Workbench upgraded: reorganisation of everything.

November : 

My workbench was becoming over crowded again and I needed to reorganise it. The back wall needed a larger area, so I combined two boards to increase the width. I then started adding shelves, utilising ones I already had. Using the items I had, I could space them better.

Unfortunately my garage door is an up and over, which limits how far shelves can go, due to the arc the door takes

I ordered some LEDs strip, but they aren’t bright enough to light the bench surface. But are ok just to illuminate the shelf’s. So another light source is needed. I did 3D print some brackets for the LEDs to fix too.

The bench was in transition when photo was taken lol. An unexpected project to service an Ender3 3D printer for a friend who was selling it as he’s upgrading. Swapped out the hot end for a new one, cleaned and dusted, checked belts and greased the lead screw (December 2023).

I started sorting out my boxes of screws, bolts, bits and pieces, electronics etc.

The magnifying LED light unit had to be removed from the bench, this is going to be relocated up off the bench.

The main problem with the bench was the lower shelf, in that the chair wouldn’t fit under it, which meant it stuck out and took up space. So using my angle grinder, I cut away a length of the angle before using my jigsaw to remove the wood, so it would fit under.

This makes it more comfortable to work at it. I refitted the small shelf and also added one below, this is now for the main storage (screws, bolts) boxes.

The second vice, I’m not sure about at the moment, using it to support the extra surface board is handy but also restrictive. So I’m thinking of rebuilding a soldering station in that area. The vice was simple enough to remove, so a soldering station idea is a future project.

Workbench upgrade - new shelf

Needed to add a shelf as things were getting a bit crowded. Plus I needs somewhere to put stuff. The light panel wasn’t really needed and as it’s movable, decided to replace it with a shelf.

New shelf with Funko POP’s and pictures mounted on it.

Well Hello there.....

 .....yes, it’s been a long time since my last blog post. A busy home life has been the reason. Had to convert half my garage into a usable area for my Son. This required new shelves being put up & new lights and sockets being installed. 

Another little project I was working on was installing an outside light to illuminate the garage door handle. Late nights in the dark, holding things etc and trying to find the key hole to lock the garage door.....no more! I wired up a timer delay off relay I had, along with a strip LED. So as I leave the garage, I can press the button and be able to see to lock it. This setup runs off 12volts.

light switch

testing the wiring 12volts

delay off timer relay enclosure

the timer off relay board

Then, once all this was done, my work area needed more space as I have bought a 3D printer, Tevo/Tarantula Pro. This also required a shelf, requiring the moving of other wall mounted things for it to be able to be fitted. I wanted to be able to monitor printing, so grabbed a ‘action cam’ (budget GoPro) with WiFi, for under £10! It’s great and links up with my phone. Will only be printing on an evening whilst I’m at home, but piece of mind is good. I printed a bracket that slots onto the 20x20 extrusion, click this link here ->>> Thingiverse

And I designed and printed up my own brackets for some plastic sheeting i’ll be using for an enclosure, more on that in the future.

Did a rewire on Mikes dome switches to change their illumination orientation, I've not posted that yet but will do shortly.

I designed up a 'stop/reset' switch for the Tevo as the open hole was just annoying me lol.

Link will eventually work to Thingiverse......

I have been able to do small amounts of updates to R5, but these will hopefully take up more of my time now that these other projects have been completed.

Lastly for this post....a recent picture of my workbench area.....

Workbench update

And a collection of mugs.....???

3 mugs in a row

Workbench lockdown 2020 - new paint & finished seat

I found a small leftover tin of  black Hammerite paint.

After cleaning off dirt and chipped paint, I started with painting the vice.....and then the visible parts of the metal bench framework. There’s still some parts I need to paint, but so far it’s looking good.

The seat needed modifying, the arm was just a few inches to short, so when sat on the seat my long legs would hit the bench. I found a extra piece of the steel angle and some flat plate. Had to buy a carbide tip drill bit to drill the holes through, then clamped the pieces together.

Next up I used some 18mm thick leftover wood stapled on some thick foam that I had for the dome bag projects. To cover it I used some of the material also used for the bags.
It’s not bad and is actually comfortable to sit on.

The extensions isn't great, but it's holding my weight lol, I'll probably look at upgrading in the future now I know the concept works.

