What I like about this build is that you don't need a planer to make the table. As a novice woodworker, my tools are limited. I do have a table saw, but no planer or jointer, yet. At least this table has a vice and some dog holes so that I can begin to hand plane and flatten boards. I like the joints as well. Using the dowel joints always me to get away from mortise and tenon joints (which I have not mastered yet). With all the dog holds I can learn how to make them. Great first step bench guys! Thanks for the build ideas!!
Adding oak dowels as anchors for the lag bolts is a neat idea. That is not a torsion box. There is no guarantee that the work surface is dead level. Having screws in the work surface is asking for trouble, countersunk or not. There are better ways to make a workbench.
@@FabQuackChannel I think he's probably talking about a Roubo, which is so fashionable in American woodworking right now. There are dozens of "watch me build my Roubo" videos around so I don't know why he bothered with this.
This bench is quite a bit sturdier than than most first benches that most woodworkers make. However, with just a few small additions, this bench could be significantly better: (1) Make the top a true torsion box by adding cross pieces to the internal structure. This would significantly stiffen the top. Those pieces wouldn't need to be 2X stock. 1X would do fine. (2) Adding another 3/4" layer of plywood would result in a MUCH stiffer top, as well. This would add only about $25-$30 to the cost. (3) Adding at least another layer of 1X material to the vise chop would make it considerably stiffer. This would also allow 3/4" holes to be drilled in the top edge of the top for dogs. Note that NONE of these changes make the bench more difficult to build. They would just add a little more cost and time to the build, but well worth it.
That is a nice project, though it’s not built with torsion boxes. I had a difficult time keeping interested, because of the “Now we are going to cut this piece....” segments and found myself forwarding 15 seconds - probably missing useful information. The absence of background drone music - found far to often in “how too” videos - was refreshing.
Thankyou for your two videos. I would say that using the rebates in the side beams is a stroke of genius, although I am not too sure about the hardboard. One tip I have found when fastening brackets is to use a bit of double sided tape before screwing them to whatever so that they can be lined up properly. Thanks once again.
Oof. Always. Always. Always take the price sticker off the wood before you cut it. You got lucky here because it looks like your work pieces have the stickers attached with just an adhesive. Every piece of construction wood I've ever purchase had the sticker stapled on. If the sticker is stapled on, you could potentially have a kickback, a ruined saw blade, sustain an injury, or all of the above. Safety aside, cool project. I'm going to try this.
I would consider suing pegboard instead of plywood for the base torsion box. It will give you quite a bit of storage options under the bench. You can also place peg board between the legs and stretchers. This will add to the rigidity of the bench and also give storage options at each end of the bench. Great place for small F-style clamps and various jigs/fixtures. Nice job guys.
Did I hear correctly from part 1 of this build that you guys are in the Cincinnati area? Where do you guys manage to find dimensional lumber that straight? I’m gearing up for a MaslowCNC build, but the last few times I’ve needed lumber the only way I could find anything that straight was to buy finished boards. I’m already looking at needing 5 sheets of 1/2” MDF or plywood for the various facings.
Not a true "Torsion Box" by any stretch of the imagination. Not a bad project and I am glad you made the videoso that years from now there will be evidence that you DID have fingers on both hands at one time. USE A PUSH STICK!!
Hello, Thanks for taking the time but this is not a torsion box construction but some wood screwed together so it makes a great work bench but not for woodworking. You don't tell hoe flat your top is by feeling it with your hand and I say that with great confidence this bench top is not even near flat for furniture work I give you credit for trying AJ
Not sure why two lifter/castors seem to be on the inside, two on the outside? I'd mount all four on the inside: Those on the back inside so I can shove the bench all the way to the wall, and those on the front inside so I don't stub my toes each time.
