1. Three mistakes
2. About universal workbenches
3. Work bench
4. Workbench composition
5. Bed: metal or wood?
6. For carpentry
7. Vise and joinery for mechanics
8. Workbench for garage
9. Home station wagon
10. The younger shift
11. Workbenches for the dacha

The general principle of the development of materials processing technology from prehistoric times to the present day is how to make parts for more precise ones using inaccurate equipment. And it all started with a workbench; prototypes of it are found during excavations of Stone Age settlements. It is quite possible to make a workbench with your own hands, and this will not only save a significant amount, but will also simplify, facilitate the work and improve its results.

Three mistakes

Amateurs, sometimes, judging by their designs, very experienced, knowledgeable and diligent, sometimes make themselves workbenches on which, figuratively speaking, you can smash a tank with a sledgehammer. They take a lot of time and labor, and hardly less money than a good branded amateur workbench. Repetition of industrial prototypes in a design for one’s own use, designed for intensive work in 3 shifts and a static load of more than a ton, with a service life of 20 years, is one of typical mistakes development of workbenches of our own design.

The second is neglect of vibrations. Not a clearly felt “game” or “recoil”, but a small tremor that significantly complicates the work and reduces its quality. Vibrations have a particularly strong effect on workbenches on a metal frame.

The third - repeat carpentry or metal workbenches; perhaps with some modifications to suit your needs. Meanwhile, workbench designs for home/hobby work of different nature a lot. There are workbenches that are more or less specialized or, conversely, universal, temporary, made from scrap materials, etc.

In this article we will figure out how to make a workbench taking into account these errors, firstly, simpler and cheaper, in accordance with the range of needs and/or hobbies of the craftsman. Secondly, how to make a workbench general purpose or universal for special conditions of use - in a cramped garage, for carpentry at a construction site from scrap trash, at home for small precision work, for children.

About universal workbenches

Among the branded products, which are sometimes quite expensive, you can find “universal” workbenches in the form of a carpenter’s bench with a lid without a tray, a complete bench vice on a wooden cushion, and a clamp for their installation, like the one in the photo:

"Universal" factory-made workbench

This is a wrong decision not only because the wooden tabletop is damaged by carpentry work. The main thing that is bad here is the technological fluids used in metal processing - oil, kerosene, etc. Wood soaked in them becomes much more flammable. Self-ignition is also possible; Remember, it is strictly forbidden to accumulate oily rags in production. Approach to designing a tabletop (boards, lids) universal workbench another one is needed based on the type of work it is primarily used for - fine or coarse, see below.

Work bench

In the West, amateur/home workbenches with a stacked table top framed by a side are widespread. Drawings of such a “work bench” are shown in Fig. Under the fitter, the lid is covered with a sheet of steel 1.5-2 mm thick and a vice is placed on the pad.

The bench workbench dampens vibrations well; It can be made from pine or spruce. But the design is complex, and it is inconvenient to work with long materials and furniture on such a workbench. Therefore, we will first look at how to make the most common carpentry workbench, then a garage and a mechanic's workbench. Next, we will try to combine them into a universal workbench and see what we can come up with on this basis for special needs.

Workbench composition

A workbench of “our” type (conditionally, since it is impossible to accurately establish its origin) consists of:

• A bench (in carpentry workbenches), or a bed (in metalworking benches), ensuring the stability of the entire unit and the ergonomics of the workplace.
• Covers, box-shaped or in the form of a tray, giving the work area the necessary rigidity.
• Shelves; possibly with a tray, nests, and stops on which work operations are performed.
• An apron on which the tool is hung. An apron is not a necessary accessory for a workbench; it can hang on the wall or be replaced with a cabinet, rack, etc.

Note: workbench height approx. 900 mm. The length and width are selected according to the installation location and type of work within the range of 1200-2500 and 350-1000 mm, respectively.

The lid and shelf are most often made at the same time, one-piece, and are simply called a lid, a workbench board or a tabletop. To dampen vibrations, the shelf is always made on a base (bed, substrate) made of wood. The bed is being covered in a mechanic's workbench steel sheet from 2 mm thick and can be made of coniferous wood. Its overall strength is sufficient, and the steel tire protects the tree from local damage and the ingress of technical fluids. In a carpentry workbench, a bed made of high-quality (without knots, twists, etc. defects) solid fine-grained wood (oak, beech, hornbeam, elm, walnut) also serves as a shelf; in a workbench for the home, for the sake of simplifying it, without sacrificing quality, it is possible to have 2 -layer construction, see below.

The traditional design of the bench, on the contrary, is collapsible from the same wood as the carpentry shelf. This comes from the master craftsmen of the past, who transported their equipment from customer to customer on a cart. It is from the bed/bench that you should start developing your workbench, no worse, but simpler than traditional ones.

Bed: metal or wood?

Stationary wooden workbench has advantages over those on a steel frame not only in lower cost and labor intensity. Wood, firstly, is not plastic. A workbench on a wooden base can be broken, but if the wood used is seasoned and treated, it will never bend. Secondly, wood perfectly dampens vibrations. The foundations of your buildings are not reinforced vibration-absorbing ones, like workshops in a factory? And the overall strength and stability of the home workbench frame will be fully ensured by commercial coniferous wood of ordinary quality.

