My workbench is a drafting desk from Ikea. This is the best bench I have ever used.

Home work area right now is a laptop lap desk, but have a 52" roll around 9 drawer Huskey tool cabinet I bought that will be my home bench when I get setup.  A "gathering height" patio chair is just the right height to work with it.

At work is a desk in our old office I use.

It's a retired kitchen table.

Thanks for all your ideas!!  I enjoy thinking outside the box.

In the late 60's I bought a retired office desk, it was a bid auction, I think I paid about $40. It's very heavy, maybe 150 lbs, 5 feet wide 28 inches deep, 30 inches high, it's sturdy enough to stand on with no flexing, (I weigh 230.) 30 inches wide for leg space, three drawers on left, two on right, 30 inch center drawer. Retracting slide out above right drawers, really handy feature. This thing holds a LOT of stuff, you'd never run out of room.

If you can find one it's the best hobby bench/table I can think of, it's been through several different base assignment transfers, same condition as when I bought it. If you're in a big city, check on local auctions. Ugly gray/green color, it's the kind of desk that a shop superintendent would use, you'd have to try hard to hurt it. Good hunting.

Patrick

I built mine years ago, when I lived in a mobile home, saving up to buy a house.  It's 4'x8', which fit in one of the small spare rooms I had, with a frame of 2"x4"s.  It's intended to be dismantled and re-assembled as necessary, and it made the move with me when I finally did buy a house.

Here is a shot of the bench in my basement:

I've been thinking of adding a hutch to the back, to increase shelf space.  There is space under the bench for additional storage, too, and since I took those photos, I've got various storage totes and a little plastic chest-of-drawers under there, with kits and supplies.

I use a 5 foot folding table purchased from Sam's. It works good, for an inexpensive solution. But, I'm in the process of designing a modeling bench. This is the first of three benches I plan to design and build.

The top surface will be 3' x 8' and stand approxiamtely 42" from the floor. I'm still in the process of adding features, but, I think you'll get the idea.

I work in my garage that is attached to the house.  It came with a work bench that covers part of two walls.  On part of teh outside waoo I put a series of glass shelves and store some kits on top.  Someday I might get around to putting glass doors instead of teh mylar sheets that I have been using.

hogfanfs

I use a 5 foot folding table purchased from Sam's. It works good, for an inexpensive solution. But, I'm in the process of designing a modeling bench. This is the first of three benches I plan to design and build.

The top surface will be 3' x 8' and stand approxiamtely 42" from the floor. I'm still in the process of adding features, but, I think you'll get the idea.

 

as is you will have difficulty sitting with that setup. The counter top needs to extend out so you can sit closer.

Bruce, do you plan on standing the whole time you work at that bench?

I've seen a work area somewhere that the guy built "in a closet". Shelves on three sides for kits and tools. The workbench was a piece of plywood cut to fit the closet. When in use he just opens the door and pulls up a folding chair. It's great unless you don't have any "spare" closets.

Jim  

My work surfaces are two drafting tables left over from my career. One has an electric lift and wide pencil rail at the front which catches a lot of "wild" parts and tools. The other one has a light box that comes in handy on occasion. I work standing, so these fit my style.

I have a bunch of small totes and craft store rolling drawers for storage. Since I work in my shop, paint, decals and other temperature sensitive stuff is kept in the house until I need it.

Mike 

Hi Patrick,

My wife had one of these desks 35 years ago when we met. I referred to it as her "aircraft carrier desk"; It was big, battleship grey and had a top as big as a flight deck.We moved it three times before I said enough and gave it to her sister who still has it

plasticjunkie

 

 

hogfanfs

I use a 5 foot folding table purchased from Sam's. It works good, for an inexpensive solution. But, I'm in the process of designing a modeling bench. This is the first of three benches I plan to design and build.

The top surface will be 3' x 8' and stand approxiamtely 42" from the floor. I'm still in the process of adding features, but, I think you'll get the idea.

 

 

 

 

as is you will have difficulty sitting with that setup. The counter top needs to extend out so you can sit closer.

