Just finished making my new 36x72 workbench for my basement. Cost me $100 even for all of the lumber to build it. Legs are 4x4, leading edge of the table top is 2x8 (to strap a vise on it sometime later) and the actual table top is 3/4" fiber board that I'll varnish so that oils and other crap don't dig into the fiber board. The legs were salvaged from a pile of junk at RIT before it was thrown into the dumpster. They make it VERY easy to keep the table level. I put the shelf on the back high enough that I could put a small flourecent (sp?) light under it later on if needed. I have a 2 bulb 48" flourecent fixture to hang from the ceiling as well. I've still got to do some wiring in the basement for the light as well as for some outlets for the workbench. I have some 1x4'* cut to fill in the shelf on the lower horizontal supports. There will be tons of storage space on it as well as a VERY nice work space.

Here'* some pics:


Now I've just got to take it apart enough to get it down into the basement, LOL...
Let me know what you think.

Hrm... Looks awesome. I am going to be looking into making a workbench for my new place, maybe you could give me some pointers.

We don't need no stinking nails.

Don't hurt yerself.....

Not too shabby! It looks quite sturdy....good job!!!

wish i had a picture of the work bench i had at my last house. built a nice 23x28 garage. had a 22 foot ( yes 22 foot ) work bench all the way across the front of the garage. my dad helped me build it. built little cinder block walls , 5 of them i believe , and attached 2x6'* across the top of them. very sturdy and lots of storage underneath. man , i miss that garage !

Good looking bench you built there

Just a note, those two 2x4 shelf support will leave a gap at the back of the bench for parts to fall behind, try a back splash or surface mount the supports to fill the gap?

Thanks for the warning, but I was already ahead of you. I'll be putting some DAMN IT can not for the life of me remember what it'* called now... anyway it'* got a bunch of holes in it for putting hooks and other supports through it... That'll be between the two uprights for the shelf. The 10" off either end, well, I'll just deal with it.

A little update. It is now down in my basement and the lower shelf is on and functional, but I need to pick up some 3-1/2" long screws to secure the table top to the base. I also need to pick up the varnish to paint the top before I get too gun-ho and actually start using the damn thing!... All in all, I am VERY happy with the results.

peg board, maybe?

Exactly what I was looking for! I wanted to call it cork board for some reason and just could not get past that... lol