Design wooden bed a workbench made of 120x40 boards is shown on the left in Fig. Permissible static load – 150 kgf; dynamic vertically downward for 1 s – 600 kgf. Corner posts (legs) are assembled on 6x70 self-tapping screws in a zigzag (snake) pattern with a distance from the edge of 30 mm and a pitch of 100-120 mm. Double-sided fastening; snakes on both sides of the package are carried out in mirror image. Intermediate support beams are fastened with steel angles on self-tapping screws; the edge ones - with pairs of self-tapping screws at the tenons of the posts and, on the outside, with corners.

If timber 150x50 or (180...200)x60 is available, the design can be simplified, as shown in the center in Fig. Load bearing capacity will increase to 200/750 kgf. And from timber 150x150, 150x75 and (180...200)x60 you can build a frame capable of bearing 450 kgf in statics and 1200 in dynamics, on the right in Fig.

Note: any of these beds is suitable for both carpentry and metal workbench And. Under the joinery, a box-shaped lid is placed on it (see below), and under the fitter, a tray from a 60x60x4 angle with welded 4-mm strips above the intermediate beams is placed. A wooden cushion is placed in the tray and covered with steel, also see below.

If there is no welding

All wood workbench, no need for welding work to make it, you can do it according to the following pattern. rice. The “trick” here is the tabletop, glued together from 75x50 lumber and fastened with ties. If the timber is oak, then permissible load– 400/1300 kgf. Corner posts – timber 150x150; the rest is timber 150x75.

Metal

It happens the other way around: metal more accessible than wood, and there is welding. Then the workbench table for a load of 100/300 kgf can be assembled according to the drawing on the left in Fig. Materials – corner 35x35x3 and 20x20x2. Boxes are made of galvanized steel. Disadvantage - it is impossible to make an opening at the bottom for the legs; the structure will lose its ability to bear dynamic loads.

For a load of 200/600, a more convenient metal workbench according to the diagram at the top right, made of corrugated pipe 50x50 (corner posts), 30x30 (other vertical parts) and a corner 30x30x3, is suitable. The plank cushion of both workbenches is laid only across (bottom right) from tongue-and-groove boards (120...150)x40.

Shelf – steel 2 mm. The shelf is attached to the pillow with 4x(30...35) self-tapping screws, a pair at each edge of each board, and along the outer boards - in increments of (60...70) mm. Only in this design will the workbench show the specified load-bearing capacity.

These workbenches are already universal: the lid is turned over under the joinery wooden side up or adjust as described below. A bench vise is mounted on a wooden pad, but is not secured with a clamp. A collet anchor for an M10-M14 bolt is driven into the vice pad from below, and a through hole is drilled in the cover for it. A 60x2 washer is placed under the bolt head. This solution is convenient because it is possible to use inexpensive non-rotating vices.

For carpentry

Lid carpentry workbench, unlike a metalwork one, it is tightly attached to the bench and is made box-shaped for overall rigidity. The best option fastenings for a non-dismountable workbench - steel angles and self-tapping screws. The underbench can also be a steel frame from those described above.

How a traditional carpentry workbench works is shown in pos. And rice; accessories to it on pos. B. The bench board (in this case it is a separate device) is used to work with long pieces. The support in its groove is made from a wedged piece of board, see below. It is advisable to drill a longitudinal row of holes in the board and secure it into the sockets with bolts with conical heads. The traditional design of a carpentry bench is shown in pos. G, but – see above.

It is possible to reduce the cost of the carpentry workbench cover by making it 2-layer, pos. V. Then quality boards solid wood will only be needed for the shelf. They lay it by laying the boards with “humps” of annual layers, alternately up and down, to avoid warping. The shelf flooring is first glued together with PVA or carpentry glue, tightly compressed with a clamp or wrapped with a cord; put on the pillow using the same glue. The lid skirt is assembled separately using glue and through tenons (inset in pos. B) and attached to the pillow-shelf package with self-tapping screws.

Carpentry vice

Solid wood carpenter's vices, front and chair, are now almost completely replaced by a vice with a metal screw clamp, pos. D; their device is shown in pos. E. Some comments are needed here.

First, you need to place 2-3 steel washers under the head of the clamping screw, otherwise it will quickly eat through the cushion (wood 4x4x1 cm). Secondly, if the nut is not custom-made or purchased, then at least temporarily acquire a set of taps for the thread you are using. In this case, do not try to use a screw that is too thick for evenness and smoothness of the clamp; M12-M16 is quite enough.

The nut of a homemade clamping pair is welded onto a base with a diameter of 60 mm or, square, from 70x70 mm. It is not necessary to recess it into the clamp pad, this way there is less chance that the nut will break off when clamped. But welding will cause the thread to go ugly; you can’t get rid of it with a bolt. The thread of the welded nut will need to be passed with taps according to the complete pattern, as when cutting: first tap - second - third (if included in the kit).

Note: The nut welded to the base must be allowed to rest for 2 hours before passing the thread so that the residual deformations “settle down.”

