If you like to work with your hands, then a workbench will be very handy. Such a construction can be made of metal yourself. It will consist of a countertop, which is mounted on a metal frame.
Product Design Features
Metal workbench can be carpentry or metalwork. The first variety is quite simple to manufacture, but on the surface of the countertop it will be possible to work exclusively with wooden parts. This version of the product assumes the presence of a cover made of wood or processed with linoleum. If you try to work with a metal workpiece on a carpentry bench, the coating will absorb oil, and metal chips will damage the surface. Joiner's workbenches are made of wood, so they are not so stable compared to metal.
In the garage, the most commonly used locksmith structures. Using this equipment you can work with metal billets. Such a piece of furniture in the workshop is universal. It is important to determine, before starting work, whether the countertop will be single or multi-seat.
Recommendations for work
The metal workbench will have a podstavichka, a cover, as well as a table. The penultimate element should be endowed with three-layer sides. Metal structures are made using MDF or a thick sheet of plywood, which is additionally coated with a metal sheet. It is important to exclude the presence of sharp corners, which may be at the countertops, which will prevent injuries. It is important to provide the table with drawers that you will need to store your inventory. It is necessary to equip these components with guides that will prevent an accidental fall. If there is a need to protect the wall where the table will be installed, you can install a special screen on it.
The legs should have a large surface area, and also have excellent strength. They are additionally strengthened among themselves in the lower part. In places of pairing, it is recommended to place a shelf for varnishes, large tools, components. Most often, steel workbenches are equipped with two discs, which have devices for stop. The presence of a clamping screw is important.
Preparation before starting work
A metal workbench can have completely different dimensions, however, the width of 60 cm can be used as the most optimal. Whereas the length can be equivalent to 1.5 meters. The frame is recommended to be made of a profile pipe or metal corners. Sockets and light sources should be placed next to the table. For cutting metal, it is best to use a grinder. Prepare metal corners with a thickness of 3 cm. Their size should be 40 x 40 mm. Steel profiles are also suitable, the cross section of which is 30 x 50 millimeters. You will need a metal strip to fix the desktop to the frame.
When a metal workbench is made into the garage with your own hands, the countertop is usually made of dry boards, the thickness of which is 50 millimeters, while the width of this element can vary from 100 to 150 millimeters. In the process, you will need a galvanized metal with a thickness of 2 millimeters. Strips of the same material will be needed to form the sides that will protect against sparks. The length of one such strip should be equivalent to the length of the working surface.
Workbench work
If you decide to make a metal workbench yourself , drawings are recommended to be prepared in advance. Parts are cut to size, and they need to be connected together by welding. If there is no need to install additional shelves, then the structure must be strengthened by means of stiffeners, which must be made from the same corner. They should be installed by stepping back from the floor surface 10 cm. The same distance stumbles down from the edge of the countertop. The same manipulations are carried out with the central part of the table. In order to provide higher structural stability, square steel plates are welded to the legs.
Features of the assembly
A drawing of a metal workbench, which is presented in the article (see photo above), will allow you to carry out the work correctly. After the basic structure is assembled, you can begin to work on the frame. Using square steel corners with a side of 50 millimeters, you need to form a frame. Its length should be 20 cm more compared to the dimensions of the structure. This is required to fix the vise. Then, in the place where the desktop will be fixed to the main structure, steel strips should be welded, while a corner structure is installed on them. Among other things, it will be necessary to strengthen the protective screens.
If you decide to make a metal workbench yourself, in the corner that is used for stiffness, as well as in the countertop, you should drill holes to which the boards will be fixed. Most often, self-tapping screws having secret washers are used for this. At the next stage, the countertop can be covered with sheet metal, which is fastened with self-tapping screws into pre-drilled holes. Shelves can be painted or processed using a fire-retardant composition. To ensure more comfortable work, the part can be rigidly fixed. For this, a vise is used, which has sponges arranged in parallel. All processed elements can be fixed.
Finally
As you know, a metal workbench is very afraid of moisture and corrosion. In order to extend the life of the product, it is possible to process with a special paint designed for work on metal. This will make the design even more attractive in appearance.