A Modern Cabinet Makers Bench For Woodworking & Carpentry

In this video I build a new torsion box workbench top for my scissor lift workbench.
Tip Jar... / mikefarrington

[@vikassm]

Even a used scissor lift is way out of my budget, and way beyond any necessity for the stuff I make. Now I really want one. Great video!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Its a nice tool to have if you can swing it.

[@prf4510]

Watched this a few times over a few months.. this video is better every time i watch it. Thank you for taking the time to make it and sharing your thoughts

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you very much. Happy to hear you have found it useful.

[@AutoquipLifts]

Thank you for your comments about our lift tables. We our proud to build quality lift products that remain in use for many years.

[@MikeFarrington]

Wow, I didn't expect Autoquip to see this video. Your lift has been a big part of my shop for about 10 years now. This has been one of the few pieces of equipment that hasn't needed any attention. Really well made piece of gear. Thank you for the comment.

[@HotMesstv]

Send him a new one so he can have two.

[@blakenorthrup]

Agreed. The lift got quite a plug on this vid, and I will be getting one myself, thanks to this video. He deserves another one!

[@maplobats]

or better yet, send me one! :-P

[@prototype3a]

I want one too but I need a bigger shop first.

[@rogermccaslin6750]

At a previous job, I had a hydraulic lift table that I could use. At first I thought "I'll never use this" but after the first time or two it became MY workbench. Funny you mentioned the motorcycle lift. I did exactly that for my home shop about a year ago. Got one from Harbor Freight and mounted my torsion box table top to it. It is immensely helpful to get he project at just the right height.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Its certainly a nice tool to have in the shop.

[@michael.schuler]

Thank you. Great build, excellent video. That scissor lift find was the type of lucky treasure hunt that ends up major in the history of most of our shops.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you Michael. The lift is a major find for me too. Its the center piece of my shop.

[@167curly]

A really smart design, Mike. I now live in a condo where my minimal woodwork is confined to a mitrebox on the kitchen counter with my 40+ year-old wall cabinet of hand tools in my laundry room plus an electric drill and jig saw. I have a hardware store plastic set of drawers for sandpaper, drill bits etc and wall-mounted labeled mini drawers for screws etc. I enjoy seeing your more recent inventions such as biscuits/dominoes, and hearing your lucid and amusing explanations to us armchair wood-wording amateurs. In closing, I always enjoy your outside shots of the Rockies to the west which reminds me of driving along I 40 & I 70 to ski in Winter Park.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you very much.

[@m.scotthern6306]

Great build. I like how you explain the reasoning behind the mods you make. I have been looking for an adjustable height assembly bench but had not considered hydraulic scissor lift. Sucks that the hold down clamps wouldn't go through 1" material without modification. Keep up the good work.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. This lift has been a great addition to the shop.

[@Matlock69]

It's just so funny to watch your old videos again and see you shooting dust all over the place with your Lamello...like a pilgrim!! 😁

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you.

[@greatitbroke]

Skoocum is only used in the lower british columbia area. I never heard it before watching AvE. Im in Ontario

[@MikeFarrington]

I figured as much, but the AvE guy sure is funny.

[@rossmclean7623]

@@MikeFarrington AvE is an amazingly funny guy, but just as brilliant & gifted in his engineering knowledge (or so I'm told, as I'm not a P.Eng. by any stretch!). You have a GREAT channel, Mike, & I'm happily a new sub. Skookum as frig! Cheers from Manitoba, Canada.

[@MikeFarrington]

@@rossmclean7623 AvE is very funny and smart, that is for sure. Thank you.

[@Grunt49]

Is it fair dinkum?

[@kmonnier]

While working in a door factory we had an o-ring fail on a lift table very similar to yours. The table bottomed out in an instant. That gave me a new respect for hydraulics. Your table build is enviable and the vacuum in the table is awesome!

[@MikeFarrington]

I could imagine that would be exciting to have happen. Thank you.

[@woodmasterguy]

Mike, excellent video. Maybe a boom arm of some sort to hold the hose up in the air off the table. Being in this business since the late 70s, I loathe MDF, if I have no choice and to use for a build, I suit up like a astronaut when cutting, the dust is murder on my lungs. I cough for you when I watch you work with the stuff...

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you, good idea for sure. Right now I am thinking of attaching something to the top of a threaded bench dog, like a hook.

