Work Bench

Hi All,

For those who have built their own work benches, I'm wondering what size (dimensions) would be ideal for a RV-8? I am aware of the EAA 1000 Benches, they look great. Also, as many have suggested, I am aware of adding a 1" lip to the perimeter of the table top design (helps with clamping).

Any suggestions, specific to a work bench for RV-8 construction would be appreciated.

Thank you!!

I have been very happy with an EAA style bench but I have mine set at 40 inches tall, and the tabletop is 3 feet by 5 feet. I have a 2 inch overhang all the way around the table as well.

-david

Thank you David. That's good to know. So a 3' wide table worked better for you? Did you do a Standard or Quick Build?

Thanks for you suggestion,

Mike

Tables

Make them as big as possible (given your space)! There is never enough room.

More bench is better than too little. Mine is 3 x 8 and 36 inches tall. I'm 5'9" and this is a great hieght for me as a standing work bench. Mine is extremely strong and flat made from 3/4 plywood, 4x4 posts and 1x6 framing. A bottom shelf is very handy. I can dance on mide and it doesn't budge. I have done a happy dance on it.

I used a 4x8 sheet of finish plywood. I installed the remaining 1x8 lenght on the wall as a second, narrow bench behind the main bench. I mounted my vise and disc/belt table top sander on that bench. This gives a good work area with benches on both side from a single sheet of ply wood. My tools are on a peg board above the narrow bench. Pretty much everything is within easy reach with 2 steps, just like a good kitchen.

I mounted 2 grinders on a seperate stand, one with a polishing wheel and one with medium and fine stones. The buffing wheel needs lots of room as you will be moving long and large pieces around it.

Jekyll
7A QB slider

Some builders like to embed a back riveting plate in the bench; I just laid mine on top when using it.

I have done both Standard/Slow Build wings and fuse. I chose to do a 3X5 so I could make it as big as possible while still being able to reach all parts of the table. I also have my table on 3'' casters, I chose the some big heafty casters that have proven to be very stable. A 3X8 table sounds even better however it is a very large table so if you have the space available then go for it. In the hanger I just moved into I also built 2 2X8 tables that make one long 2X16 table to use as work benches for misc stuff. In my opinion the 2 foot depth would not be enough space, you defiantly need to go at least 3 feet to have a comfortable work space. Make sure you use particle board as the table top, very flat and smooth and you can also drill and cleco directly into the table.
Just my 2cents




In this table I also Used a router to make a space for the back riveting plate. After the tail is done I have found very little need to back rivet so I did not include it in my second table.

-david

If I were buildling another table I'd make the frame for the lower shelf at 31-1/2 x 70". The wing crate can be shortened and easily hung underneath like Bob Ellis did for skin and other parts storage.

I also like the retractable wheels option for one end of the EAA table.

Standard EAA benches

I build 2 standard EAA benches to plans and wouldn't change a thing about the size. I'm finishing SB wings and haven't needed for any more bench top room. I do have another small bench on wheels with my drill press, grinder, band saw and sander bolted to the top. The only modifications I've made are: Wheels (absolute must have for a garage build), inset rivet plate, added two drawers and drilled holes in legs and added platenuts to allow me to bolt the two tables together. I didn't add a lip and have no trouble clamping on the edge. A lip would not allow me to bolt them together.

I have snaps of my benching.

Will email easily but will take ages to upload !!!!

PM or email me.

Great bench

Great timing!

To the original poster; thanks for asking! I need to build a new workbench as i'm moving into a new hangar and losing all of my current workbench space, so timing of this thread is about perfect. I think the work table space should fit the work area as much as the project.

Some great ideas here! I have found a 2 inch "lip" or "overhang" on one side of my work table to be pretty handy. Easy to add, and if you don't like it, easy to cut off later. -my $0.02

This thread finally prompted me to document the deviations that I made from the EAA Chapter 1000 tables. Posted some pics and notes at http://www.mculver.com/2011/02/feb-18-workbenches.html

bolting together with a lip on each

make the lip 1.5" each, and stuff the gap with two 2x4 spacers when you bolt them together.

Best of both worlds, but a bit of fitting up when bolting them together.

