A Rare Peek at My Workbench

Here’s a very limited view of my home office workbench – don’t mind the mess you can see, I’ve been cleaning and reorganizing things.

The frame is made from black-anodized 80/20 t-slot extrusions that I ordered precut and machined for anchor fasteners.

Let’s rewind a bit. Or, you might want to skip this rather wordy post and just scroll through to see the couple of not very exciting photos.

Here’s a sketch from the planning stage in 2017 – see Brainstorming: How to Make Best Use of a Corner for a Workbench or Tool Cabinet.

Let’s go back further.

This is what I started off with – a bolt-together concept that I made some plywood drawers for.

From there, I reused some parts (mainly the legs), and went with anchor fasteners for a neater look and a little better vertical space efficiency.

I found this image from 2022 – I think that’s when I finally installed a connected worktop and finished the side panels. The corner remains unfinished – I’ll put a shelf or two in there eventually.

I ordered the frame with precut and machined t-slot extrusions and planned to make my own drawers, similar to the plywood ones you see above. It took too long and so I eventually ordered kitchen drawers.

I didn’t build those drawers, I bought them.

That was all over 7 years ago.

I told myself I’d make some nice drawer fronts. I haven’t and at some point decided I don’t need to.

You can’t see it from the image at the top of the post, but the corner still lacks shelves.

I think this might be the year I figure out better wall storage to replace the overhead IKEA kitchen cabinets. The ones above my deeper base cabinets are fine, but I sometimes bump my head on the cabinets above my shallow base cabinets.

Why haven’t I showed this to readers before?

Because it’s difficult to explain – or at least help people understand – the expense.

“Plywood would be cheaper and just fine.” Yes.

But I didn’t get around to it, and the days, weeks, and months kept passing.

Even after installing the drawers, I never built drawer fronts. The top – which was floating for a while – and sides took a while to get to.

Ordering 30 drawers was pricey but also inexpensive, relatively speaking. For context, I spent more money this year alone on ToolGuyd’s email newsletter services than I did in 2018 on those 30 drawers.

I don’t have time for everything. At some point I bought 8-foot lengths of pre-cut prefinished drawer sides at a good price, and figured I could quickly build a bunch of drawers for my basement or the garage. After several years of not getting around to it, I gave the plywood sides to a local friend of a friend woodworker or contractor.

The chair was a bit pricey too, but has lasted 6 years now, which is a new record. Before it, I was buying, breaking, and replacing office chairs every 2 years or so.

For business needs, I can write off expenses, but I can’t write off my time.

Let’s assume a flat 30% tax rate. (Self-employment alone is a painful 15.3%, but let’s assume a flat universal 30% for simplified discussion purposes.)

Let’s say that you buy a $100 as a personal expense, and I buy the same $100 tool as a business expense.

If we assume the same flat tax rate, that tool would cost me around $100 in pre-tax dollars, and you around $143 in pre-tax dollars.

Or, it would cost me $70 in after-tax dollars, and you $100 in after-tax dollars.

I’ve used this math to talk myself into spending money towards ToolGuyd goals.

But to the point, I can write off business expenses for business needs, but I can’t write off my time.

Not only can I not write off my time, let’s say it takes me a week to build plywood drawers. Would that take away from revenue-generating activities?

It’s a mindset that took me a long time to really adopt, and even now I’m not 100% in that mindset.

Back to this image. I purchase a lot of tools. There’s an orange tote box in the bottom right corner, and it’s filled with flashlights I had purchased for testing. I tested, explored, and earlier this year I eventually gave away most of them.

So where’s the post?

Sometimes exposure is necessary or beneficial but doesn’t justify a post. Not everything I test is worth recommending, explaining, spotlighting, comparing, or discussing in other ways.

Competency requires exposure and experience. Often, that requires spending on tools I don’t need or aren’t especially interested in.

Here’s my organizer rack from when I started building different configurations.

Here’s what it looked like nearly 2 years ago.

After I posted about that, I swapped 3 organizers on both sides for 2 more pull-out drawers that I had in my other organizer rack.

The top to that rack is still floating and unsecure, and I didn’t build side walls for it yet either. I will, once I’m sure it’s configured how it will remain. Eventually. When time permits.

Or I might move it to the garage and put something else here – maybe a workbench for my kids to work on projects, or a table for overhead photos and videos.

I love the setup, even if it moves, but could NEVER recommend this type of a structure to 99% of ToolGuyd readers. It’s simply too expensive if you’re spending your own money.

I have tested a lot of different brands and styles of organizers. These work well for me – but not the new ones – and others might work well for you.

Once my foot heals a bit (I irritated my Achilles again), I plan on figuring out what to do about my garage workshop.

I enjoy woodworking and love the idea of big projects. But I don’t have the space or the willingness to do anything about that.

Some of my machines were purchased specifically for ToolGuyd exploration purposes. Others, like my router table, were purchased for the long-haul and can be moved or broken down for storage if needed.

I like the idea of lining one wall with workbenches (near the windows).

Aside from a couple of big woodworking projects – a woodworking workbench I probably no longer have the space for, and headboards (I ordered one recently and the foam had a chemical smell even after a few days, prompting me to want to make one out of wood) – all of my other woodworking interests and projects are fairly small in size.

I don’t see myself building furniture over the next 2 years, as I have too many other interests I am more passionate about.

