Box Tops?

[TLJ24]

Hey guys im new to the forum and i wanted to say hello and ask a question or two on tool box work surfaces.

i personally have a newer 6 caster mac box and want some opinions on my idea of laying a 1/4"-1/2" thick steel sheet with a wilton vise on there as a work surface? Let me know what you guys think!

Thanks,

TLJ24

 

[jmm]

I've seen it done before; if I recall correctly the thickness usually tilts toward 1/2" moreso than it does toward 1/4".

I work directly on top of my box. We have a bench with grinder, drill press, press, and vise when that's necessary. If I were buying a new box tomorrow, I'd probably do like you're doing, but use wood as the work surface -- it's more forgiving.

(welcome to GJ)

 

[jjjrmx5]

i personally have a newer 6 caster mac box and want some opinions on my idea of laying a 1/4"-1/2" thick steel sheet with a wilton vise on there as a work surface? Let me know what you guys think!

Thanks,

TLJ24

So you plan on laying a sheet metal surface down? How do you plan to attach it?

Then you plan to drill holes thorough both the surface and the box and through-bolt through both to mount the vice?

I like metal for metal working tables but I prefer wood for my box tops.

As stated above, wood is forgiving and very replaceable. Also absorbs hammer pounding much easier.

If you do a lot of grinding and welding with that vice the wood may be a problem but , then again, your box will fall victim as well to sparks and marring.

Roll cab does not equal heavy duty work bench in my world so my opinion may not matter. We build fixed or portable heavy duty benches and spare the boxes.

 

[Outlawmws]

it should work fine; I have a 1/2" steel plate on top of a 50's craftsman roller as my welding bench. Works great. if I were to use 1/4" I'd probably back it up with a piece of 1/2"ply to spread the load on the top of the box, particularly with the larger rollers as the bigger the top the more the metal top of the box will flex...

 

[The Ratchet Man]

I have a 44" box with 2 side boxes. I used 1/2" kevlar reinforced conveyor to do mine and it makes for a nice easily cleanable surface. I never plan to beat on my box but with the conveyor on there it won't mind so much if I do. We had a torn convevor at work we had replaced. The piece I got was the leftover length. It happened to be 3" longer than I needed so it worked out good. Armorall shines it up real nice too. Not something everyone has access to but it is out there if you know where to look. I'll post a picture when I get home.

 

[bindernut]

I have a Mac tech 1000. Dad & I made a top for it. We cut 2 tops out of a sheet of 3/4" MDF, then glued them together, and put a few drywall screws in it to hold it while the glue dried. I took an old vice I have & marked the mounting holes on the top. I drilled holes to mount the vise, and then used a spade bit to make a recess on the bottom for the bolt heads. Ended up using carriage bolts though; the square shanks dug into the MDF & held well. The Mac box already had a couple holes in the top. I put some lag bolts through those holes to secure the top to the box. It worked good.
I took the vise off when I took the box to work. The vise came out of my grandpas barn. My dad is retiring & building a house on that farm, and I want grandpas vise back on his old farm. I might mount another vise on the box though, I have a few others laying around.
Next box will get a home made butcher block top. Now that I have a thickness planer, makin that top till be easy.

 

[CWP1616L]

Go with 3/8 inch solid steel plate. If you want it to be pretty, get cold rolled steel.

 

[TLJ24]

Great info thanks for the responses i will go with the half inch steel. As far as attaching mac tops have factory holes and i will weld studs to the underside and bolt it down. Same with the vise im not looking to punch any extra holes.