. For example, to make it truly universal, one part of it can be specially adapted to perform locksmith work, that is, with metals. In this case, it is advisable to take a more massive board (for example, "sixty") and upholster a small segment of the tabletop with sheet iron. This is just one of the ideas that you can implement with your own hands when determining the design features of the workbench.
The desktop is not installed in the living quarters. And in the workshop there will definitely be differences in both temperature and humidity. That's why for the manufacture of a workbench, wood is recommended - hornbeam, beech, oak. The only disadvantage of this solution is the high cost of materials. You can choose a cheaper option - maple, larch. These rocks are characterized by sufficient hardness. Although for the countertop of a home-made workbench, if it is not planned to carry out any “impact” work on it, plate samples (chipboard, OSV) are sometimes taken. In principle, any good owner can easily determine what suits him best.
Too porous wood should not be used. Even its high-quality treatment with antiseptics, oils will only increase the water-repellent properties, but will not add strength to the tree.
fasteners
- Bolts. There are no particular difficulties with them. They should be of such length that a washer, grover and nut can be placed on the back side. More difficult with other types of fasteners.
- Nails. How expedient it is to use them when assembling a workbench with your own hands (and such recommendations are quite common), everyone will determine for themselves. But a number of remarks are worth making.
- Firstly, a nail, especially a large one, easily splits wood, especially if it is overdried.
- Secondly, it is unlikely that it will be possible to drive it strictly vertically, given the length of the leg and the strength of the wood from which the workbench is made.
- Thirdly, the difficulty with dismantling. For example, if it is necessary to repair the desktop with the replacement of a component. It is not always possible to pull out a tightly clogged “powerful” nail.
- Self-tapping screws. For a small workbench - the best choice. The most "problem" areas can be additionally reinforced with metal strips, corners, plates. The main thing is to correctly choose the length of the leg of the fastener. There is a rule according to which it should exceed the thickness of the fastened part by 3 times, at least. Otherwise, the strength of the connection is questionable.
Assembly instructions for a carpentry workbench
In the process of making a desktop with his own hands, the master must constantly, at every stage, control the angles and levels. The slightest distortion even in one place - and everything will have to start over.
Manufacturing of workbench parts
- This is easy to do according to the dimensions in the drawing.
- Each sample is carefully polished.
- Depending on the type of wood, an impregnating composition is selected and parts are processed to protect them from destruction by rot and wood-boring insects.
- Drying. This is worth focusing on. It is impossible to initiate this process with the help of artificial heating, otherwise the workpieces will begin to deform - bend, twist. Moisture should evaporate only naturally - in a room with room temperature and good ventilation.
Base Frame Assembly (Workbench Base)
Partially about the features of fastening has already been said - self-tapping screws + reinforcement elements. But still, the main method of fixation is a tenon-groove connection with a fit on carpentry glue. But the fasteners only add strength to the entire structure of the workbench. But this is practiced only for massive tables that are not planned to be disassembled in the future (stationary options).
Here you should consider the degree of maintainability of the workbench. If it is in a room with good conditions, then it is unlikely that the wood will quickly begin to rot. In such cases, adhesive joints are fully justified. For desktops that are located in cold sheds, unheated boxes, and even more so in the open, “landing” on glue is undesirable. Partial repairs cannot be done, and the frame will have to be reassembled.
Additional reliability of the design can be ensured by installing various jumpers - diagonal, horizontal. All this is thought out even at the stage of drawing up the drawing, although it is possible to make “refinement” during the installation process.
table top
This is the most loaded part of the workbench, and it is advisable to make it removable. In this case, it is easy (in case of significant damage) to replace 1 - 2 boards.
- The width of the countertop is selected so that its surface extends somewhat beyond the perimeter of the frame. Otherwise, it will be inconvenient to work on such a workbench. Yes, and fixing the removable vise will no longer work.
- The side parts of the boards are carefully polished. If you do not achieve an accurate fit of the samples, then you cannot avoid the appearance of cracks.
- The blanks are stacked face down (on a flat base) and fastened with bars. They are placed perpendicular to the center lines of the boards, and the thickness of the latter allows them to be pulled with thick self-tapping screws. In extreme cases, it is easy to drill deep chamfers at individual points.
- To make the tabletop removable, it is fixed on the frame using metal corners.
- After its manufacture, additional grinding of the front part is performed. To extend the service life, it is advisable to treat the working surface with impregnating agents (wood oil, drying oil).
Workbench equipment
At what stage and what exactly needs to be done is decided depending on the modification of the desktop and the selected drawing. For example, the same vise. They can be purchased, which are easy to attach to the edge of the workbench. People with experience in carpentry make clamping devices on their own.
In principle, a man who is “friends” with the simplest tool should not have any difficulties when assembling a carpentry workbench. The only recommendation is that before you start drawing up a drawing, you should carefully review all the photos of desktops available on the Internet.
