Garage – Workbenches

Warning – another long thread about workbenches in the garage.

2 things first:

1) Factory Five started assembling the chassis today, scheduled completion is the 22nd of June. Stewart Transportation is scheduled to pick it up the week of the 24th, specific day not set yet. Once they do then I will have the delivery date. Expecting it the first week of July, what a nice July 4th this could be, if it’s too much after the 4th it will get close to the 10th and Caroline will start thinking it’s her birthday gift.

2) Someone, he knows who he is, mentioned looking at my site and expecting to see a car.  But all they could tell was that I knew how to clean a garage. Well now with this post you at least know I can work wood. 😉

With the floor down it’s time to move onto the work benches. This one took me a bit of time to work out. I went through quite a few design ideas before I came up with this design. As I was working on ideas I came across the Garage Journal website. This is a great place for ideas, information and a way to spend a whole bunch of time, if you’re so inclined.  It was at Garage Journal that I first saw the idea of integrating tool cabinets into the design of the workbench. Seemed so obvious once I saw it. I really liked this idea as it results in a nice clean look and provides much more storage space then just a few basic shelves. It also seems like it will help keep things organized with all the drawers. Of course after looking at some of the designs in the forums and doing some quick research I also realized I could spend a small fortune just on the cabinets themselves.

Luckily, the current timing with Father’s Day coming up has created some upcoming sales  at Lowes and Home Depot and I found just what I was looking for in some Home Depot Husky 52″ and 27″ cabinets.

Great Discovery – Once I decided I needed 2 of those 52″ cabinets and 2 27″ cabinets and all the associated lumber, Destinee and I headed off to Home Depot. It was going to be a lot of work to get all the lumber and cabinets picked and loaded. I had intended to rent the Home Depot truck that they usually have to rent since we no longer have our own pick-up truck. That’s when Destinee noticed the Pro Delivery service. For $20 Home Depot will pick, pull, load, deliver and unload on the same day. I stopped at the Pro Desk and they didn’t have anything scheduled so I told them what I needed, payed the bill and they took care of it. Best $20 I’ve ever spent. We went home and 2 hours later they showed up with all our stuff. Only recommendation I would make would be to pick your lumber yourself. I told them I wasn’t building a boat but I still ended up with a couple of 2x4s that would go around a corner.

About the only thing I changed during the design was the actual workbench top. I went back and forth on what I was going to use for the top, ranging from everything from just plywood to stainless steel. I know it’s getting a little bit obsessive (ok a lot) but with how the rest of the garage looks I can’t just have a plain wood workbench. I ended up using a masonite type 1/8″ hardboard for the top with the OSB sheets as the base. The hardboard is just laying flat on the OSB with an 1×3 edging and 1×4 backboard that traps it. But it’s not glued for fastened. That way when it gets torn up or worn out I can just replace the hardboard. I painted all the trim pieces the same grey as the side walls in the garage and then used a speckle paint for the end panels. It makes it look like it matches the floor.

With that out of the way, the next project is the body buck. And then I just wait for the delivery truck to show up with the car.

Anyways, so here are some before, mid-stage and completion pictures.

DCIM100GOPRO

A blank canvas and lots of material.

DCIM100GOPRO

Mid stage progress. Small cabinets fitted.

Bench3

The frame and top completed with cabinets test fitted.

The completed bench with cabinets.

The completed bench with cabinets.

 

 

 

15 Comments

  1. Mark Stalica
    Jun 13, 2013

    Great summary to date. Garage looks even better now that bench and shelves are in place.
    I did notice your sound system as well. Very cool and over exceeded spec here as well! Your Liberace CD’s will sound awesome!
    Cheers,
    mark…..

    • admin
      Jun 13, 2013

      Actually I’m not officially done. I still have to mount the TV and the screen for a Mac. So it won’t be Liberace on CD but rather Liberace Live In Concert Blu-Rays but only on Sunday. As Matt pointed out it’s Enya the rest of the week.

  2. Matt
    Jun 13, 2013

    Liberace? I thought it was Enya.

    Randy, looks awesome pal! glad you got this site up to keep us posted.

  3. Joe Demmons
    Jun 13, 2013

    Do you have any issues getting to the top drawers with the overhang from the bench?

    • admin
      Jun 13, 2013

      Nope. That’s something I worried about so I made sure during the test fits that I could get into those drawers without issue.

  4. gerard.keane@kpmcservices.com
    Jun 13, 2013

    Very nice! An organized man is a thinking man. j

  5. Mike Kelly
    Jun 13, 2013

    Can you come over to my garage and help me do mine, cause your’s is awesome! Hope you enjoy a very happy 4th of July with an early delivery of the chassis.

    Best,
    Mike

  6. Jon Dill
    Jun 13, 2013

    So I get the tool space, workbench, etc, but where is the storage for the blankie that you will use to tuck the cobra in at night? Or does it just curl up in a basket?

    Suggection: Nitelight

    • admin
      Jun 13, 2013

      Caroline is knitting a pair of PJs for it.

  7. Jack
    Jun 13, 2013

    Looks great, Randy! I’m looking fwd to more updates!

  8. Terry and Agnes
    Jun 16, 2013

    Looks Great, Son-in-law. You are gifted just like your Dad was in carpentry, can’t wait to see the Cobra in action. Wishing you a Happy Fathers Day, you have raised an amazing daughter and Grand daughter.

  9. John
    Jun 17, 2013

    This looks pretty snazzy – I expect to see an engine hoist on a ceiling track (read I-beam) in the near future. Of course after seeing these chests of drawers, I will expect that hoist to be powered and remotely operable.

  10. Terry
    Jul 5, 2013

    Lets see some pics of your wooden body buck. Have you ordered your coyote from roush? Hope your 4th was fun.
    This is Terry from the build class.

    • admin
      Jul 6, 2013

      Hey great to hear from you. I’ll get a pic of the body buck up shortly. The car is actually supposed to arrive tomorrow so getting ready for that. I’ve been so busy I haven’t ordered the coyote yet but I’ve got the quotes just need to make some adjustments and get it ordered. How’s it going on your end?

      • Terry
        Jul 6, 2013

        MkIV complete kit on order. The completion date is the 20th and arrival date is a week or so after(as you know). I decided on the coyote, TKO600. I finally finished building my shop so space won’t be a problem. I’m looking forward to the build…as I see you are too.

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