Up Cycled Workbench
Workshop bench with feature joinery constructed of entirely up cycled materials; oak, pine and ply.
The inspiration for this project came from the purchase of a classic motorcycle. It was shipped from Greece and on arrival was presented in a very large plywood box made from full sheets. I instantly took a liking to the unique rich colour and grain pattern – and you don’t get shop bought plywood like this in the UK. The wood was sturdy and despite the journey was in decent condition so naturally it seemed a waste to bin it. We also happened to be in need of a larger and more beefy workbench and had just been gifted a beaten up old record 53E, which was in dire need of some tlc.
We used some old fenceposts for the legs which were planed back to get them smooth and square. The dark-greenish colour you see is the the original treatment the mill uses. We liked the way it highlighted the grain so didn’t see a need to plane any further.
The braces and frame were spare from various past jobs, which needed a new home as they were piling up. The struts and braces are housed through tenons then pegged and wedged with oak offcuts. Heavy duty roller casters were added so we could move it around and out of the workshop when the need arose. The frame was then glued and screwed and the post rebated so it seated flush then bolted together.
The ply was cut oversize, the first sheet being glued and screwed to the frame. the second was laminated to remove the possibility of hitting any screws in the future. Finally the top was cut to size and the vice attached. Dogs and holdfasts were added later and are not shown here.
The only purchased items were the casters, £60 in total, not bad for a great workbench.