Description
These instructions are a complete guide that will show you how to build this all-in-one workbench, step by step.
All of the materials used in the design are very common, and easy to find at Home Depot or Lowes.
About the plans:
- Includes Imperial (U.S.) Version
- Includes Metric Version
- Includes Twin Screw Vise Plan – FREE!
- Easy to follow and very visual (at least one image for every step).
- Formatted for normal sized (8.5″ x 11″) printer paper, so you can print them at home.
- They include:
- A complete shopping list for the materials you need.
- A complete list of parts you need to cut with all the dimensions necessary (with images).
- Instructions on how to obtain all the parts you need from the least amount of materials (with images).
- A separate set of instructions for building the Twin Screw Vise.
These instructions were written with beginners in mind, so no matter your skill level, these plans should make it a fairly easy build.
Workbench Features:
- Compact & Space Saving
- Stores Easily
- Sets up in less than a minute
- Accommodates:
- Table Saw
- Miter Saw
- Shop Vac
- Compressor
- Smaller tools, fittings, etc.
U.S. Dimensions:
- 72″ Long x 32″ deep x 37.5″ tall
- Work Surface: 48″ wide x 32″ deep x 37.5″ tall
Metric Dimensions:
- 182.9cm Long x 81.3cm deep x 95.3cm tall
- Work Surface: 122cm wide x 81.3cm deep x 95.3cm tall
It’s designed around compact type table saws and miter saws. Here’s a list of saws I’m sure it works with:
Compatibility:
Table Saws:
- DeWalt DW745
- DeWalt DW748
- DeWalt DWE7485
- DeWalt DSC748
- Ryobi RTS 11
- Ryobi RTS10G
- Porter Cable PCX362010
- Bosch GTS1031
- SkilSaw SPT70WT
- Ridgid R45171
- Bosch GTS 635-216
Miter Saws
- DeWalt DW715
- DeWalt DW713
- Hitachi C10FCG
- Porter Cable PCXB115MS
- Ridgid R4121
- Ridgid R4122
- Metabo KS 216
Other Saw Compatibility:
Other saws may be compatible with this workbench, as long as they fit within the space available, however most sliding style miter saws are NOT recommended. See the chart below for space availability.
If your saw is not listed, and you want to be sure it will fit, send me a message with the make and model #, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!
Compressors:
The compressor compartment will accommodate a wide variety of small 3 gallon pancake style compressors. Check the diagrams at the bottom of this page to see the space availabile.
Shop Vacuums:
The vacuum area will accommodate a wide variety of small shop style vacuums. Check the chart below for space availability.
Tools required (or at least strongly suggested) to build this project:
- Table Saw
- Miter Saw
- Brad Nailer
- Compressor (unless your Brad Nailer is electric)
- Drill
- Sander/Sandpaper
- Circular Saw or Track Saw (helpful, but not strictly necessary)
- Router (you could use a sander for rounding edges)
Dimensions and Diagrams:
Overall Dimensions:
72″ wide x 32″ deep x 37.5″ tall (from the ground to the work surface).
Space available for a table saw:
27.5″ wide x 24″ deep x the height of your saw.
Space available for a compressor:
17.5″ wide x 23.375″ deep x 13-16″ tall (depending on your table saw).
Space available for a shop vacuum:
20.75″ wide x 17.720″ deep x 28.5″ tall.
These plans will show you how to customize the workbench to perfectly fit your saw so that material exits the saw and is supported by the outfeed table.
All the math is done for you. You just measure your saw, and then an easy to read chart will show you the two custom dimensions that provide a perfect fit.
When you have it all said and done, you’ll be able to roll this bench out and have access to your table saw, miter saw, compressor, vacuum, and workbench all in less than 1 minute. A.K.A. this is a fully functional One Minute Workbench!
Metric Dimensions and Diagrams:
Overall Dimensions:
182.9cm wide x 81.3 cm deep x 95.3cm tall (from the ground to the work surface).
Space available for a table saw:
69.9cm wide x 60.9cm deep x the height of your saw.
Space available for a compressor:
44.5cm wide x 59.4cm deep x 33-40.6cm tall (depending on your table saw).
Space available for a shop vacuum:
52.7cm wide x 45cm deep x 72.4cm tall.
Because this is a digital product, no refunds are allowed.
Andrew (verified owner) –
This was a great investment. It takes so much of the guess work out building one on your own. These plans were very well detailed and supplied great pictures. I successfully completed the work bench and it has provided a great surface area for all of my projects. If you are building this on your own be sure to study the plans in advance. I found it very helpful to read the plans several times before making the first cut. Thanks again!
Thanks for the awesome review Andrew! Be sure to check out the photo of Andrew’s build in the customer gallery! -Tommy
DVF211 (verified owner) –
I am so happy I found the plans for the One Minute Workbench. The Extremely detailed, easy to follow with pictures set of plans is a must if you have a small shop and want to be up and building FAST. Not only are the plans awesome but Tommy is the BEST. He will answer any questions you may have (which I had many) and you won’t have to wait to hear from him. He responds with lightning speed and super helpful as I made a simple change to mine and he helped me with that process as well. Exceeded my Expectations! Thank you Tommy, looking forward to building some of your other projects as well.
