If you want a heavier bench that will work but allow you to move it if you need to - and work with hand planing to make boards flat (scrub plane, jack plane, trying plane, smoothing plane ) instead of power jointer and planers - you might want to look at the Moravian work bench, if you haven’t. If I knew I was probably going to need to move a bench around I would look at this design.
Interesting, yes. I’d hesitate to break out the wall to make tool cabinets because .. several reasons. You need some space between buildings - it’s where the rain falls, and the snow piles up. It provides ventilation so your house siding doesn’t mildew. At this point the wall is an intact weather barrier—if you break that you open up a can of worms with siding, trimming, roofing, sealing the little addition. You need space to work around behind and atop the extension, so there’s a limit to how much you can extend. And for Christmas sake, man, quit fucking around. It’s a small space with a questionable roof. It’s not worth making a palace out of, and it’s serviceable as it is. Use the space between the studs—insert shelves or cabinets as needed—and get your tools and supplies off the floor. Build a solid bench. Store more shit under it, but leave room for clamps under the top. Then make a chair or something useful for the house before your wife shoots you.
I'm curious about your plans for a portable bench. I use two right now, until I can get my Roman low bench built, but they are almost impossible to do chisel and plane work on. I haven't seen any that stand up to that kind of work, that's portable.
Hi Daniel, I believe you have already identified and answered a lot of your own questions. Pre made structures are generally compromised, particularly at the cheap end of the market. With the structure size you are working with I would use the smallest standard framing timber available eg 70x35-45 / 3x1 1/2-2" and the parameters of the maximum size footprint you can fit in the space you have and whatever restrictions there are height wise for external structures in your area which do not require building permits. Loading up one of those existing walls with a cantilevered and weatherproof cupboard will necessitate a lot of reinforcement and weathertight external finishing. Tools are heavy man! Chuck the ones you use all the time into a container and weigh it. Then throw in a range of fixings and other construction stuff. If you can't put a few sacks of concrete in it ,it probably won't hold your tools.
I would suggest framing out the whole shed including the floor and roof, use adjustable plastic deck supports (load rated ones) to ensure it is completely level, insulate the floor, insulate the walls and the roof/ceiling(which will be of thickness between studs to take decent rated batts), run basic electrics, line it with plywood or similar which will take an impact and can have anchor points almost anywhere and adds a small amount of extra insulation, use a roofing material which is durable, weathertight with integrated water catchment to get the wet away and pull apart the original shed to use the panels to clad the new one externally and make up the difference with creative cladding with a layer of sarking underneath. Make sure it can all breath for condensation. Double glazed openable window. Big door for access. I hope you don't get too much snow loading where you are. I'm only joking a little about this as I have been down the road several times before. It is going to take a bit and cost more than you want. You did a cracking job for a second go on the storage shed. I am sure you will be annoyed with yourself if you keep modifying the first and it doesn't cut the mustard.
Interesting post. A few questions if you don't mind. How old is the shed with the bowing roof? For your outdoor portable bench have you considered the black and decker workmate? Mine only cost 25 quid, it splits in the middle to make a really secure vice and it folds up to a very small and narrow package. I use mine constantly and consider it to be one of the most important purchases of my project. I do realise if you build it out of leftover timber it costs you nothing and perhaps youre looking for something more substantial but I can't recommend them enough. Thirdly on the subject of fitting a shelf. My shed is long and narrow so when I built it I fitted a 12" shelf the full length of it at just above waist height. It's not beautiful, made out of planks but such a great decision. It gave me more storage space as I could place items underneath in a tidy manner and also place equipment on the shelf itself, I also leave sections of it clear that allow me to work on it like a bench. My bandsaw sits on it, I will eventually fit a bench vice to it and also a drill press when I can afford one. Worth considering. As you know I made my fold down workbench, which I use daily and due to my extremely limited work area has been another great decision. I look forward to your next update.
