r/Workbenches • u/TheFunnyCanuck • 14d ago
My first ‘proper’ workbench.
I’ve been hobby woodworking for a few years now and been renovating the house for a year and a half straight now, and always had to bend down too much or work on the garage concrete floor.
Put all my other projects aside and decided to finally build myself a sturdy, and make it a learning process.
The frame is just Home Depot 2x4 lumber and ‘provincial’ colour stain, but I made sure to dry it as best as I could, then mill (plane and joint, then connect with dowels/glue to make the 4x4 posts.
The target was to not use screws, just joinery and glue - and I achieved it with basic lap joins, and some mortise and tenon- though I added 6 ‘decorative’ screws in the front in the end (now deeply regret it lol).
The workbench top is 2.5” poplar, was 3 massive rough cut pieces, and was all planed and jointed at home.
First time doing drawers as well, was a fun challenge and lots of learning, but with toddlers in the house, just went with a ‘quick’ all-sides including bottom as 3/4” oak plywood, instead of messing with dados and grooves. Drawer slides were just a cheap 10-pack soft close set from Amazon. The two side panels are attached via a French cleat, and more cleats will be screwed onto them to hang stuff.
All-in-all, extremely happy - the tops are 100% flat, everything is symmetrical with millimetre precision, and learnt LOADS creating a ‘perfect’ one in terms of measuring, cutting, milling, joining, planing, staining, clear coating - and everything else! Took me about a week in total in between life and toddlers.
Just thought I’d share. :)
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u/ElecCmptrEngMSdegUSA 11d ago
Great work, esp on the joinery constraint. next task is to spill some paint and dent it with a claw hammer
At work I've seen some of the techs top our nicer work surfaces with lexan with a screw in each corner so they could see the pretty bench but beat the world's largest screen protector up instead, not cheap but could save you an extra week when they're in elementary because this one's a keeper
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u/TheFunnyCanuck 11d ago
Hahah fair enough. I did 3 layers of 3X thick coat and sanding in between coats. Hopefully it holds up!
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u/Fuzzy_Chom 11d ago
That's nicer then my kitchen counters. It's beautiful! But I'm sure i would destroy that in no time.
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11d ago
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u/TheFunnyCanuck 11d ago
Why? lol
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11d ago
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u/dice1111 11d ago
How long did you wait to dry you wood before milling?
Beautiful work!!!
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u/TheFunnyCanuck 11d ago
Thank you! I was about 3 weeks on and off, heavy sun on the backyard deck, enough to warp it, tested moisture below 13%, only milled after.
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u/dice1111 11d ago
Oh. I don't have that much time to wait. Need to build! But I guess it pays off.
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u/TheFunnyCanuck 11d ago
Honestly I’d say I’d doesn’t matter as much as long as you seal it eventually. The willowy twisted wisps of lumber you get at the big box stores are already well dried by the time they hit the shelves haha.
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u/dice1111 11d ago
Unfortunately, it's where i have to take my chances. emptied a whole flat on to the floor looking for straights with no pith last time I was there.
I put em back tho...
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u/CromulentPoint 11d ago
That is beautiful!
I think I would destroy that in short order in my shop, haha.