Careless Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 What kind of work tables do you guys use or have used? Did you make them yourself?! Any Schematics? I'm going to be building on soon, and I'm trying to follow some criteria: 1) movable, with locking caster wheels. 2) bout 7 feet long, 2.5 feet wide. 3) metal top, for ground clamping, with plywood under padding for sound absorption. 4) a bit taller than waist height, but also cotter-pin adjustable legs. 5) Storage underneath for about two 68L rubbermaid totes, and 4 smaller ones. 6) some sort of small parts tray 7) mounting points for vice and drill press 8) small removable magnetic tray. what other things can you guys think of that I would need to put on there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HizAndHerz Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Two things that I like are: 1) A removable piece that runs the length of the bench at the edge to keep stuff from rolling off. Most of the time I clamp a long 1" x 2" board to the bench with c-clamps. 2) A 2" hole at one end that allows a transmission to be placed on the bench with the shaft down the hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted September 8, 2007 Author Share Posted September 8, 2007 nice I was also thinking of putting one of those retracting-arm work lamps with the big magnifying glass. my dad has one laying around and It could be really useful for soldering small connectors and such. Should I connect a power bar to the thing too? I want to be able to go anywhere in the backyard if I need ot so i want to have a reel on there that I can use to reel in the cable when I'm done. I think that's a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted September 8, 2007 Author Share Posted September 8, 2007 Ideally what i'd like to do is create templated mounting holes for doing various jobs on various things. almost like a lego blocks set. If i need to do head work, I'll pull out the adjustable engine head mount. transmission work will have the hole you talked about.... drill press and vice will have their area beside eachother. hmmmm... what kind of tool holder should I have on the side of this thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffer949 Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 one thing i would do is put the drill press and vice on the opposit sides so you can work alot easier in the vice if your bending something or something of that nature Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Industrial shelving frame with a 72" x 48" x 1/2" H6 steel plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nismo280zEd Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Industrial shelving frame with a 72" x 48" x 1/2" H6 steel plate. damn... did you use a fork lift to set it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted September 8, 2007 Share Posted September 8, 2007 Definitely install a backstop along the rear of the bench. I have old kitchen cabinets underneath my bench for storage. It's about 10 foot long by about 20" deep built of heavy wood top and steel legs with a heavy duty light gray paint on it for easy clean up. Vice on one end and grinder on the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted September 9, 2007 Author Share Posted September 9, 2007 these are great ideas gentlemen. johnc, as much as I'd like to make it that thick on the top, I think I'll only be going roughly 12 or 10 guage sheet, and have it comprised of two pieces so it's cheaper and easier to dismantle and position in the side of the garage if I have to for some odd reason (we move a lot of stuff in and out). I think I will use some sort of shelving for the base. It might actually be worth it if I get another piece of shelving like the one I have against the two walls in the garage and cut it in 3 pieces, so that my room mate can have one too. It might be cheaper and pre-fabbed to a point where it will just take a couple of hours to complete, and then I can add other things. The bench grinder or vice will be closer to one corner, and the drill press will be on the opposite corner on the same side though, so that I can rest long ply's on the edge of the work bench and support the overhanging part by a sturdy saw horse. That way, I can cut large pieces of wood the entire length by setting up a rip-fence using a long aluminum C channel and some clamps, and rip down the grain with a portable circular saw (that's how i used to build my speaker boxes, and it works as well as a table saw and takes less room, cause the wood doesnt move) any other things that I should put on there? I like the idea of kitchen cabinets, maybe i'll put one in th middle that is accessible from both sides. perhaps i'll just make it out of MDF and roller-paint it with wood glue so that it doesnt absorb moisture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHO-Z Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 Big old metal Office desk on casters. Took the center section and attached plywood across it to put my MIG welder on. The drawers are great and heavy duty. The best thing is you can find them dirt cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strotter Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 One thing I'd do different with a new workbench: I'd make it so there's some place to put my legs when I'm sitting in front of it, rather like an executive table. My current bench is far too high (probably 40"), and I can't comfortably sit in front of it because the lower rail runs all the way across - and sometimes concentratin' just takes some butt-time. An 18" wide area somewhere for the legs, doesn't have to be centered. The thing about rails on the edge, yes, and run it all the way around. Also, I'd put 110v outlets on both ends of the thing, as well as somewhere centered in the backsplash. Also, I'd build some gooseneck high-intensity lighting into is somewhere, ideally a couple of fixtures installed so that they can illuminate items together in the middle. Also, a woman to bring beer and provide encouragement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8wannabe2 Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 Here's a pic of mine, 11' long 30" wide, 1/4" steel top. The legs are 2" square tube with 3/4" nuts welded to the bottom