Thanks for the awesome review Dave! Dave sent me tons of photos his build, so be sure to have a look at them in the customer gallery! – Tommy
Nick Tzoumas (verified owner) –
The one minute workbench plans are excellent. First of all, it is just an incredibly useful configuration of tools for people confined to a small work shop space. Then Tommy has gone the extra mile and provided a detailed cut plan, CAD drawings and customization features specific to your equipment. It doesn’t get more straightforward then that! Lastly, and what really impressed me the most, is that Tommy actually interacts with you and provides suggestions and detailed knowledge. As a beginner/ intermediate wood worker, it was great to have the extra insight and the rationale for why Tommy made certain decisions about how to design the bench. This an extremely useful project. You can’t go wrong with the one minute workbench!
Tyler hockley –
Really glad I found this plan online. Looked at a few and more than happy I chose this one. Plans were great and laid out for anyone to read and understand. Had to tweak a few things for my preference and it was only an email away to get a second opinion. He responded quickly and was quite interested in how the build turned out. I’d highly reccomend this to anyone!!!
Solid build and solid guy to help you along the way
Dick Young (verified owner) –
It’s hot in my part of the world, my shop is not air conditioned so I have only studied the All-in-One workbench plans. This build will solve so many of my tiny shop space issues. I’ve been very impressed with the detail of the plans and especially Tommy’s personal interest in my purchase. The temperatures are falling into the low 90s so I can get started soon.
I highly recommend the plans!
Thanks for the awesome review of the plans – I can’t wait to see how your build turns out! Keep us posted! – Tommy
Duke Paluch (verified owner) –
I have never built anything close to a workbench. I also don’t have much experience working with power tools. The All-in-One plans were easy to understand and I was able to make the necessary cuts and the assembly went very well. I have a 2 car garage and this workbench will allow me to actually get 2 cars in the garage. I love how everything I need is in or on the bench and plugged into the power strip. No more plugging and unplugging my tools. The workbench is very sturdy and easy to move around the garage. I have showed the bench to a few of my siblings and friends and at least 3 of them will be building this workbench. Tommy was awesome with his help replying to questions via emails. I love the bench and highly recommend the plans.
Thanks for that glowing review, Duke! Be sure to check out Duke’s build here in the gallery! – Tommy
Sean DuGuay (verified owner) –
I’m a 53 year old white collar professional who likes to do some wood working as a hobby. I consider myself a NON-Crafty DIY’er. In other words, unless someone has done it before, I’ll most likely not be the first. I need easy to follow plans. I spent weeks and weeks looking at plans for the perfect workbench that would work for my situation. My shop is 15′ x 15′. I have most of my space taken up with the exception of the very center of the shop. . I saw so many plans online that my head was spinning. They all had the same premise. Large 2×4’s and not a good use of space. I was about to give up and just go purchase one of those expensive benches when I came across the One Minute Workbench. After a couple email exchanges with Tommy, I knew I made the right decision. The first weekend I downloaded the plans, read through them, and set them aside. The second weekend, I went to one of the big box stores, and purchased the materials I needed. Stored them in my workshop and didn’t do anything except read the plans again. The third weekend, I started my project. Saturday=Made all the cuts. Sunday=Assembled the bench. The following weekend I painted and Poly’d the bench. Then, every evening I put another coat of poly on the top. I can’t believe how functional this bench is. SO easy to build. THANK YOU Tommy for a super great idea.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Sean, thank you for that awesome review! It means a lot to hear that the plans are easy to follow for everyday guys – that’s exactly what I was trying to achieve! Be sure to check out the pics of Sean’s build here in the gallery!
Claude Lussier (verified owner) –
the quality of the plans and information is really high and helpful. I did not have the space requirement for the full original layout, but the plans helped me craft my own “adapted” version, and I would not have done this without Tommy’s original plans. As a result, I increased significantly the working surface I had prior to getting this project together, and the creativity Tommy put into this workbench prompted me to also be creative ! Let’s look at solutions with a fresh angle, it works. Buying these plans was an investment, not an expense, and it was well worth it.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Claude, thanks for the awesome review! I’d love to see pics of your modified build, and add them to the gallery. thanks again!
Kate (verified owner) –
Easy to follow instructions. Workbench itself is very sturdy and efficient!
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Kate, thanks for the review!
Earl Burkett (verified owner) –
The document was accessed without issue via download and is very well put together. The parts list is complete and the instructions are very easy to follow.
Joshua Pappalardo (verified owner) –
I was happy with the design and support /response from Tommy which was easy to obtain. And the final product is nice and compact and so far is working well. I used the Kreg rip fence with my cordless circular saw to rip all the plywood, because i dont have a table saw yet, and that worked will (lots of cuts).
