Need a workshop workbench and some storage for tools, nuts & bolts etc

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Need a workshop workbench and some storage for tools, nuts & bolts etc

johno1234

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#311789 15-Feb-2024 09:25

Plenty of stuff available from the likes of TM, TradeTested etc is one option.

Anyone build their own from scratch? That appeals but I'm a bit time poor in addition to cash poor.

Anyone found a good source for such stuff that has turned out to be good stuff?

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#3195723 15-Feb-2024 12:25

I'm building my own at the moment, though as something of a long term undertaking as and when time permits.

One of my interim solutions is second hand kitchen cabinetry sourced from a remodel with a Bunnings benchtop, which has been pretty cheap and effective.

johno1234

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#3195726 15-Feb-2024 12:28

Yes, I've used repurposed old benches and desks as workbenches in the past. Then whenever we move house they get junked or left behind as not really worth shifting. So once again I find myself short of tool storage and a work surface. Hopefully I will be in this house until my kids park me in a rest home so won't be moving again.

Senecio

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#3195828 15-Feb-2024 14:08

I looked into building one before but in the end I just went for a workbench from the Pinnacle range of garage storage solutions from Bunnings. I have a few other items from the Pinnacle range and they are good quality at a reasonable price.

Pinnacle Workbench

SATTV

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#3195854 15-Feb-2024 14:30

If you have the space, I used to have some old pallet racking cut down to size, it was strong as anything and cheap too.

I had o let it go when we moved to a smaller place.

This is where I got mine from, this is cheaper than what I paid too.

https://www.surplustraders.co.nz/itemdetails/Coffin-2-Level-Shelving/9733.aspx

I painted the bottom shelf and sealed to top shelf ( they we both chip board ) if you can get ply or tribo that would be stronger.

John

I know enough to be dangerous

richms

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#3195879 15-Feb-2024 15:03

Depends on the work you do. Pallet racking and similar shelving doesn't have the boards held down so any hammering on it and it bounces and is a nightmare.

Richard rich.ms

johno1234

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#3195886 15-Feb-2024 15:16

Good point. Would want to pound things with a hammer on occasion (a little gentle persuasion with a ball pein hammer as Mr Houlihan used to say in metal work class) and would also want to mount an engineer's vice on the bench.

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richms

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#3195897 15-Feb-2024 15:28

Just remember that bunnings has very nice laminated sort of hardwood countertop material before you go crazy thinking of laminating things up yourself.

Richard rich.ms

mkissin

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#3195906 15-Feb-2024 15:45

At my work, we needed something that was huge and would take a ton of abuse, so ended up with pallet racking. We drilled the top supports and used rivnuts to screw down the MDF top, it's as solid as a rock.

Jase2985

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#3195928 15-Feb-2024 16:24

I used kitchen cabinets from Peter Hay Kitchens. Was a new build garage so i looked into a few different options and that ended up being one of the cheaper, and nicer looking options as i could hide most things.

caffynz

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#3195931 15-Feb-2024 16:31

mkissin:

At my work, we needed something that was huge and would take a ton of abuse, so ended up with pallet racking. We drilled the top supports and used rivnuts to screw down the MDF top, it's as solid as a rock.

Would you happen to have a photo of this?

mkissin

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#3195939 15-Feb-2024 16:51

Sure thing.

I wasn't sure what you wanted to see but this shows the idea. Excuse the mess!

The screws are M6 countersunk, each side of the join and at 500mm centers along the top support. This makes it easy to replace the top if it becomes ruined (which it will).

The vice is also drilled and bolted right through the support.

The rack bench itself is this: https://www.nzshelving.co.nz/work-bench/pallet-racking-workbench-4-0m-x-0-9m-x-0-9m

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tieke

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#3195960 15-Feb-2024 17:04

Probably smaller-scale than what you are looking at, but my relatively-tiny tin shed had a number of improvised bits of wood being used as flat surfaces and tools were hard to find, so per someone else's suggestion, I used a Bunning's laminated wood panel like this one, (but I think mine was hardwood) on 4x2 and 4x4 framing along with standard cheap shelving underneath. I then attached some ply to the walls and put in a couple of french-cleat lines for tool storage:

Jase2985

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#3195962 15-Feb-2024 17:08

Just looked up the cost of the cabinets now and its almost doubled in not quite 4 years.

Handle9

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#3196457 16-Feb-2024 16:43

Jase2985:

Just looked up the cost of the cabinets now and its almost doubled in not quite 4 years.

NZ Kitchen companies are going to be in for a tough time when ikea launches.

Jase2985

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#3196508 16-Feb-2024 16:55

Handle9:

Jase2985:

Just looked up the cost of the cabinets now and its almost doubled in not quite 4 years.

NZ Kitchen companies are going to be in for a tough time when ikea launches.

yep, its weird because sheet goods havent gone up that much

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