: Seems like I keep talking about and researching building a SoF
: kayak, but various real life things keep getting in the way. I'm
: finally in the new house, and we've got most of the living space
: sorted out (little things like desk storage need to be arranged,
: but I'm dealing for right now). The basement, my workshop, is a
: horrible unsorted mess, though. Before I can even think about
: getting a strongback built and that SoF kayak started, I need to
: get organized. Walking around the basement looking for a tape
: measure, square, drill, straight edge, screwdriver, drill bits,
: scrap wood, whatever... is getting rather old. Granted, it's
: usually wherever I set it down last, but I'd to narrow the
: options down a bit.

: My wife took Bill H.'s advice (thanks! ;oD ), and talked one of her
: running buddies' husband into helping me run a few new circuits.
: That gave me the confidence to know that I have no problem
: actually running the wire and installing outlets. Connecting the
: circuits to the breaker box unless the main is powered off, on
: the other hand... (the guy never did turn it off, just left it
: live while he was *carefully* connecting wires in the box... um,
: no. Crazy. But it's his skin. When his cellphone vibrated from
: an incoming call while he was in the box, he must've jumped
: three feet.) So we've got power in the basement now.

: Next step was organization. I need a workbench. Nothing fancy...
: I'm not doing cabinetry, so it doesn't need to be perfectly flat
: and true. If it holds my stuff and gives me a reasonably clear
: space to work, I'll be happy. I've got pics below that show my
: progress so far. Tomorrow, I should be able to slap some braces
: in the centers of the workspaces/shelves on both levels, add the
: rear shelves, and finish the right side. That's my goal, at
: least.

: I'm debating about what to use for a surface, though. I figure a
: single layer of 3/4" MDF will suffice for the bottom
: shelf... it'll just be used for storage. The top workspace: I'm
: tempted to lay down two layers of 3/4" MDF, then a single
: layer of 5mm "utility hardwood plywood", as Lowe's
: calls it. I'm tempted to put that big vice of my Dad's in the
: front left corner of the workspace, so I'll probably build up a
: 2x4 support under that corner to support it. That vice is heavy,
: and I don't want it moving.

: Any thoughts?

: https://picasaweb.google.com/theluckyone17/Workshop?feat=directlink

Hi Noel,

I can't look at the pix till I get home, but I use particle board for the top surface of the workbench and it seems to hold up very well. I have 3/4" plywood under the particle board since it'll sag if used alone. The surface just has several coats of sealer on it, it tends to resist most stains that way.

I've got several Sears Craftsman workbench bases that I use, three in the basement and two more in the garage for work surfaces, they work ok, but I got them on sale fairly cheap, provides several drawers for storage which helps.

Bill H.