Workbench: Where scraps will live for a lifetime.

comments (2) February 27th, 2010 in Reader's Gallery

BilljustBill BilljustBill, member
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The end scraps from my T-Shape workbench were glued with the endgrain facing upward. Made for the very place that takes the most abuse, endgrain scraps are used in the bottom of the tool tray.
End scraps were crosscut from end waste of the two workbench tops and glued to 1/2 thick plywood.  After drying, the oversize sections of scraps were sanded flat with an open end drum sander.
The twin screw vise kit required me to make the wooden jaws.  Like the benchtops, they are made of Northern Maple with Black Walnut scrap for the thin face trim.  The endgrain cross section scraps provide a tough surface against the wear-and-tear the top edges on the vise jaws. This shows the long part of the T-shape workbench.
The top of the T-shape workbench also has a twin screw vise.  The top of each of the Maple vise jaws have inlaid endgrain scraps from the cutoff ends of the shorter and wider workbench top.
The pullout shelves underneath the workbench tops are made of Birch plywood cutoff scrap from the panel saw area at the local Home Depot. They were sometimes given away and sometimes sold for .51 cents.   Long rippings from the benchtops Walnut strips were used for the thin trim inlaid in the side apron as well as matching vise jaws.
The end scraps from my T-Shape workbench were glued with the endgrain facing upward. Made for the very place that takes the most abuse, endgrain scraps are used in the bottom of the tool tray. - CLICK TO ENLARGE

The end scraps from my "T-Shape" workbench were glued with the endgrain facing upward. Made for the very place that takes the most abuse, endgrain scraps are used in the bottom of the tool tray.
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Scraps are the remains that people have left over from their work.  They are the core of this combination workbench, assembly bench, and storage base that is on 6" locking casters so it can be mobile. Including all the rebuilt and repurposed Wilton vises, and the twin screw vise kits, this "T-shape" is overall a 12 ft. long workbench with the length of the top of the"T-shape" benchtop being 6' long. Cutoffs from the ends of both benchtops provided the inlaid endgrain material for the tool tray and the top edges of the wooden jaw vises.  Sold as scrap, material for the benchtops are reclaimed Maple that was ripped and reglued with Oak and Walnut strips added. From old 1-1/8" thick Oak baseboard material that was 7-1/2" wide and with a 2" molding edge, it was ripped and planed to build the faceframes.  The scrap raised panel doors are solid Oak and sold at a flea market for $3 each.  The rounded corner Oak blocks were cut from scrap once 4x4 pallet materal and the inset fluted trim from more scrap pieces found at a flea market.  Inside, Birch plywood is used for the shelving and pullout tool storage cabinets on each side.  They are made of 3/4" scrap odds-&-ins that came from big box store's free cutoffs left at their panel saw or from cull carts for less than .10 cents on the dollar.  The workbench's total material cost under $850.00 of which $400.00 were for the two sale priced twin-screw vise kits.  This cost was spread over three years of collecting scraps and materials; making it easier on both the home and the workshop budget averaging less than $25 a month.  All because I collected and used my and other people's scrap, I made a workbench that will last a lifetime.

Thanks,

Bill


Design or Plan used: My Own Design - Bill Z
posted in: Reader's Gallery
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Comments (2)

amaffei amaffei writes: That's what I say scraptacular ! Weel done and usefull.
regards from Italy.
augusto
Posted: 9:55 am on March 17th

SandyPondFisher SandyPondFisher writes: A great looking bench and an awesome drum sander!


Posted: 8:05 am on February 28th

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