It needs draws for dog storage, planes and other hand tools so they are not on the top because your also using it to be a extension to the table saw. I'd both place draws in the void of the torsion box and under it for larger tools like routers and sanders or hand planes. On the ends you can store your Tighbond glues and other items, you can also make trap doors in the top with finger lift holes to set items into to store or even a long tool box like the old time work benches. As well as support that slide out to support wider stock on the table saw. Like sheet goods With legs
Another trip to Gooberville,USA . Plywood is 23/32 not 3/4 unless special ordered. Keeping the mills in business by paying more for less. This is a big hollow door. Just go buy a solid core door. It will be a lot more sturdy, less noisy, and easier to assemble. But I prefer solid tops for transferring inertia to the floor. Odd number of legs prevent rocking on uneven floors, e.g. 5 instead of 4.
Ted Hopp Wrong. The very reason why all modern office chairs are now 5 legged. This adds huge stability and keeping the chair from tipping. Obviously in the case of the bench one cannot just add a leg, it must be positioned. Common sense plays some part.
James Lucas: Tipping and rocking are different things. A chair with five legs will be harder to tip over (when you're, say, leaning over the edge to pull open a drawer). Another factor is the presence of casters, which directly affects the physics of a chair's tipping stability. You won't find many five-legged chairs that don't roll. In fact, the OSHA regulations for workplace chairs state "Your workplace chair must have a strong, five-legged base with casters that are suitable for the flooring type of your workstation." (I'd argue that the OSHA regulation, rather than physics, is the reason all modern office chairs have five legs.) I will grant you that a support structure with an odd number of legs will have a reduced tendency to rock. This is because with an odd number of uneven legs, the odds are greater that the diagonal of support (the line between the longest legs) will be off to the side from the centroid of the arrangement. In fact, the same effect can be achieved with four legs arranged in a trapezoid (rather than a rectangle). However, if the load happens to be off-center as well and over the diagonal of support, the structure will rock just as easily as with a four-legged structure. Add to this that the most common table arrangement for five legs is four legs at the corners and one in the center (to prevent sagging), the addition of the fifth leg will do very little to prevent rocking. I'll repeat my assertion: the only support arrangement guaranteed to not rock is three legs. This is simply basic geometry: three (nonlinear) points always lie on a unique plane. With more than three points, there's always the possibility that they won't all lie on the same plane and might consequently rock. I'll also emphasize that three legs definitely does not provide the best tipping stability. (Once again, tipping stability and rocking are different animals.) I'm not suggesting that three legs is a good workbench design.
Ted Hopp you’re right Ted. I’m going to knock out the fifth leg in my workbench tomorrow morning. I am tired of it not complying to the laws of physics and get that good ole rock and role back where it belongs. Thanks for the help. As for the chairs, well tipping is not rocking. But I am fixing that too. I’m tired of my desk chair not rocking as well. Give me that hacksaw. Cheers.
James Lucas Your naive if you think 5 legs won’t rock. Stick a paint stir stick under one leg and see how steady it is. Your 5 legged bench doesn’t shake because your floor is flat.
The blocking for vice is not structurally sound. The blocking should run full width of the space between the two joists of the torsion beam with bearing on each of the joists, the outside and interior joists. As presented the glue joint will eventually fail between the dimensional lumber piece and the sheet goods, which will be a bummer. I speak as a structural engineer.
Great project! I imagine I could replace the 3/4 plywood for MDF right? Would make for a heavier bench top and the top surface is being covered by hardwood any way.
MDF is a fair option. It will, as you mentioned, add weight to the bench. The slight downside is MDF is more fragile at the edges. But you know how you'll use the bench...MDF is a reasonable alternative.
Did I miss it, or was the most important step missing? If you don't joint the support beams of a torsion box you'll get anything else, but not a flat surface.
Nice tutorial. Gotta love the 20 or so guys who had to let everyone know that this "isnt a torsion box". Ok wood whisperers LOL! Its a nice project and "torsiony" enough.
Its pretty amazing how you guys can make stuff using inches.. that shit is witchcraft crazy.. five six teenths, eleven eights, 2 and three quarters, three and one ninth wtf
We grew up with it so it's natural. You learn to divide an inch in half then half again and so on until you reach the smallest measurement you will need on your rule. Actually doing it you get it down pat pretty fast.
I would think if "Dave" the TS guy had any concerns for presenting safety then he would have used a push stick to finish all of his cuts, even if they are non through cuts, his hand/fingers are just a scintilla from a bloody mess. Not a fine demonstration of safe woodworking from a company who talks the talk. Irresponsible video.
