My home built portable assembly table

[Always_Thinkin]

Started sketching ideas/features for a portable assembly table project a month or so ago. I already have a 30" deep by 8' long workbench with the surface 42" above the floor. This works great for most of my projects. However I found that for my larger/bulky projects I had to wrestle them around on the floor.

I looked on the web for ideas and what others use. I realy liked Ron Paulk's ultimate workbench but wanted a more compact table. The two 8' long by 2' wide workbench tops, two saw horses and the long spacer was to bulky for my aplication. I needed something that I could fold up and store in my garage.

So this is what I built. The material is 1/2" plywood. It is a 4' x 4' work surface. Total height of the work top is 8". Standing on its legs the work surface is 36" above the floor. I cut rabbets/glued/nailed the top together. The openings serve as a place to put tools and drills etc. This keeps the surface free of clutter. Along the entire perimeter inside of the top of the work surface openings are 2x4s plained down. This provides clamp locations to secure projects or materials to cut/sand. On one side of the top I attached two casters to allow me to tilt the top back slightly and roll it in to place. Now for the legs I used folding table legs. They support 400 pounds. This is the only thing that I need to fix. I need to replace them with wider stance legs. This is because once the top is stood up on the legs it tends to be tipy when you add weight along the edge of the work surface. I also plan to add a set of swivel casters to two of the new legs. This is so I can roll the top around with a project on it if need be. I still have to attach a sacraficial 1/4" thick tempered hardboard.

The way I designed the cuts I can get two 4'x4' assembly tables out of three sheets of 1/2" plywood. I have only completed one of the assembly tables, but I plan to build the second. The two tables will be designed to attach to one another. This way I will have two separate 4'x4' tables or one 4'x8' assembly table. I would be happy to answer any questions.

 

[mdkingsley]

I like it.

 

[nmanitou]

I like the concept. Especially the tool cubbies along each edge. But, the legs are obviously the weak link. I also like my work surface a litlle higher.

Seems to me you might need four individual legs at each corner the either bolt into position or fold like a four legged card table. (or threaded pipe as legs?) The real problem might still be stability since there isn't any cross bracing on the legs. Hmmm.... I'm up for a challenge. Will keep thinking about this

 

[superdutymike27]

Works for me! Nice job!

 

[lilscorpion]

The torsion box design is a neat one. There's a video on YouTube I remember seeing a few years back where a guy made some saw horse like legs for an 8-foot torsion box work bench. Yep, found it. He calls it the ultimate work bench. http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/2011/09/09/the-ultimate-work-bench/. He made it out of multi-pieces so it was easier to store and move around and used some ply-horses as stands.

I liked the way it has an integrated saw mount as well. Not sure I agree with friction of wood and pipe keeping the saw in place but, other than that, it's a slick design.

I'd build one but I couldn't store the thing.

 

[Always_Thinkin]

Thanks guys. I think for the legs I am going to use either 1.5 inch or 2 inch conduit. Home Depot has that conduit and two 10 foot sticks will be enough.

 

[jamesemery728]

How much longer would you have to make it to have two sets of fold up legs like you are already using? Instead of one set of legs mounted in the middle like you have done, mount two sets of legs on each side of the table, four legs total. Does that make any sense?

 

[Always_Thinkin]

How much longer would you have to make it to have two sets of fold up legs like you are already using? Instead of one set of legs mounted in the middle like you have done, mount two sets of legs on each side of the table, four legs total. Does that make any sense?

That is exactly what I was thinking.

 

[vartz04]

Black pipe and the little threaded pucks that go with it would make good legs.

 

[GreyOwl]

If the legs you have are strong enough, you could cut them in the middle and widen them with another piece of tubing long enough to put the legs at the corners.

 

[BigGMC]

I like it!
I'd use shorter screws (or even bolts/nuts) on the legs, so you dont stab yourself reaching into the storage area

 

[rogsmart]

I love the Ron Paulk design. but agree that 4x8 is just too big for a little shop space. 4x4 with the ability to go up 4x8 is a nice take on the design. In Paulk's design he drilled clamping holes every 4 inches (or so) in the top. Are you going to try that or is it overkill for what you need? Anyway, nice job!!

 

[Always_Thinkin]

I love the Ron Paulk design. but agree that 4x8 is just too big for a little shop space. 4x4 with the ability to go up 4x8 is a nice take on the design. In Paulk's design he drilled clamping holes every 4 inches (or so) in the top. Are you going to try that or is it overkill for what you need? Anyway, nice job!!

As far as the holes in the top, I decided against this for my application. I wanted a surface that I could lay small parts on and they not fall through the holes. If you look at the last photo in my original post, I can still clamp items to the top. Along the entire perimeter inside of the top of the work surface openings are 2x4s plained down. This provides clamp locations to secure projects or materials to cut/sand.

 

[Always_Thinkin]

I like it!
I'd use shorter screws (or even bolts/nuts) on the legs, so you dont stab yourself reaching into the storage area

Yeah, I still have to replace those screws with nuts and bolts. Black screws was all that I had at the time. I wanted to quickly attach the legs to see if they would work right.