RMW said:
FWW had an article a couple years ago using the same concept but it was very basic. I used their design to make a somewhat similar worktable that I wanted to be very portable and not take up much storage space.
Yeah, I posted about that same one a few months back. Don't remember the thread/context. Title of the FWW article was "Best Workbench Ever", IIRC.
I built it as shown in FWW, here are a couple pics of it.
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The plans called for "homasote" on one side of the beams, to create a high friction surface to avoid need to clamp (like a router pad). I couldn't find any locally, so i used "insulation board" from Home Depot. Not sure it's the same durability, it tears up easy.
I do have plans to modify it similar to the one shown in this video, as such:
- Surface both sides with 1/2" ply instead of 3/4
- put 20 mm holes on a grid for clamping
- Use dominoes instead of screws for the cross ribs
- top and bottom skins should be glued on also. Not doing this has allowed the pieces to slip and the beams now have a slight bow in them.
- for "glue surface" side of beams, use 1/2 ply and laminate formica on. Will be much lighter than 3/4" melamine called for in plans.
- Add 20 mm clamping holes to the tops of the saw horses too. That will allow beams to be clamped to the top if needed (I've never needed this) and you can then remove the lip overhang which serves that purpose now. This will allow the horses to stack.
I do have a few concerns with the design in the video:
- A 2 foot wide (mine are 9"), I think those beams would be too heavy. Even the 9" ones are pretty heavy.
- The saw horses don't have the large surface area, which would make the beams move easier (lower coefficient of static
friction at contact points).
Will post pictures of it when I get it finished.