Bill’s Workbench

I was looking through The Wood Whisperer website and noticed an article about workbenchs. I just finished the heart of my workbench and thought I would share. The bench is made from Douglas Fir and Birch Plywood. The top is layered plywood making it thick and heavy. I plan to add dog holes, vises, drawers and a cabinet door. I think of it as a craftsman meets a traditional wood smith bench. It was not that hard to build. If you look on the internet for a Heavy Duty Workbench you can find the plans. The original plans called for MDF, I chose to use birch plywood. I also lowered the shelf to the floor which gives me more room for drawers and a cabinet door later. I used boiled linseed oil on the bench and am going to put something like poly on the top so the plywood will last for a long time. I don’t care if I have to repoly the top, it’s a workbench not a piece of furniture!

Hope this helps someone out there looking to build a heavy workbench…the easy way! Just need a screw gun, table saw and sanding equipment (belt sander, ROS, block sander) and a hand or circular saw. No special tools for this one.

I just started out woodworking in my own little one car garage this year with my new house, though I grew up doing some of this with my dad. I love watching the videos Marc and I hope your new shop gets built soon. I have learned a lot from your show and site. Really made this project easy and fun. Thanks!