How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

how to Make

Workbenches &

Shop Storage Solutions 28 Projects to Make Your Workshop More Efficient from the Experts at American Woodworker

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how to Make

Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

how to Make

Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions 28 Projects to Make Your Workshop More Efficient from the Experts at American Woodworker

Introductions by Randy Johnson Editor, American Woodworker Magazine

Published by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 1970 Broad St., East Petersburg, PA 17520, 717-560-4703, www.FoxChapelPublishing.com © 2011 American Woodworker. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission. Readers may create any project for personal use or sale, and may copy patterns to assist them in making projects, but may not hire others to massproduce a project without written permission from American Woodworker. The information in this book is presented in good faith; however, no warranty is given nor are results guaranteed.

American Woodworker Magazine, Fox Chapel Publishing and Woodworking Media, LLC disclaim any and all liability for untoward results.

American Woodworker, ISSN 1074-9152, USPS 738-710, is published bimonthly by Woodworking Media, LLC, 90 Sherman St., Cambridge, MA 02140, www.AmericanWoodworker.com.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011006445 ISBN-13: 978-1-56523-595-3 ISBN-10: 1-56523-595-9 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data How to make workbenches and shop storage solutions. p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-56523-595-3 ISBN-10: 1-56523-595-9 1. Workbenches. 2. Storage in the home. I. American woodworker.

TT197.5.W6H69 2011 684’.08--dc22 2011006445 To learn more about the other great books from Fox Chapel Publishing, or to find a retailer near you, call toll-free 800-457-9112 or visit us at www.FoxChapelPublishing.com.

Printed in China First printing: September 2011 Because working with wood and other materials inherently includes the risk of injury and damage, this book cannot guarantee that creating the projects in this book is safe for everyone. For this reason, this book is sold without warranties or guarantees of any kind, expressed or implied, and the publisher and the author disclaim any liability for any injuries, losses, or damages caused in any way by the content of this book or the reader’s use of the tools needed to complete the projects presented here. The publisher and the author urge all readers to thoroughly review each project and to understand the use of all tools before beginning any project.

Contents

What You Can Make _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 6 Workbench Projects _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 8

Dream Workbench _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The Best $250 Workbench _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Adjustable Workbench _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Master Cabinetmaker’s Bench _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ How to Buy and Tune Vises _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

10 22 34 42 54

Assembly Tables _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 60

Building an Assembly Table_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Adjustable Height Assembly Table _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Heavy-Duty Folding Shop Table _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Folding Work Table _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Hardworking Horse and Cart_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Double-Duty Shop Stool_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

62 68 76 84 90 96

Tool Storage _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 104

Dovetailed Tool Box _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Hold-Everything Tool Rack _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Small Tools Cabinet _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Tool Cabinet_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Hyperorganize Your Shop _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Designs for the Hyper-Organized Shop _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Flip-Top Tool Chest_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Small Shop Solutions_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Tips for Tool Storage_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

106 114 120 126 140 146 156 158 168

Materials Storage_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 174

Big Capacity Storage Cabinet _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Modular Shop Cabinets_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 6 Storage Solutions You Can Build Into Any Cabinet _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Flammables Cabinet _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Simple, All-Purpose Shop Cabinets _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Torsion Box: The Ultimate Workbench

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

176 184 198 202 206 218

Torsion-Box Workbench & Expandable Assembly Table_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 220 How to Build a Torsion Box _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 236 Torsion Beams_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 248

Index _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 252

What You Can Make These projects are notable for their ability to

MOVE Dream Workbench, page 10 Heavy-Duty Folding Shop Table, page 76 Folding Work Table, page 84

HANG Hold-Everything Tool Rack, page 114 Hyperorganize Your Shop, page 140 Designs for the Hyper-Organized Shop, page 146 Tips for Tool Storage, page 168

STAY FIRM Dream Workbench, page 10 The Best $250 Workbench, page 22 Master Cabinetmaker’s Bench, page 42 How to Buy and Tune Vises, page 54 Heavy-Duty Folding Shop Table, page 76 Torsion Beams, 248

6 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

HOLD Dovetailed Tool Box, page 106 Small Tools Cabinet, page 120 Tool Cabinet, page 126 Big Capacity Storage Cabinet, page 176 Modular Shop Cabinets, page 184 6 Storage Solutions You Can Build Into Any Cabinet, page 198 Flammables Cabinet, page 202 Simple, All-Purpose Shop Cabinets, page 206

