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This bench doubles as its own carrying case: a shallow 1x6 box with a plywood project-panel bottom holds tools and hardware, and four 2x3 legs bolt to the sides through pivoting joints rather than fixed screws — so they rotate flat against the box for transport and swing back down into a stable stance for use. That pivot is the one part of this build that needs real precision: drill the bolt holes at the exact marked location on both the leg and the side panel, or the leg won't rotate cleanly without catching.
The legs are cut with a 15° angle at the bottom, which is what gives the bench a stable, slightly splayed stance rather than standing dead vertical — and the corners of each leg get nipped off (shown in the build's reference video) so the leg can actually complete its rotation without hanging up on a sharp corner as it swings.
Before cutting anything, measure your own plywood panel — a 24" x 48" project panel is assumed throughout this cut list, but standard sheet-good sizes vary enough between suppliers that this is worth verifying first rather than discovering a mismatch after the box is built.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x6, 6 ft | 2 each |
| 2x3, 8 ft or stud lengthFolding legs. | 2 each |
| Plywood project panel, 1/2" or 3/4", 24" x 48"Measure your own panel before cutting — standard sizes vary. | 1 each |
| Bolts, 3" | 4 each |
| Locking nuts, matching | 4 each |
| Washers, matchingThree per bolt — one on each end, one between the wood pieces. | 12 each |
| Self-tapping wood screws, 2" | 16 each |
| Self-tapping wood screws, 1-1/4" | 16 each |
| Wood glue | 2 oz |
| Handles (optional) | 2 each |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Box sides, long1x6, 6 ftMatch to the actual length of your plywood panel. | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 48" |
| Box sides, short1x6, 6 ftWidth of your plywood panel, minus 1-1/2". | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 22 1/2" |
| Bottom panelPlywood project panel, 1/2" or 3/4", 24" x 48" | 1 | 3/4" × 24" × 48" |
| Legs, long2x3, 8 ft or stud lengthOne end cut at 15° off square, longest point measurement. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 2 1/2" × 31" |
| Legs, short2x3, 8 ft or stud lengthOne end cut at 15° off square, longest point measurement. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 2 1/2" × 28 1/4" |
| Leg center dividers2x3, 8 ft or stud length | 2 | 1 1/2" × 2 1/2" × 19 1/4" |
Buy 5 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
1 board
2 boards
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Measure the length and width of your actual plywood panel and adjust the cut list if it isn't exactly 24" x 48". Attach the box sides to the ends with three 2" self-tapping screws and glue per joint. Optional handles can be cut into the ends now.
Apply glue to the bottom edge of the assembled 1x6 box and attach the plywood panel with 1-1/4" screws, driven slightly below the surface, at least every 12" and on every corner.
Cut the four legs with their bottoms at a 15° angle off square. Mark 1-1/4" down and 1-1/4" in from the square-cut end and drill a hole there sized for your bolts. Nip off the corners of each leg near the pivot point so it can rotate without catching.
Drill matching holes in the box sides at the same marked location on both sides. Insert a bolt through a washer, the box side, another washer, the leg, and a final washer, then secure with a locking nut — tight enough to hold the leg's position but still allow it to pivot.
Position the leg pairs centered on the storage compartment, stacked on top of each other as shown in the reference diagram, and mark with a pencil. Attach the center dividers to secure the legs with 2" or longer screws.
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