Building my shop- workbench question

I am currently setting up my shop in two bays of a three car garage, my question is which setup would be best:

A 3ft by 16 ft workbench setup against the wall (only access on one side)

or A 4ft by 12 ft workbench accessable on both sides?

Having the bench against the wall would offer more room for everything else, so that would be a big plus.

Input appreciated!

V/R,
Brent

I would go with 2 smaller but movable workbenches. I built mine so I could slide the DRDT2 between the two tables. I has be really nice to have two, but I could also squeeze them together for one long table if needed.

More flexibility is always better.

3 rolling Tables...

Brent,

I am building a 10 in 2 bays of a three car garage, just like you. My advice would be to build 3 rolling tables using slightly modified EAA table plans. I made my tables have retractable wheels, so I could "drop them" in place or move them whenever I want to. It works great for rolling everything outside and blowing the shop floor clean, which I do every so often. Take a look at my weblog and you can see how I laid things out.

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=mikrettig&project=803&category=6820&log=128020&row=14

The problem with fixed tables is that you'll want different setups for different parts of the project. So far, I don't have any complaints with my setup.

Are you sure you need to have it 4' x 12'? My bench is 4' x 8' and has been plenty big for anything I have done on it. That extra 4' in your shop may give you the room you need.

As for access to both sides of the bench, it was really helpful during certain parts of the fuselage construction because it saves you from picking up the entire structure and spinning it around when you need to work on the other side. I would not say it is essential though, you can get away with the bench along the wall. I would be careful though, as it may be tempting to hang tools and things up on that wall and the last thing you want is something falling onto whatever section of skin you just worked on.

I had benches against the side walls and had to shift them around when it came time to pre-fit the wings. I have a three car garage that I'm building in as well. Measure across the garage to see if you will have room to pre-fit the wings. That might give you an idea where you can put the benches and what sizes to use.

Put em on wheels

ppilotmike said:

Brent,

My advice would be to build 3 rolling tables using slightly modified EAA table plans.

Click to expand...

Yup.

you will want access to both sides at times.

I decided to go with modified EAA benches; I made them a bit higher since I'm a tall dude. I intended to make two 2x6 tables and one 2x4 table; so far, I've only built the one large one, the rest of my materials are stored.

At first, I had the same thought as you: put the table against the wall, keep some open space in the garage. It didn't take long to realize that this was horribly limiting, especially the first time I clecoed together the rear HS spar. So now the bench is out in the middle of the garage, and while navigation in the garage is a little more difficult, it's been far more useful to be able to get to all side of the table, especially when working on a larger assembly like the entire HS.

ppilotmike said:

My advice would be to build 3 rolling tables using slightly modified EAA table plans.

Click to expand...

I have 2 EAA tables on wheels and absolutely wouldn't change a thing. I used woodworking platenuts and long bolts and can quickly (less than 5 minutes) change from a long table to a rectangle.

I originally built 2 EAA tables and then put them on casters. They are now against the wall holding parts, tools, and misc stuff.

I have a 4 x 4 bench on casters with my band saw, disk sander, drill press, and bench vice on each side. I love that bench.

I then built a 4 X 6 bench with a 2" lip on the top that is my main work bench. It is on casters too. This bench has been indispensable during my build so far.

I used the remaining 2 x 4 top left over from the 4 X 6 bench for the DRDT-2. Also on casters. I have had no issues with this setup.

Lastly, I have a 3 x 20 counter top against the full length of the back wall of my shop. There are cabinets above it, but as FresnoR stated, I do not use it for assembly for fear of dropping items on skins, etc.

Two car garage,

One 3' x 7' table on wheels, it's my main work bench. I move it where needed and lock the wheels when it's there.

One 2' x 7' table fixed against a wall (30" wide would be a significant improvement).

One 2' x 8' table fixed on another wall (ditto the 30" comment here, too).

All the tables have shelves under them.

I'm real happy with this arrangement.

Dave

Unfortunately for me, it seems that there is an immutable law that states all work material expands to occupy the available space + 10%...I built two EAA type tables 30" x 6' and have two fixed workbenches against the walls that hold drill press, grinder, bandsaw, and stuff. Then there's the small 2 x 2 ish table that holds the DRDT 2. I'm only part way into the tail kit, but I think a 4 ft wide table would be a little wide to get to both sides of your work, esp if you need to reach one arm inside the structure to hold a bucking bar, etc. Because the 2 x 2 table can be used to extend the existing tables (DRDT removed) I sometimes think one table would suffice, and when it gets to the wings, they'll be in a cradle, and the fuse may be up on sawhorses, but people further along can comment on that better than I can. To answer your question a fixed bench is useful, but the mobile table or one you can get all the way around is even more useful. Whatever you decide you can change your mind later - don't spend too much time obsessing over the shop.

Dave
RV-10 tailkit
finishing HS and starting elevator

I didn't spend any time building new workbenches. My garage shop has a long work surface with cabinets along one wall (totally filled with junk, tools, bandsaw, grinder, etc.). It is not suitable as a clean work surface. I have 2 small desks that my kids outgrew. The drawers got stuffed with all of the little bags of hardware and other parts. These have been moved all over the garage as necessary to build the plane. Right now, the flat surface I built for assembling the flaps is stradled across them giving me a nice work surface. Nice to have mobility with your work benches! Sometimes you need to be on the other side of something in order to rivet, so access around all sides is essential. I also have one of those folding tables, rectangular type, that gets used frequently.

I did what John did with the DRDT-2. I can pull it out when not needed and push the tables together to form one long table. And I can pull them away from the wall when I need to access the work from all sides. I didn't have a decent place to lay out a drawing from the build plan so I built another table which I don't use for any heavy work and I put a clear acrylic sheet on top under which I can put the build plan drawing that I'm currently working from. This table is starting to be a sort of tool, books, and notes caddy.

jtrollin said:

I would go with 2 smaller but movable workbenches. I built mine so I could slide the DRDT2 between the two tables. I has be really nice to have two, but I could also squeeze them together for one long table if needed.

More flexibility is always better.

Click to expand...

i built a really nice, really flat, strong table against one wall of my shop thinking it would be all i would need, and then decided to build a smaller table on wheels since i had some leftover wood (thinking i would put my tools on that one).

took about 5 hours before i ended up exclusively using the table on wheels and the "nice, ultra-flat strong table affixed to the wall" became my junk table

so, like everyone else said, wheels are the most important part. i would also recommend stapling some cheap marine carpeting to the top of at least one of your tables. works really well for preventing scratches on your parts (think little bits of aluminum between your skins and the table).

The one against the wall is best

We built our RV-6A using one fixed 4'x8' bench against the wall with a back stop on the rear edge of the bench. Was perfect.

Bob Axsom

I have both against the wall and one on wheels. I just built a 12'x2' table to work on the wings. I also have a rolling work table-storage unit I got at Sams club. It has drawers and a butcherblock type top. It is about 6'x20". I use all of the spaces! One thing to consider in table height -s how tall the sander, drill press, and band saw are. I had to lower one of the benches so they were at the right height. If you have a space question, I would ask Vlad!

I had a 18' (x 24") workbench along two walls, and a 3 1/2' x 7 1/2' work table on locking casters (with a shelf underneath) that I could move around. I'd guess I did 80% of my assembly - and much of the fabrication - on the work table. Being able to access all sides was WUNderful. The bench against the wall ended up being the "tool storage place", while the table was truly the WORKtable. FWIW...

I built my -8 tail kit on a folding 3x6 table, with lengths of pipe on the legs to increase the height. I covered the top with three layers of cardboard.