ADJUST Adjustable Workbench, page 34 Building an Assembly Table, page 62 Adjustable Height Assembly Table, page 68 Hardworking Horse and Cart, page 90 Double-Duty Shop Stool, page 96 Flip-Top Tool Chest, page 156 Torsion-Box Workbench & Expandable Assembly Table, page 220 How to Build a Torsion Box, page 236

How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions | 7

Workbench

Projects A

work surface that’s lightweight, wobbly or lacks a proper woodworking vise is frustrating to use. On the other hand,

a solid workbench provides the same benefits as a well-sharpened cutting tool: It promotes good results, and is a pleasure to use. If you’re looking to upgrade or add another bench to your shop, keep reading.

The workbenches in the following chapter are designed especially for woodworking. They’re all stout, stable, strong and equipped with vises that making clamping easy and efficient. Even with a modest budget, you can build our sturdy and useful $250 workbench. If you want the fine furniture appearance of a traditional European-style workbench, consider the master cabinetmaker’s workbench. Its design, the result of years of refinement, will meet the needs of even the most demanding woodworkers. If you want a bench that also doubles as a storage cabinet, consider the benefits of our dream workbench; with lots of space for tools, it’s mobile and yet rock solid. Do you need a high or a low work surface? You can have it both ways with our adjustable workbench. Its special hardware allows you to make the top and the base almost any size you need.

b y D a v e M u n k i t t ri c k

Dream Workbench A modern bench that features storage, stability and mobility

T

thick top, a sturdy base, bench dogs and a pair of vises. Then we added tons of storage, an extra-wide top, and modern, cast-iron vises. Last but not least, we devised a simple method to make the bench mobile and still provide a rocksolid work platform.

art direction: vern johnson • photography: Mike habermann • illustration: frank rohrbach

ired of working on a sheet of plywood thrown over a pair of sawhorses? Had it with rolling benches that wiggle and wobble? Hate running around your shop whenever you need a tool? Boy, do we have the bench for you.

Our dream bench starts with traditional workbench features like a

10 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

D ream W or k be n ch

Benefits

Tons of Easy-Access Storage

Extra-Wide, Heavy-Duty Top

Full extension drawers and shelves keep your equipment organized and right at hand. There’s room for hand tools, power tools and all of their accessories. Plus no bending down and fishing through dark cabinet interiors for the tool you need.

This solid maple top can take a real beating. Plus it’s wide enough to double as an assembly table. If you only have room for one bench in your shop, this is it.

Bench Dog

Pry Bar

Cast-Iron Vise Support Block

You Name It, This Bench Can Clamp It Down

It’s Rock-Solid But Mobile

A traditional bench dog system secures your work for machining and sanding. The modern cast-iron vises are strong yet easier to install than traditional vises.

The generous overhanging top allows you to clamp anything from round tabletops to benchtop machines anywhere along the edge.

Under the base cabinet are six heavy-duty casters that make the bench easy to move. When you’re ready to use it, lift the edge of the bench with a pry bar and slip four 5/8-in.-thick, L-shaped support blocks underneath. This gives you a rock-solid feel and unlike locking casters, there’s no wobble or slippage.

How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions | 11

Height Range: 22"-35"

Pull Up to Raise the Top

Simple Hardware Locks the Legs

Dovetails Join the Legs

Step On the Cord to Lower the Top

68 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

b y Tom C a sp a r

Heavy-Duty Folding Shop Table it’s built like a rock and knocks down in a moment eed more bench space? Who doesn’t? Here’s a terrific solution: a folding worktable that’s both big and strong. And we mean strong.

You can set it up in only a minute and be ready for routing, sanding, planing— you name it. When you’re done, fold up the table into a super-compact unit only five inches thick and stow it away. Here today, tucked away tomorrow.

Strong = Heavy This table weighs in at about 70 lbs., a bit more than the full sheet of plywood it’s made from. A lighter table made of smaller plywood parts would be more portable, but not stiff enough to use as a real workbench (Photo 1). For heavyduty use, extra weight is actually a plus.

This table stays put!

The keys to this table’s strength are its wide rails, rigid continuous hinges and hardwood legs. The oversize rails and long hinges prevent the table from racking. The solid-wood legs prevent the plywood end panels from bending or shaking.

76 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

1

This worktable is built for strength. It won’t wobble, sag or walk across the floor. Weighing 70 pounds or so, it’s not going anywhere until you stow it away.