Thanks to all who replied to my original post. A lot of great ideas, thanks guys!!

Mike Perillo

My one innovation on the EAA1000 table was the mount for stem casters. I welded the mounting nut to the back of a 3" dock washer and then mounted the washer to the bottom of the table legs:


These locking casters are from Rockler:


- John

Here is my effort:



The lower shelf is not finished. That is just the off cut from the worktop. I will build another workbench and mount the dimpler between the two.

I made a really nice rolling workstation for my garage. My garage workbench was then designed and built to have the workstation nestle under it to get it out of the way when I need more space.

The plans were in an issue of the Family Handyman and I adapted them for my use.


http://www.kitlog.com/photos/project_861/full/FP10102010A0000H.jpg
http://www.kitlog.com/photos/project_861/full/FP10102010A0000I.jpg
http://www.kitlog.com/photos/project_861/full/FP17102010A00024.jpg

I built a standard EAA workbench and I have found it to be perfect, as is, except if I were doing it again I would extend a lip to make it easier to clamp things.

But the handiest thing has been a second 1/2 size workbench that I made to basically the same dimensions but only half as long. Then I added a pair of wheels to one side and some wheelbarrow handles to the other side. The wheels are barely off the floor so the bench rests on its legs, but when you lift just a little bit on the handles, the weight shifts to the wheels. This allows me to easily wheel it around the shop, or outside, whenever I want. It is so handy! I've used it for a thousand different things. Much of what we do involves small parts or assembly or whatever. It's perfect for a drill press, bandsaw, bolting on a vice, painting small stuff, all kinds of things. But it's good for big stuff, too!

Here are a few pictures:

This was taken when I was assembling my wing ribs to the spars. If you look close, you can see the wheels mounted on the front faces of the legs. The handles, obviously, are on the other side. You can also see my standard EAA workbench in the background against the wall.



Here, I had wheeled it outside and I put my bandsaw on top. My dad was helping me cut stiffeners for my fuel tanks. You can clearly see the handles. They are bolted on with one bolt, and freely swivel so when you aren't using them they drop down out of the way:



One more shot showing how useful this thing has been to me. Here you can see both handles hanging down.



I wouldn't give up this bench for anything.

My attempts

So, I am filling my new shop in prep to build and needed some benches.

I have built 2 EAA 1000 Standard benches already but needed more. So...thanks to some suggestions here, I constructed 2 more with modifications.

I was able to use the EAA 1000 design as a starting point. In fact, I used the same bill of materials adding 3 more 2x4's and changing the cutting schedule a little and got these.



One is a 4'x6' build table. The other is a 2'X4' bench for my drill press and band saw.

I mounted an industrial "server rack" 20A power strip (reclaimed from work) to the underside of the smaller bench and figure I will put my battery chargers, radios, etc. on the lower shelf. I mounted it on casters so I could enjoy the sun while cutting and so I could use the bench as a peninsula for the press so I have 340 degrees of access to the drill chuck.

On the build table, I left the lip per this thread for clamping. It is a nice size platform. Both are 36" tall on casters. (My previous standard EAA's are 34" on casters.)

Thanks to all thus far on the suggestions. I may build 2 more EAA's but make them 8' long instead of the 5'. Some have mentioned handy in the case of flap construction, wing spars, etc.

portable workbench

Hello, this works great and the saw horse's are the best.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=66543&highlight=portable+workbench

I've got 2 EAA tables. I'm thinking when I buy a house and get a bigger workshop/garage I'll make a 2x8 table and one of the little ones that Bruce has.

I haven't built mine yet, but am thinking about just building the lower shelf half way across so I'll have a comfortable place to put my feet if I'm sitting on a stool and working on the bench. Or maybe build the lower shelf very close to ground level and putting my feet on the shelf when necessary. Has anyone built theirs with these concepts in mind?

We started building in the house on a folding table covered with carpet, still use it out in the shop these days.

Then we built two EAA Work Benches once the Garage was converted to a workspace, finding they fill up quickly with tools and stuff.

For big items we use a 4x8 sheet of plywood on sawhorses, put up quickly where ever we need it?. having lots of fun.