In this video we're going to build a workbench.
A good solid workbench is an asset in any workshop, and built properly it will last
you a long time.
The one we're building today is in very solid timber.
How we're going to do it is we're going to build the legs, then we're going to put on
the workbench tops.
Now, the tools that we need for this project are a cordless drill, the quick grip clamps,
sanding paper, all our measuring tool, the square, the pencil, and tape measure, and
some glue.
We've also got some wood boring bits, coach bolts and normal bolts, nuts and washers,
a handsaw, and a hammer.
As with all the projects, we need to be concerned about safety using the ear muffs, the goggles,
and the dust mask, and making sure that all children are kept away especially when using
electrical tools.
We're also using some pretty heavy duty timber today.
We're using 45 by 240-mil bench tops by two, and our legs will be 900 by 900 to make it
nice and strong.
So, let's get on with it now.
The first thing we're going to do is we're going to put our support crossmembers on these
legs and on the top to support our bench top.
How you get the length of them is by measuring the width of the bench top.
In this case it's 475 mil.
That now becomes the length of the support beams.
Let's mark it there, 475, square, and mark it off.
You'll need four of these, two at the bottom and two at the top.
So, we'll move on now with cutting our support beams, and then we're going to bolt it onto
the legs.
That'll make it nice and strong when we put our top on.
Now, because all of this is heavy duty timber you can get all this cut here at any Bunnings
Warehouse.
Don't be afraid of having to take long lengths home and trying to cut it yourself.
It can all be cut here no problem at all.
Now that we've cut our crossmembers and our supports, place them on the legs.
Make sure everything is nice and square.
Then we're going to use a 10-mil wood boring bit and we're going to drill 2 holes diagonally.
I've now got holes in the main legs which now I can drill all the way through and put
my bolts in.
We're going to bolt the battens to the legs.
By using just your long bolts, not some washers, we'll bolt it all together and it will all
come up square because we started square.
Remember, the round part of the bolt goes underneath and comes up.
Now that we've got it bolted up this is the inside, the brace to the inside.
We're going to do exactly the same on the other end, but on the outside.
That'll be another support for the workbench.
Drilling the two holes diagonally across, and we're going to bolt these.
Once we have all the eight bolts in we then go ahead and tighten it all up.
It will all square up nicely.
Then we repeat the exact same process on the other two legs.
You'll notice that there's one extra long bolt.
I haven't made a mistake.
That is so that you can make up a bracket and put on there for your electric cords to
stay off the top of your workbench.
So, it comes under your floor, up over your little bracket, and then onto your workbench.
This keeps it out of the way, another safety feature.
Now that we have the frames all bolted up and everything we then lay it out.
By using the actual workbench top, which is a 120, we square everything up.
Then we're going to put our support battens across.
All you do there is you just measure the length of the bench top and cut to size.
In this case it's 1200 mil.
We then just place that on the top on the outside all nice and square.
By using coach bolts and ensuring that you go between the bolts that you've just put,
you pre-drill the holes for the coach bolts, then screw the coach bolts in.
Now that's all braced nice and firm on one side, and we repeat the same on the opposite
side using the same procedure.
It will all come up nice and tight.
All of the frame is complete.
Now what we're going to do is put on the workbench tops.
Quite an easy exercise.
Just place them on the top there.
You'll notice that I did not go over the support brace there, because that's where you can
put your vices, et cetera.
You can bolt your vices onto there so you can use your vices as well.
Then what I'm going to do is I'm going to pre-drill and put coach bolts in the top,
and that'll make it all nice and solid for you.
And there you have it, a nice, sturdy workbench.
Bearing in mind you can have this any length you wish using exactly the same process as
we did in this video.
If you need any more information or advice on these, or you want your timber cut, down
to any Bunnings Warehouse and the team members will gladly do it for you.
Enjoy your workbench.