that I can adjust by raising/lowering the 6" bolts that are the feet. The backsplash is a piece of aluminum that I lit on fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCchris Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 I did mine as my second welding project. Welder cart was first. The 6 uprights are 2 x 3 x 1/8 wall rectangular tubing and the rest is 2 x 2 x 1/8 angle. The uprights have a plate welded on the bottom with a captive nut for 1/2-13 leveling screws. I used machinery mounts for leveling, they have polyurethane feet. It's about 2-1/2 x 7 or so and 32" high. For a top, I recycled the kitchen countertop adding a piece of 3/4 plywood underneath. One thing I would like to point out is the triangular braces I added. They are only 1 x 1/8 flat bar but they stiffen the whole structure substantially. I would reccommend adding triangular braces to whatever you build. chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted September 9, 2007 Author Share Posted September 9, 2007 good ideas guys, and nice work tables you have set up. NCchris, do you have a completed picture with the top setup all bolted on if there is such a thing for your workbench? I think the metal office desk on castors is a good idea too, I'm going to look into that right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCchris Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 good ideas guys, and nice work tables you have set up. NCchris, do you have a completed picture with the top setup all bolted on if there is such a thing for your workbench? I think the metal office desk on castors is a good idea too, I'm going to look into that right now. If you are interested, I could snap a few tomorrow. I could also supply a .dxf file of it as well. I had a metal office desk for a long time, works good but too low for me. chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallnet Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 I really need to findout where I can buy metal localy. I made a few very stout wood benches (I made an "A" every year in wood shop and I worked for a cabinet maker for a short time). I like the wood benches for many things but they're not good to weld on. Just an idea of mine and I'm sure I'm not the first to think of this. I'm gonna build my metal benches in sections that can be bolted together so that if I have to move to a new place it will be easier to move things. I also have the idea of making once section of bench that has lockable casters on it that way I can unbolt it from the rest and move it out to where I need it for special projects. Welding is awsome.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted September 9, 2007 Author Share Posted September 9, 2007 I really need to findout where I can buy metal localy. I made a few very stout wood benches (I made an "A" every year in wood shop and I worked for a cabinet maker for a short time). I like the wood benches for many things but they're not good to weld on. Just an idea of mine and I'm sure I'm not the first to think of this. I'm gonna build my metal benches in sections that can be bolted together so that if I have to move to a new place it will be easier to move things. I also have the idea of making once section of bench that has lockable casters on it that way I can unbolt it from the rest and move it out to where I need it for special projects. Welding is awsome.... if you made wood benches, why wouldn't you just top them off with a thick metal plate? that will allow you to weld. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 damn... did you use a fork lift to set it? Yup. if you made wood benches, why wouldn't you just top them off with a thick metal plate? that will allow you to weld. If you're only doing occaisional welding, that's fine. If you do a lot of welding you'll be suprised how hot the table top can get. Putting a sheet of aluminum betwen the steel top and the wooden bench helps spread the heat around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 I made mine out of pipe I got in a scrap metal yard. I think it was used sprinkler pipe. Can't beat 25 cent a pound, and they had a pile of it 20 feet tall. Plus gives you some practice welding pipe, although using a tubing notcher would be an unnecessary complication. I would forget about the castors. Make a separate work table for that. If you make it strong enough it will be too heavy for the wheels, and definitely won't work out in the yard. My vice must weight 65 pounds, which I commonly use with a 2 1/2 pound hammer. Wheels would make everything too unstable. Good luck trying to elevate a 7 by 2 1/2 table by yourself. Make the legs solid and non-adjustable. You want a couple of wide and deep drawers on the sides using full extension ball bearing glides. And make pull handles out of rebar you bend, polish with wire wheel and polyurethane. Gives is a useful industrial look. I made a cut out in the side of mine to roll my mig welder under it. In the front of the welder I made some wooden shelves just deep enough to hold peanut butter jars full of bolts and such. Made a canvas hatch to cover the mig welder cut out, cause my shop doubles as a wood shop. Keeps dust off the welder. Run a power strip or set of GFI outlets so you can plug in just underneath the bench top. Saves power cords draping across the workbench when the plugs are against the back stop. I have a big magnifing glass with internal light that I mount in a hole I drilled in the table. I did it cause I am old and blind. Make sure you leave a lip on the table top to allow clamping stuff down. If it is a metal top you can even drill and tap some hold down holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e_racer1999 Posted September 9, 2007 Share Posted September 9, 2007 i was gonna mention peg board (like how v8wannabe2 has), but since this sounds like it will be portable, i think that maybe a recessed section (like a tub or something) would be a good place to put your tools. i'm having a hard time explaining what i'm talking about, but something like one of those recessed heating trays that they have in large kitchens; almost like a metal sink. let me know if i am not making any sense.. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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