Even if they do not have sizes, it is not difficult to determine them. But with a high degree of probability it can be argued that new, interesting ideas will appear. After all, the workbench can also be folding, which is very convenient in a small box or barn. Yes, and having familiarized yourself with the complete set of the table, the design features of various models, you can come up with something of your own, original. After all, the beauty of assembling with your own hands is in the absence of any canons. Only creativity + knowledge of the issue.
This carpentry workbench has a sturdy frame, a solid work surface and multiple compartments for easy storage of tools and fixtures. You will make the main structure with your own hands in two days, and you will gradually add various useful additions.
Tools for the job
To process solid wood and sheet materials, you will need a tool:
- Hacksaw.
- Electroplaner.
- The saw is circular.
- Grinder.
- Drill and drills.
- Clamps.
- Screwdriver.
- Pencil.
- Square.
- Roulette.
- Brush.
Carpenter's workbench frame
Take even pine boards without large knots with a section of 50x150 mm. Dry the raw lumber: the lower the moisture content of the boards, the less likely the structure will warp. The carpentry workbench in question is designed for the comfortable work of a master 170–180 cm tall. To change the height of the structure, make the legs higher or lower.
Table 1 - list of frame parts
|
Name |
Finished dimensions, mm |
Material |
Quantity |
|||
|
leg detail |
||||||
|
bottom spacer |
||||||
|
Top spacer |
||||||
|
cross prog |
||||||
|
Cover crossbar |
||||||
|
Longitudinal proleg |
||||||
|
Longitudinal side |
||||||
|
Bottom shelf |
||||||
|
Countertop spacer |
||||||
All elements of the base of the carpentry workbench are paired, so mark two parts of the same length on a board 150 mm wide at once.
Saw all wooden blanks along the length, with the exception of spacers: short ones are more convenient to cut already planed, and long ones should be sawn off later “in place”.
Measure the width of the board, subtract the thickness of your circular saw blade, and divide the result in half. Set the calculated size on the measuring scale and make sure that the saw blade is perpendicular. Spread the boards exactly in the middle.
Sharpen the details and sand them with medium grit sandpaper.
File the bottom spacers and sand the ends. After cleaning the surfaces of dust, apply glue to the small prong and to the end of the leg.
Squeeze the parts with a clamp, wipe off the squeezed out glue and drill holes with a countersink drill.
Fasten the blanks with screws 6.0x70. Prepare the rest of the legs of the carpentry workbench frame.
Bevel the bottom ends to reduce the chance of wood splitting when the workbench is moved.
Prepare for gluing the joints of the legs with the longitudinal prongs. Fasten the parts with screws, setting a right angle.
Screw all four legs into place.
Place the halves of the frame and the longitudinal sides on the floor, measure the length of the upper spacers.
File the parts and fix with glue and screws.
Assemble the top frame of the carpentry workbench on a flat surface. Fasten the bars with wood glue and 6.0x80 mm screws, drilling pilot holes for them.
Assemble the lower harness of the workbench, using clamps and auxiliary boards for convenience.
Put the top frame in place and align the entire structure. Connect the frame parts with screws.
Cut out the lower shelf from sheet material 16 mm thick and fix it on the bars
Workbench for carpentry work
Use sheets of MDF, chipboard or plywood 16–20 mm thick for the workbench cover. Glue the plates in two layers and get a countertop with a thickness of 32–40 mm.
Drawing and arrangement of the cover of the workbench: 1 - edge strips (birch, maple); 2 - working surface (solid fiberboard); 3 - carrier plate (chipboard, plywood or MDF).
For countertops, you can take sheets of chipboard left over from unnecessary furniture. For example, the walls of a wardrobe are suitable. Take them as a basis and add small pieces so that the lid of the carpentry workbench turns out to be 670x1940 mm in size.
Place narrow slabs closer to the back wall and to the center of the workbench. Place large sheets in the top layer of the countertop. Glue the cut blanks.
Fasten the sheets with self-tapping screws, deepening them into the countersunk holes. Trim the edges with a hand-held circular saw at a distance of 20 mm from the edge.
Align the tabletop with the frame and secure with screws.
Cut the slats for the edge trims. Saw off 45° bevels and cut the planks to length. Put a piece of fiberboard on top of the workbench, add a flat panel on top and fasten it all with clamps.
This makes it easier to attach the pads. Align the ends with the edges of the worktop and press the rail against the panel - the top plane will be flush with the workbench cover. While holding the plank with one hand, drill pilot holes and secure the parts with screws.
Move the fixture to the other side and install the remaining pads. Process the planks with a grinder.
Drill a hole in the corner of the board so that the fiberboard can be easily pushed out of the recess when replacing it.
Clean the surfaces of dust and cover the wooden parts of the frame with wood stain. Lay the fiberboard in the recess of the lid. If you are using pieces of material, then fix them with double-sided tape. Install a carpenter's vise on the workbench.
