It recently became obvious that I require a flat surface in the garage as a place for repair jobs, tool storage, part storage etc. A new workbench with shelves seems to be the best choice. I’ve never been a fan of pre-built wood or metal benches, I would much rather build my own. I also find most benches and counter tops too low for me, building it myself allows customization (particularly height).
I wanted a way to visualize the plan. This allows me to adjust as I go but more importantly to try out different ideas and make sure the end product is something I want.
I was reminded at this point of Google SketchUp; a 3D modeling software. Every time I use this software I’m reminded of how powerful it is. However, I don’t use it enough and have to relearn it each time.
This time I concentrated on labeling each major part of the bench as a component. By providing each component a name and a description I can create a parts list. The built in measurement tools also provide a great way to determine the dimensions of the finished product.
The developer community has created several Plugins for SketchUp, I found one this time called “Cut List”. This plug in reviews the finished model and outputs a list of what wood to purchase and provides a cut plan. I highly recommend this plug in.
Here is a screen shot of the “finished” model (I think I have some more tweaking to do yet). Looking forward to building this in the spring when the weather warms enough.