After building the table, a couple areas to pay closer attention to and perhaps put more emphasis on in the instructions:
a. quality of plywood. construction grade plywood has chips, and is often bent, etc. so either pick out really nice straight pieces, or use a slightly more expensive cabinet grade to ensure your final cut pieces are easy to work with.
b. read the compatible tools section closer. My miter saw was actually too wide to fit in the space by a couple inches. After seeing how the bench went together, I may have been able to make certain sections smaller to fit my particularly tools, with minimal changes to a few of the cut pieces, but that was hind sight, and of course its difficult to design a plan set to every persons specific tools (maybe an add on charge for that?)
c. I used wood glue and a lot of wood screws to hold things together. The instructions didnt touch too much on fasteners, but with 1/2″ plywood using glue and brad nails did not seem sufficient to hold things together. Using screws and connecting the 1/2 plywood to the 3/4″ that had a lot more grab, led to a very strong build.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Josh, thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful review with helpful critiques! I will review and update the plans based on your recommendations! Thanks again!
Bonnie (verified owner) –
I love, love, love my All-In-One Workbench. I LOVE IT. I wanted to make a video review for Tommy but when I got my “How did it turn out?” email I figured I should just do a written review. If I do a video I’ll send Tommy the link.
I never took a shop class, never did any construction prior to this, although I consider myself a basic DIYer. I’m 59 and I recently started to teach myself how to build stuff.
I mean, based on some Youtube videos I put up a French cleat storage system for my garage gym and then I built cantilevered storage shelves for the garage–that’s it! My first woodworking projects!
But I quickly got tired of working on the cold garage floor. I needed a bench.
I started looking for workbench plans but they were all too big. No matter how much I rearranged the stuff in our garage, the only storage space for a bench (and our air compressor and miter saw) was exactly six feet long. I couldn’t figure out how to add a bench to that small area.
I looked at all sorts of solutions: folding benches, drop-down benches, collapsible benches… then I saw Tommy’s All In One Workbench video and it was the perfect solution. I hesitated to get the plans, though, because of 1) my lack of experience and 2) my lack of a table saw.
Eventually I found a table saw on Craigslist and figured out how to use it without killing myself. I was really terrified of that saw! But I figured it out!
Then I bought Tommy’s plans. They are exceptionally easy to follow. If a beginner like me — who just taught herself how to use a table saw from Youtube videos — can follow these plans, anybody can.
Tommy has a great chart to calculate the height of the platform for the saw and when I first used the table saw on my completed bench I was so happy to see the cut wood slide perfectly onto the bench surface. Custom-made!
I made mistakes due to inexperience and user error, but that wasn’t Tommy’s fault. For example, I measured my air compressor’s width and height, and then wrote down the width in the HEIGHT box in the plans… d’oh!… In reality my air compressor was too tall for the compartment but I blithely went on to make the bench as if the compressor were a lot shorter than it really is.
When I finally realized my error (while trying to load the compressor into the compartment) I was so upset! Then I found the “modifications” page on Tommy’s site, where someone else had modified the compressor lid to accommodate their overly large compressor, so that’s what I did, too.
Because I didn’t want sawdust getting into the compressor compartment, I attached a small cover and now it looks like it was made to be that way, so whew.
In my short career of using my husband’s air compressor, I’d developed the habit of draining it after each use rather than using the pull ring. So I did install the pull ring as in the plans but also added a hole on the back of the bench immediately adjacent to the compressor’s drain plug. It’s just big enough for my hand to reach in and turn the plug so I can easily let the air/moisture out of the compressor.
My first drawer slides? When I installed the miter saw pullout shelf! My first drawer? When I made a copy of the one Tommy has in his video! Very basic and I’m already thinking of modifying it. But… yay, me!
Another modification I might do: I am considering an appliance lift bracket so my miter saw can lift up to table height. I thought I’d work with the shelf slide for a while and see if the lower height bothered me. So far, no, and that appliance lift costs, like, 80 bucks, so probably won’t do it.
I got a Dust Deputy and it (with my shop vac) won’t fit into the vacuum compartment so I filled that space instead with a chest of plastic drawers that fit perfectly. Later I might use that space for another power tool… or shelves or drawers or another power tool! Oh, the endless possibilities!
And finally… about that odd color in the finish: OK, so I wanted to stain my bench red because I liked the red stain on Tommy’s mechanic’s tool chest in his videos. So I got some wood dye and started to stain the bench red… but damn if the plywood didn’t turn that red dye into purple. I tried to correct it but it just got purpler and purpler…
I guess that this bench WANTED to be purple. OK, so it’s kinda wild-looking but I’ve come to like it.
And I only did 10 coats of poly for the top rather than the recommended 20 coats (20 coats of poly, Tommy? Really?) because I was so eager to start using it. At the rate I was going, 20 coats of poly might have taken another week and I didn’t want to wait.
I’ve got photos but can’t see how to submit them in the reviews; so I’ll email them to Tommy directly in case he is curious as to how my bench turned out. If he looks closely, he’ll see all the errors I made, and I made some big ones. Some I corrected, some I couldn’t, but I am embracing the massive, purplely imperfection. The end result is a beautiful (to me) bench that I am having SO MUCH FUN using. I feel so proud that I made this myself.
