Svar said:
Oh, [sad] I thought maybe the guy just hadn't slid the tubes together (telescoped) Oh, well.
Seth
Centipede Sawhorse
- Thread starter GarryMartin
- Start date
Oh, [sad] I thought maybe the guy just hadn't slid the tubes together (telescoped) Oh, well.
Seth
festoolviking
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It is actually longer (38") when folded up since the tubes are extracted. In set-up mode the height is 30". [unsure]
Festoolviking
Festoolviking
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getyourbone
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Make it fit an MFT top.
Put shoulders on the pegs so the bottom of the top rests on the top of the shoulders...follow?
If each peg leg hit every other hole of the top, there would still be half the holes available for other uses.
Should help with stability as well.
Put shoulders on the pegs so the bottom of the top rests on the top of the shoulders...follow?
If each peg leg hit every other hole of the top, there would still be half the holes available for other uses.
Should help with stability as well.
jmbfestool
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Festoolfootstool said:
That's what I was thinking!
Also
Also when I try and lift 8x4 18mm birch onto my bench it isn't easy and I end up leaning the sheet against my trestles and pivot it up wonder how this thing handles a sideways force.
jmbfestool
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I was thinking the same. Doesn't look heavy.
Just reviving this old thread because I bought one of the centipede XLs from Lowe's recently. At $160 I wasn't sure but they have them for $79 so I decided to take a shot at it
http://www.lowes.com/pd_649692-52862-K200___?Ntt=centipede+xl&UserSearch=centipede+xl&productId=50404012
I've only used it for one project (a built in requiring a lot of 3/4" ply) and have been very happy with it. Setting it up has been a breeze and it seems study enough (I wouldn't want to hand plane on it, but there's not much wiggle when using a TS55 or OF1400. I throw some 2" foam insulation and then use that as a cutting surface. I think one concern in the past has been how to get a sheet of ply on it. I've found that using the foam I can lift and rest the 8' edge using one of those plastic plywood handles, then move to the side of the table to ease it down.
I've actually found it's nice to have an extra surface to rest tools, scrap, etc as well. Probably not for everyone but so far it's been better and easier than my previous methods (placing the 2" foam on the ground and cutting that way, or using a knockdown 2x4 grid) if nothing else but for easy storage and setup.
Hope this helps.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_649692-52862-K200___?Ntt=centipede+xl&UserSearch=centipede+xl&productId=50404012
I've only used it for one project (a built in requiring a lot of 3/4" ply) and have been very happy with it. Setting it up has been a breeze and it seems study enough (I wouldn't want to hand plane on it, but there's not much wiggle when using a TS55 or OF1400. I throw some 2" foam insulation and then use that as a cutting surface. I think one concern in the past has been how to get a sheet of ply on it. I've found that using the foam I can lift and rest the 8' edge using one of those plastic plywood handles, then move to the side of the table to ease it down.
I've actually found it's nice to have an extra surface to rest tools, scrap, etc as well. Probably not for everyone but so far it's been better and easier than my previous methods (placing the 2" foam on the ground and cutting that way, or using a knockdown 2x4 grid) if nothing else but for easy storage and setup.
Hope this helps.
RobNJ said:
Thanks for posting. When I saw the price drop at Lowes I went out and purchased one too. I just hadn't had the time to search out the old thread and let people know. I think it is a great buy for only $79. My wife is talking about throwing a piece of plywood on it and having a large outdoor table for our next party. If I'm not careful I'll lose this to her [scared]
I haven't tried the larger XL model as it is not yet available in Canada, but I tried and returned one of their smaller Sawhorse models. I wrote about it on another forum. Here's a bunch of cut and pastes from that thread with my comments on it.
I went out and bought what seems to be the only Centipede Sawhorse currently available in Canada.
So I finally got around to pulling out the 2X4 smaller model Centipede sawhorse I bought over a week ago and was trying out a few different things with it before I was interrupted this afternoon by thunder storms. Think I got enough play time with it to give it a proper judgement, so here goes…
First, opening it up is a no-brainer. It opens easily and gladly. Closing it on the other hand is a little bit of work in a sense as you basically end up leaning it on one corner of its legs and wiggling it to collapse. Not difficult for the smaller model, but I’m figuring it may represent an element of frustration for the much larger 4X8 XL model.