Drawers for storing tools in the carpenter's table
When filling the space under the cover of the carpentry workbench, use the modular principle. Individual blocks are easier to make and more convenient to later change when space is needed for a new tool. There will be a certain overspending of material, but the mass of the workbench will increase and its stability will be enough to work with power tools.
Scheme of organization of storage places: 1 - full extension drawer; 2 - roomy plywood box; 3 - container made of chipboard; 4 - wide box; 5 - compartment for a portable tool box; 6 - a place for cases and blanks.
Use drawers from old furniture
Pick up boxes that are suitable in size from an unnecessary desk or chest of drawers.
Sign the wooden elements and carefully pull them apart. Clean the spikes and lugs from the glue.
Cut the planks to width, removing worn corners and cracked grooves. If the original bottom of the box is flimsy, prepare thicker plywood or fiberboard. Make new grooves on the circular saw.
Assemble the box "dry", adjust the parts if necessary. Clean the surfaces and glue the structure. Use mounting brackets to accurately assemble right angles.
When the glue dries, sand the corners and sides of the drawer, securing it for ease of use.
Prepare the guide rails and calculate the dimensions of the module.
Block calculation for three drawers
File the bottom, top and side panels. Fasten the guide rails with screws.
Assemble the panels into a module and test the movement of the boxes. Place the block inside the workbench, placing props under it.
Drill pilot holes, countersink and tighten self-tapping screws. Fasten the chipboard to the top rails and to the legs of the workbench.
Install the front pads on the drawers. Having marked the location of the case, grab it with one screw. Insert the box into place and adjust the position of the panel. Carefully remove the drawer and tighten the rest of the screws.
Fasten the remaining overlays - the module with wide drawers is ready.
Carpentry table compartment for portable drawer
The middle module is made to the full height of the workbench to increase the rigidity of the carpentry workbench. For the case, take a chipboard 16 mm thick and cut out two sides, a bottom and a lid.
Housing of the middle module: 1 - frame diagram; 2 - side wall; 3 - bottom and top panels.
Attach the guide rails to the sidewalls, assemble the frame with screws and install close to the right block.
Prepare the details for the drawer.
Drawings of the elements of the box: 1 - long wall; 2 - short wall; 3 - bottom; 4 - front pad; 5 - rail.
With a circular saw, select the grooves in the walls, which can be done with a regular disk. Set the cutting depth to 6 mm and the width to 8 mm. Run all four parts. Move the rip fence 2 mm and make a trial cut. Check the groove and adjust the stop if necessary. Run the rest of the blanks.
Assemble the module and install rails from below to protect the chipboard edges from chipping and provide a more “smooth” ride.
Fasten the front panel with screws and put the drawer in place.
How to make modules with convenient drawers
The arrangement of the housings of these modules is identical to the previous designs. The drawer placed on roller guides is manufactured taking into account the mounting clearance, so its width will be 26 mm less than the internal size of the case (for common rails with a thickness of 12 mm).
The device of the module and the details of the box: 1 - assembly diagram; 2 - back and front walls; 3 - front panel; 4 - bottom; 5 - side walls.
Before assembling the case, fasten restrictive wooden rails and metal rails to the sides.
Scheme of mounting guides on the walls of the case.
Fix the finished module under the cover of the workbench.
To install the rails on the drawer, unsnap the latches and pull out the small rails.
Fasten the pieces to the walls. Determine the required distance from the edge to the guide yourself based on the specific design and a gap of 10 mm between the wall of the box and the top panel of the frame.
Pull out the middle rails as far as they will go.
Insert both rails at the same time, holding the middle rails with your fingers. If the box "went" tight, take it out and try again.
Put the front cover in place.
How to make a drawer for a carpentry workbench from plywood
Saw the blanks of the box body from 10 mm plywood, and for the bottom take a sheet 5 mm thick.
Scheme of cutting parts for two plywood boxes: 1 - front panel; 2 - back insert; 3 - side wall; 4 - front insert.
Process the blanks with a grinder.
Make grooves for the plywood bottom in the side walls, back and front liner. Remove burrs with sandpaper.
Glue and screw the parts of the front and back walls with screws.
Apply glue to the joints and into the groove.
Assemble the structure using corners and clamps.
Fasten the parts with screws, drilling pilot holes.
Assemble the second plywood box with your own hands.
Install a panel on the back wall of the carpentry workbench to increase the rigidity of the structure and to accommodate hand tools.
Finish the drawers and the cut ends of the chipboard with a finishing compound.
Power up your DIY workbench and start filling containers with tools.
Most of the home craftsmen, who are the bulk of the subscribers and visitors to our site, have already solved the problem of organizing their workplace to one degree or another by setting up comfortable workbenches in their workshops and on the balcony.
But there are also those who look closely at home needlework, try this universal profession, which includes many specialties, which becomes a very useful hobby for the family.
