Early Access Video: The $30 workbench!
Added 2019-03-26 00:42:20 +0000 UTCOkay, I'm excited about this one.
For a few weeks, I've been promising a real workbench that could be built for a mere $30. Well, it's here and it works.
Brilliantly.
You really can make this bench for about $30 worth of construction lumber and some glue. I use the tools we've been using for the Woodwork for Humans series, plus a disposable saw and a protractor.
This isn't an afternoon project, but even a beginner could build this bench in a weekend. It's simple, sturdy, and very effective. I know lots of you do your work under less-than-ideal conditions, and this is the bench for you. It's light, it's portable, and it's effective.
Just watch and see.
Thanks to all of you who make these videos possible!
--Rex
Comments
Thanks for the advice. I eventually said enough is enough, put a bunch of glue on them, and used clamps to pull them together as best I could. So far, despite being in the garage and going through all kinds of humidity and temperature changes, the top is solid as a rock.
Jonathan Tobias
2021-03-03 18:30:21 +0000 UTCYou would not necessarily need to go all flat. As long as there is no twist in the glue plane, and there are gaps you can squeeze shut by hand pressure, you'll be fine. 4 months in the run you may have found out a way though, what did you do?
Bas Cost Budde
2021-02-20 22:22:28 +0000 UTCI just started building this workbench using 4x4 Douglas fir from a big box store. I am struggling to get the pieces to have no gaps between them before laminating. I’ve planed and planed for hours. I only have hand tools. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Jonathan Tobias
2020-10-18 03:28:02 +0000 UTCI didn't do plans, because everything here comes from Chris' book. You should get the book; it's great!
Rex Krueger
2020-07-15 12:10:40 +0000 UTCDo you have plans for this available? I’m just getting started with woodworking. I have little kids so the only time o can work is after they go to bed. Hand tools are the way to go for me and honestly I really enjoy it. I started out carving spoons and making bowls but I need a bench to expand what I can do. I want to start with this bench. I love all your content. Great stuff!
Joshua Muller
2020-07-13 02:05:52 +0000 UTCIn fact, I plan to cut mine in half and have 2 4-foot benches. Plenty long. You'll do fine.
Rex Krueger
2020-05-04 00:18:42 +0000 UTCMy workshop is my home office/bedroom/photography studio (that last one uses a ton of my storage/wallspace.) Do you think a 4' low bench would be long enough to work small projects on? I'm worried that it being so small, once I set on it, I might not have much space for material, let alone enough to work. I'm tall and lanky to boot.
Franklin Rymon
2020-05-02 22:41:08 +0000 UTCSpar varnish is a good choice. Set it on end when you're not using it; if you don't let water sit on it, it will last much longer.
Rex Krueger
2020-04-15 17:29:29 +0000 UTCI'll be giving this one a try soon. I've a few projects ahead and could use the workspace. Though my total work area is only about 4'x6' or so, so we'll see what kind of modifications I'll need to do to make it work. Haven't seen the video yet (I'm off to bed as of an hour ago), but are there any suggestions about weatherproofing it? The porch it'll be sitting on has a tendency to get soaked when it rains here (though that's only like 10 days a year)
James Anthony
2020-04-14 18:15:24 +0000 UTCBest fix: cut them off, drill new holes, install new legs. Call it a learning experience. No shame in getting it wrong if you learn from it.
Rex Krueger
2020-02-13 12:21:50 +0000 UTCI just finished putting the legs on mine but I managed to make the legs massively unlevel. Two legs on the diagonal are very tall and the two on the diagonal are very short. Any suggestions on how to fix something like that?
Eric Adkins
2020-02-11 01:58:57 +0000 UTCSo I'm also big and tall. I found 21 inches high to be plenty. Right under your kneecap is traditional for this style. The 2x2 legs are not a problem and I've been pleasantly surprised by the strength of just doing them in fir. Of course, if you have pretty much any hardwood laying around, use that. The thickness of the legs doesn't really matter unless the tenon is also bigger. That's the weak point. Please post a picture if you make it. I really want to see a short one!
Rex Krueger
2019-03-27 11:05:07 +0000 UTCI love the idea, although I'll have to shorten it to fit in my space. Are the 2x2 legs actually solid enough for work plus my 250lb? I would want the top at about 24in above ground to be comfortable to straddle. I have long legs...
James Boatright
2019-03-26 23:53:23 +0000 UTCYou don't need space! Tip it against the wall! You can do it!
Rex Krueger
2019-03-26 20:16:25 +0000 UTCHonestly, my back loves this bench. Much less twisting at the waist = less back pain.
Rex Krueger
2019-03-26 19:09:26 +0000 UTCYou'll be surprised hoe useful it is. This is a REAL bench. Even I'm surprised and I built the damn thing. Congrats on the new shop space. I started in the corner of a 1 car-garage, so I know the feeling.
Rex Krueger
2019-03-26 19:08:27 +0000 UTCI'm SO glad you think so! As long as I've been doing this channel, I've been trying to make things as basic and accessible as possible. I started resorting vintage Stanley tools, but I soon realized that many people just don't have access to old tools. This series is my new way of bringing people into the craft.
Rex Krueger
2019-03-26 19:07:12 +0000 UTCYou are killing it with this series. I confess I wondered how you would follow-up the lathe build, but you've done it. I think more experienced wood workers are probably enjoying the ingenuity, and novices to intermediates -- I think I'm somewhere in here -- are enjoying the fact that they could actually do this with the stuff they have on hand.
John Laudun
2019-03-26 16:17:39 +0000 UTCThe timing on this video could not be more perfect for me. I am moving soon, so ill be going from a 8'x10' out building to a 16'x24' garage. Ill actually be able to build and use something like this. Man, from a 2x6 across the ways of my old shopsmith to an actual work surface, ill be like a kid on christmas
Josh Miller
2019-03-26 13:39:12 +0000 UTCThanks for that! - it just occurs to me that Roman carpenters were probably slaves (so backache wasn't an issue...)
Steve Symes
2019-03-26 13:12:55 +0000 UTCMan, that is EXACTLY the idea. So glad it's working. If you do build a bench, please post it on the Community tab. I really want to see it!
Rex Krueger
2019-03-26 12:01:42 +0000 UTCThis is timely for me. I have a few projects I have been knocking around in my head that a portable bench could really make more manageable. I especially appreciate that you have found a great middle ground for your presentation. I don't have every tool I want but I have a lot more than I used to. Your explanations on the function and process for each step give me ideas about how I could approach tasks with the tools I have on hand!
Nic Beurskens
2019-03-26 09:46:47 +0000 UTCGreat video, love this one!
Matthew Leigh
2019-03-26 07:07:36 +0000 UTCVery cool! Thank you for doing these projects, watching you use the bench with the stop to plane wood really makes me want to build one even though I don't have space for another bench!
David Bumpus
2019-03-26 01:39:52 +0000 UTC