Ulysses Cwazy i don’t think you could this project, then. He didn’t show proper safety techniques, and since you seem to only know how to do woodworking with them, this video just isn’t going to work for you. I can’t use this video either. They were spinning the boards around vertically in the air to reference the same face, but I only have 7 foot ceilings in my shop so I don’t know how to cut the other side of the board without flipping it around in the air vertically like they did. Do you have a video or know of where there they might flip those boards a different way so I can do this project?
Lin, the information is in the comments sections, but it may not readily show unless you click on the "read more" button. Here's the info: ✔️ Purchase the expanded construction plans for the workbench and you'll get a step-by-step guide that walks you through the entire build www.shopwoodworking.com/i-can... ✔️ Get the free version of the plans here: bit.ly/ICDT_Workbench_Plans
The first link ("expanded construction plans") is broken. It looks like it got cut off (ends with an ellipsis). Here is the full link: www.shopwoodworking.com/i-can-do-that-workbench-project-plans
LOL. why oh why put that terrible torsion box, that is not really a torsion box, underneath losing all your storage space. You are using heavy grade lumber with solid good quality plywood that's enough with the ply used for a shelf with supports strengthening the square of the legs and being productive. the oak dowels was rather pointless too. You too are more like comedians that kept me entertained when I could not sleep so thanks for that. "oh your so strong!" LOL cringe!!!
What I like about this build is that you don't need a planer to make the table. As a novice woodworker, my tools are limited. I do have a table saw, but no planer or jointer, yet. At least this table has a vice and some dog holes so that I can begin to hand plane and flatten boards. I like the joints as well. Using the dowel joints always me to get away from mortise and tenon joints (which I have not mastered yet). With all the dog holds I can learn how to make them. Great first step bench guys! Thanks for the build ideas!!
Adding oak dowels as anchors for the lag bolts is a neat idea.
That is not a torsion box. There is no guarantee that the work surface is dead level. Having screws in the work surface is asking for trouble, countersunk or not. There are better ways to make a workbench.
Can you describe any of those better ways?
@@FabQuackChannel I think he's probably talking about a Roubo, which is so fashionable in American woodworking right now. There are dozens of "watch me build my Roubo" videos around so I don't know why he bothered with this.
This bench is quite a bit sturdier than than most first benches that most woodworkers make. However, with just a few small additions, this bench could be significantly better: (1) Make the top a true torsion box by adding cross pieces to the internal structure. This would significantly stiffen the top. Those pieces wouldn't need to be 2X stock. 1X would do fine. (2) Adding another 3/4" layer of plywood would result in a MUCH stiffer top, as well. This would add only about $25-$30 to the cost. (3) Adding at least another layer of 1X material to the vise chop would make it considerably stiffer. This would also allow 3/4" holes to be drilled in the top edge of the top for dogs. Note that NONE of these changes make the bench more difficult to build. They would just add a little more cost and time to the build, but well worth it.
That is a nice project, though it’s not built with torsion boxes. I had a difficult time keeping interested, because of the “Now we are going to cut this piece....” segments and found myself forwarding 15 seconds - probably missing useful information. The absence of background drone music - found far to often in “how too” videos - was refreshing.
Thankyou for your two videos. I would say that using the rebates in the side beams is a stroke of genius, although I am not too sure about the hardboard. One tip I have found when fastening brackets is to use a bit of double sided tape before screwing them to whatever so that they can be lined up properly. Thanks once again.
Oof. Always. Always. Always take the price sticker off the wood before you cut it. You got lucky here because it looks like your work pieces have the stickers attached with just an adhesive. Every piece of construction wood I've ever purchase had the sticker stapled on. If the sticker is stapled on, you could potentially have a kickback, a ruined saw blade, sustain an injury, or all of the above. Safety aside, cool project. I'm going to try this.
From experience, I would mount the casters with stove bolts, lock washers and nuts.
I would consider suing pegboard instead of plywood for the base torsion box. It will give you quite a bit of storage options under the bench. You can also place peg board between the legs and stretchers. This will add to the rigidity of the bench and also give storage options at each end of the bench. Great place for small F-style clamps and various jigs/fixtures. Nice job guys.
