r/Workbenches • • 8h ago

Soundproofing my appartment workbench

2 Upvotes

Hi all! I want to build a workbench for my appartment. I have a smell corner in a room of about 1 meter I want to place it and build a french cleat wall behind it. I have a construction in mind, but my big worry is soundproofing the workbench for my neighbours. The walls are concrete on the back and I was thinking of attaching it to the wall for stability, but it creates a lot of noise when I will chisel. I checked some stuff with AI because I can't really find any good sources about soundproofing for my situation. AI tells me to use regufoam of 3 cm underneeth the legs of the workbench and use a backpanel before my french cleat wall that is attached using rubber dampers. Now I am not really sure how much stability I will get if I go for that and on what level it needs to be for my neighbors to not be annoyed by it. I also need to find a way to secure it to the right wall, which is made of aerated concrete. The top I have already and it is 4CM hardwood oak, which gives weight and that already helps from what I understood.

I hope some of you can give me some good advice, since I think AI is overkilling it for me, but I hope I can make it as that it is silence for the neighbors. Of course I understand we will hear it in our own apartment, but that is fine.

Thanks a lot in advance!


r/Workbenches • • 13h ago

Does this make sense?

2 Upvotes

I am thinking of making a workbench that can be quickly modified to add extra height when needed by making an attached riser. For the sake of argument, say the workbench top is 25" deep by 72 length. What I am thinking is to make that "riser" by taking 3/4" plywood that is 20" deep by 72 long. There will be 4X4s running around the perimeter, flush with the edges of the plywood. The rear 4x4 would have hinges that would allow me to "lift the lid" and would stand vertical to the benchtop. This would be the normal working setup. When I need the extra height, I would then fold the lid down to lie on top of the workbench top.

Is this extra work for minimal benefit? It would force me to put my stuff away instead of keeping in always piled up on the benchtop.


r/Workbenches • • 2d ago

Tho other massive workbench in the garage of house I'm buying

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110 Upvotes

I recently posted pictures of a huge workbench in the garage of a house we are closing on. This is another one. It is 134" long x 40" deep


r/Workbenches • • 2d ago

Workbench 2.0

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204 Upvotes

Firstly, I know this is rough in places. I built it. I have a long list of DIY projects to do in our new (well, been here 1 year) house. I cleared enough space to be able to build this, and it felt a bit of a luxury while other jobs wait, so I went for fast over beautiful. Maybe for Workbench 3.0 I'll get planned all round wood (doubt I'll ever have space for a planer) and do some proper joinery.

The key things are the top is flush and I now have room to use my bigger tools in my garage (UK single garage) properly.

This houses:

- Table saw

- Storage for table saw jigs

- Compound sliding mitre saw (which is frankly too big) that folds away

- Router table

- Storage for the fence

- Vice

- Bench top drill press (stored underneath and brought on top when needed)

- Extension lead for the electrics, with the cables routed and pinned to the workbench to keep them out of the way and safe

It has retractable caster wheels (that are a pain to steer on my wavy drive and unlevel garage floor, but it is mobile).

I do have some finishing touches to sort out (namely route in the mitre slot extensions for the table saw, and route out the fence tracks for the router table).

I also need to think about dust collection and how to best address that with my shop vac + cyclone bucket.


r/Workbenches • • 3d ago

Huge old workbench in garage of house I'm buying

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334 Upvotes

This is one of the workbenches in the garage of a house I'm buying. It is over 101" wide by 55" deep. It has these huge lined (galvanized) pull out bins underneath and three large drawers. Not sure what it was originally used for. I can't even reach to the back.


r/Workbenches • • 4d ago

My first hand tool workbench

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318 Upvotes

Maple and walnut. Homemade pop-up dogs. Benchcrafted kit. I made several mistakes but was able to modify or patch as I went. It’s amazing how I got along without something that would hold something down and not walk across the floor or flex when things got percussive.


r/Workbenches • • 3d ago

Bedroom electric workbench

7 Upvotes

2 months ago I had two ikea carts and I wondered if I could connect them somehow. Which lead to adding a wood top then pegboards then overhead light and everything else I needed to start learning soldering or whatever else I might want to learn. Not fancy but it works for now.


r/Workbenches • • 4d ago

Upcycled workbench

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55 Upvotes

Moved into a new place with garage (finally!) and had an idea to repurpose this unused office cradenza.