First of all, this article is for them, but perhaps it will also be useful to those who have already found themselves in the role of homemade and, having decided on the main types of work, can competently do the arrangement of a home workbench for the workshop with their own hands.
Workshop Workbench Types
A workbench is a table for carrying out various specialized work on the processing of different materials. Accordingly, depending on what material you have to work with and what operations to carry out, workbenches differ from each other in size, configuration and material of manufacture. According to the type of materials processed, workbenches are divided into:
- carpentry;
- plumbing;
- combined.
Based on the design features, the following types are added to them:
- universal;
- folding.
Folding universal workbenches are produced by different companies with a different list of functions, and a distinctive feature, first of all, is their mobility. Therefore, if you convert your experience of a home craftsman into banknotes outside your apartment or courtyard of your house, you can either pick up a factory-made universal folding workbench, or, after analyzing a number of design features of a particular model, make it yourself.
But for a home workshop, more massive workbenches are suitable, and here three options are possible:
- carpentry workbench with the ability to perform a number of locksmith operations;
- locksmith workbench with the ability to perform a number of carpentry operations;
- combined workbench.
We note right away that the latter option is not the best solution, since it does not allow to fully perform both carpentry and metalwork types of work, but is only relatively adapted for their production, therefore the first 2 options, in our opinion, are preferable. It is these options that we will consider in examples for self-production.
Making a simple DIY garage workbench
The simplest workbench for a home workshop will be a fairly powerful table with a small set of additional functions: drawers, shelves, etc. for storing tools and remanent.
Well, if there is a possibility of its slight transformation to perform metal or woodwork, but more on that below.
To create such a workbench, we will take wooden blocks 40x80 and cut out 4 legs: 2 pcs. length 700 mm, 2 pcs. 750 mm long and 2 lower jumpers 500 mm long. For 2 upper jumpers of the same length, we used a 40x100 bar available on the farm.
It will also go for the top rail of the base of our workbench at the front, with a length of 1400 mm on the bottom and 1600 mm on the top. And at the back we use a 40x150x1600 edged board, but we will need all the long blanks later.
If you have a tool for making spiked joints, use it, as we did.
If not, then make them manually or you can join the parts end-to-end using overhead metal fasteners.
Assemble the side racks as shown in the photo below.
After that, you can begin to assemble the entire bed.
The central jumper inside the bed, made of the same 40x80 bar, fixed on small wooden brackets 40x40x180, in addition to strengthening the structure, acts as a stop for two bedside tables with drawers from old desks that we decided to use in our workbench.
For the working surface of the workbench, we also used our existing laminated surface made of fiberboard. We screwed a board on metal plates to the leading edge, which will protect its edge from peeling during operation. It will also serve as the basis for fastening a small metalwork vice with a clamp.
We fixed the working surface to the frame on metal corners and got a fairly powerful general-purpose workbench for our home workshop.
Making a carpentry workbench with modifications for performing locksmith work
If you mainly work with wood, then it would be logical to make a carpentry workbench and do some design modifications for locksmith operations.
The traditional carpentry workbench for the workshop has a design that has been worked out for centuries, which has practically not undergone significant changes up to the present day. It is based on a massive bed on spiked joints, using wedges for tightening in case of drying out, a powerful (often type-setting) tabletop with a recessed tray for collecting chips and tools, and two vise-clamps for fixing workpieces.
The dimensions of such a workbench are selected depending on the maximum length of the workpieces that will be processed on it. If you are going to make wooden doors on your own, then the length of the workbench must be at least 2.5 m and a width of at least 0.8 m, otherwise your work on it will turn into hard labor. The workbench of my grandfather - the best carpenter in the area for at least 50 km in all directions - was 3000x1000 and he said that he lacked 20 centimeters in width to make large frames for verandas.
The dimensions of the school carpentry workbench are 1200 x 500 x 750. If the dimensions in the plan suit you, and you are ready to spend about 13 thousand rubles on it, then the height can be adjusted by screwing bars of the appropriate size to the legs. But you can also consider alternative options.
As a matter of fact, these are variations on the theme of the same carpentry workbench for the workshop with different material for the table top, the presence or absence of drawers, shelves and different vise mechanisms. Now in order:
1. We make the bed from dry pine lumber 40-50 x 80-100 mm, calculating the height for your height. If your workbench is installed in a room where there will be no sudden changes in humidity, then its elements can be connected in any convenient way, albeit end-to-end using fixing metal plates and corners.
2. The tabletop can be made from ready-made glued wooden panels sold in most building supermarkets, or glued from planed bars with a thickness of at least 50 mm yourself using PVA glue, having built a simple clamping fixture. It is important to remember that the top side of the future workbench should be as flat as possible. You can also use thick-layer plywood for the countertop, but it is still advisable to paste over its ends with wooden slats made of oak, beech or ash.
3. To fasten the clamping mechanisms, the bottom of the table top of the workbench is built up with bars of the appropriate sizes. The most popular clamps are:
- carpenter's lead screw with two Czech-made guides Tr 24 * 5, 390/205 at a price of approx. 3 thousand rubles.
