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All In One Workbench

author-gravatar burl Aug 25, 2017

I didn't have the space for a dedicated, immobile table saw due to my wife wanting to park in the garage.  I know, right?  And I needed to build a new router table for a new plate insert anyway.  So I designed this mobile workbench/table saw/router table and cabinet to meet all my needs.  I did make this last year, and since have had 40,000+ views on imgur, and dozens of requests for my plans, which I provided.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

This was my flip-top cart to save space.  Great idea, used it well.  But every project used both of these tools and the space saving feature was less beneficial that having both available simultaneously.  So this went bye-bye.  Also, I never liked this built in bench on the wall, and my table saw just on the collapsing stand it came with.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

This was just inexpensive ply from Menards.  In retrospect, I wish I'd gotten a better quality as it warped quickly, but I made it work.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

Getting my sheets laid out and rough cut lines drawn

Photo of All In One Workbench

All rough cut lines done and ready to start cutting!

Photo of All In One Workbench

After rough cuts, I cleaned up to precise measurements on the table saw.  Each one labeled so I don't assemble it incorrectly.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

I had enough left over plywood to add I think about 3.5" frame on the bottom for rigidity and to prevent sagging over time.  So far, it's holding up.

Photo of All In One Workbench

Glued and screwed the frame on    

Photo of All In One Workbench

Rigid frame and casters going on

Photo of All In One Workbench

After adding the frame, the "floor" of the cabinet was dead flat

Photo of All In One Workbench

Starting the box that the table saw, a Bosch, will sit on

Photo of All In One Workbench

On the opposite side is the cabinet the router table sits over.  I intended to add doors to this side, but never got around to it yet.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

This is looking at the front, adding the spacers to connect the router table side and the table saw support.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

Starting to glue up the top.  Two 3/4" sheets laminated together, with a 1/4" hardboard eventually going over top of that.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

Top glued and pieces trimmed flush with each other.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

The top wasn't quite as dead flat as the top, but where the router table will be is dead-on.  And that's all I cared about.  By the table saw, it's only meant to be support if needed.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

Added a quick drawer to hold the more common things I need.  A few extra clamps, push-sticks, pencils and tape measures.

Photo of All In One Workbench

Finally got the table saw off it's collapsing stand and added to the bench.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

I have the table saw about 1/8" higher than the table top so materials can be supported if long, but not really drag over the top

Photo of All In One Workbench

This was actually what started the entire project.  I bought a new Triton router at a woodworking show and needed a new base plate.  I had a quick and dirty router table before, but this plate didn't fit in it.  Creating a template to cut from scrap MDF 

Photo of All In One Workbench

I have the hole cut out and lines laid out to get a sense of where the tracks would go.  I'd eventually transfer these to the Hardboard top and match the corner radiuses to the plate

Photo of All In One Workbench

The MDF was still there, so I flipped the top over and used a flush cutting bit to make the sides match the plate.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

After the hardboard was attached, I traced the exact radius of the corners on and trimmed it by hand.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

I had initially planned not to glue the hardboard down so it could be replaced, but it was too loose for me to be happy with it.  So glued.

Photo of All In One Workbench

Using a super full shop vac to help hold the hardboard down over the router table to keep it flat.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

More gluing

Photo of All In One Workbench

Added supports with screws to adjust the corners of the router plate.      

Photo of All In One Workbench

Dialed it in and it doesn't move at all.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

Laid the lines back out for the 3/4" miter slot

Photo of All In One Workbench

Came out straight, but did have one knick where the bit got away for a sec.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

In retrospect, should have waited to cut the miter track until after I'd added the maple band around the edges.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

T-tracks added for the fence

Photo of All In One Workbench

Triton 1.75 HP that I got a great deal on at the woodworking show.  I love this router

Photo of All In One Workbench

Favorite feature of the triton router is the built in lift.  Saves a ton of money

Photo of All In One Workbench

Added a paddle switch from Rockler for the router

Photo of All In One Workbench

Router portion is complete.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

Here's where I noticed that the trim blocks the miter slot and I shouldn't have cut them yet.  Oh well.  I just chiseled out a recess

Photo of All In One Workbench

At the time I had a 1/4" sheet of hardboard available so I put that on as a back.  I know plywood would be more rigid, but I was not looking to add more weight at this point.

Photo of All In One Workbench

I wanted to be able to store this against the wall, but I also wanted additional outfeed support.  I found these hinges I think meant for tables in RVs that worked perfectly.  I can raise it up with one hand easily and it automatically locks in place.  It's 18" deep and 50" long

Photo of All In One Workbench

In it's up position.  I eventually extended the table saw miter slots in the hardboard.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

Just a view from the other side.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

Shot of the total surface area of the top.  The bench is about 7' long and 30" deep not including the outfeed

Photo of All In One Workbench

New home for my spindle sander and planer

Photo of All In One Workbench

Just an example (before it becomes cluttered with all the things) of quick access stuff I'll use this drawer for.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

Added a deep drawer for now for the smaller power tools.  I might eventually change this to allow for dust collection from the table saw, but for now, I just keep smaller tools in it for security.

Photo of All In One Workbench

I eventually added a beefy handle on this

Photo of All In One Workbench

The planer was a pain to get out of the cabinet due to the weight so I bought 100 pound full extension drawer slides.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

Easily supports the 80 pound planer and MUCH easier to lift out now.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

Made some quick and dirty shop doors for the cabinet from leftover scrap from the project.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

Still a few details to finish.  I added door handles, a drawer handle for the one under the saw.  Then added about 6 coats of gloss polyurethane to the hardboard top, followed by a few coats of paste wax to make everything slide easily.  

Photo of All In One Workbench

I'm extremely happy with this workbench.  I still have a separate workbench you can see to the left for hand-tool work and an assembly table so I don't have to move my project every time I need to use the router or table saw.  

1 comment

That's a sweet setup! Thanks for sharing.

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