Thank you, Tommy!
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Bonnie, thank you so much for that awesome review! I loved reading it, and have read it a couple of times now. I couldn’t stop laughing thinking about the workbench turning more and more purple…hahaha. I really appreciate you taking the time to write such a thorough review and share your experience with every else. Again, this was just a great read, and you totally made my day! Have a look at Bonnie’s build here in the gallery!
Steve H (verified owner) –
I wanted to do a complete new layout of my garage and wanted to better incorporate my table saw to make better use of it. Watching all of Tommy’s videos convinced me that this design was exactly what I wanted. I didn’t have a compressor or brad gun but having watched Tommy, I quickly took a look around and was surprised as how inexpensive they really are and quickly purchased both.
The whole concept of using ply, brads and glue is an excellent technique for creating a very strong, easy to build flexible solution.
I made a couple of modifications to accommodate my table saw and although I’m keeping my mitre saw separately, I followed the rest of the design. It is brilliant and I can’t thank Tommy enough for taking the trouble to do both the videos and the plans, which are well worth buying.
This has opened up a whole new chapter in my woodworking now I’ve been able to get properly organised with this bench at the centre if things.
Thanks again Tommy and I hope we can look forward to more projects from you
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
No problem, Steve! I’m glad you’re happy with the plans and the results! Thank you for that awesome review!
Chris (verified owner) –
Awesome bench, awesome plans! I should have done this years ago. My back thanks you Tommy. Detailed instructions, easy to follow from start to finish. Precise, but forgiving. Sturdy, yet mobile. Makes my small shop feel much less small. I had one minor technical computer issue (completely my fault) and Tommy got back to me literally within minutes (on a weekend, no less) to correct my mistake and get me back on track. Couldn’t recommend this more highly! Excited to put this to use over years to come.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Chris, thank you for that awesome review! I’m glad you’re happy with the workbench – thanks again for being a customer!
chuck –
Loved your video, sent my son your link. Noticed some viewers did not have a table saw and used the Kreg circulars saw jig. I have the Kreg but have difficulty making the shorter cuts. I ended up making a rip guide for my circular saw that clamps to the board being cut where the cut needs to be, not 1 1/2″ or more from the cut line. One guide is about 50″ long and the other is 8′. Using them to cut 4×8 sheets to managable size for the tablesaw really helps.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Thank you for the review, and thank you for sharing your method for building without a table saw!
PJ (verified owner) –
Fantastic workbench. Clear, readable instructions. I like your straightforward, practical style. Like how the different compartments are customizable. I don’t have a miter saw so am thinking of installing a router table on the other end
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
PJ, thanks for the wonderful review!
Andrew (verified owner) –
I’m an overseas purchaser of Tommy’s terrific workbench. Still in the process of sourcing materials and all all of the tools to incorporate into this workbench. Will need to tweek a few dimensions to accommodate my selected tools.
Fantastic service from Tommy and can highly recommend his service.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Andrew, thanks for that awesome review! Send me an email describing the modifications you’re thinking about making. I’ll give it a look over, and if necessary, I’ll work up new part dimensions and any supplemental instructions for you. I’ve helped a lot of people make mods, so I can also make recommendations for how to achieve fitting certain tools – I’ve pretty much seen it all at this point. Anyway, thank you again!
Charles Bitley (verified owner) –
I stumbled onto Tommy’s workbench video on YouTube, purchased his plans, and built an incredibly compact and functional piece. Tommy’s design is ingenious and my $20 plan purchase was one of the best investments I’ve ever made. Not only are the plans comprehensive and detailed but they are also simple enough for someone with average woodworking skills to tackle. Tommy also provides excellent support along the way by answering your questions via email. I built the whole bench on sawhorses except for the top which I affixed after lowering it on its wheels. This strategy allowed me to work at a comfortable height as well as shooting brad nails directly into the pieces from underneath without toenailing. As a novice woodworker, I thought I was over my head with this project but Tommy’s support and encouragement kept me going. I highly recommend this project if you have a space issue in your workspace. I cannot tell you how many people have commented on the genius of Tommy’s design. For around $250, you can build a workbench that is so much better and more functional than anything that the big box stores offer. Keep up the good work, Tommy!
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Chuck, thank you for that glowing review! I truly appreciate your kind words, and I’m happy you’re happy with the workbench!