[@jbb5470]

Great bench and enjoy watching your little helper. Ours are grown now but still like seeing a son with his dad! Very good video also!

[@MikeFarrington]

They grow up fast. Thank you.

[@TheSmartWoodshop]

Pretty cool. I like that scissor lift, but alas my days of a fixed built shop are behind me and I think getting it in and out of the trailer on jobs would be a bit of challenge😎🤙

[@MikeFarrington]

Ron! Holy cow! This is great. Thank you for commenting on my video. I have plans to make a bench in your style for my install setup at some point.

[@AndrewMcNett]

a couple of scissor jacks and a drill could make a mini lift table a la Paulk ;)

[@aaronberk1234]

Mike, you won't regret it. I bought all of Ron's plans and built just the bench. I figured it's the least I could do for the amount of effort he put into it. I use it on a DAILY basis. If not as a full 4 by 8, I use it the most as a 2 by 8 mini bench.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you Aaron, good advice.

[@whoDatBeDare]

Aaron Berk I’m a big fan of Ron Paul’s. I purchase all the plans as well and have used his sketchup contributions to fit out my single car garage work shop. And love my RPWB. His hours and hours of how to vids are my best investment.

[@stanwiggins3423]

Excellent project Mike. Glad the Shop Apprentice appreciated the light weight of the shipping tube.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you very much.

[@jocmarti]

The sleep number bench... I have the same issue with the hose and I will probably drop mine from the ceiling. Not really a good option for you though. Whats frustrating is using the track so and the ridges of the hose catch the edge of something. You think your saw is cutting through something heavy, but its just stuck from the hose.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you, I like that, the sleep number bench. I considered dropping from the ceiling, but that wouldn't solve the plug issue. With this setup the hose and the plug go to the same spot. This is just one in a million ways to solve the issue. The hose catching is a problem as well....

[@chicagohandyman]

There's a hose sleeve product out there to solve the catching issue. amzn.to/2Lp2VOv

[@twalsh1490]

Dave Stanton has a good vid where he slides PET Braided Sleeving over a Festool hose to stop all the ridges catching on corners. I tried it. Easy. Cheap. Fast. Works! See kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWfdiqp8oqeCj8k

[@dpjazzy15]

Dang! That table is SUPER versatile! Very Cool!!!!!!!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you, its been a great addition to the shop.

[@SyberPrepper]

What a great idea. I'm looking forward to building a smaller version for an outfeed/assembly table for my garage. I like your video style and of course your craftsmanship. Fun in your videos is always good too. It would be fun to see you and Ron Paulk collaborate on something.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Yes, this bench would make a perfect outfield table. I would love to work with Ron Paulk, he is sort of the opposite of me. He like to plan things, I just jump in.

[@foyjamez]

That's a great idea. I was thinking of buying a motorcycle lift, and I could make a bench to make an outfeed table for my table saw. This is giving me ideas for making my space as versatile as I need for my various projects.

[@n5407c]

Love the roll of kraft paper on the end of the bench. a nice touch.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Mike, I did not know about this video until someone sent me a link - brilliant and well done for choosing the Parf Guide System. I have now subscribed to your channel. Cheers. Peter

[@MikeFarrington]

Peter, great to have you onboard and thank you very much for commenting. I purchased your system after watching your videos and a few others. My initial thought was that this would probably work OK. After using it, I am really impressed with the accuracy. Thank you for a neat tool. I have plans to make a couple more work tops, and I have plenty of jigs I plan to make taking advantage of the 90 degree pattern.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

Hi Mike, You might like to look at my Isometric top, again created with the Parf Guide System. It may not suit your current needs but it does give you near perfect 30 degree and 60 degree cuts. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXKumYaGd9Sto9U Cheers. Peter

[@MikeFarrington]

I have seen this video, thank you for suggesting it. I have the idea stored away in the back of my mind should the need arise. Thank you again for a product that does what it says its going to do. Rare these days.

