# New Work Table



## MT Stringer

Merry Christmas to me! I demoed my old workbench (built in 2013), and hauled it to my brother-in-law. I just couldn't bear to cut it up. It was glued and screwed with lag bolts and built like a tank. He will get a lot of good use out of it.

In it's place, I have built a new one...the work table of my dreams...and I have had many! I used the inspiration from the Ron Paulk series of work tables http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JazynwsfQLM#t=247.16721, as well as 



. But mostly, and more importantly, 



.

The table top is 36 x 60, a 30% increase in work area. It has 3/4 inch bench dog holes bored on 4 inch centers everywhere except where the two cross supports run underneath it. Man oh man, you talk about clamping possibilities. I am already benefiting from those holes.

Under the top are three drawers which extend from front to back and slide both ways on wooden runners (waxed with paste wax). This was Earl's idea and boy is it a good one.

Down in the frame area, I reused two drawers from the old table. One was a retrofit from the bench I built in 1988, and the other one was just a big one I didn't want to let go. It took a little McGyverin' to get them installed but they work. One had to have some higher sides added, but that was easy. Then I had to build one new one and it fit perfectly the first try (soft close drawer slides).

I didn't install casters. Each leg has a pair of 5/8 inch nuts glued in a hole with Gorilla Glue. A bolt, nut and a washer make it easy to adjust the table for the uneven (and rough), floor.

On the end nearest the table saw, I built a couple of brackets and installed a roll of Kraft paper. Just pull out what is needed and cut it off with the knife or scissors, which are in the drawer in at waist high level.

The other end will have my woodworking vise, which is currently laying on the floor. It can come later.

I still have to build some drawer fronts, but they can come at a later date also. I have already put the table to work.

And a big THANKS go out to WillieP for helping modify some of my clamps so they will fit through the dog holes in the bench. They work great and are much more economical than the $40 Festool brand clamps! Having a buddy with a welding machine ...priceless! :biggrin:

We bought a plastic outdoor storage box at Lowe's so Pat could store her outdoor Christmas decorations for next year. Everything fit so she is a happy camper. That was our first project for the new work table.

Now I am building some floating shelves for my Daughter's house.

And my sweetie has another project for the house...the beat goes on!


----------



## gater

*Table*

Very nice MT, I can see where all those holes give you endless clamping possibilities. Again very nice work, wish I had room for something like that.


----------



## Hooked

I like it!! But, are you sure you did this? Seems like all your pictures are showing your lovely bride always doing the work. 

Do you have some cover for the drawers beneath the table top to keep dust, etc. out?


----------



## Robert A

Looking Good!!


----------



## MT Stringer

Hooked said:


> I like it!! But, are you sure you did this? Seems like all your pictures are showing your lovely bride always doing the work.
> 
> Do you have some cover for the drawers beneath the table top to keep dust, etc. out?


Thanks Bob. Just yesterday, I was thinking about covering the trays with some of the Kraft paper. And I plan to buy some dowel rod and cut a bunch of bench dogs and plug the holes over part of the table. If I need them, just push them up a little, or leave them flush when using the saw.

Yeah, she gets a lot done if I stay out of her way!  So, I do the documenting.


----------



## MT Stringer

Gater2 said:


> Very nice MT, I can see where all those holes give you endless clamping possibilities. Again very nice work, wish I had room for something like that.


Yes sir. I am really liking the new layout. Currently, I have seven "floating" shelves on the table assembled, stained, and ready for finish to be applied.


----------



## roninrus1

VERY NICELY DONE!!:cheers:
Time consuming drilling all those holes and getting them in the right place!


----------



## MT Stringer

roninrus1 said:


> VERY NICELY DONE!!:cheers:
> Time consuming drilling all those holes and getting them in the right place!


About 1 1/2 hours all total. I took a couple of breaks! 
I made a template and used the router with a 3/4 inch template bushing and a 1/2 inch router bit. The template had 1 inch holes. The result was a 3/4 inch hole after I went round and round with the router! 

The template was similar to the one Ron Paulk demonstrates in his video.


----------



## Its Catchy

Thats a great looking work bench. I really like the drawers because it gives you a place to put all your tools etc to help keep them off the work surface.

The number one rule to having a great workbench is to keep everything off of it when you are not using it.

Mine just seems to end up being a storage shelf that I have to clean off once a week so I can have room to work!

Good job!


----------



## trodery

Mike, you know these pictures are driving me nuts don't you? Why do you have the rounded corners where the rectangular drawers are? WHY, WHY, WHY????

You must fix this issue!


----------



## MT Stringer

trodery said:


> Mike, you know these pictures are driving me nuts don't you? Why do you have the rounded corners where the rectangular drawers are? WHY, WHY, WHY????
> 
> You must fix this issue!


Arch support! 

BTW, the drawers are working great. Just waxed on the runners - slide easily with one or two fingers.


----------



## 3192

Very nice!! Looking forward to seeing the drawer fronts. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## MT Stringer

galvbay said:


> Very nice!! Looking forward to seeing the drawer fronts.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


OOPS. I forgot to update my project. It is working out great.


----------



## Daylan

Sweet setup!


----------



## Flyingvranch

I just built a Paulk Workbench also. I used a small 1/8" roundover bit to ease the outside edges of the bench as I did not want splinters in my arms.

Your bench looks great! Nice job with some creative thinking.


----------



## Flyingvranch

One more thing I did...I use 4" bar clamps that slip apart and reach under the table to push the bar into a hole and then reassemble the clamp. It is very simple and takes 5 seconds to clamp something. On my Bessy clamps, I had to file the little nubs off of the end of the bar to get them to separate.


----------

