"In house" workbench- FINALLY DONE

[maroonandwhite]

That one looks nice! I'd almost be scared to scratch that.

[Guest windhamdw]

But its already scratched, thats why you don't have to worry about it. HEHE

[maroonandwhite]

Makes sense. :up:

Post up some pics when you get it done. I am hoping to have mine done Saturday. I am going to get Home Depot to cut all the lumber for me and save me the headache. Shouldn't take but an hour or so to put it all together once I get home. I already have my MDF top layer so I am going to go ahead and start staining it with the poly tonight so I don't stink up the house.

[peejman]

I'm currently in the process have making one too and i want it to look nice and be stronge. Check the link below, its the one i'm building but just modifying it to be a little thinner and also when your done it can be used as a piece of furniture. Also i'm adding locking casters so i can move it around and work from both sides.

 

http://blog.forrent.com/contests/our-dining-room-table-guest-blogger#.URFngKU80sI

 

 

I'd love to have a table like that. 

[Slappy]

Well this isnt much of an "inside" workbench but it isnt ugly either!  Now if I was only handy enough to use it to its maximum potential...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2013 by Slappy

[peejman]

Here's mine (excuse the crappy phone pic)....

 

[maroonandwhite]

Well I ended up doing a 2x5 table and got it all put together except for the top last night. The wood from home depot is so bowed and warped it ought to be a crime to sell it but I am not the type to dig through a pile looking for the perfect  piece so maybe I share the blame. I am going to cut the top and coat it with poly tomorrow night as well as hit the whole thing with a sander. I need to put a brace on the legs on the front of the table to completely square the legs up but I want to be able to slide under the desk with a chair if needed. The table is level and all but I may add a shallow bottom shelf later on just to provide a brace and push the front legs out square.

 

Sadly the 4x4's are so green I am going to have to wait a while before I can paint it and make it look pretty. I am glad I went smaller though. A 2x5 is just about right for what I want and where it is going. I cut the legs at 40" so the top will be almost 41" from the ground. I am 6'2" so this puts it just at the right height when standing.

 

Here's a rough pic.

 

[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/838/photofwc.jpg/][/URL]

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[Guest Broomhead]

Looks like it's coming along nicely. Very good work, I'm looking forward to seeing the final product.

 

I am looking at different options for very inexpensive work benches so I can add more usable space to my work shop. Mine doesn't have to look pretty, I just want it sturdy with some storage space. I will probably just have to break down and buy some wood and throw a couple together.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

That looks real solid. Bolts will hold it together great. I never think of bolts. Yep its a shame how far you have to dig thru a pile of construction lumber to find a straight piece.

 

If you are gonna go the polyurethane route, I've stained and polyurethaned green pressure-treat wood with minwax colonial maple stain, then minwax clear gloss floor poly and got results was pleased with. When you slap on the colonial maple stain it is a scary feeling of committing a horrible mistake because straight out of the can it looks like you are coating with flourescent orange-pink, the ugliest salmon pink imaginable. But wait a half hour and let it soak in, then wipe it off, dry 24 hours and slather on numerous coats of floor poly, and it ends up a neat red-brown color. Any green pressure-treat wood will have the same color, except with subtle greenish streaks as well. Looks nice. It makes a big difference if you light sand with in the ballpark of 200 grit sandpaper between every poly coat except the final coat of course. I buy big cheap packs of foam brushes from harbor freight for oil-based poly. Same thing but lots cheaper than home depot foam brushes. Throw away the brush after every coat. It lays a real smooth coating with poly, but still needs sanding after every coat.

[maroonandwhite]

I should have clarified. I will be painting the frame. Everything you see pictured will be a brownish color. I was told to wait on the 4x4's to dry before painting. Any truth to this?

 

The polyurethane is for the MDF top. I am going to put 2-3 coats on it. I am hoping the first coat will be soaked up by the MDF and the other two will provide a nice finish that won't stain easily. I decided against double laminating it with plywood underneath and will just add a piece under whatever presses or vice I mount to the table. I'd love to stain it but I just can't justify all that work for something put together with crappy bowed wood. I am actually going to take the back leg brace off and redo it. That piece is the longest and most bowed and I can't stand for something showing not sit flush on the other wood.