[@NewBritWorkshop]

I have taken the liberty of creating a new thread on the Festool Owners Group forum featuring your excellent video. They all know me quite well but I could find no mention of your name and I think that it is time for them to take notice - particularly as the FOG is a US dominated forum ! here is the link: festoolownersgroup.com/member-projects/mike-farrington/msg555814/?topicseen#msg555814 I also think it is time for you to be introduced to the Parf Dogs from Lee Valley and the Parf Super Dogs from Axminster. Also, stay tuned as there are plenty of my jig and work holding items in development at Axminster. Peter

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you Peter, that is very kind. Word of mouth is always welcome. I am certainly interested in the Parf dogs. I have used dog holes for many years with the Festool clamps and that was very helpful. After a few days with the new Parf System holes, my mind is racing with ideas on how to better utilize the 90 degree pattern. I really think this system is something of an unrecognized genius, accept for those who have used it first hand. I am very curious to see what you guys come up with. Keep at it!

[@bradseubert]

Every time I watch one of your vids it costs me a bunch of money! I ordered the blum jig after the last one and now I want the parf system. Keep the vids coming, I watch a ton of youtube woodworking vids but always learn the most from yours.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you very much Brad. Sorry to cost you, hopefully you can get some more projects done with the new purchases.

[@bob69365]

Great build and love the inclusion of the shop vac.. I might try and pick up an old Dyson motor on ebay and see how that works in my own torsion box! Did you consider hanging a dust bag under the collection box, might work a bit like a cyclone??

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you Stuart. I think any old shop vac motor could be adapted. I didn't think of hanging a bag, thats a good idea. If this doesn't work, I was going to hook up vac bags in the dust collection area. I made sure to size that area so I could use commonly found bags.

[@daveweber1331]

Me too! I found a lift very similar to that - but built right here, in southwestern Ontario, Canada. I bought it off of Kijji. lol! and also paid a fraction of what new would have been. and, I absolutely love it. It just shuts up and works! One can work on anything at at any height, either sitting down or standing... With my health, its as the only way I would get anything done... Am extremely grateful I found it. I too, have considered using a Paulk-style bench top on it. But, I kind of like the idea of using conventional bench dogs, and have red oak stashed away that I plan to laminate and create a solid 3-4" top with the edge grain as the top. That's my plan... some kind of vise on the side and an end vise, as budget allows. Great video! Glad to know I'm not the only one crazy enough to have a hydraulic workbench in a wood shop! :-)

[@MikeFarrington]

A lift bench is nice to have for sure. I kicked around the idea of a solid top as well. I ended up going this direction because I am fortunate to have a more conventional bench as well.

[@KingsFineWoodworking]

Love it.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you Mr King.

[@denisthomas4232]

Dealing with a garage that started life as a carport in my home shop. Realizing now a few projects in that not having a flat reference point from the floor is causing havoc with making things plum... Ugh.. Somethings you just don't learn until you do. Love your vids Mike!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you Denis, a nice flat surface is a wonderful thing.

[@timcrane9022]

"I paid for (insert product) with my own money and didn't mention a KZbin channel" - Liked & subscribed

[@MikeFarrington]

Thanks Tim.

[@wallystoolshed7050]

Hey Mike. Great video. I also purchased the Parf Guide system. My bench top is 1" particle board with a laminate top. It was already built in. I started drilling the hole. When I got tired, I tried my Festool clamps. I am bummed, they won't go through the hole. I can't get to the underside to chamfer the holes. So I am screwed. I'm glad I didn't keep drilling any more holes. Keep up the great work. It is great to see your apprentice in the shop as well.

[@MikeFarrington]

That is a bummer, is your top already glued up?

[@pratap3369]

I scrolled down the comment section to see AvE fans but didn't find any. That scissor lift is scookam as frig vaa..........

[@MikeFarrington]

Look a little further, there have been a couple. One guy told me to keep my ..... in a vise. AvE could be the funniest guy ever, and I would really like to think he would describe this lift as skookum as frig.

[@ezza88ster]

Nice work with the 'Dirty Dick Beaters'. I can't wait to hear Mathias Wandel say something 'AvE' , wah!

[@MikeFarrington]

Ha! I wonder if Mathis watches AvE.

[@Tito1984]

Excellent video. Nice blend of warmth, humor and instructional info. Definitely I'll use some of your ideas along with Ron's in building my portable bench along with the use of the 90 degree dogs I've not seen done before. I'm not sure how it could be accomplished, but I use a bag in my shop vac. In my old vac I rigged a pillowcase around an abs pipe with a larger adaptor on the end to hold it in place. I go 10 times longer before the vac begins to clog up. Of course I often am sucking up sheetrock dust. Again thanks for your wonderfully done share!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you very much. I have considered using a bag. So far the only thing I have changed with this setup is I upgraded to a HEPA filter. Its been working great otherwise.

