This Custom Workbench Will Make You Flip

In a recent video, [SomeSkillStudio] created a tidy tool storage system for their slim garage workbench. We have seen the “five knuckle” 270 degree hinges used here before and knew they’d enable some cool hacks. Here you’ll see how he puts this unique type of hardware to work building a densely packed work surface. For anyone who’s set up shop in a garage that’s somehow also supposed to still regularly host vehicles, you’ll know how important it is to have a place to put everything away and make it easy to do so.

The video has several great tips on making sure everything fits together, something key for anyone reproducing this with their own tool collection. If you have even less space, we have some great past workshop builds from portable, to tiny, to elaborate. Even if you’ve already established a place to work, we have tips on organizing your shop, giving each tool a home in a shadow board or across an infinite grid. Clearly, making a work space is one of our favorite kinds of projects.

26 thoughts on “This Custom Workbench Will Make You Flip

    1. Agreed, its a neat idea for the tools you need often enough that you would never put them away super neatly and tightly packed, knowing you would have them back out again tomorrow, but for the twice a year tool its consuming far too much of your storage space. (I mean they call that a ‘small’ space – to me that looks rather giant as a work bench, so how much that matters will really be down to how ‘small’ your space.)

      Also not entirely convinced you want some of those tools locked to the bench in that position – sometimes you might want the tool to face the other way, be further off the wall etc so your work piece actually has the space it needs.

    2. It also eliminates all storage space ON the bench, because then you can’t flip the tools out. If you’ve got your work on the desk, or your toolbox, boxes of screws etc. you need to clear the table first before you can use the power tools.

      And, the saw and the jointer being right next to each other means you can only flip out one at a time. I can imagine a situation where you’d need to cut boards and then plane the edges, which means you have to flip out the saw, cut the boards, put it away, flip out the jointer… better have all your work planned out ahead in batches.

      The third issue I have is the single power strip for so many power tools. You really should not – then again the previous issue means you cannot.

      An improved version for the tabletop storage issue could follow the idea of the fold-out ironing board, where instead of folding the tool up on the table, it folds out as an extension table leaving the desk behind free and gives you access on three sides around the device. Add bigger individual power cords for each tool to avoid the fire hazard, and it could turn out really nice.

    3. I have a system where some of my power tools are attached to trays stored in a vertical rack.
      Then when needed, the “tool du jour” gets pulled out of the rack and clamped to the bench top.

      1. This is exactly what I do. Each tool is mounted to a plate: each one has a “registration feature” or notch that fits over the edge of the workbench and holds it solidly. A single monster-size “thumb”screw makes sure it doesn’t slide out.

        I have one “sander” mounting point on one bench for a few tools, and another “grinder” mounting point on a second bench for the tools over there. When not in use they slide under the bench or on a shelf. Works great. Dust collection works fine too: a single port at each location.

      1. Have the workbench surface itself rotate. You have a flat plate you can work on, and when you flip it, there’s the tool, and the workbench surface is automatically clean!
        You could even have a catch bin to grab all the stuff that was on the bench surface, hooked into the roller mechanism so as you roll it back to the flat side, all the stuff gets lifted up and dumped back out on the surface.

  1. That’s a really great idea! Although I would like to have the hinges recessed toward the wall a bit more, as I would be sure to catch my work clothes or hip on the part of the hinges that stick out.

      1. TIL building a kitchen: however cute the little handles are that look like forks, knives, and spoons, those hanging-out ends are astonishingly good at snagging beltloops, clothes, just about anything. After one experience, I made the rule that all drawer pulls in the future are smooth curves at low contact angles with the drawer fronts.

  2. I am curious how the screws & the chip board are going to last over time given all the vibration from the power tools. Also, the screws seem rather short for the weight of the tools involved.

  3. I read through the article hoping for some idea of what he actually did, but I can only get an idea from the video thumbnail — not even the article’s image!

    What did he do?

    1. You were expected to read “270 degree hinge”, then look at the picture and see all those tools mounted on boards with hinges at the front, and then realize that the boards with their attached tools will flip up, over, and down, resulting in the tool stored under the bench and the bottom of the board now facing out (vertically).

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