It is almost impossible to work on wood without a workbench!  If you are like me the first bench you used was a couple of saw horses, a portable card table, banquet table or some other completely inadequate workbench and it wasn’t long before you decided you needed a good one.

As a decision is being made on the workbench a few must be considered:

Is it strong enough to handle the work?  Any bench must be able to support the weight of heavy work without wobbling.  The use of hand tools can create a lot of force on the table causing it to shake and wobble.  This will make it difficult to do quality work and it will also cause the bench to eventually fail.  So be sure that the all joints are secured with mortise an tenon joints that are at least 2 inches deep.  This is especially important for the stretcher joints to the legs.  You should also be sure that a 4X4 is used on all of  the legs.

Is it Heavy enough to stay put?   A bench that is moving around while you are working can be frustrating and dangerous so the top should be at least 2 1/2 inches think.  If the budget allows make it from solid wood like maple or beech.  If you need more weight you and store some tools underneath or if necessary, attach it to the floor.

Is the bench big enough work handle the work you plan to do on it?   and is high enough to work comfortably without straining your back.  Most benches are about 32 inches high but I wanted mine to be the same height as my cabinet saw so that I could use it support long boards as the are being cut.  This proved to be very handy for saving floor space in my small garage.  I’ll discuss this in a later post about shop plans.

The workbench you see above is one I decided to make

The detailed plans and instructions to make it were published in annual issue of Fine Wood Woodworking winter 2003/2004  Building the essential workbench.    I began making it as soon as I received the magazine.  I still use this bench and it is as solid as it was when I made it 10 years ago.

Woodsmith  published a bench that is almost identical in November, 2007 and they make everything very easy starting with instruction to assemble the top, the stretchers,  the aprons and the  legs.  They also supplied shop notes with details for details.  Plus there was  additional articles on finishing the workbench and another for cutting the mortises and tenons.   Traditional Workbench Plans

More Ideas:

YouTube also has dozens of videos that describe the bench construction.  Here are a few of my favorite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQhHV3cdnH0

If you want a simpler  less expensive one’ here is a nice one.

Notice that this uses a standard tool cart like this one.  I found this one on the Home Depot website for $99.00.