[@1960fusion]

I was in a car accident 38 years ago that left me in a wheelchair, I am a long time wood working hobbyist (since grade school) and it would make building projects so much more enjoyable to be able to raise and lower the height of the project. I have been looking for a lifting table for many years and still cant locate one. the closest that I got was an obsolete hospital bed that I thought was strong enough to work on and I was going to purchase it, but the bean counters at the medical building thought they may have liability selling it to me so they changed their minds…oh well, the hunt continues! you did a great job modifying it and when I finally locate one, I will do the same...thanks for the video and continue to make sawdust!

[@MikeFarrington]

Sorry to hear of you accident. A table like this one could be of use to you for sure.

[@marktreviss-bell2399]

Have a look for Hymo lift tables

[@katzmosestools]

3rd!

[@MikeFarrington]

Nice!

[@teddyandj9504]

This video inspired me to hunt for a cheap scissor lift to build a bench. Found one being discarded from a local library. Some begging and 100 bucks later and I'm stoked. Won't be half as skookum as yours, but good enough for my little shop :)

[@MikeFarrington]

Nice, that sounds like a good deal. Good luck with you build.

[@cognitor900]

Getting your hoes to lie straight is, Donald says, dang difficult and potentially expensive..... Take a perfectly good tall dog and drill through it to then put Velcro/wire/bandage etc through it ...... Revised thoughts pt 2: drill a 45mm dia hole (or whatever size your vac hose dia is plus some wiggle room) through a 60mmx40x80 piece of solid wood. Then turn down the body of the wood to 19.6mm x 60mm into a Festool dog that ultimately has a hole through the top of the dog. Place dog in hole and feed hose through and use to position vac to manufacture 5 more. Place three in bag and post to me. Use yours to continue dust management and consequently make more entertaining vejayos.... Greetings again from SW Australia.

[@MikeFarrington]

I like the idea, though, I probably won't make extra... Thank you very much, good idea.

[@MakerNoKY]

I love the idea of having a scissor lift as the base

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Its been a great addition to the shop.

[@QuasiMotoUSA]

Nice tabletop system, here i was thinking i was going to have to sell my heavy duty moto lift to make room for a woodworking table, now i know how to convert it and have both! Thanks for the great content!

[@MikeFarrington]

I like it, a two purpose work table.

[@billyproctor9714]

Thanks for sharing. I used a sheet of peg beard Plugged some holes and opened up the ones I wanted, harder than MDF. Screwed down to a sheet of 3/4 stuck easily replaced. Cheers, Billy in Canada

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Thats a good idea. Well done.

[@snobear41]

great build. for your 'hose management" maybe 2 x 20 mm dowels with a connector to space them between 2 rows of dog holes? like a giant staple - holds hose in place but easily moved- Tyler

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Great idea.

[@mswoodcustomwoodwork]

Nice build as always Mike. Re your hose issue, I solved the same challenge by wrapping wire around the hose and twisting a small loop into it and then hanging a simple hook that hangs from the ceiling so I can hook up the hose out of the way whenever I want. Maybe that helps. Cheers.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. This is a good idea. I'll put it into the idea bin.

[@fixitlikeag-fix8080]

I like the woodworking bench, That style of work bench would definitely benefit me. Thanks for the detail of the video.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you for watching.

[@jameshelton8095]

Sweet table. scissor lift is awesome. Hose management idea, you probly already thought of it, use pvc pipe, cut into 1inch wide segments and screw small pieces of wood that will fit in the bench dog holes. you can leave them on the hose and just push them all the way to the back end when you put the hose away. when you want to use them, they will slide enywhere along the hose you need. the square edges on the cut pvc segments will help hold the hose a little bit.

[@MikeFarrington]

This is pretty close to what I was thinking, especially with the threading already on the top of the dog. Such an easy build.

[@bertanatorful]

Mike, you are just on another level! I really appreciate you sharing your great craftsmanship and ideas.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you very much.

