The Ultimate Tool Stand

[LennyTheLizard]

I'm trying to build this ultimate tool stand
http://christophermerrill.net/ww/plans/UTS/Tool_Stand_1.html

I've seen it mentioned on here several times, but I've never seen anyone provide any detail about the build. I emailed the guy who has the website, but not sure if I'll get a response or not.

I ran across a few head scratchers already, and wondering if any of the guys who've built one can chime in.

1. The "3/4" Plywood sandwich" that fills the corners of Torsion box. How was the sandwich made?
2. What material is on the very top of boxes. I assume it's some type of plastic laminate glued onto the MDF, but what is thickness? Or is this like a Melamine panel.

I'm trying out my new Kreg jig I received for Christmas, but I'm already developing a love / hate relationship with it. Some of the pointers they give in instructions haven't worked too well for me (misaligning panels / blowing out screws in the MDF)

 

[My Old Tools]

You need to look up torsion box. It is a grid of interlocking plywood strips cut to whatever thickness you want the box to be, say 4" strips to make a 5.5" deep box. Then plywood sheets are glued to each surface. It makes an extremely rigid surface that won't sag or warp. That top is probably a Formica type material glued on, or it could be a pre-laminated melamine panel.
http://www.finewoodworking.com/woodworking-plans/video/build-a-torsion-box-assembly-table.aspx

 

[woodzy]

Did you click on the FIG A in his website? All the details are on links at the bottom of the website..

OK - now looking at it, he does not say what is on the top. My guess is the laminated plywood. www.woodpeck.com has some Baltic Birch with some laminate you could buy but not sure if they have it still.

My search for film faced plywood.

 

[Beemer533]

The exploded view shows pretty well how he assembles it. http://christophermerrill.net/ww/plans/UTS/Tool_Stand_2.html

The sandwich is just filler for the casters and levelers it seems. I would just fill them with 3/4" plywood...

I don't see where he describes the top (I assume you are referring to the red?)explicitly, but based on the parts list all the carcasses are 3/4 MDF, so it is most likely just a laminate...

 

[mikeyr]

I like this thing...think I will steal ideas from it and build something similar. Cool find.

 

[Gotcha640]

Something to consider, when I have a big chunk of time to work with the big power tools, I'm generally alone, and I have to get down the lip on the garage, and over a few cracks in the driveway. I can do the table saw, the miter saw, the jointer, the assy table separate, but getting one unit out would require a second person or a long smooth ramp.

If I had dust collection, I could do more inside the garage.

 

[TMcCay]

I've been trying to come up with something like this myself. I am definitely stealing this, just going to tweak it a little, Thanks!

 

[ZRX61]

I'm trying out my new Kreg jig I received for Christmas, but I'm already developing a love / hate relationship with it. Some of the pointers they give in instructions haven't worked too well for me (misaligning panels / blowing out screws in the MDF)

I consider MDF to be nothing but compressed dust. It's only use is as firewood, I sure wouldn't build anything from it.

 

[Zeke]

I consider MDF to be nothing but compressed dust. It's only use is as firewood, I sure wouldn't build anything from it.

It's not good firewood either. Prefinished Baltic Birch in 1/2" would be great.

 

[LennyTheLizard]

I decided since I'm somewhat amateur at woodworking projects, I was just going to follow his plans to a T.

It would have added pretty significantly to the cost, but I already wish I would have used Baltic Birch. I actually have never used it before, but every project I've seen on here looks like it turns out great.

For filing the "caster pockets" I just cut more pieces of the 3/4" MDF, and it left a 1/4" space, so I guess that's where the hardboard comes in. I just glued the **** out of them.

In the end, I don't really care what this thing looks like as long as it gets the work done. However, it's fairly disappointing when you put so much time into something and it just looks all hacked up at the end.

It's interesting though, I just bought a pretty nice table saw from my boss when he had to be relocated. It's pretty sweet. Used the Dado blade for first time on this project.

 

[tab2]

I just bought a pretty nice table saw from my boss when he had to be relocated. It's pretty sweet. Used the Dado blade for first time on this project.

Show us the saw! Once your skills get better you can build another with your custom tweaks if you want.

 

[LennyTheLizard]

Here's the table saw.

 

[UncleJoe]

For the amount of time it takes to build this thing and the long term use of it I strongly recommend you get the best plywood you can get locally. The better ply, like Birch or even oak will be more consistent and a pleasure to work with. I don't know what your regions air moisture is like but seal this thing well to prevent the ply from absorbing any moisture over the years.