[peejman]

I should have clarified. I will be painting the frame. Everything you see pictured will be a brownish color. I was told to wait on the 4x4's to dry before painting. Any truth to this?

 

The polyurethane is for the MDF top. I am going to put 2-3 coats on it. I am hoping the first coat will be soaked up by the MDF and the other two will provide a nice finish that won't stain easily. I decided against double laminating it with plywood underneath and will just add a piece under whatever presses or vice I mount to the table. I'd love to stain it but I just can't justify all that work for something put together with crappy bowed wood. I am actually going to take the back leg brace off and redo it. That piece is the longest and most bowed and I can't stand for something showing not sit flush on the other wood.

 

 

Yes, you must wait for the treated wood to dry before painting it.  The paint will look horrible and peel otherwise.  The MDF will soak up a lot of polyurethane.  

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I should have clarified. I will be painting the frame. Everything you see pictured will be a brownish color. I was told to wait on the 4x4's to dry before painting. Any truth to this?

 

The polyurethane is for the MDF top. I am going to put 2-3 coats on it. I am hoping the first coat will be soaked up by the MDF and the other two will provide a nice finish that won't stain easily. I decided against double laminating it with plywood underneath and will just add a piece under whatever presses or vice I mount to the table. I'd love to stain it but I just can't justify all that work for something put together with crappy bowed wood. I am actually going to take the back leg brace off and redo it. That piece is the longest and most bowed and I can't stand for something showing not sit flush on the other wood.

 

Yeah, don't want to sound pushy, just saying treated pine can look pretty good finished. Paint is fine but wood grain is real pretty. Some stains are too dark, and even worse can have a blotchy appearance when used on soft wood unless the soft wood is pre-sealed somehow, and then maybe the stain will look more like transparent coloring rather than enhancing the grain. Poly makes even soft wood have a harder exterior surface, like plastic-coating the wood.

 

That afore-mentioned colonial maple stain, I haven't seen it get blotchy on treated pine and have used it on several occasions on pine, both treated and not. The below picture is an adjustable-height astronomy chair I made out of that green treated pine, intending to leave it out on the patio most of the time. It has the colonial maple and several coats of polyurethane, you can see the red and brown colors, but also the green streaks of the pressure treating, which looks pretty neat to me. Wife stole my astro chair and took it inside for an adjustable height craft stool, so gotta make another one sometime. Been trying to figure out how to make it "less footprint" and lighter, and still have it strong and stable when adjusted real high. It is "overbuilt" because of the pine, which is relatively weak wood. I could make it smaller and strong with hardwood, but then wouldn't want to let it sit out in the weather most of the time.

 

<edited to delete pic - causing malware warnings in some browsers - probably not a real problem, but better safe than sorry>

[maroonandwhite]

Wow that looks awesome! No doubt mine would look better with the stain but honestly I didn't take my time on the cuts and pick out really straight wood so the fit and finish of the build itself just doesn't justify doing that. Next time I build though I will definitely consider that.

I am finishing up my table this weekend. I have everything done except picking out how to do the shelf on the bottom. I don't want to do mdf or osb. Plywood would be fine but I don't like the pattern of the "grain". I am thinking of just using 2x4's crossways like decking and painting it. Hopefully have some pics soon.

Now I just need to get my press. Looking at the lee pro 1000 to get me started.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Wow that looks awesome! No doubt mine would look better with the stain but honestly I didn't take my time on the cuts and pick out really straight wood so the fit and finish of the build itself just doesn't justify doing that. Next time I build though I will definitely consider that.

I am finishing up my table this weekend. I have everything done except picking out how to do the shelf on the bottom. I don't want to do mdf or osb. Plywood would be fine but I don't like the pattern of the "grain". I am thinking of just using 2x4's crossways like decking and painting it. Hopefully have some pics soon.

Now I just need to get my press. Looking at the lee pro 1000 to get me started.

 

Hi maroonandwhite. If you want to fill the joining gaps before painting, there is this caulk DAP Kwik Seal Plus in a red and white tube, that I really like. You can get it either in squeeze tubes or caulk gun tubes. The packaging says for kitchen and bath, but in wet areas I "trust" some heavier-duty, harder to work caulks. But the beauty of the Kwik Seal Plus for just filling gaps, is that it is so easy to work with. It may be as good or better than anything else for wet areas, maybe it works as good as premium silicone or polyurethane caulk, but I only putter around the house and didn't want to experiment. But the polyurethane or silicone caulks are more of a PITA to work with, at least at my low skill level.

