Ultralight Portable Bench [video 434 ][Gifted/Ad**]

In this weeks video I build an ultralight portable bench from a sheet of Poplar plywood, including the MFT-style top. Enjoy!
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Ultralight portable bench plans on Etsy, includes full step-by-step video - bit.ly/Lightwei...
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Other videos mentioned:-
402 Rail square - • Benchdogs Guiderail Sq...
420 Benchdogs fence - • Benchdogs Fence System...
422 Square Cuts: MFT or Rail Square? - • Square cuts: MFT or Ra...
424 LR32 MFT - • I Make an MFT top with...
426 Portable Bench - • Portable Bench Build [...
Kingpost Timberworks - / kingposttimberworks
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Used/featured in this video:-
Folding leg brackets - amzn.to/3q24tTH (US: [similar] amzn.to/3mZJ6k7)
Strap handle - amzn.to/36blVwn (US: [similar] amzn.to/3p1l5ec)
Buttonfix - amzn.to/2JIXa35 (US: bit.ly/buttonfi...)
Peanut 2 connector system - bit.ly/Peanut2c...
Benchdogs Rail Dogs - bit.ly/raildogs
Trend MFT router jig - amzn.to/34wSp3b
Benchdogs rail square - bit.ly/bench-dogs
Festool TS55 Tracksaw - amzn.to/2pGvzDS (US: amzn.to/2oOgGhw)
Festool Midi extractor - amzn.to/2tCIN3Q (US: amzn.to/2rKNIOx)
Bessey Duo Klamp - amzn.to/2tsSWQs (US:amzn.to/2sVaRBH)
Hultafors Talmeter tape measure - amzn.to/2pHwnbH (US: amzn.to/2oqLQc9)
Moldex 6810 in-ear defenders - amzn.to/2P2c5nP (US:amzn.to/2LgIsye)
Mirock square - etsy.me/2MC0RT
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Other useful gear…
Festool MFT - amzn.to/2x49HHE (US: amzn.to/2J25aKy)
Festool PDC 18/4 - amzn.to/2s3J0eq (US: amzn.to/2tWUHEL)
Festool Granat abrasive - amzn.to/2A3c1vW (US: amzn.to/2gPAAUz)
Festool RTS 400 - amzn.to/2x6zGZW (US: amzn.to/2i84yXn)
Spax screws - amzn.to/2oYWydc (US: amzn.to/2oOjkDT)
Festool ETS 150/5 - amzn.to/2sapsq9 (US: amzn.to/2ssbZgq)
Festool CTL Sys - amzn.to/2sKa2t3 (US: amzn.to/2tCvVdZ)
Festool CTL SYS Bags - amzn.to/2G9eFVd (US: amzn.to/2GduBpo)
Trend Air Stealth Facemask - amzn.to/2zah0P6 (US: amzn.to/2T5ww6X)
Bahco 6” combi square - amzn.to/2oumhX4 (US: amzn.to/2ouSg9k)
Silicone brush set - amzn.to/2guo6Sm (US: amzn.to/2yEWbZI)
Silicone brush (single) - amzn.to/2l5rNTD (US: amzn.to/2zqFaQl)
Polyvine PolyTen PVA - amzn.to/2svT03N (US: amzn.to/2rmHYL3)

[@jackleg693]

Once again that intro is superb! And yeah, you left your camera outside and the van doors wide open 🤣👍🏻👍🏻

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! And you might want to watch all the way through to the end... 😂👍

[@garybarchas4984]

I thought the same thing! Lol!

[@macbaar]

Close the van doors! You never know what people will deposit in your van... 😜😂🤣😂👍👍👍🤗🇨🇭

[@Smithb83]

As soon as he opened the van door I came to the comments 😂

[@SingleTrack66]

Not everyone lives in an area populated by scumbags. I could probably leave my van doors open all day. And no , I’m not telling you where I live.

[@Mark_Dee]

Best example for "work smarter not harder".

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

👍

[@joesobaski1966]

The sound Peter’s knees made @1:28😝, know it well.