Spanish carpenter's vice Piher, 150 mm, approx. 2 thousand rubles;
You can also make some kind of their own by using a pin with a diameter of 14 - 16 mm, which, of course, will not transmit such efforts as a vise, but it will make your clamp extremely economical and maintainable, due to its cheapness;
Or make an even simpler clamping device from the same studs, but due to the lack of guides, put 2 such clamps on one vice.
4. Make holes for the stop pegs in two directions opposite the vise lead screw. It is also useful to make them parallel to each other over the entire surface of the countertop for confident fastening of overall products.
5. Fasten the workbench tabletop to the base on powerful metal corners and, if you do not plan to move it, use them to fasten it to the floor.
And you have successfully completed the first task of the workbench option described in this section of the article.
Now, several options for fixtures for performing plumbing work on such a workbench.
- The simplest of these is to make an overlay of steel 3 - 5 mm thick with a steel angle frame, kept separate from the workbench or attached to it on hinges and lowered to the table top if necessary.
- The main attribute of a locksmith's workbench is a bench vise. In this case, we recommend using a vise with fasteners that do not require passing through the workbench top.
Of course, you can fit the holes for the stops under the fasteners of the vice, but with a thick overlay, you can do without it. Also interesting is the option of attaching a bench vise directly to the tabletop of a carpentry workbench using a transition bar-stand and a powerful clamp.
And at the same time, the overlay should not be done on the entire area of the workbench. There are many options, the choice is yours.
Refinement of a locksmith's workbench for carpentry work
Often, especially if the farm has a car and a garage, the main workbench is a locksmith.
We will not consider the process of its manufacture in this article, but we will tell about simple ways to adapt it for carpentry work, especially since it is not at all difficult. To fully use your locksmith's workbench as a carpenter's bench, you will need to dismantle the locksmith's vise and make some simple fixtures.
Let's consider them in more detail.
1. From the first figure below, when finalizing the locksmith's workbench, we will be interested primarily in the side stop (1), which is not difficult to make removable. And together with the holes for the pins (14) along the front end of the workbench (and this can be a one-piece removable structure) and a suitable wedge, we get a simple and reliable device for attaching the board to the workbench. You can simply make a wooden plate fixed with recessed clamps, with all the set of workpiece fasteners shown, and understand that the level of the working surface will rise by its thickness, which can be compensated for by a ladder at the workbench of the appropriate height.
There is nothing to say about the back stop, it simply performs a supporting function for long workpieces.
2. You can make an overlay planer board with a universal stop, shown in the second picture. By increasing the height of the stop (or changing it depending on the height of the processed bar) and screwing the beam on the underside to stop on the right edge of the workbench, we get the simplest device that turns the locksmith workbench into a carpentry workbench.
3. A slightly more complex overlay with a fairly powerful option for fixing the workpiece also allows us to solve this problem. The only thing we would recommend in this case is to also screw the stop on the right side and choose a thickness of at least 50-70 mm for a more reliable fastening of the front pegs and sufficient depth of the lock and clamp.
The way to install the last two planing devices on the workbench is shown in the diagram:
Dear readers, if you still have questions, ask them using the form below. We will be glad to communicate with you;)
If the blacksmith's main tools are the hammer and the anvil, then for the carpenter there is nothing "kinder" than his workbench. It is he who for people who work with wood can at the same time be a cutting platform and an assembly table, an emphasis and a stand, a device for storing tools and even, if you like, a small carpentry machine, and sometimes a means of earning money. This article tells how to make carpentry tables with your own hands. The instructions, photographs and drawing presented in it will help to mount this design even for a beginner.
Osya FORUMHOUSE member
First of all, after building a workshop, you need to make a table for yourself. A table like a workbench, in fact. This is a table for work - fitting, assembling small things made of wood (stools, shelves, etc.) I will call it an assembly table.
In fact, the second name of the workbench is "assembly". But, as you already understood, its purpose goes far beyond assembly operations. Therefore, the design of a multifunctional workbench in a carpentry can be quite intricate (see the drawing below), and its development (in the absence of experience) can be given as much time as it takes to design the carpentry shop itself.
General description of the carpentry workbench
At the heart of any carpentry workbench, regardless of the number of operations that are supposed to be performed with it, there is always an ordinary wooden table. It is on it that the master will carpentry, drill parts, process surfaces, assemble wooden trinkets into one complex structure and surprise others with his skills.
A good massive table is the foundation. And everything else - a vice, clamps, boxes with tools and fasteners - all these are the invariable attributes of the most useful carpentry workshop.
Workbench project
To make a carpentry workbench with your own hands, you must first understand its parameters, which are optimal for you.
The first and most important thing to pay attention to when developing a project for a future workbench is its height. After all, he will have to work for a long time. And you can get tired, standing behind a workbench that is too high or too low, in a jiffy.