Did I hear correctly from part 1 of this build that you guys are in the Cincinnati area? Where do you guys manage to find dimensional lumber that straight?
I’m gearing up for a MaslowCNC build, but the last few times I’ve needed lumber the only way I could find anything that straight was to buy finished boards. I’m already looking at needing 5 sheets of 1/2” MDF or plywood for the various facings.
Not a true "Torsion Box" by any stretch of the imagination. Not a bad project and I am glad you made the videoso that years from now there will be evidence that you DID have fingers on both hands at one time. USE A PUSH STICK!!
I 100% agree!
That would be a good workbench in just about any woodworking shop.
Hello,
Thanks for taking the time but this is not a torsion box construction but some wood screwed together so it makes a great work bench but not for woodworking. You don't tell hoe flat your top is by feeling it with your hand and I say that with great confidence this bench top is not even near flat for furniture work
I give you credit for trying
AJ
“$300, how can you beat that?”
With the $100 workbenches from Paul Sellers and Rob Cosman.
Not sure why two lifter/castors seem to be on the inside, two on the outside? I'd mount all four on the inside: Those on the back inside so I can shove the bench all the way to the wall, and those on the front inside so I don't stub my toes each time.
It needs draws for dog storage, planes and other hand tools so they are not on the top because your also using it to be a extension to the table saw. I'd both place draws in the void of the torsion box and under it for larger tools like routers and sanders or hand planes. On the ends you can store your Tighbond glues and other items, you can also make trap doors in the top with finger lift holes to set items into to store or even a long tool box like the old time work benches.
As well as support that slide out to support wider stock on the table saw. Like sheet goods
With legs
Draw-ERS DRAWERS!!!! Draws are what you do on a piece of paper with a pencil
Another trip to Gooberville,USA .
Plywood is 23/32 not 3/4 unless special ordered. Keeping the mills in business by paying more for less.
This is a big hollow door. Just go buy a solid core door. It will be a lot more sturdy, less noisy, and easier to assemble. But I prefer solid tops for transferring inertia to the floor.
Odd number of legs prevent rocking on uneven floors,
e.g. 5 instead of 4.
The only way to prevent rocking is to use three legs. (A 5-legged base can still rock.) However, a 3-legged bench has its own problems.
Ted Hopp
Wrong. The very reason why all modern office chairs are now 5 legged. This adds huge stability and keeping the chair from tipping. Obviously in the case of the bench one cannot just add a leg, it must be positioned. Common sense plays some part.
James Lucas:
Tipping and rocking are different things. A chair with five legs will be harder to tip over (when you're, say, leaning over the edge to pull open a drawer). Another factor is the presence of casters, which directly affects the physics of a chair's tipping stability. You won't find many five-legged chairs that don't roll. In fact, the OSHA regulations for workplace chairs state "Your workplace chair must have a strong, five-legged base with casters that are suitable for the flooring type of your workstation." (I'd argue that the OSHA regulation, rather than physics, is the reason all modern office chairs have five legs.)
I will grant you that a support structure with an odd number of legs will have a reduced tendency to rock. This is because with an odd number of uneven legs, the odds are greater that the diagonal of support (the line between the longest legs) will be off to the side from the centroid of the arrangement. In fact, the same effect can be achieved with four legs arranged in a trapezoid (rather than a rectangle). However, if the load happens to be off-center as well and over the diagonal of support, the structure will rock just as easily as with a four-legged structure.
Add to this that the most common table arrangement for five legs is four legs at the corners and one in the center (to prevent sagging), the addition of the fifth leg will do very little to prevent rocking.
I'll repeat my assertion: the only support arrangement guaranteed to not rock is three legs. This is simply basic geometry: three (nonlinear) points always lie on a unique plane. With more than three points, there's always the possibility that they won't all lie on the same plane and might consequently rock. I'll also emphasize that three legs definitely does not provide the best tipping stability. (Once again, tipping stability and rocking are different animals.) I'm not suggesting that three legs is a good workbench design.