So, I’ll rework everything for the next few years of projects, leaving some space for benchtop tool (or 3D printer) reviews.

Some of my machines were purchased specifically for ToolGuyd exposure. For example, a brand sent over a benchtop jointer and I decided I needed a full-size one for context and understanding.

One of my machines needs an mobile stand, which I will likely make out of 80/20. I’m not interested in learning how to weld yet.

I built a machine stand nearly 2 years ago out of spare parts, some that I cut to fit. I might be redesigning it, even if I need to order couple of new parts.

The cost will be high, and that’s why I’m unlikely to post about it.

There are things I enjoy doing, and projects I enjoy working on. But there are also “business” problems that need “quicker and easier” solutions even if it costs a lot more.

My only regret with my purchased pre-made drawers is that I didn’t get the fronts finished, as I anticipated making my own drawer fronts.

If I order drawers for the garage workbench, then I might get them completely finished and then swap them with my office drawers. I might then add drawer fronts to the garage drawers.

I really don’t like talking about this; it seems that I should want to make the drawers myself, but I know how that will go. I loved building my first drawers, although they’re stacked up in the basement right now, unused. But I have zero interest in making 2-3 dozen more for my potential garage workbench build.

I enjoy making my own pickles, and I grow my own cucumbers every summer because it’s extremely difficult to find suitable kirby cucumbers. But carrots? Dill? I’d love to grow my own, but they’re easy to buy.

Workbenches?

Maybe there are store-bought options, but I have specific requirements and specifications. I might want a mix of shelves and drawers. All-swivel caster mobility. Different heights.

I haven’t built my benchtop spray booth yet because there’s no easy placement near a window. Where will my bench vise go? Do I need a bench vise?

I explore a lot of different tools, equipment, and techniques because I can and because I should.

I have built and bought a lot of workbenches, and one of my first 2×4 benches was among my favorites.

I loved this setup – this is the spare room in my apartment towards the middle of my doctoral research.

And here’s what my office workbench expansion looked like before I moved to the current setup 7 years ago.

It evolved because my needs evolved.

Over the years I slowly gave myself permission to buy for business needs, rather than to DIY everything.

I’m not flying in a team of engineers to design and build my workbenches. But I sometimes do spend way more than I could ever justify for personal use.

And that’s extremely difficult to convey. HOW MUCH for the drawers, and that doesn’t even include the 80/20 extrusions, work top, side panels, or the bottom-mount ball bearing slides?!

I’ve been shifting towards the mindset where I shouldn’t spend personal time on business needs. Therefore, it’s okay to whip out the business credit card for appreciable time and effort savings, especially, when the results might be better or more efficient.

Would YOU spend your weekends or personal time to build plywood drawers for an office or business workspace workbench?

No, you’d have them pay for it.

I recently donated Festool vacuum clamps to the local high school. I don’t think I mentioned this purchase to readers at all, except maybe my displeasure about the cheap original Systainers they shipped the pricey tools in. I felt it necessary to test out vacuum clamping, and Festool’s seemed like the best and most hassle-free approach. I don’t have a lot of project use for it right now, and got what I needed out of it with respect to insights and experience, so I made sure it went to a good home.

I don’t talk about my/ToolGuyd’s projects or day to day work because it’s difficult to explain, or rather I think it can be difficult to understand.

I recently asked readers what they want to see more of, and some mentioned wanting to see more about my 80/20 projects.

You can see Ben V’s projects here: https://toolguyd.com/author/dustytools/. Or start here: My Journey to an Organized Workshop with Modular Tool Cabinets: Part 1, Design.

Ben V’s approach is a great example of what’s approachable and accessible with respect to 80/20. My projects, on the other hand can range from economical to cost-prohibitive.

I will be working on some 80/20 projects over the next couple of months, and if there’s interest I can discuss them along the way, potentially discussing choices or areas where you can save money.

But in order to do that, this discussion had to come first.

There are a lot of times when the individual in me screams about how much ToolGuyd business needs or activities can cost, because there’s really no “my boss/company will pay for it.” It’s ME paying for it all.

I successfully ignore that voice a lot of the time, but it’s still there. Over the years, it has been apparent that most people see things the same way I do as an individual, and that it’s difficult for most to see things as I do from a ToolGuyd or business perspective.

In 2023, ToolGuyd spent a lot of money on a cylindrical square and swaging tools – all USA-made – and more or so on more wire rope tools, cutters, and accessories.

I periodically look for less expensive swaging tools that I can use for comparisons and discussion, because the tools are not priced for one-off projects or casual use.

I hate the cylindrical square, by the way. It’s a hefty chunk of metal with no handle, whereas imported versions come with a handle. I might find a way to stick a handle into the end without harming it.

Also in 2023, I spent a lot on air FRLs (filters, regulator, lubricator) products and fittings, some for use and others to explore additional brands and options adjacent to my actual needs.

Some of those include consumer-grade filters, regulators, and air blowers, because I believe full-spectrum exposure is necessary whenever possible.

There’s a whole world of things that go on behind the scenes here, and I don’t like talking about it. or rather, I’m extremely hesitant to.

Sometimes I figure there’s low interest or relevancy. Do you really want to hear about my cylindrical square?

The hesitation there too is that it steers into more discussion about ME and ToolGuyd, rather than just the TOOLS. That’s an approach I don’t often take, but maybe it’s time.