[@geoffsemon7411]

we just built one of these. We made it a bit wider and it's turned out great. One of the changes we made was to add another piece of 12mm ply at right angles to the legs. This has stiffened up the legs considerably and it gives an easy point to add a brace between the top and the legs which makes the table rock solid. Thanks for the design Peter

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thank you! 👍

[@jackjones7615]

I do like the idea of the French cleats for the shelf. Nice one.... Robbie from Huyton Liverpool UK

[@mururoa7024]

The advantage of a heavy bench is that when you leave your truck open thieves can't run very fast and very far with your bench before you can grab them. 😉 Nice editing btw.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Exactly! 😂 And thanks! 👍

[@petercurtis9297]

Peter you've left the van doors open! Nice vid, I've enjoyed that project.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

😂 👍

[@howardbecdove9780]

Peter, you are undoubtably, my favorite woodwork based presenter. Followed you for years, Purchased your recommended products, followed your advice, reveled in your latest topics and supported your channel with Andy Mac. Think it’s time I supported you. Thanks so much for everything you do mate.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Howard! Really appreciate you taking the time to make such a positive comment! Thanks again, and have a great weekend, Peter 👍👍

[@tonyblunsum2547]

Hi Peter made your potable bench just before Christmas and it got nicked off site within 2 days ! Very popular with other joiners maybe too popular.think I will make this one and keep it in the van cheers tony

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Oh wow, I'm so sorry to hear that! Yeah, keep the next one safe! 👍👍

[@JaySellers]

Impressed with your camera transitions. It's obvious that you moved from the photography and video production space. You've mentioned that before but your editing is so smooth that you make it look easy. Kudos.

[@dcblakley]

nicely done!

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thank you, that’s very kind of you to say. To be clear though, I never touched a video camera or edited before I started on KZbin! Learning by doing - always works for me! 😂 👍👍

[@JaySellers]

@@10MinuteWorkshop you're a very humble and talented man. I create public education content for a local water utility. My team and I strive to be as effective as you are at making the tech invisible to the process. Keep up the great work.

[@olivepressdesign]

There’s also a Birch plywood that’s incredibly light. It’s made for interiors of vehicles and other such uses. (Love the street filming angles. You do a great job with your videos. ALL that creative effort shows). Thanks Peter.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! Yes, but it's not as easy to get hold of; poplar ply is a little more accessible. 👍

[@olivepressdesign]

@@10MinuteWorkshop interesting. Thanks for the info. So in the US it’s easy to get a hold of the light weight birch plywood, but I myself have not heard of the poplar plywood. (Maybe it’s just not that poplar here!!!🥸) Thank you. I’ll be here all week folks.

[@lukehanna3344]

Fantastic portable design, one of the best I’ve seen on KZbin. On my todo list, thanks 👍

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thank you! 👍

[@mmgross144]

Looks like a nice alternative to the light weight portable torsion box table tops that I am building. Mine will seat onto two saw horses working as legs. They will be made from 1/8" plywood and be perforated to reduce weight and allow for f-style clamps for glue up. Your construction is much more simple and is very appealing.

[@FierceSleepingDog]

My Systainer with the BenchDogs Rail Square Mk2 kit came today via DHL. Well done BenchDogs crew. The packaging was top notch and made it across the Atlantic in great shape. The kit is top notch. It's good to see such attention to detail in a world where everything seems to be driven by cutting corners. Well done!!!!

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

That’s great to hear, thanks for taking the time to post a positive comment, Tim! Would you mind if I posted this to Instagram! Really great to hear you had such a good experience. 🙌👍👍

[@FierceSleepingDog]

@@10MinuteWorkshop No problem! Go for it.

[@wolfreicherter748]

Man the way you leave the car outside and open with the cameras out all the time makes it hard to believe yer really in Greater London :D

[@rainerl-h259]

great solution for people in Europe who are not used to have a 3 tons trailer to carry the whole workshop with them.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Yep, that's us! 😂👍

[@Bill.L.Carroll]

Damn, a 17kg difference is an astounding savings of the wear and tear on the body, a muchly appreciated one at that!👌🏽 Brilliant revision, mate. 👍🏽

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Bill! a yeah, couldn’t believe it when I put it on the spring balance! Makes a huge difference! 👍

[@boldford]

I was pleased to hear you mention Norm Abram. His appearances in This Old House and New Yankee Workshop were compulsive TV viewing.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Absolutely! Now, let’s talk about shop safety... 😆👍

[@andyc972]

I din't know how I missed this one at the time, but glad to have caught up with it now - a very ingenious design Peter and a perfectly acceptable and handy working bench I'm sure ! If it were any longer it may be unwieldy so might be better to have it folding (like a pasting table) but I'm sure this would be bound to compromise the rigidity further - Hmmm ! 🤔