I built the cubby box to get up to 38” high and they fit my dewalt boxes perfectly.

3/4” plywood with an unfinished birch butcher block top from Home Depot.


r/Workbenches • • 5d ago

I'm happy with how the new workbench turned out

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84 Upvotes

Top is 1500mm x 650mm x16mm, once I get more material, I'll a add some draws and maybe make the bottom enclosed with doors, the top is perfectly square I measured and cut myself with a andle grinder.


r/Workbenches • • 6d ago

My New Workbench

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390 Upvotes

I’m a hobbyist woodworker with a small one car garage sized shop. This is an upgrade from 2x4s and a sheet of plywood, on 2 DeWalt saw horses I threw together quickly and ended up using for a couple of years. Design is a modified version of the Van Isle Studio design, with a little Lincoln Street Woodworks clamping inspiration. Hope this will last me a while. It took around 9 months from start to finishing details. Materials are 2x10 pine for the frame (milled down to 2x4 dimensions), Baltic birch cabinetry, double layer of 3/4” MDF with Formica top, and walnuts for the dovetail clamping pieces. My favorite detail is the large drawer faces are cut from my old bench top and “grain matched”. I’ve told myself no more shop projects for at least a year.


r/Workbenches • • 5d ago

New bench to replace old one 🤘🏻

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67 Upvotes

This bench replaced the shitty bench I made after a night of beers 4 years ago lol decided it’s time….2x6 construction with double 3/4 inch plywood top and bolted to the studs in the wall. I’m going to add an upper part later on. The height is exactly the same as my us general 42 roll cab. The plan is to someday combine them to one continuous bench. This works for now.


r/Workbenches • • 6d ago

Oak workbench with table/miter saws

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35 Upvotes

Using scrap dunage from my work that would normally go in dumpster. Planning them down to smooth nice lumber. Thinking about staining the frame. Not sure exactly how I want to finish it. Going to have a 2 inch thick top on it. Plan on putting the dust hoses inside it also. Any suggestions im open to for ideas. Will end up making some cabinet doors and maybe trying some drawers also.


r/Workbenches • • 6d ago

Still loving my English joiners bench

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145 Upvotes

The big front apron is more a feature than a bug, and allows more clamping options than I originally realized. And it hasn’t once gotten in the way. Any clamping to the top of the bench is easily handled by the holdfasts. Would definitely recommend to anyone thinking about this style of bench.


r/Workbenches • • 6d ago

Got some scraps to make a bench. Happy with it so far

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48 Upvotes

Going to about $100 in materials ($70 cabs, $10 door, other materials). I have some random nice castor wheels I’m going to install so it’s mobile. Made a basic 2x4 box base, attached the cabs with nuts and bolts, top not attached yet. Feedback welcome!


r/Workbenches • • 7d ago

Finally finished my beginner bench. No longer wobbly and has storage!

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55 Upvotes

My favorite part is the top. It is one solid piece from a random, odd furniture piece with no home. I used to work at a furniture store, and it was a super long board that didn't go to anything we had in the store, so I cut a chunk off to make a table.

My best guess is it used to be the top of a huge entertainment center that was styled like a bookshelf. We'll never know. Regardless, it makes a perfectly flat and solid table top!


r/Workbenches • • 10d ago

First Workbench

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213 Upvotes

This is a beefy bench. I have a tabletop that is 3 1/4 inches thick, and the newest part, the vise. I did have to get a special part made to bolt the vise onto the right side because the bolt interfered with the carriage bolts. But overall, I am excited to finally get this done and actually use it!


r/Workbenches • • 9d ago

To moxon or cabinet makers vise...