Vise and joinery for mechanics

The vice on the bench is installed in the corner (see inset in the figure) so that as much of the dynamic loads when processing metal it was vertically at corner post. It is advisable to make the location of the transverse beams and intermediate vertical posts of a workbench with a stationary vice slightly asymmetrical, placing them at smaller intervals towards the corner with the vice. The vice is also installed starting from the corner:

• A collet anchor is driven into a wooden corner post under an installation bolt, and a tall nut or threaded bushing is welded into a metal one (attachment point 1 at the bottom left in the figure);
• If the fastening unit is welded, the threads are threaded with taps, as in a homemade nut in a carpentry vice, see above;
• Place the vice temporarily on 1 bolt and mark the holes for fastening points 2, 3 and 4;
• The vice is removed and through holes 2, 3 and 4 are drilled;
• Place a vice on bolts 1, 2 and 3;
• For fastening to bolt 4, place a jib U from wooden beam from 60x60 or professional pipes from 40x40. It is not necessary to secure the jib, but it must rest from the bottom against the upper frame (frame) of the bed, but not against the table top!
• Finally attach the vice to bolt 4.

Note: Stationary power tools are also secured in the same way, for example. emery.

Under the carpentry

A workbench can also be adapted for carpentry work if you drill 2-4 pairs of holes in the tabletop for fixing the carpentry stop (on the right and in the center in the figure). In this case, round bosses are screwed to the lower surface of the stop with self-tapping screws; plugs from plastic bottles, they endure a tight fit many times.

Workbench for garage

It is impossible to make a workbench in a garage with an optimal width for the ergonomics of the workspace - the dimensions of a standard box of 4x7 m with a car parked in it do not allow it. Long ago, through trial and error, the width of the garage workbench was determined to be 510 mm: it is quite convenient to turn between it and the hood, and it is more or less possible to work. A narrow workbench under a heavy load (for example, a motor removed for rebuilding) turns out to be unstable, so it is attached to the wall. Often - angular, this increases stability, but any wall-mounted workbench “resounds” stronger than a workbench-table of the same design

A diagram of the structure of one section of a garage workbench is shown in Fig. This design uses an ingenious method of additional vibration damping: cells of the lid frames and the bottom shelf of the edge farthest from the corner different sizes. The installation accuracy of the crossbars is +/– 1 cm. For the same purpose, the lid and bottom shelf are made of 32 mm thick laminated chipboard and covered with linoleum instead of steel. Its durability is sufficient for garage work; can be easily replaced.

Fastening to walls - self-tapping screws from 8 mm or bolts from M8 with a pitch of 250-350 mm. Recess into a stone wall is 70-80 mm; in wooden 120-130 mm. Propylene dowels are placed under the self-tapping screws in the stone wall; for bolts - collet anchors.

More for the garage

Another version of the garage workbench is already wall-mounted, and the wall-mounted one is on the left in Fig. It can only be mounted on stone walls. Bench board folding 2-layer; each layer of plywood is 10-12 mm. Opening for the machine with a stepped inner edge. In this case, a “milling machine” means a mini-drilling machine with a movable rotary table and a workpiece clamp. The design is convenient in that the shavings fall directly onto the floor.

If your car is something like a Daewoo or Chery with a 3-cylinder engine, and the garage is very small, then you can put a folding mini workbench cabinet with a lifting tabletop in it, on the right in the figure; it will fit in the house for fine workmanship(electronics, precision mechanics). The tabletop is suspended on a piano hinge, the legs are on cardboard. To fold, the legs are tucked under the tabletop (it would be useful to tie them with a leg), and the tabletop is lowered.

Note: for a cramped garage with an ordinary city car, perhaps a folding workbench box would be optimal, see the video below.

Video: folding workbench box

Home station wagon

At home, they engage in smaller, but painstaking technical creativity: soldering, model making, watchmaking, artistic cutting from plywood, etc. For small, delicate work, a universal workbench is suitable, drawings of which and its accessories are given in Fig. The durability of the working surface and its vibration absorption in this case are not as important as evenness, smoothness and some adhesion (“stickiness” of parts), so the tabletop is covered with linoleum. The bench vise for this workbench needs to be small, with a screw clamp fastening.

More about plywood

In general, it is undesirable to work with metal “roughly” on plywood, because... she calls back well. If the board cushion of the bench is made from plywood, then to its underside you need to glue a frame (frame) also made of plywood to its underside, see fig. Then it is advisable to first cover the upper (working side) with linoleum without a lining, and then lay the steel on it.

The younger shift

Another case when making a workbench board from plywood is justified is a student workbench for a child. Pedagogical considerations play a role here: let him learn to feel the material and not beat him too much in vain, but work carefully. For the same purpose, masters of the past deliberately gave their students bad instruments.

Workbenches for the dacha

When country house or others light wooden The building is still under construction, there’s no time for bench intricacies, you need at least something on which you can carry out simple carpentry work. For such a case, you can whip up a carpentry workbench for a summer house from scrap materials, on the left in Fig. The design is remarkable in that it clearly and fully embodies the principle: we make good things with bad equipment.

For subsequent work on arranging the dacha, a mini-workbench will be useful, on the right in Fig. At minimum consumption material and extremely simple design, it is sufficient for ordinary carpentry work and is stable in all respects, because the middle of the bench board is supported by a pair of struts. If you put them on bolts, the workbench will be foldable and stand in the pantry from weekend to weekend. For disassembly, after releasing the struts, the spacer is removed along with them, and the legs are tucked under the board. Finally, for a dacha inhabited permanently or all summer, with a craftsman owner, by the way, you will need a more complex but fully functional folding workbench, see the video below.