ART DIRECTION: Vern johnson • PHOTOGRAPHY: Bill Zuehlke, unless otherwise indicated • ILLUSTRATION: frank rohrbach

N

Tools and Materials This is a low-cost, easily built plywood project.Total cost is about $75, half for the wood and half for the hardware.

You can build it in a day, no sweat, using little more than a tablesaw, jigsaw, hacksaw and a drill. All you have to do is cut a few plywood pieces to size, rip and cut some narrow 3/4-in.-hardwood boards to length and accurately drive in a whole mess of hinge screws. To make setting the hinges a lot easier, we recommend using a self-centering bit.

Build your table from one sheet of an inexpensive grade of birch plywood (about $40). Fir plywood and MDF are

even less expensive, but both are inferior substitutes. Fir plywood is usually quite twisted and MDF is way too heavy.

You’ll need some 3/4-in. solid wood for mounting the hinges. Plywood won’t do, because the hinge screws run into the edge of these boards. This would place the screws between the plies and chances are they wouldn’t hold. Pine isn’t a great choice, either, because it’s too soft to hold small screws well. Go with a hardwood that’s milled flat so you can glue its faces together. Birch or red oak are good choices.

Pick up most of the hardware at a hardware store or home center (see the Shopping List). It’ll add up to about $35. A good chunk of that is for the continuous hinges, but they’re worth it.

Standard butt hinges allow too much play and the table would wobble.

The only hard-to-find items are the large knobs on the rails. We used T-style

H eavy - D uty F oldi n g S hop T able

Go ahead and shove this table around the shop. The hardwood legs can take the punishment. Folded up, it stands on a durable hardwood rail, so you can slide the table across the floor into a small cubbyhole (Photo 2).

How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions | 77

b y D a v id R a d t k e

Folding Work Table T h i s w o r k t a b l e f i t s i n t i g h t s pa c e s , e xpa n d s t o a h u g e s u r f a c e

ART DIRECTION: JOEL SPIES • PHOTOGRAPHY: BILL ZUEHLKE AND RAMON MORENO • ILLUSTRATION: CRAIG ENSLIN

H

ere’s a work space that’s huge and accessible from all sides, yet folds up and stows away easily. If you don’t have room for a full-size, permanent table for glue-up, assembly and finishing, this worktable is the ticket. It opens to a solid 4-ft. x 7-ft. surface with both side tables up, yet closes and rolls into a small 4-ft. x 18-in. space on 3-in. lockable casters. It’s made from two sheets of 3/4-in. plywood and costs about $120, including hardware.

It’s a perfect work space for the garage or basement and can be used for everything from assembling projects to laying out a baby quilt.

Assemble with Glue and Nails I used 3/4-in. birch plywood from a home center, but any flat plywood sheet will do. Avoid construction-grade plywood because it often has bows or warps that make precise fitting impossible.

Once you cut all the plywood pieces, rip the 1/4-in.-wide edge banding from 3/4-in.-thick boards and set them aside.

In folded form, it’s a mere 19 1/2-in. deep and 48 1/2-in. long.

How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions | 85

F oldi n g W or k T able

1

2

C

TOP

B A3

A4

C

BOTTOM

A2

A1 B

Glue and nail the anti-rack shelf supports (A1, A3) to the shelves first, then nail these assemblies to the sides (B). Next, align, glue and nail the top and bottom pieces to the sides.

Attach casters while the table is upside down. Align the caster bases with the outer edges of the bottom.

Use 1 1/4-in.-long lag screws (drill a 3/16-in. pilot hole) on the outer edge and 1 1/4 in. carriage bolts (drill a 1/4-in. pilot hole) with nuts and washers for the inner fasteners.

The thin hardwood edging is a necessary component of the table; without it, the hinge screws won’t hold and the plywood could easily delaminate along the edges.

Assemble the upper and lower shelves as shown in Fig. A and Photo 1 with carpenter’s glue and 6d finish nails. The large shelf supports (A1 and A3) on the bottom and top of the shelves keep the table from racking out of square. Glue and nail the sides to the shelf ends, then let the assembly sit for an hour to allow the glue to dry before attaching the casters, as shown in Photo 2.

tables. Start a few brads into each piece of wood edging, put glue on the plywood and tack each piece into position (Photo 3).

