Handyman's Workbench
Home shops require a sturdy workbench that can handle all sorts of tasks. After all, most of us tackle a whole lot more home improvement jobs than fine joinery.
I designed a bench with unshakable joints, a dead-flattop, and enough mass to keep it firmly anchored during the most intense work sessions. Instead of nails, this bench has drawbored mortise-and-tenon joints and reliable nut-and-bolt connections. The top is laminated from three layers of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) for a flat working surface. This heavyweight material contributes enormously to the bench’s solidity. I’ve often wanted to work while sitting, but the design of my previous workbench made that awkward. In this bench, I located the lower stretchers toward the back. That way, I can pull a stool right up when I have detailed work to do or just need a break. The bench also features several convenient options. You can build either or both of them now or add them later. The drawers keep frequently used tools and accessories within easy reach, and the shelf stores more tools and fasteners, so the bench top is always ready for your next project.
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What You Get:
- 11 pages of step-by-step instructions
- 47 full-color photos, illustrations and exploded views
- Materials list
- Retail sources for project supplies
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Similar Woodsmith Plans
Imperial Plans
The United States Customary System of Units (USCS or USC), more commonly referred to as the English or Imperial system, is the standard set of units for our plans. It uses inches and feet for measurement. This is the one you probably want if you are in the United States, and it is the one we have traditionally offered on this website.
Metric Plans
The International System of Units (SI), more commonly referred to as the metric system, is the alternative set of units that we have available for some of our plans. It uses millimeters, centimeters, and meters for measurement. This is the one you probably want if you are outside the United States. These plans are provided by our business partner, Australian Woodsmith, and are based on the original Woodsmith plan. However, dimensions and other elements of the plan may vary between the metric and standard versions. Be sure to double-check the plan before building.
Premium Plans
All of the information that you need to build our plans can be found in the standard plan. However, if you want even more granular detail to make your job easier, you should consider our premium plans. These come with additional shop diagrams that we drew when creating the prototypes. Shop drawings are not available for every plan.