Do you want to build a WorkBench? Husky Portable Workbench Review – THD Prospective Season 2
I recently rearranged my shop to give myself more space in the middle of my shop to build BIG stuff. I have found that I really like to build large things, and I had to make my shop layout work around that. Fortunately as part of the THD Prospective this quarter Husky and Home Depot sent me a whole case of Husky Portable workbenches. I love these things for a quick temporary work surfaces. I recently gave away a bunch of them on my Instagram page (follow me there for more giveaways @theWoodWorkLIFE.) I used to have to whip up a wooden workbench or assembly table, hell I just spent two weeks building a router table. Then Husky goes ahead and makes a 2×3 ft jobsite workbench with a 1500 pound capacity with an integrated router table. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the features of the Husky Portable Workbench.
Portability
Assembling the Husky portable workbench is a breeze
Portability is really where the Husky Portable Workbench shines. 2×3 ft is a great sized workspace for assembly, sanding, storing lumber, cutting…it is basically 2 sawhorse built into one. But after you are done using it the 4 legs and a clever little tool box securely store into underside of the workbench and it has a carrying handle that makes it super easy to get spot to spot. I don’t do much offsite work as a furniture maker, but this is GREAT for a temporary work surface.
Router Table
The Husky portable workbench has a built in router table top.
Not only does the Husky Portable Workbench have huge capacity as just a standalone workbench, but it is also a fully functioning router table. The insert plate comes out and there are even zero clearance rings in a clever little tool box housed under the work surface. The kit doesn’t come with clamps for a fence, but you can use standard f-style clamps from the Home Depot to secure a fence. This is a great way to get a router table onto a job site if you are doing trim work or cabinetry, way better than a piece of plywood with a hole in it for sure.
Clamping and cutting station
Another super useful feature on this bench are again the clamp rails on top. These can be used to clamp pieces down and together for joinery and markup or to clamp piece to to use as a cutting station.
Portable Tool Station
Whether it be a miter saw, or a planer, or a benchtop drill press, with a 1500 pound capacity this thing makes a great temporary tool station. The 4 legs splay out slightly so it doesn’t rock too much while using a tool on top of it. It works best probably as a miter station with the integrated hooks for a couple of 2x4s to extend the capacity of the table. You could also use the extended bench top as an infeed and outfeed table to reduce snipe on a planer.
World’s Most Beast Saw Horses
One of the biggest issues I have with saw horses, and I mostly use them for breaking down plywood, is tipping. I made some of Mattias Wandell’s Saw horses and I totally dig them. When I put a full 4×8 sheet of ¾” baltic birch plywood on them though, they tip like hell when I slide it to make my next cut. With the 2×3’ surface area and the slick plastic surface, this isn’t a problem anymore.
Conclusion
These 2×3’ Husky portable workbenches are MEGA multi-taskers. I think that is kind of the theme of the Q3 THD Prospective tools. Stay tuned for my articles about the Ridgid MegaMax and the Dremel MultiMax as well. Tools that hobbyists or aspiring professionals use need to really pay for themselves and that is where these portable workbenches really go extra mile.
For a pro on site being able to have a portable professional work surface to use tools on and even a router table, this can be a really versatile addition to a work truck. My only real knock against the Husky Portable Workbenches is that I wish the legs had adjustable levelers on them. For a hobbyist that doesn’t want to give up garage space for a work bench, this is great. You can keep your work surface, router table, clamping station, miter station, whatever you want to use it for tucked away until you need it.
If you want to buy these they are available from The Home Depot at the link below
Husky Portable Workbench $79
CHECKOUT MORE ARTICLES FROM THD PROSPECTIVE AT THE LINKS BELOW,
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Thanks for reading, and remember to keep your tools sharp and your mind sharper
Rick
WoodWorkLIFE
