My Minimalistic Workbench

Handmade Wood Toy Trains Designed by Norm Marshall
Handmade Wood Toy Trains Designed by Norm Marshall


 For several years this was my workbench—some rickety sawhorses with some 2x4 across the top. I made a lot of toys and a few pieces of furniture using this bench.  

I had all my tools in a shed butted up against the edge of a concrete patio. When the weather cooperated, I would drag my tools out onto the patio and work in the hot Florida sun while watching the sky closely for convection storms building up off the coast. I sometimes waited too long and had to make a nad dash to get everything put away before the rains started.

I made and sold enough toys to buy a jointer, built a huge combination bunk bed and desk out in the hot Florida sun that sometimes hovered around 100F. I had to be careful about what I touched; some of the metal parts would get hot enough to burn my hand.

My power was an extension cord run in through a window. Fortunately, the house was wired for 20 amps to all the outlets. I never ran more than one tool at a time, so this wasn't a problem.

My dust collection was the wind.


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