Since this picture was taken, I've removed the yellow bearing, and replaced with a spacer/washer.

Workbench Lockdown 2020 - storage unit

More organising & making.

Was going to start on fitting a sliding shelf for storage under the draw. I can put all my electronics/electrical components in/on it for easy access.

But before I made a start, I instead started on making a wheeled storage unit for under the bottom shelf. I wanted it to hold my drill and drill bit boxes and anything else could be stored in it.

I cut the base and fitted casters I already had. The above picture shows the short side opening for the drill and bits boxes.

The above picture shows the unit almost complete. The wood is not very good, (hence the clamp and PVA gluing layers together), but it was free a few years back and now it’s being put to good use.

I have a ratchet set but wanted it vertical for easy access. So cut up some of the scrap material and made a bracket that the box slides down into.

Ratchet tool box with handle, had a wood fitted strip to help retain it in place. Can be just seen in above picture.

Next up I added some fold-able shelving. I wanted to be able to utilise the depth of the box, without restricting access to the lower, not used to much, area. Some left over wood, just the right size, some supports and a pair of hinges I've had for ages lol. The two pictures below, show before & after with shelf in use

 

And a quick video showing it in action lol.

I had bought some LED lights to help see under the bench and illuminate the shelves as the ceiling lights cast shadows.

These are really bright and will come in handy.

Lastly, for now, I wanted somewhere to have my soldering irons in reach. So made up a holder that slides over the edge, the cables just go into the box.

.......pic

I've still got plans for more upgrades...

Workbench Lockdown 2020 - Bench drawer & shelf

One thing I really needed was a large drawer for my tools and also to have easy access to the ones used regularly.

completed workbench drawer....wood filler waiting to be sanded

I wanted a way to store them but not create a problem, either getting to them or just finding them. Watched loads of YouTube videos, and got a few ideas. Next up....making it.

LOL, now I usually draw up plans.....but not this time. I already had some not really usable (probably grade 'D') plywood sheets, that I knew I wouldn't use, but didn't want to get rid off, just in case. And this was their time to shine lol.

Measured up the area, and marked all the pieces for the drawer onto one sheet.
Not having a circular saw, only a jigsaw, I used a straight piece of metal clamped in place as a guide and got cutting.

The sides, front, rear where screwed into the base and probably should of looked at sorting the poor quality wood out with wood filler and glue.....but more on that later.

The drawer runners I wanted and for once, where bought at local ScrewFix store [pay online, click and collect, due to COVID-19]. These were ball bearing runners, 450mm for £6!! They can take a load up to 45kg!

Next, I found some large pieces of 2"x4", thought would do for support. These were screwed to the underside of the bench's worktops and the drawer runners added. After watching one video in particular, I learned that the 'tabs' on the sides of the runners allow for the whole unit to 'align' itself if the gap at the sides is to large. Never knew this!

I was going to get all creative and fancy with making up a drawer handle out of dowel, but found this old handle what came from my parents old 'under the stairs' cupboard and thought, YES, that's a nice touch and a reminder to my past. It's also has a low profile and is not ever going to get something caught on it!

Inside the main drawer I wanted some way of having smaller tools that I use readily to hand without rummaging. So I remembered that I had a pair of small draw runners that I had bought years ago as part of R5's bad motivator pop up idea. These were perfect and after measuring and cutting out some more wood, I created this small shelf/tray for inside the main drawer. I was going to place it centrally, but then decided that the rear for it to be pulled forward would be better. This then allows full access to the main lower area, but also when the tray is pulled forward, you can see the rear area for all those things that usually get pushed to the back of a draw and forgotten lol.

I cleared out more junk again, re-organised stuff and added a shelf so things weren't just piled up on top of other boxes etc.

Looks fancy, and it is a bit, but I know how annoying having 'support legs' in the way can be lol.

Went looking in the back of garage for paint tins colour choices....but nothing really suitable, so will have to get something I actually like.

And here's the bench progress so far.

......before I cleared everything away lol.

I added a thin scrap piece of wood centrally on the lower shelf to stop things getting pushed under the draw itself and possible getting wedged. I'm planning on possible adding a second slide tray/drawer mounted there.....for what, I don't know yet. The three containers stacked on the floor (purple) fit just right under the new shelf.