Overlap the short pieces and run them a bit long. After you glue and tack them in place, trim them to length with a handsaw. Nail all the edging every 6 in. with brads. When the glue is dry, sand the sharp corners of the edging.

Attaching the Hardwood Edging Cut to length the edging for the long sides of the top and bottom and the flip-up side 86 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

The Piano Hinges Like ’em or not, all those piano hinge screws give continuous support along the joint for a sturdy worktop. Be sure to align one hinge blade with the top (C) and the other with the top of panel D. It’s simple to align the top and side panels if you tip the assembly on its side, as shown in Photo 5. Use a hinge center punch like the one

114 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

126 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

b y G eorge Vo n dris k a a n d D a v e M u n k i t t ri c k

Tool Cabinet Tons of flexible storage for today’s woodworking tools

art direction: vern johnson • photography: mike habermann • illustration: frank rohrbach

O

ld tool chests made by the masters utilized every square inch of space with custom-fit nooks and crannies for all of their hand tools. Today’s woodworker needs a different kind of storage space, geared toward power tools.

Our tool chest is just the ticket. It offers a massive amount of storage space that can be customized to adapt to your everchanging arsenal of power tools.

The drawers are inexpensive and easy to make. We built them without mechanical slides and saved about $140.

Even without the slides, the drawers extend just shy of full length and glide like a dream.

We’ll also introduce you to a timesaving technique for edge-banding casework. This technique eliminates the hassle of cutting and fitting edge banding one piece at a time, plus the nuisance of trying to sand the edge banding flush with the plywood carcase.

How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions | 127

T ool C abi n et

Tools and Materials All you need to build this cabinet is a tablesaw, a stacking dado set and a drill.

The entire project will cost less than $350.

The cabinet and drawer boxes are made from 3/4-in.-birch plywood. Drawer bottoms and cabinet backs are 1/2-in.-birch plywood.

Edge banding, drawer fronts and drawer runners are made from solid birch. Note: You can save $30 to $40 if you build the drawer fronts out of plywood. Also, this project is a perfect opportunity to use less-expensive No. 1 common birch. The small pieces make it easy to cut around any defects.

Build the Cabinets 1. Rough-cut the plywood down to manageable sizes using a circular or jig saw.

2. Cut the cabinet parts (A, B, C and D) to finished size on the tablesaw. Label the top, bottom and back of the lower cabinet sides (A).

3. Cut two drawer-side blanks 23 1/4-in. long x 24-in. wide. Even though you don’t need drawer parts right now, this allows you to rabbet the drawers and the cabinet sides together. The individual drawer sides are ripped from the blanks later.

4. Mount a dado blade in your tablesaw.

Adjust the width of the dado set with shims to match the thickness of the plywood.

Make test cuts and shoot for a snug fit that requires moderate hand pressure to seat the shelf in the dado.

128 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

1

Future Drawer Sides Auxiliary Fence Drawer Side Blank

Rabbet the ends of both drawer blanks. It’s easier and more accurate to rabbet seven drawer sides at a time and then rip the blanks to final size. Go ahead and rabbet the case sides while you’re at it.

2

Lower Cabinet Side

Dado the case sides for the drawer runners and the bottom shelf.

Label the top and bottom to make sure you get the dadoes located correctly (see Fig. A).

Hardwood Edge Banding Caul

Use clamps and a caul to add hardwood edge banding to the plywood after the dadoes and rabbets are cut. Don’t forget to edge-band the bottom of the lower cabinet sides. They act like skids and protect the fragile plywood ends.

4

Drawer Runner

Mark BottomShelf Dado

Glue the drawer runners into the carcase sides. Mark the dado for the bottom shelf so you don’t accidentally glue a runner in the wrong place.

5

the drawer sides (Photo 1). Then cut the dadoes in the lower cabinet sides (Photo 2).

Use the dado layout diagram (Fig. A) as a road map. Note: You may have to adjust the dado width to fit the hardwood runners.

6. Cut 1/2-in. x 1/2-in. rabbets for the backs (S and T) on the lower and upper cabinets.

7. Glue hardwood edge banding (Photo 3) onto the leading edge of the case parts. After the glue is dry, sand the edge banding flush with the plywood. If you’ve ever had to sand edge banding flush to a cabinet, you’ll appreciate how much easier it is to do the job on the individual parts before assembly.

