A lot of folks shy away from woodworking because they think they need a full-size workbench in order to make anything. With a portable workbench top, like this model from Garrett Wade, you get a small – but functional – surface to work on.
You could attach the portable bench top to a kitchen table, computer desk, or countertop to create a temporary workspace. You won’t be able to work on the same types of projects as with a full-size bench, but a small benchtop is better than nothing.
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And if you do have a dedicated workspace, who says you need to be stuck in the shop to work on your project? Bring the portable bench top to the family room or even out on the deck so you can get some work done while you enjoy a nice day.
Although this particular table top model is sold as a children’s workbench, its sturdy solid birch and birch plywood construction should suit many “grownup” projects.
The 22″ x 11-3/4″ x 2″ bench top features a 7″ end vise and two rows of bench dog holes. The vise’s jaw protrudes slightly higher than the surface of the bench to work in concert with the bench dogs for gripping the bottom of larger boards or panels. This provides clear access to the top for tasks like planing and finishing.
The bench also comes with two clamps for securing it to a table, and four felt clamp pads to help protect table surfaces.
The table top bench usually runs $60, and we’ve seen it on sale for as low as $48. According to Garrett Wade’s shipping table, ground shipping to continental USA addresses is $12.
Buy Now (Portable Work Table via Garrett Wade)
First Thoughts
On days like today, where the temperature is so cold outside that my basement shop only gets up to 50 degrees, I can definitely see the utility in working someplace a little warmer where my fingers will respond when I ask them. Unfortunately, most of my projects require use of heavy and messy power tools which I don’t want to carry upstairs.
Someday I want to try my hand at carving, and I could see a portable work bench being super useful in that situation.
If you find the Garrett Wade Table Bench Top a little limiting, there are plenty of other options if you are willing to make it yourself.
I did a little searching online and found several table top bench designs, with most of them being based on Christopher Schwarz’s Milkman’s Workbench. You can find a link on his blog to purchase the Popular Woodworking magazine with the plans, or just do a Google Image search for “Milkman’s Workbench” to see other woodworkers’ variations.
Over on the Gunpowder Woodworks website, I found a multi-article series that goes into great detail about build a version of the Milkman Workbench.
More Info (Milkman’s Workbench via Christopher Schwarz’s blog)
More Info (Milkman’s Workbench build via Gunpowder Woodworks)
chad
The Black and Decker Workmate had this beat by decades.
Read about the history of the workmate and you will learn that it was designed to be a portable bench with integral vise. I have an older model and have enjoyed it for decades. Its not the really old extruded aluminum model but its stamped steel.
Benjamen
You know, I thought about the Workmate while I was posting this, but I decided this was a different category. Yes portable benches like the workmate are great tools. I have one and use it, but look at a woodworker’s bench and you’ll notice one thing: it’s substantial. It is big and heavy by design because you use your whole body when you are working with hand tools. You don’t want the bench to slide around when you lean into it.
While the portable bench I posted about isn’t heavy or big, it can be clamped to something that is, maybe not with the supplied clamps, but with some c-clamps and an anti-slip mat it should be able to benefit from the mass of the table.
Maybe I should have expounded on this some more in the article. Thank you for pointing it out.
Phil
My big concern with a small tabletop workbench like this is the rigidity and practicality is largely dependent on the table it’s being clamped to. The typical dining room table won’t take kindly to a lot of the lateral pushing and pulling one puts into the workpiece on a typical dedicated workbench.You’d be fine with most drilling, sanding and sawing with power tools, but carving, planing, hammering and other grunt work needs a solid foundation. It would be ideal if you had a garage workbench largely geared to metalworking and repairs and wanted to occasionally convert this to a dedicated woodworking space and not have your workpieces sitting on or clamped to a greasy or rough table. I have a piece of 3/4″ plywood, roughly 3.5×4′ with a cleat attached underneath. I clamp this to my old Workmate to give it a larger and more expendable work surface for cutting, layout, gluing and clamping. Throwing this type of woodworking bench on top of that could be handy.
BikerDad
I haven’t used my Workmuts much for handtool work, but I will say that, while very useful for some powertool tasks and general DIY, their ergonomics are pretty much dead wrong for working with any handtools other than saws.
RICHARD DECKERT
PLEASE- GUYS- CHECK WITH THE LADIES BEFORE YOU PUT IT IN AND OR ON THE FURNITURE!!!!!! SAVE THE RELATIONSHIP AT ALL COSTS.
Rick
There are many discussions in the woodworking world about the advantages of having a “bench on a bench” / “bench riser” / “bench raiser” mountable on your regular woodworking bench. This gives you a temporary working surface raised to a comfortable height (for your eyes and/or elbows!) for small, close-in, intricate work. For portability issues, I think something even as small as http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/pScott/miniature/07212006-miniature.asp is outstanding.
jihn gill
The workmate cant carry tools, a mobile workbench with toolstorage is better.