Harbor Freight Workbench | Assembly | Mods | Review
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- Опубліковано 22 жов 2020
- Assembly, Modification, and Review of the Harbor Freight Workbench (48 Inch)
In this video, we will assemble, modify, and review the 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡. I hope you can make the Harbor Freight Workbench a better solution for your garage workspace or woodshop after the modifications I am suggesting.
Whether you are making fishing lures or woodworking, having a workbench that accurately fits your needs is vital! One of the first things I looked for when designing the garage workspace/woodshop at our new house was workbenches. In the past, I have settled for hand me downs or something built out of 2X4. When it was all said and done, I ended up spending hundreds of dollars and was never happy with what I had. This time around, I did my homework, and the right option for me was the Harbor Freight Workbenches despite some negative comments.
Please check out our website: cubanredneck.com/harbor-freig...
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𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲
The Harbor Freight Workbench Assembly is pretty straight forward if you are familiar with RTA (ready to assemble) furniture, although the instructions are less than stellar! A lot of people don’t understand why IKEA is a juggernaut in the RTA industry. Most of their success has to do with accurate, easy to follow instructions. Many small details are not very clear on the manual of this workbench. One that got me, not once but twice, was the uprights that hold the third shelf. It only fits one way for no apparent reason. That is just bad engineering on the Chinese part, but then again, this is nothing new.
To improve the Harbor Freight Workbench Assembly process having the right tools is imperative. While you can do this with just a screwdriver and a set of pliers, power tools, especially a drill, will cut your assembly time by 60%.
For the Harbor Freight Workbench Assembly, I used the following tools:
- Power Drill with 10mm nut driver, #2 Phillips screwdriver tip, and #3 Phillips screwdriver tip
- A 10 mm ¼ inch socket and ratchet
- A 10 mm combination wrench
𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐬
A significant part of this video on the Harbor Freight Workbenches are the modifications. These are what make them suitable for my garage workspace. For me, a good workbench has to be rigid and should not flex, either left to right or front to back. Something else that is just as important and probably closely related is how solid it feels and how it reacts to vibrations. The mods I did to this workbench where specially executed to address these criteria. However, the only thing you are not going to get is weight! This workbench will always feel light even if you change the wood shelves to ¾ inch plywood. With that said, the few additional braces and the double-sided tape made a massive improvement in stiffness and rigidness.
For the Harbor Freight Workbench Mods, I used the following:
- 7/64 Drill bit
- 3/16 Drill bit
- Five Blade Countersink Drill Bit
- 3X Mitek Np15 Truss Mending Plate
- 7X #6 X 1 Inch Sheet Metal, Pan head screws
- 4X 8-32 X .50 Pan Head, Machine Screws with lock washers and nuts
- 6X 8-32 X .750 Flat Head Screws with lock washers and nuts
- 4 Packs (25 pieces each) of ¼ lock washers
𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
I guess many people have questioned if the Harbor Freight Workbench - Is worth it? Is it any good? That is a loaded question, and in this day and age, when everyone takes every comment “literally,” it is hard to give a definite answer that will please everyone. So, I have decided to take this one step at a time.
𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲?
Hell, Yea….! Can you build a workbench that looks like this for $70 or even $100, which is the regular cost? NO, and this is the primary reason for the decision to go this route. After making a small hand drawing to calculate the amount of wood I was going to need and with my Home Deport shopping cart reaching $150, the decision was straightforward! As I showed in the video, there are other options available. However, they all look like the same workbench made by the same Chinese company. The only difference is the name on the box.
𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝?
I have to say it is pretty good for the money. The steel feels like recycle soda cans mixed with something, and the hardware (nuts, bolts, and screws) is not worth putting it on if you are going to use this bench daily. The hardware upgrades I made added up to about $5, and if I had to do it all over, I would have replaced the screws as well. Without a doubt, the Harbor Freight Workbench is a valuable solution for somebody looking for an airbrushing station and assembly desk, maybe even an electronics service station. It is NOT a workbench. You will attach a six-inch vise to and start hammering away, but overall I am quite satisfied.
#HarborFreight #Workbench #Review - Навчання та стиль
I took down the original light as well. I put in a 3' LED flush mount shoplight, attached a switch and plug. I also added a fully adjustable and extendable Architect light with 5X magnifier for intricate work as well.
Very cool!
Don't apologize for your vid. It was great. You were to the point and helpful in all the steps. Thanks
Glad it was helpful, thank you for commenting!
Thank you so much! Was stressed about putting this together but you made it very straight forward.
... you are very welcome!