Brad Smith (verified owner) –
I have limited space in my shop. I dont have the room to set up permanent work stations for each tool so I was searching for something I could set up quickly and have everything at the ready. I also needed to be able to put it away quickly and move on to something else as well as park in the shop/garage space. Again, my shop space is at a premium. Every square foot is valuable and everything has to be able to be taken out and put away easily while still meeting my needs to get things done. When I came across the All-in-One Workbench I knew I had found the solution. I bought the plans and started putting things in motion to cut and build. I had a few questions for Tommy and he was great about answering them quickly. The cut sheets were easy to keep follow and myself and a friend had all the pieces cut out in about 3 hours. This included extra time working with plywood that wasn’t in the best shape as well some breaks for “hydration”. (Tip: Home Depot cuts prices by up to 80% for plywood that has slight bows in it. You just have to ask. I had no trouble working with it for this build). I should probably mention that I pocket screwed (Kreg Jig) and glued everything too so the build part probably took me a bit longer but all in all it was about a day and a half for the basic build. I knew when i put it together that I wanted to make a couple of adjustments to suit what I do which is making flags and signs out of reclaimed pallet boards (FlagSmith Pallet Flags). I needed decent dust collection as well as a mitre station that was conducive to cutting pieces at the same length over and over again. With that in mind I added a flip over mitre station and a T track in the bench top as well as an integrated dust collection system. The dust collection consists of a Dustopper and a Stanley 4 gallon/4 HP shop vac. These 2 fit perfectly in the vacuum compartment and the Stanley shop vac is plenty to do the job without popping a breaker while other tools are running. I set up a dedicated line to the table saw as well as a line out the back of the bench where I can hook up a vac hose to either clean off the work bench or hook up to the mitre saw. I have PVC ball valves installed to isolate the 2 lines. I cant say enough about how much this work bench has helped me to get my shop organized and make my time in the shop so much more efficient and enjoyable. If you have specific questions about the changes i made i can be reached at FlagSmith Pallet Flags on Facebook and Instagram.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Brad, thanks for that awesome review! I’m really think you did a great job on your build, especially implementing the dust collection and miter saw modifications. For anyone reading this, be sure to check out Brad’s build pics in the gallery!
Scott (verified owner) –
Like many of you I love to build anything. But need concise clear instructions. This bench will fit perfectly in the limited space that I have in my garage. The plans are so well thought out, and illustrations and instructions are very clear. Can’t wait to make my friends jealous with this!
Keith (verified owner) –
An excellent set of plans and a lovely workbench. I have adapted the plans slightly to suit my workshop. I am also planning to add a swing out feature to the end under the vise that will support long lengths of timber being fed to the mitre saw…. Thanks for the plans, they are excellent
James McGrath (verified owner) –
I spent the early part of the summer drywalling my garage and re-organizing it so that I could use it for project work. As soon as I saw Tommy’s video for this workbench, I knew it would be the perfect edition to my garage makeover — compact, well designed with a place for everything.
Tommy’s plan are very detailed and easy to follow. The color coding on the cutout guides was super helpful and so the conversion chart to customize the workbench for my Dewalt table saw.
I did spring for one sheet of 3/4″ baltic birch plywood for the top and I’m glad I spent a little more on this material. I stenciled the top with my MSU Spartan logo and added measuring tapes (Amazon) to both sides. A couple lessons learned:
1. Cut all of the pieces out and label them on day one per Tommy’s suggestion. It took me a full day to cut out all of the pieces. Two people could probably knock this out in 4-5 hours.
2. Hold off cutting the chop saw shelf to final dimensions (part G) until after you assemble the cabinet. The drawer slides I purchased required 1″ of total gap space and I was off about a 1/4″. I added 1/2″ plywoods shims to each slide and then re-cut the chop saw shelf to fit perfectly.
3. I used pocket hole screws to attach the vertical pieces to the base. On the outer panels, be sure to cut the pocket holes on the outside so the screws point inwards; you’ll avoid tear outs. I used glue on every joint as Tommy suggested.
4. Buy the power strip Tommy suggests with independent switches for each outlet. I love it.
5. I built Tommy’s circular saw jig so that I could cut the plywood sheets down to a manageable size . The jig is easy to build and cuts very accurately.
Next project: building pull out shelves for a walk-in closet.
Thank you Tommy!
-Jim
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Jim, thanks for that awesome review, and again job on the build! Jim’s build turned out really great – everyone reading this should definitely check it out here in the gallery! Scroll down and look for the one that was added on 10/7/2019.
Brian Bowlin (verified owner) –
This is a great workbench and I highly recommend it! I really love how all the tools are in the same space and you can just roll it away when you’re done with a project.
I did not put in the center shelf (part G) yet because I wanted to use the bench for a little while first before deciding what to do there. I incorporated dust collection for my table saw by building a dust collection cyclone from two buckets that is currently in the G space. It works really well, but one challenge I ran into was that I needed to make the dust collection hole for the table saw kind of smiley face shaped. I also had to modify the compressor lid. I have the same compressor that Tommy does, but with a taller handle. Look in the customer pics area for this plan and you’ll see a couple of what I did there.
A few suggestions for someone interested in making this bench.
– Tommy has done a fantastic job with plans and provides both standard and metric versions. Some of the measurements are in 32’nds and others are in 64th’s. My standard tape measure has 32’nds, but not 64th’s, so I had to split the difference between marks. This works, but there’s a much better way to do this. Go to Amazon and buy a Fastcap PMS-16 Auto Lock ProCarpenter Tape Measure ($11.34), which has standard on one side and Metric on the other. If you use the metric version of the plan, you’ll eliminate having to measure in those tiny measurements, it’ll all be in centimeters or millimeters. MUCH, MUCH easier, even if you haven’t ever used metrics.