Video: DIY folding workbench

Every House master knows that a well-equipped workshop with a stable and reliable carpentry workbench, equipped with all kinds of devices for processing parts, is half the success in the manufacture of wood products. Of course, you can buy a desktop in a retail chain. However, we recommend making it yourself. Firstly, this will allow you to get a product of the desired size and functionality. Secondly, when building a workbench optional equipment can be placed in the most rational way. Thirdly, the cost of the machine will be much lower than the factory version, which will allow you to buy a high-quality tool with the money saved. If these arguments have given you a reason to think about making a workbench with your own hands, then our drawings, instructions and recommendations will help you build a good-quality, reliable and functional carpentry workbench.

Purpose and design of a typical carpentry workbench

A durable and reliable carpentry workbench will provide convenience and comfort during prolonged work with wooden parts.

The carpentry workbench is essentially massive, reliable table for processing wooden products of any size. The main requirements for equipment of this type are strength and stability. In addition, the machine must be equipped with at least a minimum set of devices for securing and holding workpieces. The dimensions of the workbench are selected depending on the size and weight of the parts being processed, as well as the available space in the workshop or garage. By the way, there are designs of compact workbenches that can even be placed on a balcony.

The design of a carpentry workbench with a stacked tabletop. In the figure: 1 - base or underbench; 2 - bench board; 3 - miter box; 4 - screed; 5 - vice; 6 - support beam

Since the work carried out on a carpentry machine is carried out using hand and electric tools, the workbench is made of solid timber and thick boards. By the way, the work surface, or in other words, the workbench board, is assembled only from hard wood. When making countertops, dry oak, beech or hornbeam boards with a thickness of at least 60 mm are used. If the tabletop is made of pine, alder or linden, then its surface will wear out quickly and will require periodic updating. Often, a workbench cover is assembled from several narrow and thick boards, placing them on an edge.

A series of holes made on the working surface of the table allows you to install thrust elements for easy processing of long wooden workpieces.

In order to facilitate the design, the supporting legs of the desktop, on the contrary, are made of soft wood. Between themselves vertical supports connected by a longitudinally installed beam to increase the stability of the product.

Typical diagram of a carpentry workbench

A vice is hung on the front and side of the workbench special design for fastening workpieces. In addition, on large-sized machines, separate clamping devices are installed for large and small parts. The optimal location for a carpenter's vice is the left side of the front apron and the near part of the right side panel.

In the underbench - the space between the supports, under the table top, convenient shelves and drawers are often installed for storing tools and accessories.

For convenience, a recess is made in the back of the tabletop for fittings and small parts. Often, a difficult-to-manufacture recess is replaced with a frame made of wooden slats.

Types and design

All homemade work tables for carpentry work can be divided into three types:

1. Mobile workbenches have a weight of up to 30 kg, dimensions of less than 1 m in length and up to 70 cm in width, are equipped with only a vice and are made partly from metal elements. Such machines are intended for working with small, lightweight workpieces or minor repairs of wooden products. A mobile desktop is an excellent option if there is a lack of space and can be installed in any room in the country house or on the balcony. Often, mobile workbenches have a folding design.

   Homemade carpentry workbench with mobile design

   
   

   If there is no need for a stationary, professional workbench, then for small repair work or making small parts, you can refurbish an old desk.

2. A stationary carpentry workbench is made with reference to a specific location and is not intended to be moved during operation. Equipment of this type allows you to process parts of any size and weight.

   A stationary carpentry workbench is a reliable, stable structure, arranged in accordance with the preferences of the owner and the characteristics of the room

3. The compound type machine is the most difficult to manufacture. However, due to its variability, this design is the most practical and functional structure. If necessary, individual parts of the workbench can be easily replaced, since the elements of the workbench are connected to each other by bolted joints.

   A composite workbench is a structure that can be adjusted to any requirement

Project and drawings

When developing the design of a carpentry workbench the most important criteria are height, configuration and equipment. In addition, it is necessary to take into account who will use the desktop - left-handed or right-handed.

Considering that you will have to work at a carpentry bench for a long time, the closest attention should be paid to the height of the future structure. For people of average height, experts recommend making a table no higher than 90 cm.

Drawing of a carpentry workbench

When determining the distance from the floor to the tabletop, it is best to focus not on average parameters, but on the features of your own anatomy. It is optimal if the upper cut of the legs is at the same level as the hands. If you calculate this parameter taking into account the thickness of the tabletop, then you will be able to work tirelessly at such a workbench for several hours.

The machine cover can be made of boards, solid wood or plywood and is a composite structure. It is not recommended to use chipboard or OSB for these purposes. Professional carpenters have long determined the optimal size of the tabletop - a maximum of 2 m in length and 0.7 m in width. On such a workbench, you can make both a prefabricated wooden door and a small window with equal convenience.

When designing a structure, do not forget about strength load-bearing frame. For supporting elements of the structure, timber with a cross-section of at least 100x100 mm is used. As longitudinal and transverse reinforcing elements, it is allowed to use slats and beams with a smaller cross-section - from 50 - 60 mm or more. The joints of the parts are mounted on tenons or dowels; furniture corners and other fittings are used for strength, and all connections are made using bolts and self-tapping screws. Nails will not be able to provide the required stability and fundamentality of the structure.

