Portable Tool Bench

A portable workbench is essential for someone who enjoys making DIY projects, but they don’t have always have the space. So the Get it Done team decide to build one.  See how Peter and Annalien build it step by step to inspire you to make your own.

You will need:

Tools Material list
Compound Mitre Saw Supa wood 16mm
PST 18 Jigsaw Top 600 x 1200mm – 1 piece
POF 1400 Router plus inside round over bit Front panel small 100 x 1200 mm – 1 piece
PSR 10.8 Cordless drill Driver Front panel large 300 x 1200 mm – 1 piece
PSR 18 Cordless Drill Driver Top screw holder 120 x 1200 mm – 1 piece
PEX 220 Eccentric/Random Orbital sander Pine 114 x 38mm PAR (NB!! Must be dry and straight, if its skew/warped the legs will be buckled)
  Back slat 1200mm – 1 piece
  side frames under top – 600mm – 2 pieces
  Legs 850 mm – 4 pieces
  leg slats 400 mm – 2 pieces
  38 x 38 brandering
  600 mm – 1 piece
  Chipboard screws 4 x 16mm
  Chipboard screws 4 x 50 mm
  Chipboard screws 6 x 100mm small packet (20 pieces)
  Wood glue
  100mm long brass but hinges 6 pieces (if you cant get then steel is also good – no bigger than 100 mm and no smaller than 75mm in length)
  Coach bolts 8-10mm x 150mm plus washers plus wing nut – 2 of each
  Clear water based varnish
  Handle s- 2 pieces NB you must be able to get your hand underneath to carry the table
  metal corner brackets +/- 75 mm – 8 pieces
  self adhesive Velcro strips +/- 100 mm x 2 pieces (note there will be two rough and two smooth pieces)

Follow these steps:

Top

  1. Measure and mark out where the pilot holes go on the top where the front panel, rear skirt and screw holder tray will fit onto. 
  2. Measure and cut out shapes in the screw holder part ie holes cut out on each end with a saw bit and centre groove cut out with a hole saw.  
  3. Cut out the centre groove with a jigsaw by cutting from the two holes on either side to the centre to create a goove
  4. Router along the groove to round off edges.
  5. Attach this slat with cut outs to the top with screws
  6. Cut the front panel to size and attach
  7. Cut rear skirt and attach to the back
  8. Measure out and cut support slats for the underneath of the top

Front

  1. Mark out where hinges go for the front flap and recess the edges  

Legs

  1. Cut legs to size according to the height that you need 
  2. Attach slats between legs using coach screws (drill a larger hole to act as a countersink so that the coach screws can join to the cross slats) 
  3. Attach hinges to the legs
  4. Attach legs to the top with hinges (in order for the legs to fold closed you need to attach brandering as a spacer on one side of the top for the hinge to attach to so that the legs end up being the same length. One leg is attached to the support strut and the other is attached to the brandering)
  5. Attach the front flap to the top
  6. Attach cleats to the front flap where it joins to the legs 
  7. Drill holes for leg bolts that will hold the legs in place when the workbench is in use. (the legs must be open and the front flap must be down then measure where the holes must be drilled) drill holes for leg bolts through the cleats and though the legs.
  8. Varnish the workbench
  9. Use Velcro to attach bolts to the underneath of the top when the bench is folded up.