JAS
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Ann Arbor, MI
Hi, I know that this is not exactly Jeep related but is is a Garage Mod that I have found very useful. Especially for those with limited space.
I have a 2 car garage and most of the time the real work bench is piled high with other projects... AKA stuff. My wife likes to park inside and as many of you know that if the better half is not happy then nobody is happy. This works well for me because I keep it folded it has to be cleared for the wifes van to pull inside. In about 15 seconds I can have 3 ft x 7 ft work bench that will easily hold 200+ pounds and does not move. It is also at the perfect work height for me.
It is resonably solid for an afternoons work and does not take up a ton of space when not in use.
Garage Mods: Folding workbench.
I first saw this in my brother’s garage and so I am giving him credit…. Some friends have told me that they have seen plans in some wood working rags….
Anyway… Here is what I have invested
1 Steel Wood core door with hinges $15.00
15 feet of ¼-Inch cheap chain $24.00
2 3/8-Inch x 5 inch eye bolds $ 3.00
2 3/8-Inch nuts $ 0.14
2 3/8-Inch washers $ 0.16
2 3/8-Inch x 8 eye screws $ 3.00
2 3/8-Inch quick links $ 3.00
2 3/8-Inch snap links $ 3.00
1 5/4 x 8’ pt deck board - free
1 hand full of 21/2- inch wood screws- free
Total price about $51.00
I picked up a used exterior steel door from Recycle Ann Arbor. They have a used building materials section with used doors and windows. Recycle Ann Arbor is a like a bone yard for things other than cars.
The best thing about the door was that it was a wood core steel exterior door for strength and it already had the hinges on it. I took a small magnet with me to pick up the door to make sure that I was getting a steel door.
The 8 foot deck board was just one that I had laying around from building my deck a few years back. I mounted it horizontally to the garage wall just to provide a place for the door to be mounted any 2 by that you have will work….
After the door was mounted to the garage wall I used a chalk line to make sure that I had my eyebolts located directly above the ends of the folding workbench. AKA the top and the bottom of the door.
To provide an eye to the door I used an 8-inch long eye screw and just screwed it into the top and bottom of the door. I drilled a 3/8 pilot hole about 4 inches deep to eliminate having to drive the eye screw all of the way into the door.
To level the door I used the threads on the eyebolts at the to raise and lower the eye for fine adjustments of the workbench level.
This workbench does not flinch with me standing on it at 200 pounds. I would not jump on it but it did hold my lard but without any problem.
If doing this project again I think I would have used lighter chain. The chain seams light because I am use to pulling stumps and such with ½ inch or 5/8 logging chain. It is heavier and more expensive than I needed for this project. It has a working limit of 1500 pounds I could have used something as light as 500-800 pound working limit with no problem.
I have a few other pics here at this link. The write up is nearly the same
http://webpages.charter.net/laurajeff44/MIJeeps/foldingworkbench/Garage Mods.htm
I have a 2 car garage and most of the time the real work bench is piled high with other projects... AKA stuff. My wife likes to park inside and as many of you know that if the better half is not happy then nobody is happy. This works well for me because I keep it folded it has to be cleared for the wifes van to pull inside. In about 15 seconds I can have 3 ft x 7 ft work bench that will easily hold 200+ pounds and does not move. It is also at the perfect work height for me.
It is resonably solid for an afternoons work and does not take up a ton of space when not in use.
Garage Mods: Folding workbench.
I first saw this in my brother’s garage and so I am giving him credit…. Some friends have told me that they have seen plans in some wood working rags….
Anyway… Here is what I have invested
1 Steel Wood core door with hinges $15.00
15 feet of ¼-Inch cheap chain $24.00
2 3/8-Inch x 5 inch eye bolds $ 3.00
2 3/8-Inch nuts $ 0.14
2 3/8-Inch washers $ 0.16
2 3/8-Inch x 8 eye screws $ 3.00
2 3/8-Inch quick links $ 3.00
2 3/8-Inch snap links $ 3.00
1 5/4 x 8’ pt deck board - free
1 hand full of 21/2- inch wood screws- free
Total price about $51.00
I picked up a used exterior steel door from Recycle Ann Arbor. They have a used building materials section with used doors and windows. Recycle Ann Arbor is a like a bone yard for things other than cars.
The best thing about the door was that it was a wood core steel exterior door for strength and it already had the hinges on it. I took a small magnet with me to pick up the door to make sure that I was getting a steel door.
The 8 foot deck board was just one that I had laying around from building my deck a few years back. I mounted it horizontally to the garage wall just to provide a place for the door to be mounted any 2 by that you have will work….
After the door was mounted to the garage wall I used a chalk line to make sure that I had my eyebolts located directly above the ends of the folding workbench. AKA the top and the bottom of the door.
To provide an eye to the door I used an 8-inch long eye screw and just screwed it into the top and bottom of the door. I drilled a 3/8 pilot hole about 4 inches deep to eliminate having to drive the eye screw all of the way into the door.
To level the door I used the threads on the eyebolts at the to raise and lower the eye for fine adjustments of the workbench level.
This workbench does not flinch with me standing on it at 200 pounds. I would not jump on it but it did hold my lard but without any problem.
If doing this project again I think I would have used lighter chain. The chain seams light because I am use to pulling stumps and such with ½ inch or 5/8 logging chain. It is heavier and more expensive than I needed for this project. It has a working limit of 1500 pounds I could have used something as light as 500-800 pound working limit with no problem.
I have a few other pics here at this link. The write up is nearly the same
http://webpages.charter.net/laurajeff44/MIJeeps/foldingworkbench/Garage Mods.htm