[@stevewalker7822]

Very well done Peter

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Steve! 👍

[@kennywoods8713]

Nice work Peter as usual, I'd say just a couple of 12mm cross braces accross the back corners stored on the shelf would help reduce that spindly wobble greatly just four extra knobs if required for a bit of planning etc. Engi eers have been using them for years. Keep safe and well.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! Yes, easily added if you need them. I actually had them in the first bench before I realised I didn’t need them! 👍👍

[@tacticalskiffs8134]

I got the plans for the heavy, thanks for including the light dimensions here. I think the best way to stiffen the legs would be to make them angles. To glue them in that way one would actually reduce the material by the width of the ply, so they would be lighter, but massively stiffer. Haven't figured out how they then attach. Will have to see what I have when I get there. Might require sockets, which would certainly be stiff, but not as elegant as what you have. Though one could then do away with the shelf, which would further drop the weight. The diagonal socket braces would also stiffen the top, possibly while obstructing a hole. The legs could also be tapered about 20% without loss of stiffness. The only dimension I didn't see, since most people will buy a top, or possibly I missed it, is that on the 1200 mm top the centre point of the holes is inset 72mm from the ends. The front/back to holes centers are 60mm inset. On the 1400 the dimension is 76mm on the ends.

[@tonybrown7847]

Peter, I really enjoy watching your videos. This gave me a great idea for my own needs.

[@jonwillett7351]

This is the most innovative bench since the Paulk workbench. Great job Peter.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thank you! 👍

[@Zamai]

Just need to pause and say thank you for woodworking / diy content in metric! 👏 Thanks you gentlemen for being on the progressive side 😌

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Haha, thanks! I could probably just about work in imperial, but it would take a lot of effort! 👍

[@Zamai]

I watch a lot of US makers, and I just watch the patters, because it’s impossible to follow the measurements. Especially drill bits...

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

"Now just take the 9/32th and drill a hole 7/16 in from the edge of your 21/4" board..." 😱

[@Zamai]

@@10MinuteWorkshop lol 💯

[@eskolehtovaara2494]

@@10MinuteWorkshop 😆

[@daversj]

Great little bench. Love the French cleat and light weight design. In the US we use poplar core plywood for most applications. I put paste wax on my benches in case they get rained on before the tent goes up. I have a poplar ply miter saw stand 20 years old that has seen rain many times and is still good. I made a bench with prefinished cabinet plywood and it lasted five years. When it got wet it couldn’t dry out and delaminated.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! And good to know re Poplar and wax! 👍👍

[@coyem.1456]

Great way to make it lighter. Personally I would lose the shelf and add a pair of diagonal braces from leg to top. Really like the 10 minute workshop, great tips and advice.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! Yes, the shelf is just a convenient way to tie it all together, but if you don't need it then braces will do the job just fine, and probably better. 👍

[@FIZZYYAM]

I made this some years ago, the shelf is a great addition for putti g tools not in use and weighting the bench etc. www.flickr.com/photos/64223934@N00/11735323105/in/datetaken-public/

[@scottss213]

Great video that’s such a smart setup

[@davidrees4063]

A diagonal brace between legs and top (on the back) would add back some of that missing stiffness without adding to much additional weight.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Yes, absolutely; nothing to stop anyone adding that. I had them fitted to the previous bench before I realised that they weren't really needed! 👍

[@markanthonyharrison5153]

I don't know how I missed this video either as I watch all of yours Peter. This is brilliant. I only have a small 10x8 garden shed so I end up having to do all my work outside and this is exactly what i am looking for. Previously, I've been using a saw dog version that Charlie Whyte created - I am sure Charlie won't mind me saying but this is a far better longer term option. Thank you again

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Mark! 👍

[@JezVibert]

That was timely. The hardware for the Mk1 version arrived this morning but I’ve not bought the wood yet. Thanks Peter.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Pleasure! Don't forget to pick up the free 18mm-12mm 'Translation' cut list! Link in video description 👍

[@bob71014]

If you triple the legs you could make them hallow. As in the center piece has the middle cut out. Should be just as stiff, but not as heavy as three layers.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Yep, although tbh the poplar ply is so light I don’t think adding a third solid layer would add much to it. 👍👍

[@philipperoue3760]

