I think something that is important to be able to build for the workshop is a wooden table, either to use as a workbench or to use as a stand for some of the power tools. In my case, I want to use it to make me a DIY table saw and a homemade router table both in the same structure. I suppose it would be better to make two tables, one for each thing, but I think I’ll save material and space that way. In this entry we are going to do only the structure. In this entry we are going to make only the structure. It is a system similar to the one used by Steve in this video: “build a cheap but sturdy workbench” (even if you don’t understand English, you can understand the making process perfectly), but making the mortises in legs and crossbeams to fit everything and make the table more beautiful. Basically, it consists of four vertical legs joined by horizontal crossbeams and reinforcements on the inside of the corners.
I will use as legs some 7×7 centimeters treated wood posts (I found them cheaper than untreated wood of the same dimensions) and as sides I will use some 3×7 centimeters strips that I will cut from a 3×23 centimeters board. Yes, the result is going to be a pretty heavy table, but hopefully also very stable. You have the measurements and plans of this work table in the image.
The wood joints I am going to make are half-wood joints. I can cut them with the circular saw and they are easier to make than the box and tenon joints.
The sides will be attached to the legs with screws and glue. In the garage where I have the workshop there are many temperature changes throughout the year and there is some humidity, so instead of using white carpenter’s glue (I did not find any suitable for outdoors) I will use a special polyurethane glue for outdoors.
Here you have a couple of pictures of the little battles I do to record the videos.
The structure of the table in the end was not very nice, but as it is for the workshop I didn’t want to complicate too much adjusting the wood joints. The only thing I had to worry about was getting the top to fit as well as possible so that the board I will put on will be perfectly flat. I may end up running the belt sander over it, but I still have a lot of work to do to the table. The structure was quite stable and I think I should make another one for a work table, since the small table I use dances too much.
As I said I glue the joints with polyurethane glue. Being able to disassemble the table would be an advantage, but I sacrificed this to make the joints stronger and more resistant to result in a more stable structure, something very appropriate if we are going to make a workbench. This glue expands a little and fills in the gaps. The excess comes out through the grooves, but it is very easy to remove by cutting it off with a spatula.
See here how to make an even simpler work table.
