Build An Easy Workbench

Build An Easy Workbench
http://popularmechanics.com/home_improvement/furniture/2003/8/buil...

BY NEAL BARRETT Illustrations by George Retseck
Sooner or later every homeowner starts compiling a list of repair or maintenance tasks that need attention. It doesn't matter if your home is new or old, urban or suburban. It just goes with the territory. And, if you're like many folks, you don't have to wait until a problem appears to feel the need to get your hands dirty. Projects just seem to call out to some people, luring them with the promise of distraction and the satisfaction of a job well-done. Whatever your motivation, there's no question that you'll need a place to face those challenges, and the logical place is a workbench. We've designed a multipurpose bench that you can put together in the course of a pleasant weekend. The materials are readily available at any reasonably stocked lumberyard or home center, and they won't cost you a week's salary.
MATERIALS LIST--WORKBENCH Key No. Size and description (use) A 1 3/4 x 22-1/2 x 58-1/2 plywood (top) B 2 3/4 x 1-1/2 x 60 pine (edging)
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Click on link for high-resolution version of plans.
C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S
2 4 4 4 1 2
3/4 x 1-1/2 x 22-1/2 pine (edging) 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 57-1/2 pine (long rail) 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 18-1/2 pine (side rail) 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 33-1/4 pine (leg) 3/4 x 21-1/2 x 54-1/2 plywood (shelf) 3/4 x 1-1/2 x 14-1/2 pine (edging) 3/4 x 18 x 21-1/2 plywood (drawer 1 bottom) 3/4 x 4-1/4 x 16-1/2 plywood (drawer 1 back) 3/4 x 4-1/4 x 21-1/2 plywood (drawer 2 side) 3/4 x 4-1/4 x 16-1/2 plywood (drawer 1 front) 1 3/4 x 7-1/2 x 25-5/8 pine (drawer face) 1 Drawer pull (see text) 3/4 x 3 x 21-1/2 plywood (support 2 cleat) 3/4 x 5-1/8 x 21-1/2 plywood (support 2 side) 3/4 x 19-5/8 x 21-1/2 plywood (support 1 bottom) 16 3/8 x 3 lagscrew, washer 16 3/8 x 3-1/2 machine bolt, nut, washer
Furthermore, the bench will provide you with a generous top surface, a wide storage shelf and a utility drawer that all fit in a 24 x 60-in. footprint. It's a rare basement or garage that can't yield that much space. For additional usefulness, you can mount a vise to the benchtop. Materials Shopping The basic materials list consists of a 4 x 8 sheet of 3/4-in. plywood, five 2 x 4 x 8 studs, four 1 x 2 x 8 pieces of No. 2-grade pine, and one short piece of 1 x 8 pine for the drawer face. You'll also need bolts, lagscrews, finish nails, assembly screws and a drawer pull. In most markets, you can expect to spend less than $75 to build the bench (excluding the cost of a vise). When you visit the lumberyard, try to select flat and straight 2 x 4 stock for the bench. You also have the option of selecting the grade and species of plywood. The least expensive choice would be construction-grade material, most commonly fir in a C/D or B/C grade. For a rough worktop, either will suffice. However, if you want a more finished look or a smoother surface, you can use a plywood with hardwood veneers or an A/C-grade fir plywood. Making The Bench Parts
To crosscut a workpiece, mark a line across it, then hold a square to its edge. Run a circular saw along the square.
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Begin by laying out the leg and rail cuts on 2 x 4 stock. You will be able to get one leg and one long rail from each 8-ft. 2 x 4, and all of the short rails from the remaining stud. Use a circular saw to crosscut the parts. To ensure square cuts, use a speed square to guide the saw (Fig. 1). Next, lay out the notches for the long rails on the bench legs. Clamp a leg to a pair of sawhorses with the top end hanging free, then make the rip cut for the top notch (Fig. 2). Stop the saw when the blade reaches the mark for the bottom of the notch. Use a handsaw to complete the cut (Fig. 3). Turn the leg on its edge and clamp it to the sawhorses. Then use the saw to make the crosscut, freeing the waste from the notch (Fig. 4). With the leg still supported on its edge, make a series of parallel cuts about 1/4 in. apart for the lower rail notch (Fig. 5). Then support the leg on a piece of scrap wood, and use a sharp chisel to chop out the waste (Fig. 6).
Mark lines for a notch cut. Clamp the workpiece to a sawhorse, then make the long cut with a circular saw.
The circular saw will leave a portion of uncut wood at the bottom of the long cut. Finish the cut using a handsaw.
Clamp the workpiece vertically. Complete the notch cut with the circular saw. Cut on the waste side of the line.
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For a U-shaped notch, clamp the workpiece vertically and make a series of kerf cuts spaced about 1/4 in. apart.
Finish the notch by clamping the workpiece horizontally on a piece of scrap lumber. Cut out the waste with a chisel.