Perfect portable workbench with a brilliant man. Thanks a lot Peter. Take care of you and have a nice day.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Philippe! Enjoy the weekend! 👍👍

[@colinmottram4429]

A competition racing bench! Enjoyed the intro Peter, thank you for putting in the effort to make another quality video 👍🏼

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Haha, thank you! If it was a competition racing bench it really would be full of holes! 😂 👍

[@imipak23]

Wouldn't that make it a... /track bench/? *bowtie spins, buttonhole squirts etc

[@festhooligan287]

Nice job Peter.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! 👍

[@chriscross5581]

Nice! An idea: add a set of wire or even cord crossbraces btw the opposing top and bottom points of the legs on the "far" side of the bench. Make them so that latching in the shelf will taut the wires up, and remember to connect the wires at the middle crossing point to further counter any tendency to twist the parallelogram out of symmetry. You should get an immense improvement in stability at very little weight penalty. Yes, the wires will admittedly hamper the access a bit from one side, but i suspect the stability improvement to be well worth it.

[@MrSammyse]

Very clever design, thanks Peter. I do want to try some Poplar plywood soon.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Cheers Sammy! It's really interesting! Astonishingly lightweight, but surprisingly soft - much softer than Birch ply, and doesnt cut as cleanly. Great to have the choice though! 👍

[@gbwildlifeuk8269]

You can greatly strengthen it by putting a foldable brace on each end.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Yep, if you need it, it's easily built upon. 👍

[@alexjames1146]

Just what I came too say.

[@chrisharrison6532]

Compromise sometimes that's what it's all about and that is a good one

[@carloduroni5629]

Exactly. I think that the main reason for instability is not lightness of material but the legs being joined to the frame only by two points, which creates an axis of rotation. Adding a simple (even light) brace will make it a three-point joint which is faaaar more solid.

[@ohwii]

What is a foldable brace? Is this a support of the leg to the frame under the table?

[@t.e.1189]

Great build! A piece of 1/8 x 1" aluminum bar attached to the back with one screw, that can be swung down diagonally and secured with a 2nd screw on the leg would greatly improve the stability. Thank you for all your videos!

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! 👍

[@gooseholla1]

I like this idea and when I sort my garage out will definitely be making one - not to take to jobsites but to take stuff outside and work on in the garden. Great idea.

[@zeemalota732]

Great setup - looking to build my own to get a step beyond a plastic dining table bench! Well worth the AUD$12 just to save time in having to draw it all up myself. Cheers for your hard work!

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! Let me know how you get on! 👍

[@mandyleeson1]

Genius, being lighter makes it more accessible for everyone. 👍🏼🙏🏼

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! And exactly! 👍👍

[@lisahodges8299]

Decent description from a person who knows including creaky knees.😊 Birdy

[@normanboyes4983]

That was excellent Peter as usual and the weight reduction achieved is very impressive while retaining and arguably more importantly retaining the functionality. Having had a quick scan of the comments one area of important future improvement that has been neglected so I will offer it now. A tie down point on each leg so it can be secured to the deck in case of an inclement breeze.😉👍⛵️

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Norman! And that's an excellent point actually - a stiff breeze would have ot overboard in a flash! 😂👍

[@karma3101]

Another great video. Makes it so much easier for the less experienced of us when someone like yourself has done the hard work of designing and making it, for us then to copy and adapt to our own particular needs. Thanks.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thank you! Yes, lots of 'tweakability' with a design like this, and plenty of scope for folks to adapt to their own circumstances. 👍

[@englishhomestead]

If I was still doing site work and working in customers homes a lot I would certainly build one of these. Coupled with some saw horses it would give an ideal on site workshop. I'm going to build the paulk smart bench this weekend but that will stay in the workshop I think as too heavy to lug back and forth. Yours would probably work well as a lightweight router table as well - given me an idea!

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks, yes - that was the idea for the bench really, just that the original turned out a bit heavy! This one is a different animal altogether - and that’s a great idea about the router table! 👍👍

[@sewob147]

I built V1 knowing that my use would be as a temporary bench in various construction settings and when I'd done it I thought I wouldn't want to be lugging it about day in day out. That said, for my use, I have no complaints and am mightily impressed with how functional the bench is. It's currently my bench as I install a wooden floor around the concrete pads on which sits my snooker table. It's ideal for working on the 3x2 construction material and the edge clamping is excellent (I bought some Makita track saw clamps which work perfectly in the outermost holes) it's sturdy without being an immovable object and I liked being able to use it with its legs up just placed on the snooker table frame before I'd got the first flooring done where it's now sitting on its own legs. My only development on your design is to cut a hand hole in the side opposite the carry handle as an aid to lifting when I fold out the legs. For anyone moving site to site, house to house, one day on one job the next on another I'd advise the V2 iteration as the features are spot on in use and the improved portability will keep the hernia surgeon at bay!