Carpentry workbench. View from above

Often the frame, or otherwise the workbench frame, is made of metal. Despite the fact that this material makes it possible to create a height-adjustable structure with less labor, professional carpenters prefer all-wood structures.

Next, let's look at a project for a carpentry table made from plywood, or more precisely from two plywood sheets 1.8 mm thick glued together. The dimensions of the lid are 150x60 cm. The edges of the tabletop are reinforced with plywood strips, which increases its thickness to 72 mm. By the way, the presented dimensions are not a dogma and can, if necessary, be adjusted in accordance with the needs and characteristics of the specific room used as a workshop.

Required tools and materials

Plywood with a thickness of 18 mm is a fairly expensive material (the price of one sheet measuring 1.5x1.5 m is more than 700 rubles, excluding delivery costs). Our project will require at least two sheets of this material. You can save a little if you buy one, larger sheet measuring 2500x1250 mm. Additionally, if possible, try to purchase scraps of plywood at least 300 mm wide, which will be used to reinforce the workbench cover around the perimeter.

Additionally, to build a carpentry machine you will need:

• wooden beam with a cross-section of at least 100x100 mm - for supports;
• timber or slats with a cross-section of at least 60x60 mm - for frame reinforcement elements;
  When choosing lumber for a carpentry workbench, carefully inspect the workpieces for the absence of knots and cracks. Remember that these parts will be subject to prolonged load;
• electric drill with a set of regular and feather drills;
• pieces of boards at least 1.5 m long for placing under clamps;
• wood glue. Good result can be obtained using the domestic adhesive composition “Moment Joiner”;
• furniture bolts with nuts and self-tapping screws;
• Circular Saw;
• carpenter's square;
• long rule (at least 2 m);
• construction level;
• a notched spatula with the size of the cut sectors not less than 3 mm;
• carpentry clamps.

The clamps needed to compress plywood sheets when gluing must be strong and reliable. If you are a non-professional carpenter and do not have high-quality tools, then you can get by with inexpensive clamping devices made in China. Of course, the number of such devices should be doubled.

Manufacturing instructions

1. To make the tabletop, cut two pieces with a circular saw. If you managed to purchase a plywood sheet maximum length, then you need to saw off one piece 1520 mm long from it. By cutting it in half, you will get two parts 1520x610 mm. After this, use the rule to check the concave and convex sides of each sheet. This will make it possible to correctly orient the sheets when gluing.

   High-quality gluing ensures clamping of tabletop parts with clamps

   
   

   To glue correctly plywood sheets, they are folded with their convex sides facing each other.

2. Having laid one workpiece on three parallel boards, apply wood glue to its surface. To do this, use straight and notched spatulas. Remember that the work must be carried out very quickly, otherwise the composition will begin to set prematurely. The manufacturer of Moment Joiner glue recommends joining the parts no later than two minutes after the start of applying the composition. Therefore, if you are not confident in the speed of your work, use wood glue, which has no time restrictions. Of course, the strength of the connection will be slightly reduced, but even the PVA furniture mixture good quality will provide an acceptable degree of adhesion.

   To avoid damage to the workpiece, support boards are placed under the clamps

3. Having laid the second blank on top of the first, place support boards around the perimeter of the future table top and begin to tighten the table top with clamps. At the same time, do not forget to control the flatness of the part using a rule. It will not be possible to tighten the center of the workpiece with clamps, so in this part you can install a load weighing at least 15 - 20 kg.
   

   You can glue plywood sheets into a board without clamps, if you can find the perfect one flat surface for their stowage, as well as a load of sufficient weight.

4. After the glue has dried, the clamps are removed and they begin to strengthen the side surfaces of the tabletop. To do this, strips of plywood 15 cm wide are glued along the entire perimeter of the lid in two layers. When performing this work, be sure to make sure that the top layer completely covers the joints.

   Reinforcing the side parts of the workbench with additional plywood strips

5. For trimming the side surfaces of the table, use circular saw. The parquet is driven smoothly, slowly. It is convenient to use the same rule as a guide. The tabletop is given a size of 1500x600 mm, observing right angles, for which they use a carpenter's square or a factory corner of a plywood sheet.
6. The workbench supports are made of timber with a cross-section of 100x100 mm, connecting them with legs and drawers, for which lumber with a cross-section of at least 60x60 mm is used. In our case, the height of the machine is 900 mm, however, you can adjust this size to suit your height.

   Making a carpentry workbench frame

7. The legs are assembled “in a tenon” or using dowels, making sure to apply wood glue to the parts to be joined.
8. When assembling the upper and lower frames of the subframe, scrupulously maintain 90-degree angles between the parts. It will be easier to fulfill this requirement if, even at the stage of preparing the parts, their edges are trimmed correctly. The width of the frame of our structure is 900 mm, and the height of the frame is 830 mm, taking into account the distance from the floor to the bottom rung of 150 mm.

   Holes made in the parts with a feather drill will help hide the bolt heads and washers.

If desired, you can build a shelf in the bench. To do this, a plywood panel is cut to the size of the lower space, in the corners of which rectangular cutouts are made for the legs of the machine.