[@christopherholder3138]

Hey Mike, LOVE THIS BENCH. After watching this video the first time, I went out and found a similar lift table at an auction. Question for ya- how deep is your grid work? I like the idea of some tool storage vs. wasted space

[@craigfreeman2178]

I’ve not long built something similar myself and the jigs you made at the end are a great idea I hadn’t thought about. If people don’t want to buy that part hole jig as it’s too expensive, then they could do what I did and find someone on eBay who has a Cnc machine who makes MFT replacement tops and use that as a guide 👍🏻 another great video mate, really enjoy your humour

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. I agree on the cost of this system, and also CNC is a great option. In my case I have plans to build a few more different tops for around the shop and job site, so the cost will be spread over a few projects.

[@benrudman3917]

I really like the integrated shop vac idea. Nice job mike!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you very much Ben.

[@EscapeMCP]

I have a similar bench (also used PGS for the holes). I use an overhead hose and it's awesome. Make it long enough to reach the corners with a bit of slack and it never gets in the way or hangs up on the edge of the table. Looks like your ceiling is high, so maybe an arm (movable?) made out of a bit of pipe with a 90 degree bend in it and attach it to that grey wall next to the table (up & over to the bench). Kind of makes the inbuilt vacuum redundant though, but I think you'll be glad you did.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. This is a good idea. We shall see what I come up with.

[@TheRocketSurgeon_11]

That’s an awesome bench, sure looks skookum as frig! Also looks just like a metalworking table but made of wood! I’m inspired.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Always nice to have a skookum bench. It does share a few similarities to a metalworking bench.

[@mfsolutions]

Great job. Love the way you use the dog holes...By the way the bolt you used appears to be a Socket Head Cap... usually hex. They are common in tool and die making. The hole that relieve the head is called a counterbore (similar to countersink) and you can buy a counterbore bit designed for each size socket head cap bolt. You can also get countersink rather than counterbore for thinner stock.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you, great tips!

[@theofarmmanager267]

Im making something similar. I’m also using a static, main operated lift table originally used for welding, car repairs and the like. I was able to buy a used one for £220 delivered to me. I’ve already made a torsion box table with HD castors and have a top planned much like yours. I use mine as an infeed or outfeed table for all of my machines - none of which are same height. I use it as an auxiliary work table to my main bench. The biggest advantage to me personally is to be able to wheel it to the timber racks and take what might be a large slab onto the lift table and then wheel it to the table saw or band saw. All without straining my increasingly problematic skeleton. The downside is the plugging and unplugging of the mains cord for lifting and lowering. However, my shop is about 8m square with perimeter power sockets plus 4 hanging down in the centre of the shop - so I’m never far away from a handy socket. When you look at my total cost (£350?) against a RUWI or Felder option, I’m very happy.

[@MikeFarrington]

Sounds pretty neat. Thank you.

[@cougill_trim_and_cabinets]

Hey Mike! This is sweet! The way I’ve seen the hose issue addressed is a little u-shaped notch on the edge to grab that hose and keep it in place. The festool hoses with the sleeve are a little easier to manage maybe I’m too cheap to actually buy one and confirm. Lol.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. I like the u shaped idea. I'll give that some thought.

[@dwaynes6806]

You are well skilled plus have a lot of patients. Well done!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you.

[@Spider2029]

Yes! Yes! Yes! That was exactly what I was waiting for! I've no excuses now, since I've just received my TS55 yesterday! Thanks Mike, Best!

[@MikeFarrington]

Nice! Time to get out to the shop. You are gonna love the ts55, its a useful tool.

[@richardballinger517]

I do use my motorcycle lift as a workbench with a 24mm ply lid on it. Just bought the Parf Mk2 system to put holes in things.

[@MikeFarrington]

That sounds pretty cool.

[@richardballinger517]

@@MikeFarrington It's a scissor lift type like yours but I have to pump it up by foot although I do believe I could connect an air line? I've also got one of those double height scissor lift trolleys, really useful except it's all in storage at the moment until I finish building my workshop, one day. Have to admit, you yanks drive me nuts with your huge workshops. We're lucky if we've got a 4'x6' shed in the UK. ;) :(

[@pebkacz]

Loved the build. Loved the numerous music track, love your dry humour and your superb narration of the task in hand. Oh yeah...and your Pro tip(s). Catching up on some nice builds in a view-a-thon today.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you very much!

[@johnmack1185]

"Hulking Mass" I love it. You make us smile Mike, keep up the good work.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you John, will do.