 

The Kwik Seal Plus is brilliant white, paintable, sets pretty quick, doesn't shrink much, easy to work, cleans up with water. After you get it put in and finger-smoothed and the edges cleaned off, if it needs final smoothing before it dries you can just wipe over the half-set caulk line with a moistened finger.

 

I agree about the wood grain of plywood. Even oak or other fancy interior veneer plywood, it can look pretty but just screams "plywood" because of the grain pattern. I suspect it is because they often cut plywood veneers by rotary shaving the tree, which patterns the grain different than linear board rips. 

 

An alternative to 2x4 for the bottom shelf, could be 1x4 which ought to be strong enough for a bottom shelf, 3/4" thick. Merely mentioning alternatives, you can also find various tongue-and-groove 1x boards, that would fit as a flatter surface. Used for various wall and floor planking, both structural and decorative. Maybe "overkill" or "inappropriate" but they sell tongue and groove cedar for exterior use and closet walls, that IMO is beautiful looking stuff. Unfortunately cedar they sell in the east has a fairly soft surface for a work surface. The western cedar can be different in nature.

[maroonandwhite]

Well I can't get a completed picture until the legs dry out so I can paint them but here she is! I ended up going with a 2x4 shelf just mainly because I like how it looks. I put some drawer liner on the top to kind of minimize wear on the surface. Once that sheet wears out I can just change it out!

 

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[peejman]

Looks good.  I'd glue some felt on the legs or get those plastic slidy thingys so they don't mar the floor. 

[maroonandwhite]

Yeah i have little felt circles on the bottom. The wife made sure of that haha.

[maroonandwhite]

Finally got her all painted up. I let the wood dry in that room with the fan on for a few days and the paint went on fine. I tested it on a small spot first to see if it would dry correctly and it did.

 

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My grandpa has an older but well made (in the USA) 3.5" vice he has given me. It needs to be degreased, painted and lubed but it is built like a tank. Any suggestions as to what paint to use that will hold up well? I am also planning to make some brass jaws for it to replace the steel ones.

[peejman]

Finally got her all painted up. I let the wood dry in that room with the fan on for a few days and the paint went on fine. I tested it on a small spot first to see if it would dry correctly and it did.

 

My grandpa has an older but well made (in the USA) 3.5" vice he has given me. It needs to be degreased, painted and lubed but it is built like a tank. Any suggestions as to what paint to use that will hold up well? I am also planning to make some brass jaws for it to replace the steel ones.

 

Looks good!

 

 For the vice, you might try baked on tractor paint.  I'd also double reinforce the table top underneath the vice.

[maroonandwhite]

Yeah the two front bolts/screws will go into the hopefully depending on the offset. I don't have it in my hand yet but we will see. Will definitely be putting plywood underneath.

 

I remember back in the day painting a boat with John Deere green tractor paint and having to mix in some hardener. It doesn't have to look spectacular or anything since it is just a vice but I would like something that doesn't just flake off in a few months.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

That looks great, maroonandwhite! Is that white polyurethane on the surface of the MDF? You had mentioned poly on the MDF, just curious. Looking at the picture I'd have assumed some kind of laminate.

[maroonandwhite]

Actually that is just a piece of kitchen drawer liner. Cheap to replace! :pleased:  I did poly the MDF though with about 3 coats of clear satin.

[Randall53]

Good job!

[hipower]

Nice job. Be proud of it. There's so much satisfaction in doing this yourself.

[NoBanStan]

Finally got her all painted up. I let the wood dry in that room with the fan on for a few days and the paint went on fine. I tested it on a small spot first to see if it would dry correctly and it did.

 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

My grandpa has an older but well made (in the USA) 3.5" vice he has given me. It needs to be degreased, painted and lubed but it is built like a tank. Any suggestions as to what paint to use that will hold up well? I am also planning to make some brass jaws for it to replace the steel ones.

 

 

Looks good man. The one concern i have, and i say this because i have a hand-me-down bench that's almost exactly the same, is that i can't sit at mine naturally on a stool. I wind up having to stand in front of it or leaning way over into an uncomfortable position. I think when i build my next workbench it will be more Desk style