– When cutting parts Sheet 3, Part S is not two pieces. I thought it was when I was cutting them out.
– Measure the height of your compressor up front and take that into account when making the compressor compartment. You can make the lid taller like I did, or drop the floor a little. I would have preferred to drop the floor, but I didn’t think of this when making the pieces.
– I used construction grade plywood, and I really wish I would have bought nicer ply, just like Tommy says in the video (damn it!). It’ll cost more up front, but you’ll be using this bench for years to come. Take the time to make it nice, you won’t regret it.
Thank you Tommy for hard work you put in making these plans!!
Brian
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Brian, thank you for that awesome review, and for the suggestions you’ve provided for future customers. I will update the plans to make the details of part S more clear, and I might go ahead and modify any measurements that are currently at 1/64th so that they are 1/32nd or maybe even just a 1/16 (that sort of precision isn’t really necessary for this build). Again thank you for the awesome feedback, and for the pics of your build! If anyone wants to check out Brian’s build photos, you can see them here in the gallery – just look for the images that were added on 10/3/2019. Great job, Brian!
Paulino Nunes (verified owner) –
Part 1:
Ordering & downloading the instructions was simple & fast.
I’ll start building when it warms up a bit, so it may be a few weeks, but I’ve taken a close look at the plans and I’m very impressed with the detail. I’d say I have an intermediate skill level, but the level of detail – including exactly how to lay out your cuts from a large piece of ply and reminders to take into account blade kerf – would make these plans accessible to novice woodworkers.
I’m really excited to get working on this as soon as the weather cooperates (and I’ve recovered from the holidays;).
I’ll post a follow up when I’ve got it built.
Marcos (verified owner) –
This work bench is amazing. And the plans that come with it are just as great. I couldnt have built something anything close to it if i tried. The instructions are extremely helpful and detailed so that anyone could build it regardless of experience. The great thing about the bench is that once its done, its yours to customize and modify to your liking.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Marcos, thank you so much for that wonderful review! I’m very glad to hear that you enjoyed the project and are happy with the workbench – thanks again!
Arrash (verified owner) –
This honestly was a fun and easy build! Not only did the instructions provide a step-by-step build, the photos and tips sprinkled throughout took any stress out of this. I easily cut my wood to dimension and built the bench in 2 days… now I’ve gotten compliments from everyone who’s seen it. I will definitely be purchasing additional work plans from Tommy!
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Arrash, thank you so much for the wonderful review! I’m really glad you enjoyed the project and are happy with the results – thanks again!
Patrick (verified owner) –
I thought long and hard about which workbench to build for my tiny one car garage. Once I saw the community mods for this and the flip top miter saw modification, I knew this would work for me.
The plans are very detailed and thorough making this an easy build. It’s hard to be accurate when cutting the pieces with a Kreg circular saw guide, but even with sometimes a 1/8″ tolerance, the workbench assembled well.
Great workbench if you’re looking for utility and mobility.
Matthew Simmons (verified owner) –
Hi thanks for making these great plans all the hard work is done look forward to making
Regards Matthew
michael a tyner (verified owner) –
This was my first attempt at carpentry and my wife was sure I was overshooting my capacity. I did have to figure out quite a bit but the well-organized plans, some timely input by Tommy via the www, and the very helpful photos by prior customers pulled me through. Still have some finishing touches but my wife now has several projects for me to do that are more important than putting some pizazz to my work shrine. Give it a whirl if you are starting out, you will eventually need a good workspace and this plan delivers. Good luck to the novices and watch for Brad nail blowouts (check out a hack video by Chris of The Glimpse Inside Youtube channel, Nail gun tips and tricks…, recommend before you start.)
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Michael, thank you for that awesome review and the suggestions for newbies! I’m glad you’re happy with the build, and I’m glad your wife can now put you to work 😉 Best of luck!
tooltime (verified owner) –
I built the All-In-One WorkBanch in the summer 2018, so I’ve been using it for about 1.5 years now. It was life changing! Smaller projects were not put off, as I could setup and breakdown in no time and it takes up minimal space in our garage. It perfect for those with minimal workshop space.
The plans are very detailed with cut sheets, detailed explainations and diagrams: very easy to follow.
I had a 6 gallon Bostitch air compressor, which does not fit in the original design. I reached out to Tommy directly and he created a design modification to accomodate this; outstanding! These mods are now on Tommy’s website.
I’ve recommended this design to any and all who will listen.
Thank you Tommy!
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Thank you so much for sharing about your time with the One Minute Workbench V2! I’m very glad to hear you’re still getting good use from it, and I hope it continues for years to come!
Akeem King (verified owner) –
Great plans that are easy to follow. And if you happen to get stuck Tommy responds very quickly with a very detailed message to answer your question. Great product. Thanks again Tommy.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Akeem, thank you for the awesome review!
