But alas, it was too large to be really functional on my tiny workbench. So I decided to make another work bench just for the miter saw (and to have extra work space). We have a utility sink in our basement that is for some reason placed about 2 feet from the wall. A very inefficient use of space. It's connected to some old pipes so I don't think it would have been easy to move. I decided this corner would be a perfect spot to build a workbench! I used some blue tape to mark the area where I wanted it to go. (Excuse our gross basement walls)
I figured giving it an angled front would allow me to more easily operate the saw without the corner of the bench stabbing my abdomen. I started like any project, planning out the dimensions and how much material I would need. I looked to pinterest and other DIY work benches for inspiration. I decided to use particle board for the top to match the existing work bench and 2x4s for the frame. I went to HD to purchase all of my supplies for less than $50. I had to purchase a 4'x8' sheet of particle board which was pretty cheap, but I had to get it cut in half and then some because I couldn't fit it into our CRV.
Since the area where the workbench is going is kind of cramped, I built it in the center of the laundry room and planned to move it into place after the frame was built.
I had to cut some long 2x4s so I couldn't really use the miter saw on the workbench. Santa was really nice though and let me get a miter saw stand :) Like my dad always says, "measure twice and cut once"!
Wow! Now we are really rocking! I felt super hard-core at this point lol. Apparently I didn't take many pictures of the building process, but I can guarantee there was plenty of cursing. At the least I can show you a plan of how I built it using Adobe illustrator. This program has been super awesome for my DIY projects because I am able to quickly draw things to scale.
So this is a top view of how I built the frame. The purple rectangles represent the 2x4 legs. I measured carefully so that the new workbench would be the same height as the existing work bench. I started by building the top frame, then added the legs. Notice I added cross bars to support the weight of the saw so that the particle board wouldn't sag in the middle. I used 3" screws for everything. After I had the frame built, I wrestled with it to get it in place in the corner of the basement. It took some maneuvering and me lifting it up over my head to the best of my abilities, but I eventually got it in place. From there, I just laid the piece of particle board on top which was cut to the same shape as the top view of the frame. I also made a shelf underneath to store my tools with the leftover particle board. I used leftover 2x4 pieces and screwed them to the insides of the feet to rest the shelf on top of. It was pretty easy!
It worked out perfectly to fit my miter saw and store other tools. I added hook on the side to hold my clamps and air compressor hose. I was also able to fold up the portable miter saw stand and fit it under the workbench so I can easily pull it out and set it up when I need to cut larger material.
Overall, pretty easy and fun DIY project. It was a great chance to test drive my new miter saw. I also love that its so customizable to your space- do what works best for you and how you like to work.
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