When I opted to convert our old garage into a workshop I was eager to finally have a real workbench. As much as I wanted a true woodworking bench with a thick solid top with nice mortise-and-tenon centered in the shop, it just wasn’t going to happen. Just too much time and money, and I wasn’t a woodworker, who was I kidding. I did still want it to be solid but was going going to settle on a plywood surface. It was also going to be on a wall but opted to make it modular in case I ever need to re-position it. I had about 13′ to work with and also had a miter saw I wanted inset in the middle so the bench would be 3 tables: two 60″ x 32″ and one 32″ x 32″. Note to be sure to make the miter saw table wide enough to compensate for changing the miter angle (I initially anticipated it be narrower).
Now came how to build the thing. After much research, I opted for something similar to this instructable. I decided to make the height about 36″ since many my table saw was about this height and also the miter saw was going to be a few inches lower which seemed to be a comfortable height. I also decided to have the top frame to be outside of the legs because I wanted the 3/4″ ply surface reinforced. You can see the details in the diagram below.
The miter saw stand is slightly different in that the legs are only single 2×4 and attached on the outside. This allows them to nest under the two other tables.
Assembly was relatively straight forward with self drilling wood screws: assemble the legs, assemble the top and shelf, and attach. Once placed and leveled I clamp the three together, drilled holes and locked them together with some bolts and wing nuts. The finishing touch was sanding and putting a couple coats of varnish. I did hate not doing this to my previous benches as they got stained with oil and coffee easily.
Last but not least: attach things. The miter saw, had its place and simply required holes and attached with nuts and bolts. I used wing nuts for quick removal and planned on building an auxiliary inset table to make an continuous 14′ table, though have yet to have a need and use the miter saw all the time. I also had a bench vice which I installed on the left corner of the left table. I also recently added holes to mount my bench sander that I recently made on the right table. What I have yet to do is add a woodworking vice probably on the right corner of the left table (probably the best of all the bad locations left) and some holes for bench dogs.