I wanted to comment and say thank you very much for taking the time to make this video, I have been wanting to start a project like this and put a workbench in my garage and have been looking at this product. So many bad reviews but your confidence and assembly on this has got me sold, I look forward to purchasing this and following your method. Thanks again for making this video!
... glad I could help! As I mentioned on the video NOT a Snap-On but for the money and compared to everything out there not bad! Two year after my purchase I am very happy with my decision and the modification I did! Thank you for watching.
Nice touch with the double sided foam tape. Thanks!
Glad you like it!
Thank you for this brother. Excellent explanation I just purchased the same workbench.
Glad it was helpful!
I subscribed to your channel for the tip on the clamps alone - I can't believe I never thought of using spring clamps on RTA furniture! I look forward to getting more great ideas from you. I was wavering on the Harbor Freight workbenches, but I really like your assembly method and I'm pretty sure I'm going to give it a try
Thanks for the sub! ...and I look forward to inspiring you with future projects!
?
Unplugged crickets
Very well done and very helpful. Thank!
Glad it was helpful! Thank you!
This was fantastic! Thanks for this review and step-by-step. I’m buying this as a “lab” table for homeschooling! This is a much better choice than tables.
Glad it was helpful. Thank you for commenting, and good luck with your homeschooling project without a doubt the way to go nowadays.
Really enjoy your process and detailed mods.
Lock washers make a lot of sense and the way I put my first bench together wasn’t as nice. Well done🙌
… Thank you, I appreciate you watching!
Great video, we're about to build a few of these and I figured some mods might be necessary to improve stability and longevity. Thank you for sharing your tips and advice, much apprec. Subscription well earned.
... Glad it was helpful! Thank you!
You deserve a medal putting 4 of them together................good video
...lol Thank you! Much appreciated!
Thank you so much for this video! Excellent video!!!
You're very welcome! Thank you for commenting 🤠
Very helpful! Thank you very much!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video, can't wait for more
Thank you! ...more coming trust me!
Great job. Thank you
Thanks for watching!
Great video. Thanks!
You're welcome!
This went up $40 at my local HF in the last few months but seems like it’s still worth it!
...thank for sharing Brother, I hear you loud and clear!. I wanted to tackle a couple of projects not only for the channel but things around the house. When shopping for wood and left Home Depot with an empty cart.
Awesome video. Much better than the instruction manual. You have created a bench that was proudly assembled and modified to last. This is the American way!!!!
Wow, thanks! ...much appreciated!
Great info, I’ve been looking at this same model and was wondering if it was good enough quality for my needs and watching this I have made up my mind to go ahead with getting one. Thanks for sharing.
... thank you for the visit, glad I could help!
@@CubanRedneck I am now a new subscriber, thanks again Mr Neck😂
Great tutorial. You have a new subscriber.
Thanks for the sub! ..and I hope it was helpful!
2 comments, maybe 3… funny, when buying the workbench yesterday, I also bought 4 small bar clamps for an unrelated use (never thought to use them for this project until watching your review) but this was a great idea for future use… next, I loved how you threw it out there that you would not be using the instructions, I am a very experienced RTA guy and when I dumped everything out, I decided I would use the directions, and totally agree with all that reviewed the directions suck. Over all, I got this for my daughter to use in her basement and once I finished it, I am contemplating getting one for myself 🤷🏻. Overall, liked your video and especially loved your channel name- straight and to the point 😂😂
... wow, thank you 🤠
I appreciate you stopping by and taking the time to comment!
Outstanding video. Been thinking about getting this for some time now, but most videos are just people putting it down. I build models as my hobby, and it always seemed like a good buy, given the size and the cost- but yours is the first realistic review I've seen. I think there's just an anti-Harbor Freight mentality out there, and your video has put into perspective any lingering doubts I had about it. Thank you for your time, good luck with your future projects, and have a great day.
... Glad I could help and thank you for commenting! I agree, for the money I think the *Harbor Freight workbench* is a great value.
I think the “anti Harbor Freight” mentality comes from people that might use tools or tool related things (like a work bench) very frequently for their profession or maybe a high demand hobby. But for normal people that just want a cheap tool or solution that may not use it all day every day, Harbor Freight is amazing. I buy most of my tools there because it’s generally a tool I only need for a specific project, however, if I ever need it again after that I’ll have it. Hammer drill, circular saw, soldering iron, are just a few things that I never really use but bought for a specific instance. Also, stuff like a cheap tv mount for a guest bedroom, or an extension cord, Harbor Freight is amazing. There and Northern Tools are my go to spots.
