The Workbench

6
Bench in a Box
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AHIGH-QUALITY WORKBENCH
by any standard, this
Ultimate American model
from Diefenbach would
be a welcome addition to
any shop large enough
to accommodate its nearly
8-ft. length.
Woodworkers are do-it-yourselfers by
nature. As a group, we’re somewhat on the thrifty side as well.
We often presume that building a bench is more economical
than buying one. But when you add up the cost of lumber,
hardware, and other materials, prefabricated benches don’t
look so expensive after all. And if you make a realistic estimate
of the time involved, even figuring minimum wage as an
hourly rate, chances are you’re money ahead buying a bench
and paying the hefty freight for having it delivered.
The desire to build a workbench is never entirely rational.
But most of us opt to purchase rather than build components.
There may be some portion of the building process that suits
you more than others. Perhaps building the benchtop challenges
your time or resources enough for you to contemplate
alternatives to building from scratch.
Once you begin purchasing components, it’s a short leap
to purchasing the entire bench. Among the offerings of workbench
manufacturers, you might find exactly the right bench.