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thank you! Yes, I agree about the hand-hold cut-out on the opposite side of the original bench! But this one is light enough not to need it. 👍

[@fizzyfeetsmith2131]

Peter, you are a genius. Your bench is brilliant. Great video.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Haha, thank you! 👍👍

[@eskolehtovaara2494]

Hi Peter. This is a splendid designe! I like your attitude of planning something that is just enough to get the work done and light and that you can carry it with just one hand 👍 It's the total opposite to those videos about how to plan and make a perfect mallet in only three weeks 😄 even you can get the job done with any enough big piece of wood in your shop or cutting one from scratch...

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! 👍

[@johnfitzgerald4274]

Thank you.

[@noskills9577]

At my previous employment we’ve chopped through numerous pallets of poplar plywood and then pine faced poplar core plywood- it’s generally pleasant light weight stuff. Look out for the odd delamination though - easy to spot as it’ll show as ripples in the ply surface. I found it nicer to deal with than the ‘hardwood’ ply that replaced it in later years.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Good to know, thanks! 👍👍

[@drmvh]

Alarm! You left your van open in reasonably central London! Haha, yes of course you closed it between shots 😆

[@allthegearnoidea6752]

Really nice build.

[@ThisTall]

This is great! I had to go through the process of designing my own MFT for cabinet installing, to very specific specs I wanted, and it took me 4 different versions to get it right, so I know how much effort goes into something like this. I needed mine a bit bigger 30”x48” top and stability was pretty high priority so I could only get mine down to 58lb out of 3/4 Baltic birch, but I think it was still 2lb lighter then the MFT-3. And much more stable. I’m really curious how Poplar ply would have performed now... Great job.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! I think 18mm Poplar, or a combination of 18 & 12mm may be the way to go for weight:stability ratio. And yes, it's amazing how specific we can be when it comes to stuff like cabinet installs isn't it! 😂🤷‍♂️👍

[@Benchdogtools]

Wow that’s a massive saving in weight. Well done Peter. Another great useful video.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Cheers Ralph! Yeah, makes a huge difference! 💪👍👍😆

[@BischBaschBosch]

It is a very neat bench solution Peter. Especially in it's light weight guise. Nice job chap.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Cheers Stew! Yeah, really pleased with this one, worked out really nicely! 👍👍

[@MartynDuerden]

Norm Abraham! There is a blast from the past! 3 years on with material improvements…is it time for a 6mm version the exact height of a Syatainer (or two sys 5’s) to extend the length… Maybe the space under could house a couple of side extensions that rest on the Systainers. I challenge you to make it all under 10kg 🤣

[@TheOxanian]

I might build one for in the garage. Store it away when not in use. Thanks!

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Great idea! 👌

[@Sir_Pants_Alot]

I really like this bench Peter. 1400x600 makes it small enough to fit in a regular car with the seats folded. Can't say my Paulk bench could do the same very easily. 😁

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks David! Yes, that's exactly the idea behind it - the Goldilocks bench! 😂👍

[@negotiableaffections]

11 - 28kg? You had me at kneeling down and getting back up again! - Great rethink of a design, a tutorial in itself. p.s. loved the editing, very slick.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Keith! And yes, this was fun to shoot and edit! 😆👍

[@jeanlucvassort6411]

Thanks for all you very interesting videos, a pleasure to see you. Regards from France, an "woodworker amateur" :-)

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thank you, that's very kind of you to say, and very much appreciated. Best wishes from London! 👍

[@woodshop7487]

Beloow at you from afar... you sound my like my wife Peter.... I have my 1st install coming up. I can guarantee I will think of this this and say bugger I could do with one of those.... fantastic build I bet this is built by many. 👍👍👍

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Barry - I think! 😂 Ooo, first install! sounds like fun,tell me more! 👍

[@woodshop7487]

@@10MinuteWorkshop 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣.... blooming lockdown putting a stop to it... a 2.8mt "floating" scaffold board desk, with a 2nd tier for monitors and a shelving unit to match. Its a bit of a beast lol...