@@hewlett-packardlovecraft2297 I’ll chime in on this one, NT in my opinion does carry name brand tools and such so the cost is obviously more, but they do have some lower cost budget tools and items as well. In the big scheme of things, shop both, just use them accordingly. That’s my review
A great bench for modeling!
Pretty good build. Couple things I would have done different but good illustration vid. I think I would add some cross support on the table top and lower shelf. Probably a simple 2x4 would work if it would fit.
… hey, thank you for stopping by. I did consider that primary for the deck, but after sticking the perimeter on the bottom shelf, all the center flex when away. As I said in the video, these are not the type of workbench you want to hammer on or load with 200-300lbs. Nevertheless, I agree that a 2X4 on its side under the top deck would be a nice upgrade. Maybe when 2X4s come back down to $5, I will consider adding it! Thanks again!
@@CubanRedneck Yeah, I'm not buying much wood here either. I have an abundance of scrap that I could probably scare something up without buying anything. I thought maybe one of these would be quick (scratch that) and dirty to put a 6040 cnc router on, but I don't think it would be solid enough even if I replaced the top with heavy plywood. Haven't checked what that is running, but might have splurged on a sheet if it has come down some.
I eventually want to get it up on one of those 3 tier heavy commercial looking shelves with the wire type "liners." They make a really good bench if you lay a heavy sheet of plywood on top the wire "liner." I have a few here yet but need to make more room to set one up. I think I will just go for one of the wire shelves with a piece of plywood laid on one of the shelfs at the right height. They also make a pretty good table / bench with the advantage of being able to roll it around Prices on either are comparable to this one you did the vid on and way more solid, especially with the commercial like 3 tier. The advantage too is that I already have a sheet of heavy plywood split in half just for either of the two (you can actually get two pieces for the commercial benches and combining the two left over ends to get enough to do a shelf on one of the wire shelves) bench / table builds I described above.
…that sounds like a cool project, and I think the workbench will do. However, given my experience with CNCs, MDF would be my choice, a bit more stable and denser. Better at absorbing vibrations as well! That is unless you are considering water cooling anything! In fact, I am looking at getting a Next Wave Shark-SD120 towards the holidays. I am keeping my fingers crossed, hoping they come up with a BlackFriday deal. As far as installation, I was thinking of enclosing the lower half of one of my benches with ½ MFD and a Plexiglass front window. Lighting, dust collection, the works!
Thank you. Great video and the perfect length. I am going to do all your additions as they are just too smart. I would have liked to have seen the finished product of all three benches together at the end. Also, did you bolt the benches to each other for added rigidity?
…hey thank you for your comments! There is a better shot of the entire wall on the first video I made for the channel - ua-cam.com/video/I9_FJBRw-OQ/v-deo.html. During this video, I realized these benches were not going to work out of the box and that the instructions skipped over what I think are important steps. As to strapping, I did not strap them together, but I did anchor them to the back wall with something called Simpson Strong-Tie Item #96076 from Lowe's. Just one in the center of each did the trick, although this is somewhat of an overkill!
Do you have all four of them together the same way, and do you have a final video or picture to show the end result? Great job, and thanks for sharing!
... hey thank you for the visit. Here is day one after assembly - ua-cam.com/video/I9_FJBRw-OQ/v-deo.html
I wish I had watched your video before putting mine together today. I agree the instructions suck. They totally do not mention that you should leave those back holes empty to attach the pegboard. As I struggled to do the top shelf, I was wishing that I had assembled it first and then put it up, you may still have been right to do it that way.
..Thank you, and sorry for the slow response. This comment was in the spam box.
que hubo papito??? mira, en harbor freigth habra sustituto para ese tubo fluorescente pero en led??? muy entretenido tu video, quiero una mesa de esas... pero ya no tengo donde meter mas cosas jajajajajajajajajaja
...hola, no *Harbor Freight* no tiene un T5-14W que es el tubo de *LED* requerido. Tiene uno de 47" con 5000 luminance que es demasiado brillante en mi opinión. Después de media hora no puedes ver. El update que hice usando strips trabajo mucho mejor estoy muy satisfecho - ua-cam.com/video/PdB0L3Baxsg/v-deo.html
Yeah they come Flimsy
Is this the Yukon work bench ? Because i just assembled everything and I’m about ready to loose my temp on the damn peg board none of the holes match up and im pissed for it i don’t want to rip it either to get it to fit
Question: I haven't started assembling mine yet, hardly even opened the box. Do you know how long the fluorescent bulb is in that thing? I'm going to replace that with an LED one.
... hey how are you? The bulb measures 21.5" and the over all is about 22" - It is a T5 14W type. I originally got one from Amazon for like $12 and the light output totally sucked. IMO getting a 36" LED fixture would be a better choice. After several fails I ended up making by own and I am very happy with it.