8. Cut and fit the drawer runners (CC) and glue them in place (Photos 4 and 5).

9. Notch the hardwood edge banding on the fixed shelves (B and E) (Photo 6) and the upper cabinet divider (D). This is the secret to assembling the cabinet with the hardwood edge banding already attached.

The edge banding must be cut back to exactly match the depth of the dado or rabbet. That’s why we made the first cut on the tablesaw. Finish the notch with a handsaw (Photo 7).

T ool C abi n et

5. Cut the rabbets for the cabinet tops and

3

Assemble the Upper and Lower Cases 10. First, sand all of the upper cabinet S cr a

p Pl

y

Drawer Runner

Add weights to the two sides set face to face to ensure the runners are seated completely in the dadoes. Use some scrap plywood to protect the case side from your weights.

interior surfaces to 180 grit. Then assemble the upper and lower cases (Photo 9).

11. Cut and dry fit the backs for the upper and lower cabinets.

How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions | 129

Flip-Top Tool Chest D

ust-free, convenient tool storage is always a problem in a woodworking shop—especially a small one. This storage box for hand planes can be kept under a workbench where normal hinged lids wouldn’t work.

To open the chest, the main lid lifts up at the front and slides back in a set of dados. Both parts of the lid can slide out the back and be removed.

To protect the soles and irons of the planes, the chest can be lined with laminated vinyl sheeting. This material

is used on drafting tables, is resilient to cuts and has self-healing properties.

It is available at drafting supply stores or Engineering Repro Systems at www.ersdigital.com. Small wooden dividers keep planes from banging into one another.

The plans and concepts for this shop solution were submitted by William White of Williston, Vermont.

156 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

editor • rick christopherson; Art Direction • barbARA pederson; illustration • Frank rohrbach

T h e d i s app e a r i n g l i d g i v e s y o u e a s y a c c e s s

Continuous Hinge

Divider Strips

F lip - T op T ool C hest

Lid Stop Laminated Vinyl Drafting Sheet

Rear Lid Stop (Lift To Remove Lids) Lid Stiffeners to Prevent Sagging and Hinge Binding

Forward Stop

Forward Stop Bracket

Lid Stop

Rear Lid Stop Dado

Rear Lid Stop

Back Lid Dado Back Lid

Main Lid

Divider Strips

Continuous Hinge

Main Lid Dado

Lid Stop Laminated Vinyl Drafting Sheet

Rear Lid Stop (Lift To Remove Lids) Forward Stop

Forward

Lid Stiffeners to Prevent Sagging and Hinge Binding

Stop Bracket How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions | 157

158 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

Small Shop Solutions G r e a t i d e a s f r o m s pa c e - c h a l l e n g e d w o o d w o r k e r s j u s t l i k e y o u

EDITOR: TIM JOHNSON • ART DIRECTION: david farr • PHOTOGRAPHY: BILL ZUEHLKE • ILLUSTRATIONS: BRUCE KIEFFER

Sliding Wall-O-Tools I built this 8-ft.-long shelf system to take advantage of the narrow space in the corner of my garage. When the unit is “closed,” I’ve got ready access to the tools hanging on both doors. By sliding one or both doors, I can get to every inch of shelf space behind them. I got everything I needed to build this unit at the home center for about $175.

The key was to mount the pegboard doors at least 5 in. apart, so I could load the back door with tools and still have it pass behind the front door. I bought two sliding-door hardware kits so each door could slide on its own track. Each kit contains a single length of track designed to hold both doors, two pairs of door hangers and a tracking guide designed to keep both doors in line at the floor.

Slotted Angle

The doors hang from widely spaced tracks mounted on a 2x10 header. Lengths of slotted angle hold the header securely in place.

Hanger

The doors glide smoothly on roller-equipped hangers. Each track has two grooves, so you can easily change the spacing between the doors and shelves, if necessary.

How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions | 159

S mall S hop S olutio n s

Each door has its own tracking guide. My system uses two sliding-door hardware kits. Each kit contains one guide designed for two doors. I customized them with a hacksaw.

How I Built It I installed the shelves first, leaving enough room underneath to store my lawn mower and other garage essentials. All three shelves came from a single sheet of plywood.

The upper shelves are 11 in. wide and the bottom one is 20 in. I used 11-in. doublemount brackets for the upper shelves and 14-in. double-mount brackets with support arms for the wide bottom shelf.

I mounted the sliding-door tracks on a 2x10 header that I anchored directly above the wide shelf with lengths of slotted angle extending from both the ceiling and wall.