Michael Booth (verified owner) –
This workbench was exactly what I wanted and the instructions were great. Even the calculations on the tablesaw part. I’m really happy I went with this build.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Michael, I’m glad you enjoyed the project – thanks for taking the time to write a review!
Geremy Marra (verified owner) –
I am extremely happy with how my bench turned out and that’s due to Tommy’s detailed plans and responsiveness. I needed some modifications made to the vacuum compartment to accommodate a dust cyclone. Tommy was very patient and innovative as we went back and forth with ideas to make it work. He continues to respond quickly to my emails, even while the world (and surely each of us) is dealing with much bigger concerns. Tommy is very generous with the amount of detail in his videos but if you think you can build this just by watching his video I think you’ll be very frustrated. I consider myself in between a novice and an intermediate woodworker. There are things in the plans that I would never have thought of. Do yourself a favor, sacrifice a pizza and treat yourself to the plans. You won’t regret it!
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Geremy, thanks for the awesome review! Geremy’s build turned out great – have a look at it here in the gallery. It’s the group of photos that was added on 4/15/2020, and it’s light blue. Again, great job, man!
Jason (verified owner) –
The plans are amazing. Tommy is very helpful and knowledgeable. If you are looking for a great workbench and save space. This is it. He has many other plans just as awesome.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Jason, thanks for the review and the recommendation – I appreciate it very much!
Jean-François Bernier (verified owner) –
So pleased to have found this resource through the myriad of “woodworking” youtube sites. I am not a professional, with a 1000 sq feet shop with like hospital dust collection system and $ 50 000 worth of power tools… So this work bench is PERFECT for my needs. So thank you for being there Tommy for guys like me… Few comments : 1) I cannot see how I could have built this within the illustrated budget… 2) in my opinion, 4 inches locking wheels are better suited for this workbench 3) still trying to find a measurement tape that goes to 1/64… 4) 5/8 plywood instead of 1/2 would I think provide more sturdiness to the whole thing (not that it is not solid with 1/2, but I find 5/8 more stable and easy to work with).
Salim Patel –
I am not a professional and never done any woodwork before, Tommy is very helpful and knowledgeable, he responded within minutes, and I will enjoy my first project as I know Tommy will be available when I need him, even though his plans are very detailed, thanks Tommy.
Kenny H (verified owner) –
I absolutely love this work bench… I made some minor modifications to the build and it makes all my projects so much easier. The instructions were easy to follow and very detailed.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Kenny, thank you so much for the review – I’m glad you’re enjoying the workbench!
Bob A (verified owner) –
I recently acquired additional tools and was looking to organize our gargage. This workbench was ther perfect solution. The plans were beyond comprehensive and really made the process very accessible. Best $20 I’ve spent in a long time.
Don S (verified owner) –
As a beginner who is eager to learn, I found the whole One Minute Workbench experience extremely positive, helpful, and supportive. The website and YouTube material is top notch, the plans for this project were easy to follow, Tommy was quick to respond to queries with great tips and advice, and the workbench itself is a brilliant piece of kit for those working out of limited space like I do in my garage. I highly recommend this build, and look forward to getting started on some of Tommy’s other projects as soon as the varnish dries on my bench.
larryb212 (verified owner) –
This was exactly what I needed to create a functional shop in my one-car garage. It took a while longer to build than I anticipated, but that was because I used my friend’s shop to cut and prepare the material and his shop wasn’t always available. I finally did finish and configured/customized it to fit my new miter saw and table saw. It works great.
I have only one issue/complaint and that is that some of the dimensions were hyper-accurate and this workbench really doesn’t need this kind of accuracy. The only place it is necessary is in the height of CSTM1 and CSTM2.
Also, I have some recommendations regarding the build: 1) make sure after you have cut all your pieces to not only inventory them but check their dimensions again. I didn’t do this and when it came to assembly time I found two items that were off by an inch. 2) use straight 2X4’s, screwed to the uprights, when you attach them to the bottom and when you attach the 4 part Js. This takes the bow out of these parts and, of course, you remove the 2X4’s when you are done. I did use this trick when I attached K, L & M to the bottom but I didn’t when I attached the 4 part Js to their tops. Consequently, I have a permanent bow in these parts at the top where part F is attached to them. 3) I highly recommend that you put a larger compressor into this workbench. I didn’t and I find that the compressor poops out after I nail about a dozen 18g brads. I’ll modify it later to take a larger one and just live with this for now.
Overall, I love this thing. I’ll definitely be coming back here for more plans and ideas in the future.
Tim Cowie (verified owner) –
Great directions, pictures, and concept. Saves space and was easy to put together. Well worth the price.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Tim, thank you for the review!
