Workbench cabinet-request for pix.

[Tony Sade]

I'm working on a bench, based on Lon Schleining's "Essential Workbench" featured in the FWW Tools and Shops 2003 issue, as well as his book. It's also the bench that the fellow builds on the Canterbury Workshop, here:

http://www.canterburyworkshop.com/tv_show.htm

Given the very small size of my garage shop, I need to get storage space wherever I can, so I plan on adding a cabinet/set of drawers between the stretchers.

I'm looking for some ideas, so I'm hoping that some of you who have built something could share a picture or two.

TIA, Tony

[Steve Wargo]

Tony,
I'm just wrapping up my new bench, which has a cabinet, plane shelf and chest of drawers in it. I should have pics tomorrow or wednesday at the latest. I'll post pics.

[Matt Meiser]

I don't have any pictures, but I just built a simple birch plywood box with doors on the front. All of the plywood is edge banded to look nice and there is one shelf inside. I have plenty of drawer space and wanted this to hold my Leigh jig which is rather large.

[Marc Hills]

Hi Tony:

One important design element that I didn't think through when I built mine: If you have any bench dog holes above the cabinet, then you need to have a separate top for the storage cabinet. And you need to leave room for a dust brush between the cabinet and workbench tops so you can sweep out the inevitable piles of shavings that go down those bench dog holes.

Otherwise, you have to do what I have to do, which is periodically empty the cabinet and sweep out all the accumulated dust.

[Matt Meiser]

To handle the issue Marc brought up, I made my box about 3" shorter than the space between the stretchers and the bottom of the bench top.