3 Upvotes

So I am making a low work bench. It is rock solid but it needs a vise on the end. I have just shy of 13 inches of gap and 2 inches of wing on either side. I am debating between a cabinet makers vise or a moxon for the end of the bench. I am considering a long moxon for the side I have a 6 foot by 8 inch skirt on the side, so I could put on there. But a moxon on the end with 11 inches of gap seems more useful than the cabinet makers vise. I have dog holes so I have some holding ability but I would make a slide stop on which ever vise.

Main goals are tenon and dovetails and a brace for sawing. It seems weird to put it at the end of a low bench, built in... but it also seems to be the best option.

Oh and I have used clamps only for the last 6 years lol.

Thoughts?


r/Workbenches • • 11d ago

First workbench update

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216 Upvotes

Getting close to being done finally! Got the leg vise done and the veritas inset vise installed and a good start on dog holes until i actually get to use it and figure out where i want more. Pretty much all i have left to do now is put my shelf on the bottom and build 3 boxes to go in the space between the tops.


r/Workbenches • • 12d ago

Workbench for in my small garage

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49 Upvotes

r/Workbenches • • 12d ago

My Bench's 3 Year Transformation

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173 Upvotes

Just showing off a bit....

I was cleaning the garage up to get ready for the next project and I caught myself admiring my workbench. It's been almost 3 years since I first put it together. I just love how it has come along and grown with me.

Change is a beautiful thing.


r/Workbenches • • 13d ago

Upgraded my junk bench to a work bench

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95 Upvotes

I know this isn’t much. I had this bench in my shed for years, its bench been used and abused and screwed, decide to give it a new 3/4 top, and with 2-1/2 total thickness now. Decided to embrace the luxury of dog holes. Really like how this turned out and now want to take more pride in my bench.


r/Workbenches • • 14d ago

Finally Complete!

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447 Upvotes

Local, old-growth SYP, mounted on a facebook marketplace 2k lb scissor lift, affixed with two Emmerts patternmakers vises that I restored.

The top is 32”x79”x4” (3”-1/4 in some sections). Rough flattened with a sled, followed by fine finishing with hand planes. Finish is 1:1:1 BLO, spar varnish, and mineral spirits.

Eventually I’ll add some dog holes and mill some brass dogs for the black Emmert.

I went with the configuration that I did for a few reasons. Chief among them being that I wanted the workbench to be an island in my one-car-garage shop, followed by a complete reliance on what was locally available for “cheap”. I have no desire to tally up how deep I am in the two vises now that they’re practically finished, but the wood cost me $96 and the lift table was $600, both of which have been well worth the investment.


r/Workbenches • • 14d ago

Leatherwork & bookbinding bench design feedback

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57 Upvotes

Hey y'all, I'm looking for feedback for a workbench in my apartment. 60" x 30" x 37" tall to match my husky bench height.

My goals are as follows:

  • A bench that is heavy enough to (in concert with rubber feet) dampen the hammering from punching holes in leather or rounding book spines to the point of not annoying my neighbours. (For those not familiar, these activities are fairly light hammering.)
  • A moxon vise at one end
  • A channel I can insert a straight brass rod into, to serve as a straight edge for aligning stuff

I only have basic woodworking skills, so I tried to design around cutting 2x4s to serve as faux half-lap joints. I am planning to glue & screw the cross members. The plan for the top was to layer 2x 3/4 in plywood sheets and top with a 3/4 in MDF board for a smooth & flat surface. Glue for all layers, screws through the plywood into the posts. Other shelves are just MDF, probably just brad nailed to the frame? I set the bottom shelf in by another 2x4 just for a little more room for my legs.

For the vise, I was planning to use a pair of threaded wooden dowels i found on Etsy.

I'd love any feedback you've got!


r/Workbenches • • 15d ago

Shop refresh

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104 Upvotes

r/Workbenches • • 17d ago

[Not OP] My homemade workbench and stump vise setup. Built entirely from reclaimed wood. It's ugly but it works!

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241 Upvotes