The dimensions of the workbench for work are chosen in such a way that it is possible to work standing upright and not slouch. For a person of average height, the height of the table should be within 70 ... 90 cm. But it is better to focus on the features of your own anatomy. It is optimal if the upper cut of the legs is at the level of your lowered hands. When a few centimeters are added to this height (the thickness of the workbench lid), you will realize that working standing at such a table is a pleasure.
The optimal height of the carpentry table for standing work for a person of average height is 70-90 cm.
The cover of the workbench, as well as the work surface, is best made from solid wood or plywood. There are people who use chip materials, light chipboard sheets, etc. for these purposes. We strongly do not recommend that you take an example from them. This is a bad project - after all, the loads on the surface of the structure can be quite noticeable, and the particle board in such conditions will quickly fail.
Osya FORUMHOUSE member
5 years ago, I received 2 sheets of plywood as a gift from a neighbor. It was decided to use it in the construction of a workbench. The size of the workbench was determined immediately - it was a pity to cut such a sheet. Experience has shown that there are no extra centimeters at the table. The height was determined by the height of the palms from the floor and amounted to 850 mm.
Ideally, a homemade workbench should have a special tray on the lid for storing tools and wood blanks involved in the work, as well as special holes (nests) for wedges and combs. With the help of wedges and (or) combs, parts and workpieces will be fixed on the surface of the table. It is on the cover that auxiliary clamps (vises) should be mounted to fix the processed lumber.
The dimensions of the workbench may vary depending on the dimensions of your workshop. But, as practice shows, the optimal dimensions of the cover are equal - 700 mm wide and 2000 mm long.
The supports (legs) of the workbench can be made from a wooden beam 120 * 120 mm, no more. This will be quite enough to ensure that the structure is stable and does not loosen under the influence of brute physical force.
Workbench installation
As practice shows, making a workbench is not difficult. Mounting a workbench is no different from assembling an ordinary wooden table. Vertical supports are fastened together using vertical boards and self-tapping screws. The work surface should also be fixed to the supports using self-tapping screws.
When assembling a workbench, you should avoid using nails to connect parts. Indeed, later this can lead to a rapid loosening of the workbench and even to a distortion of its supporting frame.
In order to save space in the carpentry workshop, some craftsmen make a homemade workbench folding. It is attached to the wall. This type of installation assumes that carpentry work will be performed only when necessary.
CartmanSr FORUMHOUSE member
In the past, in cramped conditions, I had a workbench - a laminated MDF board 24 mm thick, with dimensions of 1200x2200. It had small modifications, such as: holes and grooves for fastening a hand-held milling cutter and a circular saw, a flush-mounted metal frame with threaded holes for fastening rulers, and mustache nuts from the bottom, located at the attachment points of a hand planer and a drilling machine from a drill with a rocker arm. The tabletop was attached to the wall on three hinges. During non-working hours, it rose vertically and was fixed on the wall. Under the board, also on hinges, there are two triangles from the same plate. She used to work on them.
Such a design is an excellent way out of a situation in which the interior space of the workshop is very limited. But such a carpentry table does not withstand intense loads, and it can be made independently only in exceptional cases.
After you mount the frame and the work surface of the product, a simple carpentry table can be considered ready. But in order for it to turn into a full-fledged workbench and start carpentry, its functionality needs to be slightly expanded by supplementing the design with specialized equipment.
Given the special specifics of the activity, the carpenter's desktop must be equipped with appropriate equipment. And if the necessary tools are always at hand, then this is an excellent indicator. And the structural elements of the workbench itself will help you correctly position the fixtures, fasteners and power tools.
Rear and front clamps
Rear and side (front) screw clamps are the elements without which no workbench simply can fulfill its main purpose. Therefore, this part of the structure should be built first.
The rear clamp is designed to fix lumber during planing. As shown in the diagram, its vise pads move along the front edge of the workbench, allowing you to securely fix the workpiece with the help of lead screws.
The side screw clamp (which, due to its special location, is called the front clamp by many) has the same purpose as the rear clamp. And these elements differ from each other only in their location. Here are the drawings of the carpentry table for its self-production. FORUMHOUSE member
The fact of the matter is that in the design of the workbench, the lower shelf is necessary (especially on a mobile workbench). The tool is used a lot, there is nowhere to put it on the street during work. Yes, and in the workshop it is also inconvenient - climbing back and forth on cabinets and shelves. Fold the same tool 10 times per hour...
The basement can be adapted to store power tools. To increase convenience, you can install cabinets and shelves for small parts, fixtures and hand tools here.
Having made a workbench that has all of the listed elements, you can begin your carpentry activities. In the process of further work, you may need additional devices. But about what options to apply and what elements to add, each master will be able to guess for himself.