Pete Haas (verified owner) –
Far and away the best $20 I ever spent toward putting together my garage workshop was spent on this plan. First, it’s a great design for a space-limited workshop . . . there is utility in every cubic inch of space with this bench. Second, the value of the end product is disproportionate to the cost of materials . . . you’d easily pay 3x or more what these materials cost to get a workbench as good as this one, if you could even find one that is as fit for purpose as this one. Third, Tommy is available by e-mail to answer any questions or give you advice on your build . . . you write, he answers . . . incredible customer service. Fourth, the supplements that come with the plan for the drawer — which I built — and the vice — my next step — are great too. Finally, while you do need the tools he recommends, you don’t have to be a woodworking expert to build this. I am just setting up my first shop; I’m a novice. I bought my tools either used or cheap new ones and got busy. Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can. I did have a helper (college son) in breaking down the plywood, but I was able to assemble it myself. Bottom line: I love this bench and strongly recommend it for someone who needs a full shop in less than 18 square feet of space in his or her garage.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Pete, I’m glad to hear you’ve enjoyed your experience, and are happy with the results of the build! Thank you for the glowing review!
Bryan S (verified owner) –
Extremely happy with the finished product and can’t imagine working on projects now without this workbench. It’s so incredibly easy to roll it to the middle of the garage, run one extension cord, and be ready to go. When finished, I just sweep dust, shop vac, and roll back to the corner. I really can’t imagine not having the mobility crossed with the built-in tool storage and power supply.
The build itself was only challenging in breaking down the sheet goods with accuracy. The plans make REALLY efficient use of each sheet of plywood which, on one hand is good (less moolah), but on the other hand was a challenge as a first project. I personally invested in a track saw which I have used on several other projects now. For less money there are track saw DIY guides (including on this site) that I would highly recommend.
Overall extremely satisfied. If I had the practice I now have with basic techniques then everything about this would have been a breeze, but it’s also totally approachable for a total greenie.
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Bryan, thank you so much for the awesome review! I’m glad you’re enjoying the workbench!
Ludwig (verified owner) –
After moving “shops” in our basement I finally build the workbench. I bought the metric version because i’m located in Germany. I made the biggest cut in the driveway and got the baseplate just barely down the stairs.
Sadly the metric version is just converted and not modified which results in some od measurements (many plates needed to be 54,7 centimeters) which are very hard to get exactly right when working without a real workbench. In addition I had to adapt most upright supports, because I couldn’t get any 15 mm ply and had to get 12mm. So all the stretchers needed to be 3-6mm longer.
But it worked out fine. I added a dustseperator in the shopvac compartment and added a fitting for the vacuum outside. I also added a outlet to the back in which the vac can be plugged in. On terms of electronics I ditched thw extensioncord and wired a total of six outlets. Three of which a for powertool witch dustextractin and automatically turn on the shop vac.
I really love the bench and would recommend it and if we ever move again i will build it again. (because it is nor coming out of the basement in one piece)
Tommy Rich (verified owner) –
Ludwig, thank you for writing your review! I’m happy to know that you’re enjoying the workbench! Be sure to check out Ludwig’s build here in the gallery! (It’s the one added on 10/27/2020.)
Jason Buck (verified owner) –
I am a novice woodworker, and the only workspace I have available is my already crowded garage. This design looks like it will work perfectly for me and will be a project that is within my capability. There was a little confusion for me when it came to locating the download, but Mr. Rich got it worked out for me almost immediately. There is nothing I appreciate more than professionalism and this business owner (Mr. Rich) is a pro through and through as far as I am concerned. It was a pleasure dealing with him, and I’m excited to start work on the project.
Josh Wooden (verified owner) –
First off, this workbench is amazing! Before building this workbench I literally had zero space and organization for my project tools; so I literally never did projects because it was such a hassle setting everything up. Every time I would start a project I would be frustrated because there was no organization(tools would just be laying on the ground, and I always lost tools and that frustrated me even more!!!!!) Tommy’s workbench is exactly what I needed, it does exactly what he designed it for. That being said, there are a lot of cuts to build this workbench. Even though there were so many cuts the instructions make it easy. Do as he suggested in his video, cut everything one day and build the next day. I look forward to seeing an updated workbench in the future.
Eric (verified owner) –
I did a lot of research prior to buying these plans. I have limited space and needed this bench to serve many functions. Tommy did a great job developing this workbench. I bought these plans, and could not be happier. I have purchased different plans online and Tommy’s so far are the gold standard for thoroughness and clarity. In addition his support regarding questions was top notch. I plan on purchasing more plans in the future. Life postponed me from being able to make the build for awhile, but am so happy that I have.
Matt Beckendorf (verified owner) –
I am extremely happy with the plans and the workbench. The build itself was a little challenging in cutting the sheet with good accuracy. The plans make REALLY efficient use of each plywood sheet, which is good less waste and less money, but it was a challenge as a first project.
Overall extremely satisfied. If I had the practice I now have with basic techniques, everything about this would have been a breeze, but it is completely doable for beginners.
Jonathan –
This was a great experience and ended up being a good build. Cutting the plywood was a challenge to get the right sizes, especially when they were measured in 64ths, but it worked out. Lots of room for customizations. I ended up adding 5″ wheels since in 6’4″.