As to the Kreg Jig, it is a great tool but there are a few tips that make working with it better. First find a screw chart on the internet. There are charts out there that show you the exact screw to use if, for instance you are joining a piece of 3/4 ply at a right angle to a piece of 1/2 ply. It makes a difference. Second, clamp the hell out of the piece before you put the first screw in. If the piece moves when the screw is going in you did not clamp it enough. There a special clamps out there not made by Kreg that work well, look at Rockler.

I love the design of the Ultimate work bench and studied it hard a few years ago but it just did not fit my needs at the time.

 

[TMcCay]

Plywood is the way that I will go. I hadn't considered torsion box in the plans that I was making. This helps with the measurement for sure. The surface for the top will be what I will have to decide on for mine..

 

[lilredex]

Looks too " SHOPSMITH " for me. If you build many projects, you'll get P..ed off in a hurry switching all those things back and forth. It is a rare project that will allow you to put away the chop saw and move on to the router, etc. You will find that you want to trial fit a few pieces first, rather than running the whole lot (which may be wrong).

If you do build it, put a pivoting axle on there to make it self levelling. Those screw eyes are crazy and unneccesary. Makes for an easy solution for uneven driveways/floors. All my mobiles have them. An example is shown here.

 

[PugetDude]

The key to the Kreg jig is to make sure it doesn't move when you drill the holes and that the wood doesn't move when you're driving the screws. ANY movement when drilling or assembling and you're screwed (pun intended) , nothing is going to line up. Clamp everything and take your time.
Also, USE KREG SCREWS... they're specifically designed for this application, have special threads and heads. Anything else (i.e. drywall screws ) isn't going to give you the same results. And surprisingly, the Kreg screws are not that expensive.

 

[csampson]

I built this same stand about 15 years ago from plans that were in the October 2000 edition of American Woodworker magazine.

The majority of the materials were 3/4" MDF. This included the inners of the torsion box with the exception of plywood filler used in the areas where the rolling wheels would screw into. The torsion matrix were interlocking pieces made by 3/4" dado cuts that would form the notches that each piece would join to. The tops are just laminate sheets glued and edge routed to size.

I had built this thinking that it was a great idea but in practice although it could do a variety of tasks it never was that great at any one. Switching between a heavy miter saw and planer was always awkward. I would often find that I needed to do use two or more tools at the same time (Router Table, Miter Saw, Planer) and switching back and forth became a hassle. I always ended up with my planer on another portable table and I ended up getting a mobile base for my miter saw. Using the router table was often awkward since the machine is placed in the middle you could only control your workpiece from the side of the table and not the end. Placing the router table on one of the end 1/3rds would have been more usable. With any of the tools placed on the center 1/3rd the other two sides were not of much use because they were too small. I had always found myself needing other tables to do work or be staging space for swapping things out so in the end this worktable wasn't really efficient at all. The best that you could do with this configuration would be to permanently mount the planer in the middle 1/3rd perpindicular to the length of the table, have the router table on one of the side 3rds and then mount the miter saw on the other 3rd perpindicular as well. With that config you could use all three tools at the same time.

I am currently building a yard shed to clear some area in my garage which will allow me to redo that whole area. Part of that redo will be to take apart and toss this work stand.

 

[LennyTheLizard]

Thanks for all the insight. Wish I would have posted this before I started building it.

I have the torsion box and carcass already built, but haven't built the top boxes yet. Now I have to consider if I want to change the positioning.

My plan is to have my woodworking tools set-up "permanently" in a section of my shop basement. I'm estimating the space is about 13' x 30' and includes a workbench which is in an L shape in one corner. So this thing won't really be moved around too much.

I'm already too far into this with the MDF, so I plan to finish it that way. But as mentioned previously, if I really hate it, maybe I will build another in the future out of real plywood. Or more likely, I will build a smaller stand for one of the tools so I don't have to switch them out all the time.

I ordered a laminate sheet that will be glued on top of the top boxes.

 

[LennyTheLizard]

Managed to get a little kayaking in with the nice weather this weekend.

So progress on The Ultimate Tool Stand was pretty limited.

Put the casters and leveler block on. Attached the torsion box and carcass together, and assembled the first "Tool Box". Have to travel for work this week so probably won't get much done till weekend.

 

[Coolabah]

I consider MDF to be nothing but compressed dust. It's only use is as firewood, I sure wouldn't build anything from it.

THANK YOU ! Biggest gripe of mine EVER !
Rant/on
Around here everyone looks at me funny 'cos I will not even look twice at that sh!t. Lots of people love it . Dunno why , clogs my saw, swells in humidity, don't dare sweat on it as you work, you're supposedly working with "wood" but without the pleasure of working with actual , lovely wood. Why bother ? It's kinda like cardboard but more expensive and lower quality IMHO
Rant/off