Installation of additional equipment

It is impossible to imagine a real carpentry workbench without devices designed for fastening the workpieces being processed. For these purposes, a vice is attached to the finished tabletop in such a way that its jaws are flush with the surface of the lid. To correctly install the device on the workbench, apply a vice to the machine and mark the fastening points. After this, holes with a diameter of 12 mm are drilled and the tool is installed on the machine using bolted connection with M12 thread. When performing this operation, be sure to mill holes for the washers and bolt heads.

View of the finished product with a vice installed

If it is not possible to install a stationary vice, you can do without them by using bench clamps or clamps.

In addition to the vice, there are stops on the work table. To do this, a series of holes are drilled in the tabletop. The best stops are considered to be parts made of wood, since metal fixtures may damage the workpiece. The sockets for the supporting elements are located at a distance equal to half the stroke of the vice. This will allow you to securely secure a workpiece of any size.

Video: Do-it-yourself carpentry workbench

Building a carpentry workbench is quite a difficult task. However, with my own hands assembled machine will allow you to work in a convenient, comfortable environment. This requires not only to think through the ergonomics of the workspace and correctly prepare a construction project, but also to carry out the work in full accordance with the recommendations of professional carpenters. Only then will the resulting product be durable and stable, pleasing its owner for many years of service.

Any home owner needs to have a place where he can do various manual work. If there is a need or desire to often swear something, then the best option for creating a workplace would be a workbench.

A workbench is a work table, which is a rather massive and heavy structure made of wooden or metal parts.

According to their purpose, workbenches are divided into 3 types:

• carpentry workbench;
• metal workbench;
• carpenter's workbench.

A carpentry workbench is usually assembled from wooden parts and it is intended for wood processing. It is possible to work with metal on it, but it is not recommended, since metal is much stronger and can leave wooden surface workbench dents and scratches.

Therefore, to work with metal workpieces, a metal workbench made of metal is often used. It is also suitable for working with wood, so this option is considered universal.

A carpenter's workbench looks like a table up to 600 cm long and 100 cm wide. It is equipped with stops for fastening workpieces.

What should a carpenter's workbench be like?

Depending on the tasks performed, a carpentry workbench can be single or multi-seat. In the latter case, several people can work on it at once. Most often, workbenches are single and double.

The size of the workbench depends on the number of jobs it provides and on the individual parameters of the working person.
Factory-made workbenches may have various sizes. If the owner makes a workbench on his own, then it’s “for him.” The dimensions of the desktop should be such that it is convenient for a specific person to work on it:

• The height of the workbench is directly dependent on the height of its owner and averages 70 – 90 cm.
• The size of the working surface and the configuration of the workbench depend on exactly what operations are supposed to be performed on it.
• The length and width of the workbench also depend on the area of ​​the existing workshop. Optimal sizes are as follows: length – 200 cm, width – 80 – 100 cm.

In, it is necessary to take into account the frequency of use of the workbench and the availability of free space for its installation:

• If you plan to work on it constantly and there is a place to install it, then it is better to build a stationary workbench.
• If the work will be carried out from time to time, and there is not much space for a workbench, then it is better to use a collapsible structure.

To do this, the worktop can be made removable - bolted, and the legs - folding. In addition, it is better to select a thinner material for the workbench; this will lighten the weight of the parts and simplify the assembly and disassembly operation.

Currently on sale you can find folding workbenches consisting of a tubular frame and chipboard or MDF boards as a tabletop. Typically, these structures are light in weight and rigid, so working on them is not very convenient.

To connect electrical equipment located on a workbench, it is necessary to have several electrical outlets nearby. All wires located near the working surface must be separated with a special box or enclosed in a corrugated pipe.

Materials used for self-construction of a workbench

Before starting work, design the future desktop and, based on the drawings, prepare all the necessary materials.
To assemble the workbench frame, it is better to choose a wooden beam:

• for the legs you will need material measuring 100*70 or 100*80 mm;
• for jumpers you can use thinner material – 100*50 mm.

For the countertop, it is better to choose wood from such species as: maple, beech, oak. You will need smooth boards with a thickness of at least 50 mm. After manufacturing, the countertop should be well sanded and covered with a protective solution (oil or drying oil).
In addition, you will need the following components and tools:

• glue;
• screws and bolts;
• hammer;
• drill with drills;
• mallet;
• chisel;
• square;
• building level;
• sander or sandpaper.

In order to make sure that you can work on it after assembling the workbench, you can do the following: stand close to the workbench, extend your arms and rest your palms on it. If the dimensions are correct, then you will not have to bend your back.

Workbench equipment

Just have a work table, because the parts being processed need to be fixed somehow. For this purpose, the workbench must be equipped with a vice. Usually they are installed on both sides of the table: on the right at the end of the table one vice (transverse) is attached, and on the left - along long side tables - longitudinal.

The longitudinal clamp is used mainly to secure the workpiece during planing. Its jaws should be level with the table surface, parallel to its leading edge. On the bottom side, where the vice is attached, you need to install a plywood gasket, which will protect the bottom surface of the table from crushing.

The installation location of the vice and other equipment also depends on which hand is working - left or right. Basically, recommendations on the placement of equipment are given for “right-handed” craftsmen.

