Workbench cabinets retrofit to YouTube series
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Q:
Hi Paul
Hope you are all well.
I’m sorry to bother you but just wanted some advice regarding the workbench I’m building. I have built the two sets of legs as per your book and YouTube video and also the aprons and bench tops. I am going to put two work tops on at 12″ wide each, separated in the middle by a tool well of approx 11″. I have a quick release vice ready to fit. I am anticipating wanting to fit perhaps draws or cupboards somewhere later and wondered if it would be best to build in to the structure frames or similar when I assemble in the next few days in readiness for this. Do you think this is necessary or can provision for drawers/cupboards be easily added later. Your thoughts on these ramblings would be greatly appreciated!
Kind regards
John Clarke
For those who do not know of our YouTube series see here
A:
Hello John,
Enjoyed seeing you on the Foundational Course. We had some fun.
The idea of building in cupboards and drawers is fine, but when it comes to changes you may find it restricts without much benefit. One thing I cannot live without is my apron bench and we plane a retrofit series on building in an apron drawer as a retrofit to an existing bench.
An under the bench cabinet as a separate unit will be better than building it in because the benefit of a removable unit is really handy if you need to move it around or to another location. You can make two cabinets back to back that span to the crossrails each end of the bench. plywood boxes will work well, with face frames. You could do drawers and a cabinet one side, 18″ deep, and then a 12″ deep shelf unit with doors to the other side. That would be my suggestion. Very easy construction all around. This is another retrofit video series we plan some time in the near future.
Hope that that helps,
Best regards,
Paul
Did this retrofit video or a revised workbench series ever happen and I missed it?
No, never got round to it I’m afraid.
Hi Paul, even though you haven’t got around to it yet, do you think you will sometime in the future?
Space being at a premium here in my dawdust manufacturing facility I really need some extra storage below (and above) my bench as well.. Since the ceiling is pretty high here I’ve thought about a suspended contrapation about 4 feet above the bench top. Someday I may just get motivated.