[@JBLewis]

I've gone all cordless in my shop for non-stationary tools... Except for my Bosch barrel grip jig saw! I love that saw!

[@anilsarapalli9968]

JB Lewis I have the same saw but I can’t seem to get the blade to cut vertically straight. It bends inward every time. Any idea what I could be doing wrong?

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you, yes that is a great saw. I have had it forever and it just keeps working.

[@MikeFarrington]

Not sure about the blade bending inward.

[@Ramdodge582]

love the shots around your place, flying out there in 3 months, can't wait.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Its a very beautiful place.

[@johnCarter-tx4yv]

Ya that is sick. Great ideas. Love the 90deg. holes on the top. perfect!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you John.

[@korycoster3586]

Thanks for all the great info in this Vid Mike. Just built my own version over the weekend. Can't wait to put it to use.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Thats great to hear, I hope you like it.

[@carpenterone3]

Super cool bench Super cool that Ron Paulk commented! Super cool vac setup And super cool shop apprentice! Always look forward to you videos mike!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Yes, very nice to have Ron take a moment to comment. I'll have another video out soon.

[@takumiwoodwork8044]

I like how you say "chamfer" over there. I'm gonna start saying it like that. I always watch this and now I'm gonna make one this afternoon. Cheers Fazzleburger for another splendid video

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Good luck with your build.

[@mkushin]

Handy top! I do love that scissor lift.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. The lift is a nice luxury to have.

[@eherlitz]

Lol at 12:50, a secret well kept. Awesome build man, got something similar myself and it rocks!

[@MikeFarrington]

Ha! Happy you picked up on that. Thank you, its been a nice addition to the shop.

[@KenPem]

Thanks, Mike. Great build. I see you've already incorporated a craft-paper roll at one end! Must-have! I found a supplied who does meter-wide rolls of waxed paper... awesome for glue-ups!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. The paper roll is a nice addition for sure, keeps the top nicer longer. I like the wax paper idea. Good one.

[@jerodhowell816]

Found this video very clean & uplifting..... maybe that’s due to the dust collection & scissor lift info. Enjoyed the content and humor....

[@MikeFarrington]

Ha! Thank you.

[@kylefarris4686]

That scissor lift is a treat EspesssEal.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Its been nice to have in the shop.

[@fasousa4798]

For the hose use a slim curtain rail underneath the table and attach the hose to the rolling clips on the rail

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you, good idea.

[@jasonbutler419]

Love it!. (Every time I think I've got how I'm going to build my bench figured out, someone comes along with a video that sends me back to the drawing board. )

[@MikeFarrington]

Ha! Sorry to confuse the issue, but if you get a couple neat ideas, it was worth it.

[@jasonbutler419]

No worries! It's a good sort of confusion.

[@StevenAndrewMiller]

Excellent videos Mike! Thanks for talking about the scissor lift; I've been curious about it since I started watching your videos.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Happy to hear you enjoyed the bit about the lift.

[@befmx31]

@@MikeFarrington Same hear regarding the lift. I looked around on the net and you are right. They aren't cheap. I REALLY like your videos Mike.

[@MikeFarrington]

@@befmx31 Thank you very much. Not cheap, but the tool I use the most.

[@CiceroMonteiro]

I feel the need to become more organized every time I watch your channel. Btw the secret formula for finish is still very hard to decode, but I will crack that someday. Great build, thanks for sharing

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. I love organization. Maybe one day I'll give out the ratio...

[@Dwmclin6641]

I'm confused unless you added something else to your finish the ratio is obvious I you pay attention to the video

[@CiceroMonteiro]

@@Dwmclin6641 I know, it's just sarcasm, being obvious as it is

[@BandasPalette]

Hey Mike, sweet bench. I just purchased an Xcarve with dust collection. To mount the hose it uses a mount and a rod swivels around. That may be a useful idea for the hose. Love your videos man, shop is super sweet too. Keep them coming.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you, I'll look into that. Good tip.

[@dangskippy9308]

Solid top for sure. Nice build

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you.

[@josephmaglione7290]

You're a funny guy! I will probably never have to build a table like this but sure is fun to watch!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Never say never, also keep in mind this bench could be scaled way down.

[@lwoodt1]

I like that. I need to make a scaled down version of this .

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Yes, this bench could be made to any dimensions.