In it’s carry bag, it came with two plastic hold downs that frankly I think are of little use, and four brackets to hold 2X4 boards across the top, which I did use and were OK. They can readily be positioned on any of the 6 uprights of this smaller Centipede sawhorse. There was also some instructions that came with it which I will read when cows can fly.
Once open I put it on a level surface (a temporary pool deck) and put a sheet of 15mm Baltic Birch ply on it and proceeded to stand on it. It wobbles a bit by an inch or two side to side, but it held my 240lb weight without a problem and at no time did I feel I was going to fall or it would collapse on me. Note, I did not try doing The Twist or The Time Warp on it though. Just a gentle back and forth. The uprights are strong, but it’s the flimsy cross braces that I just know if you wham into this thing the wrong way with the wrong force, they’re gonna turn to bent and troublesome usage.
Then I went and set it up on the grass which is on a slight slope (dip of my backyard grades about 5 inches every 15 feet or so) and used another old plastic sawhorse to place three 5/8ths PT ply boards on it and then stood on that. The movement on the end of the Centipede would now be more pronounced when standing on it. Maybe 3-4 inches of sway on it. This could be worse possibly IMO if I was using two Centipede Workhorses versus my perfectly solid sawhorses I was actually using to hold up the other end.
Basically, this unit IMO is maybe good for a collapsible instant table to rest stuff on it. I would not use it for a work platform, nor would I use it for cutting with my track saw either. I do NOT see this for real jobsite use, but for a homeowner who has a vigilant attitude to taking care of their work site/area, this is an easy to set up little table to hold your ‘crap’. Even somewhat heavy crap. I believe it could actually be dangerous using certain working machinery on it. With its wobble factor, imagine you are cutting something and somebody bumps into it. A possible dangerous fiasco or one that could ruin your work.
I could see this being handy for doing painting tasks like boards/sheets/trim with a spray gun, but I question how well it would work with other painting methods because it basically will wobble maybe just enough to be a nuisance for certain paint jobs.
Not even sure I’m going to keep this one or get another one even. Ideally, one should probably have two of these smaller Centipede Sawhorses which more or less works out to what one would be paying for the larger 4′ X 8′ Centipede XL model. At $70 CDA for just one Centipede Sawhorse, it’s overpriced imo. Should be in the $40 to $50 range.
I can see this maybe useful for an instant table for on the go picnic or camping or for temporary use around the house, but not in a crowded venue unless it is set up against a wall. I don’t think it would be wise to put drinks on it.
Some suggestions have been made that it would be good at yard sales or for display purposes at flea markets. I see limited use for that as I would not put anything fragile or prone to tipping on it. It’s a bit too much of a bobble-head basically for a lot of things.
I have no idea how the larger 4X8 XL is in comparison insofar as the wobble factor, but as I said earlier, collapsing an XL may be a two man job or a struggle for one person to do.
The Centipede website is here for those looking for more info or to search for where they can buy them…
http://centipedetool.com/centipede-portable-work-system/
Frankly, unless I can come up with a real good reason for keeping it that I haven’t thought of yet, I have other things already that can do what this does and mine is likely going back to the store for a refund.
Further in the thread.....
Kevin,
I’m curious why you wouldnt use it with your track saw? Is it safety concerns?
I don’t know, if you’re 240 pounds, I don’t consider an 1″ or so to be much wobble if you’re standing on it. That actually seems pretty solid to me.
My Answer....Safety primarily. When I’m cutting, whether it be with a track saw or some other power tool, you don’t want to be on what I would describe as a bed of jello. Imagine a piece disengaging after a cut and where it could go to and jamb against causing a kickback of sorts. I wouldn’t be confortable with this thing as it wobbles no matter what weight you’ve got on it in normal usage. I wanted to stand on it to see if it either had a feeling of buckling or to see if weight loads could solidify it basically.
I would never free hand use a router on this. That’s for sure.
