Building a Portable Work Bench

Going Mobile

When you do a lot of fix-it work in your job or just as a hobby, a portable work bench can be a great help. Inevitably you are going to need space to set up a few tools and do a few simple tasks right on site, and you can't always depend on someone else having a stable, workbench right where you need it. The best option is to create your own. You can do it with a piece of plywood and some 2x2 boards.

Building the Bench

A simple portable workbench can be made from a 2 x 2.5-foot piece of 1/2 inch pine plywood. You can cut this from a larger sheet using a ban saw. Now you also need legs to create the table. These can be built from 2x2 boards and folding shelf brackets. Just cut 4 to 12 inches long and mount them on the shelf brackets to add stability. Then cross brace the brackets with two more 2x2 boards. If you use heavy duty folding brackets you will not need to brace them with 2x2s, but should mount rubber feet on the shelf brackets to reduce sliding.

Results

The work bench legs will fold up easily under the workbench surface, so you can carry it anywhere you go. Since the shelf brackets are so strong, your workbench can support even heavy duty tasks. If you want a little more portability, you can cut the workbench surface in half, and reattach the two sides with a collapsible hinge. Just attach the hinge under the workbench surface so when it unfolds the two sides lock in place.