To make the sliding doors, I cut a single sheet of pegboard in half and framed both pieces with 1x2 stock (each door has four vertical stiles for rigidity). I suspended each door from four hangers and fastened the tracking guides, one per door, on the wide plywood shelf. After installing the doors, I blocked the open end of the tracks with a stop.

Sue Brunclik

160 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

Clamp Camp I’ve got a lot of clamps, but they don’t take up much space. I simply drilled 5/8-in.-dia. holes through ¾-in. plywood at a slight upward angle and glued in 9-in.long 5/8-in.-dia. dowels. Each pair of dowels holds six clamps, so I can hang 18 adjustable clamps and four spring clamps in only 2 sq. ft. of wall space.

Tim Johnson

Build It

E C

1 5/8" Drywall Screws (Typ.)

K

1/2" #8 R.H. Screws (Typ.)

2" Swivel Casters (2 1/2" Overall Height)

A 2 1/2" Drywall Screw

J

1/4" x 4" Cement Anchor Screws B

G 1 1/4" Dia. Hole (Typ.)

F H

Cutting List Part A B C D E F G H J K

Overall Dimensions: 24"-dia. x 59 1/2" H Qty. Name Dimensions 1 Carousel Bottom 3/4" x 23 3/4"-dia.

1 Base 3/4" x 23 3/4"-dia.

18 Shelf 3/4" x 11 1/2" x 11 1/2" * 2 Narrow Upright 3/4" x 11 1/2" x 54" 1 Wide Upright 3/4" x 23 3/4" x 54" 6 Feet 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" x 4" 1 Hardwood Dowel 1 1/4"-dia. x 5" 1 Center Foot 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" x 4" 1 Mounting Block ** 2 1/8" x 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" 22 Hardboard Shelf Edge 1/8" x 1 1/2" x 21" ***

* shape outer edge to match round base ** glued-up plywood *** cut to fit after installation

1. Cut and smooth the round carousel bottom (A) and base (B).

2. Drill 1 1/4-in.-dia. holes through the centers of both pieces.

3. Cut out the shelves (C). Use the round carousel bottom as a template for the curved edges.

4. Mark the locations of the shelves on the two narrow uprights (D) and fasten them.

Space the shelves to suit your needs, but be sure to stagger them, so they’re easy to fasten (photo at far left).

5. Attach the two shelf/upright assemblies to the wide upright (E). Note: These assemblies must not be mirror images!

6. Fasten the carousel bottom to the completed shelf assembly.

7. Fasten the casters to the base (photo at lower left).

8. Attach the six feet (F). If your bin is going on an unfinished cement floor, use pressure-treated 2x4 stock for the feet.

9. Attach the center foot (H) to the base and glue in the dowel (G).

10. Position the base and level it with shims.

11. Anchor the base to the floor.

12. Drill a 1 1/4-in. hole in the glued-up mounting block (J) and fasten it to the carousel bottom.

13. Mount the carousel on the base.

14. Glue and screw the shelf edges (K).

Cut them to length after installation.

S mall S hop S olutio n s

D

How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions | 167

b y Tom C a sp a r

Tıps for Tool Storage Organize your shop with these weekend projects

Clamp Warehouse

168 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

Brace

Cut This Dado First

Bevel Hanger Rail

Then Lay Out These Two Dadoes

Art Direction: DAVID FARR • Photography: BILL ZUEHLKE Illustration: RON CHAMBERLAIN/MELANIE POWELL

Hang your long, heavy clamps on this rack designed for strength. The braces are notched into the bracket arms in a simple version of a timber-frame joint.

Mill 2x4 dimensional lumber straight and square to make these brackets. The braces form a 45-degree triangle with the two arms. Miter the ends of the braces first. Then cut shallow dadoes into the horizontal arms.

Assemble one pair of arms on a workbench. Make sure they’re square.

Lay a brace on top of the arms and mark the positions and depth of the dadoes.

Assemble with glue and screws.

Cut a 30-degree bevel on the top rail and hanger rail. Space the brackets 15⁄8in. apart. Drill holes in the hanger rail for large lag screws and space them to hit studs. Mount and level the hanger rail first, then place the clamp rack on it. If you fasten a vertical arm to the wall, the rack will be locked in place so it won’t lift off the hanger rail.

T 覺ps for T ool S torage

6" Rule

Square Corner Store delicate squares in a safe, convenient place.