This stuff is junk imo, but again, the larger XL may be better in some respects, but I doubt it’s going to be dramatically different overall.
Further in same thread again....
I initially thought when the subject of the Centipede first came up that the unit was a POS. But looking at their video and thinking about different applications for me got me intrigued enough to check it out. At least I know now, that it is pretty useless for me, and I hope also that it helps others to not waste their time on this gimmicky toy.
I returned mine to the store for a full refund.
I went out and bought what seems to be the only Centipede Sawhorse currently available in Canada.
So I finally got around to pulling out the 2X4 smaller model Centipede sawhorse I bought over a week ago and was trying out a few different things with it before I was interrupted this afternoon by thunder storms. Think I got enough play time with it to give it a proper judgement, so here goes…
First, opening it up is a no-brainer. It opens easily and gladly. Closing it on the other hand is a little bit of work in a sense as you basically end up leaning it on one corner of its legs and wiggling it to collapse. Not difficult for the smaller model, but I’m figuring it may represent an element of frustration for the much larger 4X8 XL model.
In it’s carry bag, it came with two plastic hold downs that frankly I think are of little use, and four brackets to hold 2X4 boards across the top, which I did use and were OK. They can readily be positioned on any of the 6 uprights of this smaller Centipede sawhorse. There was also some instructions that came with it which I will read when cows can fly.
Once open I put it on a level surface (a temporary pool deck) and put a sheet of 15mm Baltic Birch ply on it and proceeded to stand on it. It wobbles a bit by an inch or two side to side, but it held my 240lb weight without a problem and at no time did I feel I was going to fall or it would collapse on me. Note, I did not try doing The Twist or The Time Warp on it though. Just a gentle back and forth. The uprights are strong, but it’s the flimsy cross braces that I just know if you wham into this thing the wrong way with the wrong force, they’re gonna turn to bent and troublesome usage.
Then I went and set it up on the grass which is on a slight slope (dip of my backyard grades about 5 inches every 15 feet or so) and used another old plastic sawhorse to place three 5/8ths PT ply boards on it and then stood on that. The movement on the end of the Centipede would now be more pronounced when standing on it. Maybe 3-4 inches of sway on it. This could be worse possibly IMO if I was using two Centipede Workhorses versus my perfectly solid sawhorses I was actually using to hold up the other end.
Basically, this unit IMO is maybe good for a collapsible instant table to rest stuff on it. I would not use it for a work platform, nor would I use it for cutting with my track saw either. I do NOT see this for real jobsite use, but for a homeowner who has a vigilant attitude to taking care of their work site/area, this is an easy to set up little table to hold your ‘crap’. Even somewhat heavy crap. I believe it could actually be dangerous using certain working machinery on it. With its wobble factor, imagine you are cutting something and somebody bumps into it. A possible dangerous fiasco or one that could ruin your work.
I could see this being handy for doing painting tasks like boards/sheets/trim with a spray gun, but I question how well it would work with other painting methods because it basically will wobble maybe just enough to be a nuisance for certain paint jobs.
Not even sure I’m going to keep this one or get another one even. Ideally, one should probably have two of these smaller Centipede Sawhorses which more or less works out to what one would be paying for the larger 4′ X 8′ Centipede XL model. At $70 CDA for just one Centipede Sawhorse, it’s overpriced imo. Should be in the $40 to $50 range.
I can see this maybe useful for an instant table for on the go picnic or camping or for temporary use around the house, but not in a crowded venue unless it is set up against a wall. I don’t think it would be wise to put drinks on it.
Some suggestions have been made that it would be good at yard sales or for display purposes at flea markets. I see limited use for that as I would not put anything fragile or prone to tipping on it. It’s a bit too much of a bobble-head basically for a lot of things.
I have no idea how the larger 4X8 XL is in comparison insofar as the wobble factor, but as I said earlier, collapsing an XL may be a two man job or a struggle for one person to do.
The Centipede website is here for those looking for more info or to search for where they can buy them…
http://centipedetool.com/centipede-portable-work-system/
Frankly, unless I can come up with a real good reason for keeping it that I haven’t thought of yet, I have other things already that can do what this does and mine is likely going back to the store for a refund.