[@mikeenglish7063]

Thats a hell of a weight saving

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

It is, yes. 👍

[@johnduffy7502]

Great idea! I don't do much work away from my base, but something to keep in the memory bank... Thanks Peter.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Cheers John! Sounds like a smart move, all things considered! 👍👍

[@MJ-nb1qn]

I hope your Van and tools were still outside. I love your videos👍🏼

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! And yes, they were, due to the magic of editing! 😂👍

[@MJ-nb1qn]

@@10MinuteWorkshop - Good thing! In my neighborhood they’d been gone in a heartbeat!

[@audiorackcompany4468]

Excellent design development - top marks!

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thank you! 👍

[@lhpl]

I justed watched this, having watched so many MFT videos the last month or so, I've lost count. Yours were definitely some of the best. I don't have a table (yet), and having no money means I don't have any "festive" tools and will have to make do for some time with the hand-me-down cheap Skil saw and other stuff, and whatever material I have lying around, or can scavenge or buy very cheaply. That means no premium grade birch plywood or similar for me at the moment. I've been thinking about making a number of benches, actually, and maybe this video could be as good a place as any to ask for opinions on a couple of ideas. Now, in addition to diy, I am also a scale modeller, and a tiny MFT surface could be a good tool for precise alignment, and all kinds of modelling tasks, and also permit modelling in various locations, like in the kitchen or at the sofa table. Here's the first idea, and it relates directly to the topic of lightness here: I have plenty of scrap MDF in 6 mm and 10 mm, and some 4 mm plywood. Would a sandwich construction, with a middle layer of 67.8 mm MDF squares, placed in a diagonal chequer pattern reinforcing where the 20 mm holes are to be (and with narrow strips around the edges), provide enough stiffness and strength, while being very light? Some dimensions I have considered are 4 mm plywood + 10 mm MDF + 4 mm plywood, or a whole 6 mm MDF sheet+ 6 mm MDF + 4 mm plywood, both giving a total thickness of 18 mm. The plate could be made even thicker with thicker squares in the middle layer, or lighter by using an even thinner outer layer, like 3 mm MDF. (Compare with the "Lack" table from IKEA, which is just a very thin layer of MDF with a paper honeycomb center - almost strong enough to stand on.) I have also been looking at many Paulk bench videos, which gave me the other idea. For some modelling tasks I think it could be useful to combine a vertical MFT surface with a horizontal, enabling some weird 3D configurations, like precise alignment of ship masts or aircraft wings. But that would require 20 mm holes on the sides, and probably at least two rows for rigidity and stability. Is there a standard for how to position the holes vertically, or relative to edges, and for heights? I am thinking of a smaller box bench 192 mm high (thick?) with 48 mm from the edge to the nearest hole center. Using the same edge distance on all surfaces would also make it possible to join two smaller tables side by side, and keep the exact spacing. I'd love to hear what you or any viewers might think of these ideas.

[@christianjanes]

Superb into. We really appreciate the extra effort. Thanks Peter

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thank you! 👍

[@tc9148]

So creative and functional, impressive.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! 👍

[@ThekiBoran]

That Benchdogs fence and square looks like the perfect setup either for on the job or in the shop. That square won't be available until the end of March, 2021.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

It’s a great system, yes. The square has been available for a while now, but the latest Mk2 version is scheduled for a few weeks time. 👍👍

[@myfaceback100]

Good change with the ply i sure it is alot light going up and down stairs I have a Ron Paulk bench made from 18mm ply super strong also super heavy I think I might make mine new bench with extruded aluminium

[@gogowerkzeug297]

Finaly the light weight version, great job as usual

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! 👍

[@elguapo1507]

Really nice these portable mft workbenches! 👍

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! They work really well. 👍

[@robert-levesque]

Et voilà... c’est formidable. Félicitations!

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Merci! 👍

[@rainerl-h259]

. . . or as Ron Paulk would call it: the "PMSULPB" (Peter Millard Smart Ultralight Portable Bench) :-)

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

😂👍👍

[@markvandeven]

and the video would be about 6 hours long :-P

[@ThePhilGrimm]

I wonder if the Morland Ultralite that Ron was using was a Poplar plywood too?