These brackets have sloped tops so the squares stay put if the rack is jiggled. Make the back at least 1 in. thick. Your tools are easier to grab if they sit well away from the wall.

Bevel Top

How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions | 173

1. Sandpaper Roll Storage

4. Swing-Out Bit Rack

2. Eye-Level Bit Storage

5. Sandpaper Storage

3. Easy-Adjust Drawer Dividers

6. Hardware Bins

198 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

b y B r u c e Kieffer

6 Storage Solutions You Can Build Into Any Cabinet Use these ideas to upgrade your existing storage

Editor: Dave Munkittrick • Art Direction: Vern Johnson • Photography: Bill zuehlke

Sandpaper Roll Storage I use pressure-sensitive-adhesive (PSA) sanding discs. For easy access, I like to get them out of their packages and lined up by grit. I hang my rolls of sanding discs on horizontally supported dowels so I can quickly grab the right grit without looking at the back side of a disc.

Hardwood Dowel

Solid Wood Supports

Plywood Panel

How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions | 199

6 S torage S olutio n s Y ou C a n B uild I n to A n y C abi n et

Eye-Level Bit Storage Lots of folks store router bits in wood blocks. I turned mine into pull-out blocks mounted at the bottom of my upper cabinets. The shelves pull out and hang at eye level while you find the bit you need.

Each pull-out block slides on a pan head screw captured in a routed keyhole slot on the bottom of the block (see inset). If you want to remove the block and take your bits to where you’re working, just lift the block off the screw and go.

Rout the stopped keyhole slot in the center of each block. Drill a 1-in.-dia. x 1/2-in.-deep finger hole in the front of each pull-out block. On this cabinet, I use filler blocks to maintain clearance for the door hinges.

Filler Blocks

Keyhole Slot

Pan Head Screw

Easy-Adjust Drawer Dividers Foam Insert

Divider

Foam Insert

200 | How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions

I’ve tried lots of different drawer dividers over the years, but none comes close to this system. Its beauty lies in its flexibility.

As my storage needs change, so can my dividers—in an instant! These dividers are friction-fit against strips of 1/4-in.-thick closed-cell foam.

To make the foam inserts, cut pieces of 1/4-in.-thick fiberboard to fit across your drawer. Use spray adhesive to adhere 1/4-in.thick closed-cell foam to the fiberboard.

Then set the dividers into your drawer, measuring the distance you need between them. The best way to fit the dividers is to start long and slowly trim their lengths until they fit snugly.

More great books from American Woodworker and Fox Chapel Publishing Tool Smarts: Routers and Router Tables

How to Choose and Use the Most Versatile Power Tool in the Workshop Edited by Randy Johnson Everything you wanted to know about choosing a router, making a router table, using a router to shape wood, making joints using a router.

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Great Book of Wooden Toys

More Than 50 Easy-to-Build Projects

By Norm Marshall and Bill Jones More than 50 easy-to-follow projects for building classic wooden toys, including a Model T car, bulldozer, steam engine, biplane, and many more.

ISBN: 978-1-56523-431-4 $19.95 • 232 Pages

Tool Smarts: Workshop Dust Control

American Country Furniture

Get wood dust under control with tips for finding the right shop vacuum, dust collector, and air scrubber. Includes practical solutions for making tools work cleaner.

Build 50 David T. Smith’s most popular furniture reproductions. Includes step-by-step instructions, and common woodworking techniques.

Install a Safe, Clean System for your Home Woodshop Edited by Randy Johnson

ISBN: 978-1-56523-461-1 $19.95 • 136 Pages

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An essential guide for every woodworker on how to purchase wood wisely for a home workshop. This skillexpanding, money-saving book includes expert advice, detailed drawings, and step-by-step photographs.

ISBN: 978-1-56523-460-4 $19.95 • 208 Pages

Projects from the Workshops of David T. Smith

By Nick Engler and Mary Jane Favorite

ISBN: 978-1-56523-432-1 $24.95 • 336 pages

Illustrated Cabinetmaking How to Design and Construct Furniture That Works

By Bill Hylton

The most complete visual guide to furniture construction ever published! Includes hundreds of drawings and exploded diagrams that explain and answer everything there is to know about joints, subassemblies, and furniture construction.

ISBN: 978-1-56523-369-0 $24.95 • 384 pages

Woodworking with the Router

Understanding Wood Finishing

Woodworker’s Guide to Handplanes

The undisputed champion of router books. Clear, comprehensive and packed with expert tips and techniques.

