Paulk Smart Bench

It is time for a new workbench, but not just any workbench. I need a bench that can serve many different functions in my small two-car garage woodshop. I decided to build the Paulk SMART Bench designed by Ron Paulk at the SMART Woodshop.

Here’s all the things I want from my woodworking bench

1. Big enough to break down full sheets of plywood

2. Serve as an assembly table

3. Be mobile - easily moved around my shop

4. Be portable - easily moved to a jobsite

5. Be Strong and Flat

6. Have many clamping points for jigs, fixtures, bench dogs, etc.

7. Have a storage area for tools that are in use.

8. Have enough stability to perform hand tool work

9. Be the right height to serve as an outfeed table for my table saws

10. Look good

If you think this sounds like an impossible task, you’re probably right. But lucky for us Ron Paulk has spent about ten years refining “The Paulk Workbench” to be the “Paulk Smart Bench.”

I’ve built many different workbenches in my woodworking career. You can see that post here but I keep coming back to the “Paulk Style” Workbenches.

One thing I wanted for this workbench was a solid mobile base that holds lots of tools. I like my tools as close to where I’m going to use them as possible. Like always I adapted my Modular Shop Cabinets to serve as a sturdy mobile base with high quality fully locking casters.

I originally wanted to incorporated a vacuum into the base, but due to size restrictions from my modular cabinets I was unable to do this. Instead I finally purchased a Festool CT26 Dust Extractor to live beside the Paulk Smart Bench and am very happy with that solution.

What about the incorporated saw horses and lumber rack?

I have them stored in my trailer. Since the mobile base is seperate from the Paulk Smart Bench I can remove it by undoing 4 screws and load it in my trailer for jobsite use. I have a large lumber rack in my shop so the need to store materials under the workbench isn’t needed.

However, on my Paulk Total Station (Mitersaw Station) I do use the integrated saw horses. Using them at the mittersaw allows me to stage materials coming off the table saw or track saw.

I’ll go into my Paulk Total Station (Mitersaw Station) more in another article. Thanks for reading. Leave a comment below if you have any questions.