[@LostWhits]

I used to enjoy his videos. Then they just seemed to drag on and it got irritating. Once fastcap got involved. I like Pete's idea, a bit smaller but still highly practical.

[@carllamb6711]

Great content Pete I really enjoy your videos

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Carl! 👍👍

[@carllamb6711]

@@10MinuteWorkshop Hi Pete What size are the holes and What’s the measurements centre to centre of each row please mate if you don’t mind me asking

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

The standard MFT grid is 20mm holes on 96mm centres. 👍👍

[@carllamb6711]

@@10MinuteWorkshop thanks so much Peter I really appreciate your help just one more thing I seen some clamps that are very similar to the festool clamps different brand .. are them ones a lot cheaper to buy if so where can I get them from Thanks 😊

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

They’re Axminster trade clamps. They were about half the price of the Festool ones, but they had a few niggles. Then they fixed the nibbles but axminster hiked the price! They’re still cheaper than the Festool ones, but not by as much!

[@paulmaryon9088]

Great, thanks Peter, have a good weekend and stay safe,

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Paul, you too! 👍

[@JazzMan76]

Brilliant! So ingenious. Thank you for sharing this.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Very very good Peter😀. I've been getting ahead of myself and thinking how I'd like the workshop to look inside when (if) it is finished. I want everything to be either on wheels or lightweight and collapsable. This definitely ticks the boxes for me👍👍

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Cheers Leo. I wish I had a floor level enough for wheels! 🤷‍♂️👍

[@davidhull1610]

Excellent work as usual... I think I would be tempted to try building one with a mix of 12mm and 18mm poplar ply and then drilling some strategically placed holes to lighten it. I would definitely prefer the top to be 18mm thick as i like to clamp my dogs with star knobs. Somewhere in there is a compromise of weight and strength that should suit most users needs.👍

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks David. Yes, absolutely, I think the 'mix & match' approach would be a good one - this was all about getting it as light as possible, just to see what would happen; I did consider making little 'donuts' out of 6mm ply and gluing them under the 20mm holes in the 12mm top, so you get the benefit of 18mm without all the weight. But there's a million variations you could do with this, and as I think I said, this is just a jumping-off point - I think most folks will find something that suits them somewhere between the two benches! 👍

[@tomtruesdale6901]

That is an outstanding bench design. To add stability maybe some kind of brace from the back corners down to the middle point of the shelf?

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! I had simple drop-down braces on the original bench design - until I realised Ali didn’t need them! But yes, they’re easy to add, from the centre of the rear apron down to the legs 👍👍

[@kristoffscuba5466]

I have a cnc'd 'slot together' workbench made out of poplar plywood. I virtually throw it at the ceiling each time I pick it up to move it, I forget just how lightweight the ply is compared to a normal ply or MDF. It's pretty beat up though after only a few months use, the ply is very soft.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Yes, that's the thing that surprised me - aside from the weight - was just how soft it is. Birch ply in comparison seems much tougher. 👍

[@MINGLE2008]

A very great design. Thanks for sharing.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thank you! 👍

[@realworldcarpentryremodeli5868]

Hey Peter. I love your channel. Really nice portable bench. Very usable. Thanks for the videos!

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thank you! Glad you approve! 👍😆

[@AngieWilliamsDesigns]

I’m not 100% sure which plans I bought. I’l have to check. But I’m super excited about building this.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Let me know how you get on! 👍

[@AndyCPugh]

Another great build and video. Thanks Peter.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Andy, glad you enjoyed it! 👍

[@billmoore8035]

Great video.... thank you. I was put off by the mft costs of some of the big names and this bench I think will be perfect.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks!

[@billmoore8035]

Track saws everywhere... I couldn’t find a makita review. I’m a lover of makita drills and impact drivers, how does their track saw stand up?

[@ilishmaach]

@@billmoore8035 - There's loads of reviews of the Makita SP6000 about - supposedly a great plunge saw.

[@AlAmantea]

Great design! I like the built in storage.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Al! 👍

[@thecuttingsark5094]

Absolutely brilliant.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! 👍

[@BensWorkshop]

Yes, you did leave your camera outside :) Interesting build. Also interesting that Poplar plywood is so much lighter. I don't normally thing of making things light.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Oh no I didnt'! 😂 Cheers Benedict; yes, I was amazed at the difference in weight, even though I *knew* that it was lighter! 🤷‍♂️👍

[@satanismybrother]

There’s some balsa filled ply called banova plus which is half the weight of poplar. Not sure how expensive it is! Great video as usual!