Now it's easier than ever for woodworkers to get a perfect finish on every project, and learn how and why every finish behaves the way it does with the most practical and comprehensive book on finishing.

A technically rich analysis and evaluation of every handplane style in the world and how to maintain them for optimum performance.

Professional Router Techniques and Jigs Any Woodworker Can Use

By Bill Hylton

ISBN: 978-1-56523-438-3 $24.95 • 384 Pages

How to Select and Apply the Right Finish

By Bob Flexner

ISBN: 978-1-56523-566-3 $24.95 • 308 Pages

How to Choose, Set Up, and Master the Most Useful Planes for Today’s Workshop

By Scott Wynn

ISBN: 978-1-56523-453-6 $35.00 • 328 Pages

Back to Basics

Straight Talk for Today’s Woodworker Woodworker’s Guide to Turning

Woodworking Machines

Fundamentals of Sharpening

Woodworker’s Guide to Wood

Woodworker’s Guide to Carving

Constructing Kitchen Cabinets

ISBN: 978-1-56523-497-0 $19.95 • 160 Pages

ISBN: 978-1-56523-466-6 $19.95 • 144 Pages

Setting Up Your Workshop

Woodworker’s Guide to Joinery

ISBN: 978-1-56523-498-7 $19.95 • 144 Pages

ISBN: 978-1-56523-496-3 $19.95 • 120 Pages

ISBN: 978-1-56523-463-5 $19.95 • 152 Pages

ISBN: 978-1-56523-465-9 $19.95 • 192 Pages

ISBN: 978-1-56523-464-2 $19.95 • 160 Pages

ISBN: 978-1-56523-462-8 $19.95 • 192 Pages

Look For These Books at Your Local Bookstore or Woodworking Retailer To order direct, call 800-457-9112 or visit www.FoxChapelPublishing.com By mail, please send check or money order + $3.00 S&H and .99 per book to: Fox Chapel Publishing, 1970 Broad Street, East Petersburg, PA 17520

Discover these great books from American Woodworker and Fox Chapel Publishing Great Book of Woodworking Projects

50 Projects For Indoor Improvements And Outdoor Living from the experts at American Woodworker

Edited By Randy Johnson An ideal resource for woodworkers looking for a new project or wanting to spruce up their homes, this book has plans for 50 projects that can take a few hours or up to a weekend to complete.

ISBN: 978-1-56523-504-5 $24.95 • 256 pages

How to Make Picture Frames

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How to Make Kitchen Cabinets

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Edited by Randy Johnson

Edited by Randy Johnson

Learn how to build your own kitchen cabinets, and make and install kitchen upgrades with shop-tested expert advice from American Woodworker.

Build functional yet stylish pieces from a simple wall shelf to a grand bookcase.

The experts at American Woodworker give step-by-step instructions using various types of wood.

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In addition to being a leading source of woodworking books and DVDs, Fox Chapel also publishes Woodcarving Illustrated. Released quarterly, it delivers premium projects, expert tips and techniques from today’s finest woodworking artists, and in-depth information about the latest tools, equipment, and materials.

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Look For These Books at Your Local Bookstore or Woodworking Retailer To order direct, call 800-457-9112 or visit www.FoxChapelPublishing.com By mail, please send check or money order + 3.00 S&H and .99 per book to: Fox Chapel Publishing, 1970 Broad Street, East Petersburg, PA 17520

Crafts & Hobbies/Woodworking $24.95 US

Work Smarter with an Organized Workshop Whether you’re putting together a woodworking shop for the first time or you want to organize your existing one, How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions from American Woodworker has the all workbench and storage solutions you need. With step-by-step projects for a variety of benches, toolboxes, shelving, and cabinets, you can stop searching for your tools and start using them.

How to Make Workbenches & Shop Storage Solutions is all about getting rid of clutter, getting organized, and getting the most from your tools and workshop. You’ll learn how to build a long-lasting, dream workbench and an amazing wall-and-slat system that will make any hyper-organized person proud. Other key projects include a heavy-duty folding shop table and a hardworking sawhorse and tool cart. There are also important tips for housing flammables. And, if the dream workbench isn’t enough, there are three bonus projects for building the torsion box, considered by many as the ultimate workbench. With 28 projects in all, you can achieve the organized workshop—and the woodworking results—you’ve always dreamed of.