As per usual, I've already started drawing up and sourcing mini LED lights to mount under the shelves etc. These will come next or before painting of the drawer/new shelf wood.

This was my weekend....which was delayed starting due to having to sort out the dishwasher that kept tripping the electrics.

More workbench build work updates coming soon.....

Workbench lockdown 2020 - extra shelf

As part of my workbench upgrade, I needed to make some more space. So added this extra little shelf, which means I can fit other stuff under it.

The rear got boarded (white) to stop things falling down the back/side. I didn't get fancy with the curved end support, it was a scrap piece I had that was just right size.

I added a small lip, to stop things rolling off.

Workbench lockdown 2020 - Bench seat

Now that my workbench is.....well, was.....clear and able to be used, I got out my usual stool and realised that when sitting, I was literally as eye level with it!

As there's limited space in my garage, I started looking for small, tall, compact stools. A few popped up but some of the prices were ridicules.

So I looked on You Tube for DIY ideas and found some good ones. But I really liked the idea of a swivel bench one. What could I use tho that I had available in the garage.....

Some old broken, kids scooters. Well, one of them was steel version now Aluminium, so I went with that one.

After removing the wheel from the forks and stripping everything down to check it over. I opened out and bent the forks flat. I then filed down a M12 or M15 nut  (I can't remember now) and push fitted it into the top of the cut down steel scooter tube.
(It is now the correct height to fit between the upper and lower bench shelves)

Next up was location. I drilled down through the bench and the metal angle of the frame. This was so some of the studding could be threaded down through the bench into the captive nut in the frame.

The angle of the scooter was too steep, so I used a piece of angle steel, to form the extension arm seen in the next picture. This was held in place with two of the scooters bolts and spacers.

The bent flat forks had holes drilled under them into the bench and bolts fed through them.

I wanted to re-use the original stool seat, but how to fit it all together.
I started by cutting out a piece of square wood, this was for the seat brackets to fit to and then the wood would be connected to the angle steel arm.

The hole in the seat was for access to the pivot bolt. The pivot bolt uses the scooter wheel bearings to help swivel and space the seat up a bit.

Yes it takes my weight.
Yes it pivots out of the way.

I might have to modify the actual seat in the future.

Hope the above video clip works.....

Workbench lockdown 2020 organised

Been meaning to sort things out in my garage for years....... well, not much I can do about most of it 😄 but with a bit of re-organising I was able to move one of the domes (R0) off the new shelf and onto an older shelf unit, that now had some space.

So now the R5 is off the bench & with R4 domes.

Next up was getting rid of stuff that I REALLY didn't need. I do keep stuff,with the intention of it possibly coming in handy in the future. Well....if it's not been used by now.... out it went. I went through boxes and sorted out and grouped/organised better all those little bits and pieces.

Clean and clear work bench

The above picture is what the bench looked like flippin years ago when it first got installed. A few little touches to help keep things to hand. The tapes were fitted onto a scrap piece of tube. I made a paper towel holder, mounted about the tapes. Three boxes were secured to the wall back board, which helps store smaller tools etc. [one can be seen top right of picture.

Next up was to make a little removable shelf. This holds two boxes with small components, electrical/electronics, recent small project work.

I didn't want the shelf to be fixed in case I needed the space. So I made it fit over the benches back board and has a support baton underneath.

small shelf

This word great...... and I started getting carried away with making stuff again. hahaha. I needed a soldering iron station, that I could move around, so after a bit of searching for material under the bench, I made this up...

soldering iron station

 

The solder sucker needed a holder, just so I knew where it was when I need it. The paste tin has raised holder edges to stop it moving forward. Next will be either magnets to lock the base to the bench or the upper back board or location pins.....not sure yet.

The real reason for being able to do any of this was that I had to fit an outside security light. This meant having to fit new electrical cable. So ordered what I needed from Screwfix and got on with the installation. The plus side to this was I was able to add a plug socket nearer the front of the garage.....for use by my workbench. For the last I don't know how many years I've had an extension reel looped over and pinned to the wall to allow power to the bench. Now it will finally be fully independent.

So I just have to finish the electrics and I can start using the bench, much to the relief of the wife as it get's me back out of the front room hahahaha.