About from which you can subsequently make various products on your carpentry workbench, you can learn from our previous article. You can get acquainted with practical ideas regarding, in the appropriate section of our forum. Any visitor to FORUMHOUSE can get acquainted with by visiting a special topic created for discussions.
1. Glue the front beam from several layers BUT and trim to final size (Fig. 1 and 1a). Then cut grooves in it with a width of 19 and a depth of 41 mm (Fig. 1a, photo A and AT).
Brief advice! Do not glue the parts of the milling template, but fasten them only with screws. The template will again be needed to slot into the rear vise block which is wider than the cover front bar.
From a couple of pieces of thick board and 12 mm thick material, assemble a simple jig for milling at an angle of 2 ° grooves, which will become holes for the bench stops.
When cutting slots in the front bar with a 12mm helical cutter and 19mm guide sleeve, remove material little by little, gradually increasing the depth.
2. Cut out the overlay AT and glue it to the front beam, aligning the right ends of the parts. Carefully remove the squeezed out excess glue.
3. Using the template usually supplied with the front vise, mark and drill the holes for the rods. (photo C, fig. 1).
Position the mounting template so that the vise holes do not intersect with the bench rest holes in the A/B front bar. Mark the centers of the holes with an awl.
Note. This project uses a front and back viseLee Valley. They feature good workmanship, smooth operation and come with detailed installation instructions.
4. Now make the cover shield FROM, lower pads for the front D and rear E vice, spacer F and rear bar G. Glue the trims, back rail, spacer and front rail to the lid (Fig. 1).
5. Make the left and right tips H, I (Fig. 2). Form tongues 36 mm wide and 57 mm deep along one side of the tips and drill 12 mm holes.
Brief advice! To quickly make clean and tidy sheet piles, remove most of the material with a slotted disk and then smooth the sides and bottom with a router table.
6. Mill on the ends of the cover A-G rebate on both sides 57 mm wide and 36 mm deep (a photoD), to form combs that are inserted into the tongues of the tips H, I.
Use the tip as a guide to cut the folds on the lid. Be careful not to hit the front trim B with the cutter.
7. Place the left tip on the comb H by pushing it to the front pad AT. Right tip I align with the front edge of the shield FROM. Mark the centers of the 12mm holes (photo E). Remove the tips and use the awl to mark other centers, moving them 1.5 mm closer to the shoulders of the combs (a photoF). Draw parallel lines, 6 mm apart on both sides of each mark left by the awl, so that the distance between the lines is 12 mm.
Use the point of a 12 mm drill to transfer the centers of the holes in the tips H, I to the ridges of the cover.
Move the centers of the holes 1.5 mm closer to the shoulders of the comb so that when driving in the dowels, the tip with the cover is pulled tighter.
With a thin round rasp, process all holes except the first. Do not go beyond the parallel lines so that the parts fit snugly.
8. Drill 12 mm holes according to the marking. Then, starting at the second hole (counting from the front edge of the lid), increase it 2mm on both sides without going beyond the parallel lines to make an oval 16mm long. Do the same with other holes, increasing the length of each next by 1.5 mm in both directions (a photoG, rice. 2). This will allow the lid to change its width with seasonal fluctuations in humidity. In the right tip I cut 57x165mm flush with the bottom of the spacer F and the end of the bottom lining E.
9. Put on the tips H, I on the combs and secure with 12mm hardwood dowels, driving them into the holes without using glue. Saw off the protruding ends of the dowels flush with the upper and lower edges of the tips.
Brief advice! To facilitate the installation of tips, take dowels of increased length and make narrowing at their ends.
Add a vise
1. From scraps, assemble a frame that will limit the area of movement of the router when selecting a recess in the bottom plate D for front vice (photo H). Mark the recess so that it is located 70 mm from the front edge of the cover, and its middle coincides with the center of the large hole for the vise screw.
Use a 12mm ascending cutter to select a 57x305x406mm recess for the vise mechanism. Rearrange as necessary the trim supporting the router.
Peel off the back plate to slide the vise mechanism into place. Then install it again, and the operation can be considered completed.
2. Cut out the block J for the movable jaw of the front vice. Drill holes in the block, marking them with the template used earlier, positioning it so that the left end of the block is aligned with the left edge of the cover.
3. Mill along the ends of the movable jaw J shouldered fillets and attach the front vise to the cover following the directions in the instructions (photo I). Install the stock handlebar in place.
4. Cut out the block according to the indicated dimensions To for rear clamps. Remake the milling fixture that was used before and form grooves in the block with a width of 19 and a depth of 41 mm at an angle (Fig. 3 and 3a).
5. Cut out the overlay L for rear clamps. Drill in the block To 10mm through holes with 25mm counterbores (Fig. 3 and Per). Pressing the overlay against the block with clamps, mark the centers of the holes on it with a 10 mm drill through the holes in the block. Then drill holes with a diameter of 16 mm at the marked points. Note. Our method is slightly different from the one described in the instructions and requires the use of washers and plugs that are not included in the vise package. In doing so, we hid the bolt heads under the plugs rather than leaving them in plain sight.
