Decision Time: Final Wall-Hung Work Bench Design

Bench via WoodsmithPlans.com

In March of this year, I posted a photo of a wall-hung workbench that I came across on Instagram.  The photo above is of that same bench, but comes from the source of the plans:  Woodsmith Plans.  They're offering a plan for sale for the bench plus the tool holder above and the little shelf for hand tools on the very top for $10.  I think I've settled on going with this direction for both a bench in my shop in the basement, but also for a garden bench that I'm now planning in the garage.

This whole thing started with this initial wall-hung workbench with curves that I found online at the WoodArchivist.  But, in looking at the space constraints that I have in my shop, coupled with some concerns about the rigidity of the curved superstructure, I've kind of drifted away from my initial plan.  In the shop, my plan calls for hanging the bench on concrete walls, which requires cleats or ledgers (as in this design above).  For the other, curved bench, that would require a series of 2x6 cleats attached to the wall, which would bump the whole design out at least 1.5".  

The design above incorporates those cleats (and their 1.5" thickness) into the structure of the design.  The top in this design is a thick, sturdy design and this can be made wider/longer by simply adding another brace and lengthening the ledgers and tops.  

The spot in my shop calls for a 112" bench, which would allow for the placement of a dust port on the right side and an 84" garden bench in the garage.  

The materials spec'd here are also more simple and don't call for any large sheet goods, which makes things easier to handle and this is a clean design that I think is appropriate for my level of craftsmanship, too.  

I'm currently working through a different project in the garage that is taking time due to paint dry-times, but once that is complete, I'll begin to move my attention to the build out of this bench first in the garage, then in the shop.