[@flol4570]

great build. good jokes as usual. incorporating the first approach to / toolkit for an mft style doghole top that really convinces me. I will be trying to build your kind of bench, w/o the vacuum, and adding the flatpackability after kingpost timberworks torsion box bench

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. It will be interesting to see what jigs and fixtures I can come up with to work with the dog hole system. The Kingpost bench is really cool too.

[@lingli424]

First video I've seen of yours, great job. As another mentioned, no music soundtrack is a blessing. Way jealous at the size of your shop. Surprised Mr Parfitt did not chime in on the lack of chip/dust collection when drilling the bench holes, he mentions it quite a bit in his Parf guide video...

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you.

[@patrickniedermeyer2112]

Nice work. Careful with that vac switch. I've had two and they both failed due to their cheap relays, which you can replace pretty easily.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. I have had three of these in my shop for years and they just keep on working.

[@Grunt49]

Good work on apprentice training. Clamps and potty training,good segue!Lol.Great bench.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thats the story of my life right now, clamps and potty training.

[@waterfordrs22]

One of the benefits of a torsion box is its strength to weight ratio. You made a very deep torsion box which does take advantage of how a torsion box works. You mention strength as being a fu cation of the glue line. I am going to suggest a torsion box is about stiffness and resisting twisting force. No question. You want a good glue joint. It it's the depth of the box that determines its rigidity. With that in mind I personally believe 1/2" material is just fine. A torsion box can get super heavy super quick. For a stringer box, increase depth and/or divide the area into more grids. The next one I build I'll try to use half lap joints for the grid. My table saw is a contractor's saw and I'm a little worried it will be finicky to set the blade night dead on. Cool drilling jig

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Weight was not an issue when designing this bench. I am going to be chopping, hammering, etc. on this bench, so I wanted as much weight as possible. Plus 1/2 material gets pretty bouncy when chopping on unless you are right over a rib. If portability was a consideration I would not have used the materials I did. No matter weather 1/4" material or 1" material is used, the box won't stay flat unless the components are attached securely. To me glue is the only good choice and therefore the source of the strength.

[@waterfordrs22]

Mike Farrington yeah definitely needs to be glued well. I'm going to try to build a small one using half lap joints and just see how it goes. That would increase the surface area of the glue joints significantly. When it comes to MDF and it's ability to take an actual pounding I'm not really sure it's the best material in that is just compressed sawdust regardless of how thick it actually is.

[@MikeFarrington]

I think the real benefit of half laps is that it will be super easy to assemble. For my uses, MDF is the best, it resists denting much more than plywood or solid wood on its face. Where it lacks is the corners, they will always be susceptible to major chipping or breaking. Ply or solid wood are much stronger in this regard. Keep in mind I'm using high quality MDF.

[@waterfordrs22]

Mike Farrington yes I agree, easier to assemble providing the Dados were precisely in terms of width and height.

[@hebierob]

Great job, build and humor as usual! Thanks!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you Henry.

[@svenamundsen7958]

I wish I had a shop like you have.....

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. I am fortunate to have my shop.

[@americanwoodworkingtrickss6543]

You made a great job.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you.

[@keithspencersr.6806]

As for all your videos, very enjoyable thank you

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you very much.

[@donaldshulman6771]

Mike - Great torsionbox. Solid, strong, durable. Should help you on future projects. Oh yeah -The top would not have been as strong, without the help of the shop apprentice!!!!!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. You're correct, the shop apprentice really was the finishing touch on the project.

[@thatmountain]

Subscribed because you referenced "skookum" randomly. keep these great videos coming.

[@MikeFarrington]

Great to have you onboard. More skookum on the way.

[@HarrisonDodgeInnovations]

Vacuum Hose management idea.....Picture an IV pole....now adjust the length as needed. Take a properly sized shaft collar and clamp it on the cut end of the IV pole, measure the distance required for your thickness work bench thickness and position the shaft collar that distance from the end of the cut end. Then when insert into a dog hole the shaft collar will rest on the top surface of the bench top. The OD of the shaft collar will provide support for the IV pole concept, well basically a rod or pipe with one or even two bent rod hooks. The length of the pole under the shaft collar, while inserted in a dog hole, will provide lateral support. To think about it, the pole would not support anything without a dog hole. After the IV pole, or "The Pole with the Crazy Hook Things", is installed; using bungee wrapped around the vacuum hose, hook the bungee hooks on the hook on the pole. Or one could kick it up and install a ……. wait that will be coming soon. Great videos Mike, real down to earth and I enjoy all your videos.