 

PJ, that is correct, it is being designed to stand and work. I do have a couple bar stools that I will use, but, most of the time will be spent standing. I used to do consulting for CAD/PLM implementations. Much of my prep work was at home with a desk similar to this, which I liked very much. 

And from the angle of the picture you can't see the 6" of overlap of the top. This picture should show it better.

I may make the overlap a couple more inches, I'm still trying to get it figured out.

fox

Bruce, do you plan on standing the whole time you work at that bench?

I've seen a work area somewhere that the guy built "in a closet". Shelves on three sides for kits and tools. The workbench was a piece of plywood cut to fit the closet. When in use he just opens the door and pulls up a folding chair. It's great unless you don't have any "spare" closets.

Jim  

 

Jim,

To be honest, I generally spend about 10-15 minutes at a time working on a kit. And I found standing tends to keep my back from hurting as much. Plus I will have a couple bar stools, just in-case.

DRod

I was using a desk as a work bench for the past two years.  Now I need a desk since I wil be working from home.  I have a plastic table I bought at Lowes.  What do people use for work benches?  Have you bought it or made it to fit?

Looking for ideas as I have a corner to fill up.

Thanks for your ideas!!

 

I built my own based on typical garage style work benches. Rectangular top. Drawers. Pegboard across back for supplies\tools, etc. However, my most productive, memorable work was on a rickety old folding card table and a Roi-tan cigar box for supplies.

I use a cosco 6' folding table.  Lot's of space and cheap.

I went to the local office works , and got 2 cheapo desk's , and put them together .

Towards the end of last year into the begining of this year I finally got around to creating an office using the spare bedroom in my house.  I purchsed a U sahped desk from Office depo which at the time was on sale and scored a good deal, funny thing was the desk was alot bigger than i realized.  Its actually worked out quite well becasue a portion of the desk has my computer and dual monitors set up, while the other half has become my modeling area.  I like my setup becasue i can have music or videos (netflix, hulu,etc..) playing on my computer while im building or what have it.  all i need at this point are some paint shelves so I can organize things a bit better.

We went from a three bedroom condo to a two bedroom condo.  I was in one of the bedrooms as my own model room.  In the two bedroom condo, I ended up in the computer niches are.  I have a five foot table with a six foot table as my work bench.  All of my completed models are hanging on the wall behind me.  

Your friend, Toshi

I made my workbench.  I really like the results.  I used two of those plastic drawer units as the two uprights- the kind of drawer units from office supply and department stores, with translucent plastic case and drawers, and castors on bottom.  They are frequently on sale.  The top is made from a sandwich of top and bottom being 2 x 4 foot sheets of 1/2 inch MDF, and a core of 1 x 2 pine, a rectangle with two intermediate girders, to keep it from sagging over time.  I also made a rectangle of 1 x 2 for the back, screwed to top, to mount 1/8 inch hardboard pegboard for hanging tools.

I've made mine.  They've been large, sturdy, and simple.  It's not like I'm a carpenter, but I have a table saw and some paper to draw plans.  In both cases, I've landed nice workbench tops and designed the bench to support that.  I've also added storage shelves and pegboard where applicable.  I'll probably continue to add as long as I see deficencies, but I'm happy for the moment.  I just added overhead, LED shop lights, but they aren't pictured.  

IMG_1231 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_1232 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_1233 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_1234 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

I put one of the 4' LED shop lites on my 7x15 porch, and it really lights it up, can pick them up on sale for under $35.  Was going to make that my summertime work area, but plans have changed, for the better I think....

ridleusmc

I've made mine.  They've been large, sturdy, and simple.  It's not like I'm a carpenter, but I have a table saw and some paper to draw plans.  In both cases, I've landed nice workbench tops and designed the bench to support that.  I've also added storage shelves and pegboard where applicable.  I'll probably continue to add as long as I see deficencies, but I'm happy for the moment.  I just added overhead, LED shop lights, but they aren't pictured.  

IMG_1231 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_1232 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_1233 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_1234 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

 

thats a nice setup!

Thanks everyone for the ideas!!

Awesome to see all your pictures and ideas as I still consider what to do.  I will be on the road traveling the next two weeks.

Thanks!

David