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! Wow, can’t imagine anything being half the weight of Poplar and not blowing away in a stiff breeze! I’ll check it out, thanks! 👍

[@stevebosun7410]

Hi Peter, very nice. One or two diagonal braces will probably give more stability than thicker legs.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Steve! Yes, I had a pair of braces fitted to the heavier bench - before I realised they weren't really needed! Easy enough to fit to this one though! 👍

[@FritsvanDoorn]

What a great idea to make it lighter. The wobbliness, isnt that comming from the other kind of hinges too?

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Frits! The legs bear against the bench frame (‘apron’ if it was a table) when they’re open, so there isn’t much movement there, but certainly there’s a bit of flex that could probably be taken out by clamping, at the expense of set-up time, of course. Everything’s a compromise! 🤷‍♂️👍👍

[@robmaule4951]

This is great, thanks Peter.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks Rob! 👍

[@johannes.f.r.]

Maybe if you put the legs right under the top, you could clamp the legs to the sides when folded open with some twist knobs or something to give a lot of rigidity. Of course the shelf would need to be attached to the underside when folded, but you might be able to use the same knobs and bolts.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Yes, indeed. Or make a simple drop-down stay to support the legs. Lots of options if you need that kind of stability. 👍

[@randallthomas5207]

I would look at cutting down the width of the legs, and adding another piece of 12mm at a ninety to the two laminated pieces, to form an angle. I’m fairly certain, (as certain as i get without doing the math), that this would be stiffer. The other option to consider would be to make the leg pieces 36-mm thick, but omitting the middle piece, and installing 12mm spacers between the layers. This would give you the increased rigidity without adding much weight. And, some of the wobble comes from the gap to the lower shelf. You could add a pair of threaded inserts into the lower shelf ends, and then secure the shelf with threaded knobs. That would make things considerably stiffer, without modifying the legs.

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Yes, indeed. I had 'sandwich-type' legs on my original bench - the one I built the last one to replace - and they worked well. And yes, there are better ways to fit the shelf - the peanut connectors I used on the last one were near perfect, but unfortunately need ~15mm minimum thickness to work. 👍

[@randallthomas5207]

@@10MinuteWorkshop Looking at the bench when it wiggles, it is flexing in the mounts, if you attaché the shelf as a hard point with some knobbed bolts, that would make them moment points and keep the entire structure from wiggling. In the USA Rockler sells a tee-nut which rivets in for different thickness of plywood. Not sure they are available on your side of the water. but, the regular threaded inserts should work just fine.

[@kevinchamberlain7928]

You're a crafty old sod, Peter (meant respectfully) LOL! Seriously, I'm gonna buy your plans and make one of those! I happen to have the same van as you, btw! Thank you, I love your content and presentations! 👍

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Haha, thanks Kevin! 👍

[@TheBarnylondon]

Always great vids and i deas . I go at the proplem a diferent way . I make a 2x1 frame 1.8 by .9 with cross 2x1 and srew that to a 12mm sheet of ply with some 200mm hole as you have . This sits on a standard pair os any saw horses . So ply up you have a big work bench with all the hole you desire .. 2x1 side up you have a surface you can chuch a 8x4 sheet on and cut through a few mm into the 2x1 for thousands of cuts before anything needs replacing ,,,..... I need to make a vid to explain ....

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Makes perfect sense! My problem is that I like a lower bench, so I can kneel on a workpiece if I need to; regular saw-horses and trestles are too high, for me. 👍

[@TheBarnylondon]

@@10MinuteWorkshop hmmmm isnt that what hold down clamps and dogs are for ? .... Ive not bought into the 96mm centre thing and just use a tioga square for all my cuts ..... its very very square ....... anyhow ,,,, cheers for all the content so much better than amost of the ermmm lets just say other out there .

[@RADCOMJ1]

Alright Peter, really do love this workbench. black and decker eat your heart out. I was thinking 15mm plywood , its available but normally the same price as 18 ironically :-P

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks! Yep, 15mm would work well, I think, and save a bit of weight. 👍👍

[@Paul-XCIV2]

If you were considering a third ply for the legs consider a mini i beam design, very rigid!

[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Thanks!👍