[@MikeFarrington]

This is a good idea. Thank you for posting. I'll give this some more thought.

[@duhbiker]

Sweet top mike, I love the shop vac idea for sure. I really like how tall you made the box, that’s my biggest regret on my workbench torsion box was not making the openings tall enough for larger tools. Next one for will be more like yours for sure. Nice job though. Your massive body mass sure helps you out eh!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Yes! I have made a few of these now and the added heigh and storage will be very nice. Always a plus to have a hulking body.

[@anthonypayne6032]

love the lift may have to look into one

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Its been a nice addition to the shop.

[@bobadkins2838]

I got practical, and drew a grid on the bench. I drill the holes out only as I need them for clamping. I've had the bench 6 years. and only have about 10 holes. I love apprentices, they work for ice cream.

[@MikeFarrington]

I did the same thing on my last bench top, for clamping it was awesome.

[@MatthewSmithx]

Re: hose management- rare earth magnets. Gaf tape them on every foot or so and inset some elevator bolts so they are flush to either the top or side of the table.

[@MikeFarrington]

Good idea, thank you.

[@mrmajestic345]

The efficiency, of vacuuming, the same dust twice, seems a bit questionable, but i really love everything about this bench, except the vacuum, lol, I'm in process of basically duplicating it, many thanks for the ideas, and the video! I will be attaching a boom to closest wall by my bench, to manage air line, vacuum hose, lighting, and electrical. Also hope to come visit you someday, bought me 1.3 acres of a mountain, not to far from you.

[@MikeFarrington]

There is certainly an efficiency loss to cleaning up the clean up, but it's maybe a couple minuets every other month. So not a big deal. I do think a boom would be better, and I will probably go that route as I build my shop more.

[@garycrumrine9538]

Mike, I have seen a company named Legacy CNC use a sheet of MDF as a top of their CNC machine to create a vacuum table. You might need to use plywood for the bottom and sides, but it would be neat to create a vacuum table on your table top.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Thats a interesting idea.

[@woodworkerroyer8497]

I made a small Paulk style bench on wheels that has tons of storage and allows my table saw to fit neatly on one end. Wish I had seen this design before, I would have had a REALLY good reason to buy a motorcycle jack! (Basically a manual version of this bench lift)

[@MikeFarrington]

Sounds like your bench is pretty darn nice.

[@michaelk1266]

Bless the shop apprentice ❤

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you.

[@markspears1167]

Thanks for doing that video, Mike. I was curious about your lift. That would eliminate me having to use my shorter table to build base cabinets on and hey, “give me more space for activities.”

[@MikeFarrington]

For cabinet making these are really good, low for big assemblies, tall for the small stuff. It is a space saver vs having a couple benches.

[@mattatkinson9096]

Great project. Well done.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you Matt.

[@LouAdzima]

Great video Mike, I also have the Praf system. Great tool.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you Lou. So far the Parf System has exceeded my expectations.

[@hansangb]

@14:10 Skookum. LOL I would call it Treat Especial! Love your channel. And you have great treasure-finding mojo. Like American Pickers meets fine woodworking!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you very much. I like that, Treat Especial.

[@sforseland]

Great stuff Mike! This will be a good inspiration for my up coming build!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you, thats great to hear. Let me know how it turns out.

[@DanielKeirstead]

I've been itching to do the same in my shop. Nice job!

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. Its been a nice addition to the shop.

[@vezinar1]

That is a treat especial.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you.

[@thebeardedone1225]

I have always wanted to build something simular, and utilize the holes on top for dust collection also. Seems to me that if you have several hundred holes sucking air constantly, you would not need to connect hoses to all your tools. Perhaps just the ones that You use off the edge of the table. By having one hurricane type bin in the corner, you could mount a bucket under it to catch the saw dust. Of course that would involve having the bottom board lowered enough for all the dust to make its way back to the dust bin, but that should be doable. Anyway, just a thought.

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you. There are sanding stations called down draft tables that work how you describe. The only catch is to have enough cfm to catch the dust.

[@ilyazpasha9395]

Very very very good nice & perfect finish

[@MikeFarrington]

Thank you very much.