Just picked up this bad boy in blue on fb for $60 💪
... great buy somebody had commented that they paid $120+. Believe it or not, some people are unaware of HF coupons. I tell the manager of my local store all the time. If you want to see me in here, you better send me some coupons
Nice
Thanks for stopping by!
@@CubanRedneck thank you for the well thought upgrades! harbor freight should have this video on the page haha. I'm assembling it probably tomorrow I'll comment my results.
@@RealSeductions ...thank you. For the money they are not bad. Mine are two years old and in great shape. All those negative reviews are more operator error than anything else
Split ring washers loosen up faster than flat washers
...thank you for sharing. I haven't face any issue with split washers or helical spring washers even on my racer cars, bikes, or boats. But as with everything quality matters. The split washers from ARP I use on my race car are miles ahead of the crap from Home Depot!
My man
Thank you for stopping by!
Hey I’m thinking about buying it for my aquarium, do you think the 300lb limit is accurate?
...hey, thanks for commenting! Brother, I am not sure about 300 lbs. The rated capacity on mine is 250! You may get away by reinforcing the legs if you are talking about the bottom shelf. If you are talking about the top deck, you are probably better off with 1" cold-rolled steel, which you can drill and tap if you don't have access to a welder. I have done that before. I made a 55-gallon tank stand from old bed frames.
A straight forward process….meanwhile ive gave up on it because the drawers wont align and insert. No videos to see what im doing wrong
... thank you for stopping by! Please explain yourself, or email me!
I pull the black part out and try aligning them up to the drawer @@CubanRedneck
... still not sure what you mean. Please send me a pic
Hello again CBRN
Thank you for another Great Video. I know this Video is eleven months old. With that in mind, How has it worked out. Are there any hindsight issues you found along the way? Again thank you
…hello, and thank you for commenting! I am happy to report that the *Harbor Freight workbenches* were a very wise investment. No issues, no rust as I was promised, I did change the light once again. Made a video on that! I waxed the deck with yellow mold release wax so that nothing sticks and a year later they look as good as the day I bought them. More often than not they serve as back drop for many of my videos.
@@CubanRedneck Hello again, I was wondering if you would install a light. As it already has the power stripped, Your pretty much set. Do you think the bench could handle a vice? Or is it too light a structure? Again thank you
Here are the lights I have on the benches - ua-cam.com/video/PdB0L3Baxsg/v-deo.html I am not sure about the luminance, but they are 5K!
As to a vise, I have a light-duty suction cup type 3" vise that I move from bench to bench. I feel that the structure could handle a vice, but the ½ top deck will not. A one-inch or, better yet, two ¾ inch MDF sheets glue together will more than likely do the trick if you are going to put a heavy-duty vise on there… If you are doing that upgrade I would consider upgrading the bottom shelf as well, just for added mass.
@@CubanRedneck Hello again, thank you for the quick response. And thank you for the suggestion. Last question, I promised, In the beginning of the Video, your flooring is it painted or what? I was surprised by how even the color coating appeared. Again thank you
…yes, it is paint! I had some old marine interlux bottomkote paint that I was not even sure if it was any good because it had separated. The color is Navy grey. I mixed it with a mixing paddle, poured the gallon and half in the center of the garage, and spread it outwards with a roller and a long stick. ...and BTW feel free to contact me when ever! You can look me on on Facebook - facebook.com/CubanRedneckCom-103761264834496 (Although I am trying to limit that!) or my website - cubanredneck.com
Thanks for sharing and responding. So you think it matters which screws? They all look the same and the supplied instructions are vague.
.. if you are referring to the drawers my came riveted to outer rails and M3 (6-32) bolts and nuts on the center support. See 12:33 All the others are M5 there were some a bit shorter then the others I guess for the peg board but I ended up completely redesigning that.
@@CubanRedneck okie dokie + subbed
... thank you much appreciated! 👍
Nice video! I purchased some clamps as well. Can you put the outlet on the left side instead of right side?
… hey, thank you for the visit! Yes, but this is a predetermination you must make at the beginning since it requires choosing on what side you bolt the plate with the cutout.
@@CubanRedneck yes, I did it early and seems to be no problem. But I put the pegboard first and now I’m having trouble with top mount board.
… I know I highlighted several booboos I made during the build, but I am sure I missed one or two. Remove the front panel of the top shelf that should give you better access to the shelf itself.
@@CubanRedneck And so happened I ran out of those bolts in the pack they were 78 I believe.
@@CubanRedneck oh what size of bolts should the drawers take? I know the board is lose in there.