6. Glue the overlay L to the block K (photoJ) and carefully remove any extruded adhesive from the bench stop holes.
Align the holes of the block K exactly with the holes of the pad L. In order not to spend a lot of time removing excess glue, apply it evenly in a thin layer.
7. Attach the assembled block K/L together with the rear vice mechanism in place, following the instructions. Close the bolt heads with plugs and install the standard handle-lever.
Make bench stops
1. Saw according to the dimensions indicated in the "List of Materials" 17 stops M and 17 springs N. For the stops, we chose cherry wood, as it retains the required strength for a long time, does not leave dents on the parts, and its color contrasts well with the white oak wood from which the workbench cover is made. For springs, dense and elastic wood, such as maple, is suitable.
2. To give the stops the desired shape, make copies of the template, increasing them by 2 times. Then glue the springs to the stops. Check how the assembled stops fit into the holes and adjust if necessary. They should be removed and recessed without much effort and at the same time remain at the desired height. To learn more about them, read the article "Bench stops" published in this issue of the magazine.
Let's go to the base
Note. Before you start making, measure and record the dimensions of the recess on the underside of the lid. The top of the cabinet base should fit snugly into this recess. If it fails to fit, you will need to resize it to fit the recess or widen the edges of the recess for final assembly.
1. According to the dimensions indicated in the “List of Materials”, cut out the shelves O, partitions R and edge trims Q, R. Glue lining to shelves and partitions (Fig. 4). Then glue the shelves O/Q to partitions P/R and secure with additional screws.
2. Sawing plinth boards S and kings T, glue them to the O-R divider shelf assembly.
3. From 19mm cherry veneered plywood, cut out the side and back walls U, V. Glue the side walls in place first, securing with additional screws, then add the back wall, using only glue to fix it.
4. Note. Check the dimensions of the assembled body before sawing out the crossbeams, uprights and overlays and make sure that the lengths listed in the Materials List are appropriate for your project. We advise you to cut out the detailsW— GG with a slight allowance in length, and then fit them in place.
Cut out the top and bottom rails W, X, as well as racks Y (Fig. 5). Glue the top and bottom rails to the front of the base, then add the uprights.
5. Now cut out the back rails Z, AA, racks BB, mullions SS and side rails DD, EE. Glue the bottom back bar AA and mullions to the back wall V (photo K). Then glue the rear top rail and posts in place, then the side bottom rails with mullions to the side walls, and finally the top side rails and posts.
Use a couple of thick, even-edged blocks to press the SS center pieces more firmly against the back wall.
6. Mill 10 mm chamfers at the corners of the body, ending at the joints of the crossbeams with the uprights (Fig. 6).
Before connecting the plinth boards, you need to saw the bevels on the slats glued on top. After that, you can start milling fillets.
7. From the 19mm cherry boards, cut the side, front and back plinth boards FF, GG specified length with an allowance of about 3 mm in width. Then saw off a 19 x 19 mm strip from the top edge of each plinth board and mark the pieces to put them in place later. Finally, make the dovetail joints to hold the plinth boards together (Fig. 6a).Note. If instead of dovetail spikes you decide to make simple paws, cut the plinth boards of the specified width (without allowance) and do not saw off the lath from above.
8. File the miter bevels on the slats for the side plinths only, without shortening them. Glue each of them to the corresponding part from which it was sawn off. Then glue the slats without bevels to the front and back plinth boards. Bevel only the top of the front and back plinth boards so that they fit snugly into the side plinth boards. The bevel edge should be close to the marking line, and the exact mating of the parts can be achieved by fitting, removing the material little by little (a photoL). Next, cut a 19mm fillet with a 3mm offset along the top edge of all plinth boards.
9. Glue the plinth boards to the base. You may have to use screws or nails to fasten them if you made bevels at their ends instead of dovetails.
Add doors
1. Cut out the crossbars HH, racks II and panels JJ specified dimensions (Fig. 7).
2. Make dowels 6 mm wide and 12 mm deep centered on the inner edges of all uprights and rungs. Then form spikes 6 mm thick and 12 mm long at the ends of the crossbars.
3. Assemble the doors by gluing the posts, rails and panels together. When the glue is dry, check how the doors fit into the base opening and adjust if necessary. Then cut 5x5mm seams on the top and bottom edges of the doors on the inside, as well as 10x5mm seams on posts where there are no hinges. These rebates leave enough space between the doors and the cabinet for the installation of magnetic latches.
Attach the doors to the cabinet with the hinges and put the magnetic latches in place.
Lower the lid onto the base
1. Invite three well-built buddies to use them to lift the heavy bench top and place it on the base. There is no need to fix it - thanks to its massiveness and precise fit, it is well kept in place.
2. Once you've set up your new workbench in your workshop, immediately move on to your next project so you can enjoy your time in the workshop even more!
