DIY Rolling Workbench

My shop is small, which means there is already very little space to work in. So, for the past few years I have been building and collecting varying different versions of mobile tool stands to accommodate my tools (you guys know which one’s I’m talking about – my small lathe stand, my benchtop tool stand, etc.). So, when my incredible friends at Jet Woodworking sent me an upgraded big-girl lathe, I knew it was time to build a new and improved rolling workbench! Even better, it cost me less than $50 in lumber! Check it out!

How To Build A Rolling Workbench

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The beauty in building mobile work stations is that they can be moved out of the way when the floor space is needed for a big build. Even cooler, they don’t have to break the bank. I made this stand for under $50 in lumber and decided to splurge on some heavy duty wheels with the remaining budget.

Ready to see how this build was made? Let’s do this.

P.S. I offer printable plans for this build! You can find them here:

P.P.S. If you are using this workbench for a lathe, you can use the following guidelines to figure out how tall your stand should be:

Hold up your arm and pretend like you are turning. Keep your arm where it is and measure from your hand to the floor. Now, measure your lathe from the bottom of the machine to the middle of the chuck. Subtract that number from the overall height number – that’s how high your stand should be!

Don’t forget to subtract the height of your casters if you aren’t using drop-down ones!

What You’ll Need:

Tools
Miter Saw
Drill/Driver
Table Saw (Optional)
Planer (Optional)
Pocket Hole Jig
Sander & Sandpaper
Wood Clamps
Tape Measure
Speed Square
Safety Goggles
Dust Mask

Materials
(14) 2 x 4 x 8′ Board
(4) Casters & Hardware (I used Drop Down Casters)
2 ½” Pocket Hole Screws
Wood Glue

Cut List*:

All measurements have been made prior to planing or trimming the boards.

(5) Top Shelf Pieces @ 55 ½”
(3) Long Bottom Shelf Pieces @ 55 ½”
(2) Short Bottom Shelf Pieces @ 52 ½”
(4) Long Supports @ 52 ½”
(4) Legs @ 27”
(4) Short Supports @ 10 ½”
(4) Brace Supports @ 14 ½”

*For a full cut list and pocket hole placement diagram, check out my printable plans!

The Steps:

1. Start by cutting your 55 ½” top shelf pieces and long bottom shelf pieces (I chose to run my pieces through the table saw and planer after this step to help with glue-up. This is totally optional!).

Pro Tip: If you have a small shop like I do, set up a mobile workstation (like this Portable Folding Workbench from DeWalt I shared in my gift giving guide – it took me literally 3 seconds to set up) outside your shop doors to prop your lumber onto when cutting!

2. Once your long shelf pieces have been cut, it’s time to assemble them. I chose to glue mine up using clamps and glue. However, these can also be assembled using pocket hole joinery from the underside.

3. While the glue-up dries, use your leftover 2 x 4 boards to cut the remaining pieces for your stand (if you are planing and squaring the boards with the table saw, make sure to double check all measurements before cutting these pieces to their final sizes).

4. Drill pocket holes in the ends of every piece except for your leg and shelf pieces. Also make sure to drill holes along one side of each support piece as well (you will drill the top and bottom shelf into these support pieces later).

5. Once your frame pieces are ready, begin assembling the two smaller workbench sides using pocket holes and wood glue.

6. Next, attach the two sides with the long front and support pieces using the same joinery.

7. Once your frame has been assembled, add your support braces in between each of the front and back pieces (didn’t have a photo of this step, so here is a sneak peek at the plans for this build).

8. Next, flip your stand over and attach the top and long bottom shelf pieces using the pocket holes you drilled in your frame pieces.

9. Once the longer shelf pieces have been added, attach the short shelf pieces the same way.

10. Last step is to attach your casters! I chose drop-down ones so my lathe stand can sit solidly against the floor when turning.

Pro Tip: Keeping a cordless drill and driver set (like this Atomic Compact Cordless DeWalt set I recommended in my gift giving guide) next to you allows you to keep a bit for pre-drilling and a bit for driving all in one spot.

There you have it!

If you’re looking for similar stands in slightly different styles, make sure to check out my first Mobile Lathe Stand and my Rolling Benchtop Tool Stand!

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