Ted Hopp you’re right Ted. I’m going to knock out the fifth leg in my workbench tomorrow morning. I am tired of it not complying to the laws of physics and get that good ole rock and role back where it belongs. Thanks for the help. As for the chairs, well tipping is not rocking. But I am fixing that too. I’m tired of my desk chair not rocking as well. Give me that hacksaw.
Cheers.
James Lucas
Your naive if you think 5 legs won’t rock. Stick a paint stir stick under one leg and see how steady it is.
Your 5 legged bench doesn’t shake because your floor is flat.
The blocking for vice is not structurally sound. The blocking should run full width of the space between the two joists of the torsion beam with bearing on each of the joists, the outside and interior joists. As presented the glue joint will eventually fail between the dimensional lumber piece and the sheet goods, which will be a bummer. I speak as a structural engineer.
Great project! I imagine I could replace the 3/4 plywood for MDF right? Would make for a heavier bench top and the top surface is being covered by hardwood any way.
MDF is a fair option. It will, as you mentioned, add weight to the bench. The slight downside is MDF is more fragile at the edges. But you know how you'll use the bench...MDF is a reasonable alternative.
MDF will save a lot of money.
Nice
Did I miss it, or was the most important step missing? If you don't joint the support beams of a torsion box you'll get anything else, but not a flat surface.
You could have used double sided tape on the top 🤘
Nice tutorial. Gotta love the 20 or so guys who had to let everyone know that this "isnt a torsion box". Ok wood whisperers LOL! Its a nice project and "torsiony" enough.
got to love the guys that cover for a load of rubbish!
Its pretty amazing how you guys can make stuff using inches.. that shit is witchcraft crazy.. five six teenths, eleven eights, 2 and three quarters, three and one ninth wtf
Exactly, I measure in “hands” or angstroms; nothing else!
We grew up with it so it's natural. You learn to divide an inch in half then half again and so on until you reach the smallest measurement you will need on your rule. Actually doing it you get it down pat pretty fast.
I would think if "Dave" the TS guy had any concerns for presenting safety then he would have used a push stick to finish all of his cuts, even if they are non through cuts, his hand/fingers are just a scintilla from a bloody mess. Not a fine demonstration of safe woodworking from a company who talks the talk. Irresponsible video.
Ulysses Cwazy i don’t think you could this project, then. He didn’t show proper safety techniques, and since you seem to only know how to do woodworking with them, this video just isn’t going to work for you.
I can’t use this video either. They were spinning the boards around vertically in the air to reference the same face, but I only have 7 foot ceilings in my shop so I don’t know how to cut the other side of the board without flipping it around in the air vertically like they did. Do you have a video or know of where there they might flip those boards a different way so I can do this project?
Is there plans for that bench?
Lin, the information is in the comments sections, but it may not readily show unless you click on the "read more" button. Here's the info:
✔️ Purchase the expanded construction plans for the workbench and you'll get a step-by-step guide that walks you through the entire build www.shopwoodworking.com/i-can...
✔️ Get the free version of the plans here: bit.ly/ICDT_Workbench_Plans
The first link ("expanded construction plans") is broken. It looks like it got cut off (ends with an ellipsis). Here is the full link:
www.shopwoodworking.com/i-can-do-that-workbench-project-plans
hard to contrpl without a feather board and outfeed bench
Umm, at 5 mins, making sure the blade is 1/2" high should have been measured on the 'inch' side of the square, not the metric side!!!
Sawdust Woodcrafting
He was using the inch side, on his side of the 2 sided scale.
I've heard good feedback about the Woodglut plans.
I came here to see how you made your torsion box. . . and then you didn't.
Barely two spars, no ribs. The laziest torsion box ever built.
Andrew, are you aware of your habit of starting most sentences with the word "so?"
so what 🤣
not a torsion box
。
LOL. why oh why put that terrible torsion box, that is not really a torsion box, underneath losing all your storage space. You are using heavy grade lumber with solid good quality plywood that's enough with the ply used for a shelf with supports strengthening the square of the legs and being productive. the oak dowels was rather pointless too. You too are more like comedians that kept me entertained when I could not sleep so thanks for that. "oh your so strong!" LOL cringe!!!