Mobile Workbench on the Cheap

I believe the best things come from a need we fill in our own worlds/ garages. I built this because I needed a compact mobile workstation for a small workspace in my garage and still have room for a minivan and holiday/ camping/ storage totes. All this and be able to do it for cheap and with a limited skill set and limited time. (Full time teacher, one income and father to three autistic children.)

This isn't a step by step as this is a look back on a project that took me months to complete in my spare time. However I hope that by walking you through what I did I might be able to give those who read this inspiration to modify/ create something in their own space to help them.

The body or frame of the workstation is made from an old stripped down bathroom vanity that was left by the previous homeowner. I topped it with a piece of half inch thick SB flooring that measured 26 inches by 24 inches. I attached the top using a combination of inch and a half wood screws and wood glue. I made sure to counter sink the screws and fill in the screw holes with wood filler to keep the top level.

The base of most cabinets is empty behind the kick board. To attach the 3 inch locking wheels (picked up with a coupon from a local hardware store for about 5$ each) I cut 2 inches off the bottom of the cabinet and nailed/glued in some scrap wood to firm up the particle board base and then screwed in the wheels.

So far I had a useful moveable station and not much else. Here are my additions to the interior to not only add more function but more organization to my station.

First a shelf easily put in with spare 1x2s for cleats and some spare 1/4 inch plywood for the shelf itself.

Next some modified milk crates for storage bins. They are divided with thin sheets of MDF cut to fit and attached by drilling holes along the side and zip tied in place.

There is even room leftover for the odd piece of equipment along the sides.

Working with a small budget I love it when I can repurpose scrap. A couple of 1x2s nailed and glued in place made a great rack for my collection of clamps.

With a mobile station you often have to sacrifice work space for mobility. To offset this I added a drop down leaf made from scrap and seven dollars worth of hinges. The support for the leaf is made from one by twos and the top is made from more SB flooring.

The final touches to make the workstation double as a power station are to add a power strip rated to handle enough power for my tools. I also added a vise to hold my projects in place.