The work board is also equipped with a number of holes located at the front edge of the table. They are designed for installing metal or wooden stops used when working with parts of various lengths. Metal stops last longer, and wooden stops are safer for woodworking tools.
A tray or trough is made on the opposite long side of the table, which can be placed in while working.

The underbench part of the table can be used to store workpieces and tools. It can be equipped in several ways, depending on the personal preferences of the master:

• open shelves;
• closed shelves with doors;
• drawers.

The base of the workbench can be fixed to the floor, this will make it more stable. In addition to the vice, the workbench can be equipped with the following devices:

• wooden clamps;
• stationary drill;
• turning and milling equipment.

In this case, it is necessary to ensure the reliability of all fastenings and the presence of safety devices.
If the workbench is intended for use in the country, then it can be additionally equipped circular saw and Bulgarian.

Thus, if it is necessary to equip a workshop, any master has a choice: purchase a ready-made workbench or make it yourself. The second option will be cheaper and will allow you to build a workplace that is as convenient as possible for you and equipped with those devices that meet specific tasks.

A good workbench in the garage allows you to make different kinds metal and wood work in a short period of time. Stored here various instruments and small details. In simple terms, it is a special table on which you can do turning and metalwork.

In addition to the tabletop, there may be multi-layer structures of shelves and hanging containers for storing nails, screws and nuts.

Making a universal workbench is quite simple. The main thing in this matter is to prepare a project and detailed drawings of the future product. During the creation process, it is necessary to observe the order of each action.

Self-manufacturing of such a structure will save a decent amount. Besides, individual project helps you make a design based on the parameters of your room.

Types of workbench

There are several types of workbench. Each of them has some characteristic features. In turn, they are divided into:

Locksmith. It is intended for metal work. The tabletop of this product is made of a high-strength metal alloy. This is necessary for safety. While working on iron, sparks may be present.

In addition, the use of lubricants may leave marks on the wooden surface. The iron base does not require special care.

Carpentry. Its surface is made of solid wood. A carpenter's workbench is used for woodworking. These products do not have high strength and versatility, unlike metalwork.

The universal table has a metal and wooden tabletop in its design. The drawing of the workbench shows the structure of the carpentry work area.

What is included in the design of the workbench?

If the product is made independently, then it is important to think through every little detail. Additional shelves and spacious hanging containers will help you use this product efficiently. The standard model contains many drawers for storing large tools.

A homemade table can have both metal and wooden system storage An additional metal shield allows you to store small hanging tools here. Now the hacksaws and hammers will be located in one place.

How to make a workbench with your own hands?

We bring to your attention detailed instructions on how to make a workbench. The production of a carpentry table takes place in several stages. First of all, you need to prepare all the tools and materials.

For this you will need:

• hacksaw;
• a screwdriver or a set of screwdrivers of different diameters;
• carpenter's square;
• level;
• bolts;
• nuts;
• self-tapping screws;
• detailed drawing of the product;
• wrench.

From the materials you need to prepare:

• bars for support. The size of each element should be 110 x 110 mm. During the selection process, you need to pay attention Special attention condition of the wood. There should be no cracks or knots here;
• plywood sheets 30 mm thick;
• boards for the frame.

When all the necessary items are prepared, you can proceed to the work process. It includes the following steps:

The initial step will be to construct a lower frame in which the tools and metalworking machine. To do this, the boards are sawn off to the required level. Next, they are connected to each other using self-tapping screws. The end result should be a rectangular shape.

A spacer bar is installed in the middle. In the future, it will reduce the resistance of the finished product; during the work process, you will need a small wooden board.

The supporting legs of the table are fixed with bolts. To do this, through holes are made in the plane of the frame. For reliability, it is recommended to make 6 to 8 legs around the entire perimeter.

To give rigidity to the product, it is necessary to make a bottom shelf. At the bottom of each leg, 25 cm are marked. Next, long wooden planks are attached here. Subsequently, they will be fixed on their surface. Chipboard panel. It will act as a base.

When the main part of the frame is completed, begin installing the top tabletop. You will need a hacksaw here. She removes excess parts of the board.

Protect the surface wooden table top hardboard will help. This is a durable material that is designed for the work area.

You can increase the storage system using an additional metal shield, which is attached to the back of the carpentry table. Through holes are made in the support boards. After this, the metal base is secured with bolts. The photo of the do-it-yourself workbench shows the sequence of each action.

Photos of DIY workbenches

A workbench is an indispensable attribute of any carpentry workshop. It is a work table used for tooling workpieces, storing tools, materials, drawings and accessories.

In this article we will look at the design and dimensions of workbenches, offer an overview of the most popular factory models and present step-by-step instructions, following which you can make a homemade carpentry workbench.

1 Construction and design of carpentry workbenches

Just as for a blacksmith the main working tool is a grinding anvil, so in a carpentry workshop the main working element is a workbench. Such a work table is universal; it simultaneously acts as a place for cutting, processing and assembling wooden parts, storing working tools and accessories.

The basic part of the design of any workbench, no matter how many operations will be performed on it, is a regular tabletop made of hardwood (beech and oak are best). The thickness of the table top should be 60-70 mm, while a longitudinal groove for storage is cut in the back along its entire length small tools. Large fixtures are stored in the underbench - a shelf under the tabletop.