Take two side rails and clamp them to a pair of legs. Bore one 3/8-in.-dia. pilot hole through each joint, and install a bolt and nut to join the parts (Figs. 7 and 8). Be sure to use washers on both sides of the joint. Leave the bolts loose so you can adjust the joints. Compare the opposite diagonal measurements of the side assembly to check that it is square (Fig. 9). The meas-urements should be identical. Make any necessary adjustments, then tighten the bolts. Bore the second pilot hole in each joint, and install the rest of the bolts. Clamp a top rail to the two side assemblies, and bore a pilot hole for a lagscrew in each joint. Press a lagscrew into position (Fig. 10). Firmly drive the screw, then remove the clamp and bore the second pilot hole for the second lagscrew. Follow the same procedure to install the rest of the rails. Use an open-end or ratchet wrench to tighten the lagscrews, but do not overtighten them. Next, lay out the required parts on the sheet of 3/4-in. plywood. You should be able to get the top, shelf, drawer and support assembly parts from one sheet. Cut the parts to size using a circular saw guided by a straight piece of lumber clamped to the sheet (Fig. 11). Place the bottom shelf in position on the bottom rails, and adjust it so that its edges are flush to the outside rail surfaces. Then place the bench top panel in place, and temporarily clamp the shelf and top in position. Use a combination drill bit/countersink to bore pilot holes in the shelf and top, then drive screws to fasten them in place (Figs. 12 and 13). If you wish, you can fill the screwholes with wood putty. When it dries, sand it
Clamp together all pieces that are to be bolted together. Mark bolt positions and bore the first bolt hole on the mark.
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flush. The bench's edging consists of 1 x 2 pine. Test fit each piece first, then fasten with 6d finish nails driven into the plywood (Fig. 14).
Use a washer under the bolt head and another under the nut. Bolt the pieces together, but don't tighten the bolt.
Check rail-leg assembly for square. Adjust as needed, then tighten bolts. Bore second bolt hole at each joint.
Install and tighten the first lagscrew. Bore the next hole, and drive the second lagscrew. Use a washer with each screw.
Rip and crosscut the plywood parts. Clamp a straightedge to the panel and run the saw along it.
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Use a combination drill/countersink to bore holes in the top and shelf. Clamp these parts in position during this step.
Attach the top and shelf using screws driven into each pilot hole. The top of each screw is driven flush to the surface.
Crosscut the bench edging. Test fit each piece, then attach with finish nails. Countersink each nailhead.
Drawer Construction Bore and countersink appropriate pilot holes in the drawer parts, and screw the drawer box together (Fig. 15). Next, fasten the bottom panel to the drawer box (Fig. 16). Cut the drawer face to length, and fasten it to the front of the drawer box with 1-1/4-in. screws (Fig. 17). We used a bin-style drawer pull (No. 64BP20P from White Chapel, P.O. Box 11719, Jackson, WY
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83002; 800-468-5534). For this, or any other surface-mounted pull, bore the appropriate pilot holes, and fasten the pull with screws. Assemble the drawer support shelf from the remaining plywood parts. It is easiest to clamp the parts together before you bore the pilot holes and drive the screws--especially when you attach the support cleats to the drawer support sides (Fig. 18). Clamp the assembly to the front and back rails, then fasten it with 2-in. No. 8 screws (Fig. 19). Slide the drawer into position on the bench. For many projects, it is extremely useful to have a vise to hold a workpiece. If you decide to mount one on your bench, position it so that at least two of the mounting holes are directly above the 2 x 4 rails. Mark the hole positions, and bore the pilot holes. Use lagscrews to mount the vise (Fig. 20).
Rip and crosscut each piece of the drawer box, and bore pilot holes where needed. Assemble the box with screws.
Cut the drawer bottom to size and bore pilot holes. Attach the bottom to the drawer box with screws.
Bore holes through the drawer box's front into the drawer face. Attach the drawer face to the box with screws.
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Assemble the drawer support. Clamp each support cleat in position, and fasten it to the support with screws.
Clamp the drawer support cleats in place. Bore pilot holes, and drive screws to attach the cleats to the rails.
Place a vise in position on the benchtop, bore its mounting holes, then attach the vise to the top using lagscrews.
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Build An Easy Workbench

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