Further in the thread.....
Kevin,
I’m curious why you wouldnt use it with your track saw? Is it safety concerns?
I don’t know, if you’re 240 pounds, I don’t consider an 1″ or so to be much wobble if you’re standing on it. That actually seems pretty solid to me.
My Answer....Safety primarily. When I’m cutting, whether it be with a track saw or some other power tool, you don’t want to be on what I would describe as a bed of jello. Imagine a piece disengaging after a cut and where it could go to and jamb against causing a kickback of sorts. I wouldn’t be confortable with this thing as it wobbles no matter what weight you’ve got on it in normal usage. I wanted to stand on it to see if it either had a feeling of buckling or to see if weight loads could solidify it basically.
I would never free hand use a router on this. That’s for sure.
This stuff is junk imo, but again, the larger XL may be better in some respects, but I doubt it’s going to be dramatically different overall.
Further in same thread again....
I initially thought when the subject of the Centipede first came up that the unit was a POS. But looking at their video and thinking about different applications for me got me intrigued enough to check it out. At least I know now, that it is pretty useless for me, and I hope also that it helps others to not waste their time on this gimmicky toy.
I returned mine to the store for a full refund.
Kevin D. said:
I am also a homeowner/hobbyist. I purchased mine to break down sheet goods with my TS-75 in my garage. I always clamp my track to the work piece to assure that it doesn't shift at all during a cut so a little bit of wobble isn't going to have an impact on the cut. I see the centipede as just as stable as setting up a few saw horses; which is what I used to do. I'm happy with the purchase.
Kevin D. said:
Thanks for sharing, Kevin. That is good perspective on the limitation of the product.
I haven't seen the smaller ones in person but I would agree that 70 would be a bit steep considering you'd need too.
My opinion is that if you use it to replace a pair of sawhorses or use it specifically for plywood breakdown, it's great. But it certainly won't replace a workbench!! I've stood on my bench many times to change lightbulbs, install stuff, etc.
I've never tried standing on my sawhorses!! [big grin]
RobNJ said:
I completely agree. The centipede would not be useful as a general purpose workbench. Putting sideways forces on the centipede is going to highlight its weakneess.
However, it offers the support of several saw horses in a very convenient package.
00A00B00C
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- Oct 22, 2014
- Messages
- 31
Thought I would throw my two cents in.
I was an original kickstarter backer on this and one of the first to get it close to two years ago now. I've used it extensively.
Some notes on it:
Pros:
• Fast and easy to set up. Stores conveniently out of the way.
• Works well with foam on top for cutting ply.
• Sturdy when set up on a flat surface.
Cons:
• Heavy and awkward to carry. Getting it back in the bag is a lost cause. Watch your fingers! I've pinched them a dozen times.
• The rivets attaching the cross supports to the legs do come out over time. Putting new ones in isn't bad. Some of the other parts on it do feel cheap.
• Don't expect to use it as an assembly table.
• Horrible on uneven surfaces. The legs just float there and make whatever is on top sag.
• The provided plastic hold downs are useless.
Bottom line:
I use it for one task, it works. I payed $125. I would find an alternative if it was still that price, but at $79 and $49 for the small it's a decent buy.
Any questions, let me know.
Nick
I was an original kickstarter backer on this and one of the first to get it close to two years ago now. I've used it extensively.
Some notes on it:
Pros:
• Fast and easy to set up. Stores conveniently out of the way.
• Works well with foam on top for cutting ply.
• Sturdy when set up on a flat surface.
Cons:
• Heavy and awkward to carry. Getting it back in the bag is a lost cause. Watch your fingers! I've pinched them a dozen times.
• The rivets attaching the cross supports to the legs do come out over time. Putting new ones in isn't bad. Some of the other parts on it do feel cheap.
• Don't expect to use it as an assembly table.
• Horrible on uneven surfaces. The legs just float there and make whatever is on top sag.
• The provided plastic hold downs are useless.
Bottom line:
I use it for one task, it works. I payed $125. I would find an alternative if it was still that price, but at $79 and $49 for the small it's a decent buy.
Any questions, let me know.
Nick