The carpentry workbench must have a vice, which is used to fix the workpieces being processed. The functionality of the table is significantly expanded by holes for installing clamps, which are drilled along the edge of the inner contour of the tabletop.

The overall height of the structure must be selected based on the height of the master; it usually varies between 70-80 cm. The width and length of the tabletop directly depend on the size of the workshop or garage; for a single-seat work table, the optimal length is 2 meters, the width is around 90 cm.

A stationary table can weigh up to 100 kilograms. If you plan to make a folding workbench, then you will need to take care of making it lighter by using less thick wood. The folding design implies the possibility of unscrewing the tabletop from the legs, while the legs themselves can be collapsible or telescopic.

In the workshop, it is best to place the workbench near the window, which will give the workplace daylight during the daytime. The presence of artificial lighting is mandatory, and several sockets for connecting power tools should be placed near the tabletop.

1.1 Material selection and assembly

For the manufacture of the frame and legs, planed timber measuring 100 * 70 mm is well suited; for the tabletop, it is best to take planed oak or beech boards 4-5 cm thick. A cheaper option is a tabletop made of chipboard sheet, however, it will last less. Remember that the thicker the boards used, the heavier and more stable the carpentry workbench will be, which will have a positive effect on the ease of work.

Fastening elements are selected based on whether the table will be stationary (nails and self-tapping screws are used) or prefabricated (bolts and nuts). For installation work, you will need a drill, an angle grinder and a screwdriver; they will also not be superfluous Sander, however, you can get by with a regular plane.

A do-it-yourself carpentry workbench is made in two stages - assembling the frame and installing the tabletop. When assembling the base, you need to try to get the frame as rigid as possible; this can be achieved by placing horizontal jumpers between the legs (at a height of 50-60 cm from the floor), which will later serve load-bearing element for installation of shelves.

The frame beams can be connected to each other by gluing them into a tongue-and-groove system, but it is most convenient to use metal corners and self-tapping screws. You can increase the reliability of the structure by rigidly screwing one of the horizontal jumpers to the wall, but this solution is applicable only when making a stationary workbench.

Having finished with the base, you can move on to assembling the second part - the tabletop. If working surface consists of several boards; they need to be joined together as carefully as possible so that moisture and dust do not accumulate in the cracks. The boards are connected on 3 bars (side and central) located under the tabletop. The dimensions of the tabletop should be such that its contours extend beyond the base by 5-10 cm. Upon completion of assembly, the tabletop is sanded and covered with drying oil; the easiest way to secure it to the base is with steel corners.

You need to fasten the vice to the workbench using M12 bolts and nuts, and you must first cut holes in the tabletops for the bolt heads. You can place the vice in any place convenient for you, but not in a corner, since under heavy load it can break off.

The construction of a carpentry workbench also requires the presence of stops, which can be purchased ready-made and secured with bolts, or made by hand. For the stops, holes are cut in the front part of the tabletop, in which the machined parts are placed. wooden blocks. For more reliable fixation, they can be made in the form of pegs expanding towards the top.

1.2 Homemade workbench (video)

2 Selecting a factory-made workbench

If it is not possible to make a homemade desktop workbench, it makes sense to pay attention to factory-made products. In the budget price category, the best choice would be the Unipro 16900u desktop, which can be purchased for less than 3 thousand rubles.

The Unipro 16900u is an excellent metal workbench that is well suited for home hobbyist use. The work table has dimensions of 520*300 mm, which allows you to process workpieces up to 265 mm wide. On the surface of the tabletop there is a protractor, an inch and a metric scale, and there are also sliding holders for workpieces.

The Unipro 16900u model is designed for a total load of up to 100 kg, while the weight of the structure itself is 8 kg. Despite its compactness, the table is quite stable; its only drawback is the supplied bolts, which are made of soft metal. Reviews from owners indicate that it is very easy to tear off the bolt head with a bat, so immediately after purchase it makes sense to replace the bolts with better ones.

If you need a professional workbench, we recommend paying attention to the Master Cut series from Wolfcraft (Germany). The line includes metal tables, for which the manufacturer provides a 10-year guarantee, which indicates their highest quality.

Wolfcraft offers the following woodworking bench models:

• Wolfcraft Master Cut 1500 - working area 78*50 cm, height 86 cm, can withstand a load of 200 kg. Price 24 thousand rubles.
• Wolfcraft Master 700 - features an adjustable height between 78-95 cm and a smaller table (68*39 cm). Designed for a load of up to 150 kg, cost - 17 thousand.
• Wolfcraft Master Cut 200 - the most affordable model in the line professional equipment(price 7 thousand). The table top for the workbench has dimensions of 30*44 cm, height - 80 cm. This is an excellent student's table that can be considered as a universal workbench for domestic use.

Also in stock German company presented carpentry workbenches with drawers for storing tools - Wolfcraft Workshop. Their working surface is made of solid beech 30 mm thick and covered with a sheet of galvanized steel. Characteristic feature The Workshop series is modular - the client gets the opportunity to independently choose the configuration of the storage compartment, combining the shelves and drawers of different sizes offered in the catalog at his discretion.

The total load that the Workshop system can withstand is 600 kg, while Weight Limit per box should not exceed 600 kg. The cost of such equipment directly depends on its configuration; prices start from 40 thousand rubles.