If you want a heavier bench that will work but allow you to move it if you need to - and work with hand planing to make boards flat (scrub plane, jack plane, trying plane, smoothing plane ) instead of power jointer and planers - you might want to look at the Moravian work bench, if you haven’t. If I knew I was probably going to need to move a bench around I would look at this design.
Plans:
https://store.woodandshop.com/products/moravian-workbench-plans
DVD on how to build:
https://store.woodandshop.com/products/digital-download-building-the-portable-moravian-workbench-with-will-myers
Interesting, yes. I’d hesitate to break out the wall to make tool cabinets because .. several reasons. You need some space between buildings - it’s where the rain falls, and the snow piles up. It provides ventilation so your house siding doesn’t mildew. At this point the wall is an intact weather barrier—if you break that you open up a can of worms with siding, trimming, roofing, sealing the little addition. You need space to work around behind and atop the extension, so there’s a limit to how much you can extend. And for Christmas sake, man, quit fucking around. It’s a small space with a questionable roof. It’s not worth making a palace out of, and it’s serviceable as it is. Use the space between the studs—insert shelves or cabinets as needed—and get your tools and supplies off the floor. Build a solid bench. Store more shit under it, but leave room for clamps under the top. Then make a chair or something useful for the house before your wife shoots you.
I'm curious about your plans for a portable bench. I use two right now, until I can get my Roman low bench built, but they are almost impossible to do chisel and plane work on. I haven't seen any that stand up to that kind of work, that's portable.
Hi Daniel, I believe you have already identified and answered a lot of your own questions. Pre made structures are generally compromised, particularly at the cheap end of the market. With the structure size you are working with I would use the smallest standard framing timber available eg 70x35-45 / 3x1 1/2-2" and the parameters of the maximum size footprint you can fit in the space you have and whatever restrictions there are height wise for external structures in your area which do not require building permits. Loading up one of those existing walls with a cantilevered and weatherproof cupboard will necessitate a lot of reinforcement and weathertight external finishing. Tools are heavy man! Chuck the ones you use all the time into a container and weigh it. Then throw in a range of fixings and other construction stuff. If you can't put a few sacks of concrete in it ,it probably won't hold your tools.
I would suggest framing out the whole shed including the floor and roof, use adjustable plastic deck supports (load rated ones) to ensure it is completely level, insulate the floor, insulate the walls and the roof/ceiling(which will be of thickness between studs to take decent rated batts), run basic electrics, line it with plywood or similar which will take an impact and can have anchor points almost anywhere and adds a small amount of extra insulation, use a roofing material which is durable, weathertight with integrated water catchment to get the wet away and pull apart the original shed to use the panels to clad the new one externally and make up the difference with creative cladding with a layer of sarking underneath. Make sure it can all breath for condensation. Double glazed openable window. Big door for access. I hope you don't get too much snow loading where you are. I'm only joking a little about this as I have been down the road several times before. It is going to take a bit and cost more than you want. You did a cracking job for a second go on the storage shed. I am sure you will be annoyed with yourself if you keep modifying the first and it doesn't cut the mustard.
Interesting post. A few questions if you don't mind. How old is the shed with the bowing roof? For your outdoor portable bench have you considered the black and decker workmate? Mine only cost 25 quid, it splits in the middle to make a really secure vice and it folds up to a very small and narrow package. I use mine constantly and consider it to be one of the most important purchases of my project. I do realise if you build it out of leftover timber it costs you nothing and perhaps youre looking for something more substantial but I can't recommend them enough. Thirdly on the subject of fitting a shelf. My shed is long and narrow so when I built it I fitted a 12" shelf the full length of it at just above waist height. It's not beautiful, made out of planks but such a great decision. It gave me more storage space as I could place items underneath in a tidy manner and also place equipment on the shelf itself, I also leave sections of it clear that allow me to work on it like a bench. My bandsaw sits on it, I will eventually fit a bench vice to it and also a drill press when I can afford one. Worth considering. As you know I made my fold down workbench, which I use daily and due to my extremely limited work area has been another great decision. I look forward to your next update.