What is the height of the working surface, and the overall height?
The assembled workbench dimensions are as follow - deck height is 35.5, overall height 61.75, overall width 47.75, overall depth 23.75
Thank you for commenting!
How much can that pegboard hold in weight ??
.... I could not tell you exact number of lbs. But if you have seen any of my videos I have a lot of stuff hanging on it. I would say about 100 lbs. No issue, and no different than any other 1/4 pegboard!
The king of double sided tape.
...hey, it works!
@@CubanRedneck I ain’t hatin. Lol
As many times as I have assembled stuff like this, I have never considered using spring clamps. (Face slap)
... brother not a day goes by that I don't learn something! Thanks for sharing...
Has anyone pinpointed what the actual upgrades are since harbor freight rebranded it to Yukon?
Once again they change the color slightly but from one I have seen at my local store, I don see any changes!
@@CubanRedneck mine came with serrated flange nuts which was good. Full size LED. Drawers are pre-assembled and the color is now black. Thank you for your video you were a big help and factor in me buying it.
@@CubanRedneck did you ever get a second one? I’m thinking of buying another one and linking them together.
How have the benches held up?
First thank you for commenting - and yes, very well to my surprise after about a year! I ended up upgrading the round lights I had ordered. Replaced it with a 36 ft. - 5500K LED tape that I ended up cutting in 4 pieces and sticking it to the inside of the top piece. I made jumpers with 3.5mm plugs from one bench to the other in case I need to pull one out! I keep the deck waxed so nothing sticks to it! ...other than that very happy with the mods! Just published a video yesterday where I am working on them! As I said in the original video, not the best out there but for the money you can't touch it! Especially give the cost of wood nowadays!
Thanks for the reply! I rarely ever get a reply from anyone, no less the content creator!
@@DOCintox you are welcome! I know exactly what you are talking about! But with that said, the whole point of my channel is to help others and to get more people to engage in DIY and woodworking it makes no sense to avoid answering viewers' questions.
I didn't have the hardware to fix the pegboard gap, and mine was only on the left side, so I sealed it up with a hot glue gun.
… thank you for sharing but know that hot glue is an intermediate fix. Consider adding a small piece of plumbing strap or something to keep it coming apart.
@@CubanRedneck If you think hot glue is an intermediate fix, you don't even want to know the stuff I do with zip ties. 🤪🤪🤪
…. No don't get me wrong, I am a fan of hot glue! But the deck of the workbench has a vinyl laminate and with time and temperature changes it will eventually give. As to zip-ties no argument there! People always question all the stuff held up with zip-ties on my race car and bike, but (knock on wood) no failures to this day!
@@CubanRedneck Zip ties are forever.... 😁
$69?? 😢 I just got it for $119
price nearly doubled in 3 years!
Damn. They are $130 now
... yeap, and going up, thanks to Brandon! However, so are all other ones, so keep an eye out for 25% coupons. They are starting to be more frequent again. Good luck, and thanks for stopping by!
.. hey, BTW, I was looking at my email, it is on sale for $99 in my area - www.harborfreight.com/deals.html
Not worth the time and effort when for $243 you can get a much superior product that already comes with all the extras on Amazon.
…thank you for sharing and brother to each his own. That said, if you are referring to the $300 Seville Classics Workbench from AMAZON - amzn.to/358tGWU, that was my reason and motivation for going with the *Harbor Freight* unit. I have a friend who purchased it for a reloading station and we ended up making all kinds of mods to it. Including a bottom shelf and back brace across the back because it too flexes if you push it from the side.
I can not get the drawers in the slides. Im about to just scrap this piece of shit. What gives?
… brother, I don’t know what to tell you. I asked you to contact me via email (go to the channel’s home page and click on the contact via email icon - top right) so that I can share pics or get a picture of your assembly so that I may offer better help. Unless you installed the track backward, I am unsure how you can’t get the tracks to mate. This video has over 37k views, and nobody has reported such an anomaly.
This work bench was the biggest piece of shit I’ve ever bought nothing lines up
.... I guess the box was dropped! I am extremely happy with my purchase, nevertheless, thanks for sharing!
This same bench costs $109 in 2022. Thanks Biden
... You can say that again!
And don't forget to thank all your neighbors with the Brandon & Hoe stickers on their cars and signs on their lawn!
@@CubanRedneck great video btw. The upgrades were excellent.
... thank you!
GLAD i found ths awesome vid just got one of these..
.....any thoughts NOW aftr a good while ?
Just SBSCRBD to the Ch will be lookin soon
… thank you for stopping by! No complaints whatsoever. I would repurchase them if I needed to!