Sliding Workbench Shelves

[Tom5151]

Hello,

I have started building a new workbench in my garage against one wall. It will be about 25 inches deep, 37 inches high and 8 feet long. The frame of the bench is lag bolted to the wall studs.

I would like to make two individual bottom shelves (one on each side of the middle support member and about 6 inches up from the floor) that actually slide all the way in and out. Ideally I’d like to be able to put heavy tools on them such as bench top router table, routers, portable planer, miter saw, etc. I realize those are fairly heavy tools. I’d like the shelf to pull all the way out so I can put the tools on and then slide all the way back in and out of the way under the workbench.

Is something like this even possible with the weight of the tools I am thinking about storing under there? How would one go about designing building something like this that would be heavy duty enough?

By the way I have to tell you I have never built a cabinet or drawer or shelf yet in my life. So this workbench is going to be a fairly intense learning exercise for me.http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/images/smilies/blink.gifhttp://www.woodworkingtalk.com/images/smilies/blink.gifhttp://www.woodworkingtalk.com/images/smilies/blink.gif

Thanks in advance,
Tom

[Bob D.]

Building basic drawers
http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodvision/?lid=1527680293&tid=1213841038

Workshop articles
http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/outfitting-woodworking-shop/

Search around on the 'net and you will find plenty of what you are looking for. You can make some simple shallow drawers (trays actually) and use 100# drawer slides you can pick up from Rockler, Woodcraft, or any of the many online stores, as well as from any of the big box stores. A pair of 100# slides should run under $20 for decent ones, and they go up from there.