DIY MFT / Paulk Bench Build

[sprior]

Not nearly as bad as you might think:

1) trace out the tools on a wide board.
2) route the horizontal finger grooves.
3) using a jigsaw cut out the traced tools all the way through the board.
4) glue another board behind the first.
5) add triangles on the sides and mount on the wall.

 

[peter halle]

Great execution.  Strangely I was considering doing that same approach with some twists in my shop.  [thumbs up] to you.

Peter

 

[Tinker]

My current theory on a clean workshop is to have a specific place for every tool so you can see what's not back in place and to minimize the amount of horizontal non-task surfaces to collect clutter.  The workbench in the picture is my main clutter collector (clean at the moment), but I got rid of the bigger table that was in that spot for the smaller bench.  My main work table can't collect clutter for long because I cut up sheets of plywood on it so it HAS to be clear.

Yeah Steve.
I have warned my wife that your shop is definitely OFF LIMITS [ban]
I have also given YOU fair warning [dead horse]
Tinker

 

[sprior]

Thanks Peter.  When I took electronics in high school the lab had tool holders like that and I always thought it was a great idea.  Then when I finally got a suitable shop space I was able to implement it.

Tinker,  You're totally wrong in the way you're approaching this.  Your wife lets you spend all that money on Festool toys and I think you've got tools that it would be dangerous for you to attempt to find.  You should bring her over and say "see, I could have my shop this neat too, I just need to spend..."  With the size of your shop you need to be more organized than I am to make it work.  And don't give me that nonsense about your basement being so small - you're the guy with access to a backhoe...  [tongue]

 

[Guilliaume woodworks]

My current theory on a clean workshop is to have a specific place for every tool so you can see what's not back in place and to minimize the amount of horizontal non-task surfaces to collect clutter.  The workbench in the picture is my main clutter collector (clean at the moment), but I got rid of the bigger table that was in that spot for the smaller bench.  My main work table can't collect clutter for long because I cut up sheets of plywood on it so it HAS to be clear.

I'm really jealous of how nice everything looks. So I was zooming in the pic trying to pick something apart. Scanning for any little flaw I could find.....came up with nothing.      Being honest hurts sometimes.  Love what you've done

 

[sprior]

I'll give you a minor one for free - the tool holders are built as I get new tools or just get around to organizing ones, so sometimes the grouping isn't what I would have chosen if I did everything at once - I've got tape measures in three different places.  This doesn't really matter to me because I know where everything is, but if someone came into the shop they might wonder why similar things aren't always together.

 

[Tinker]

Steve, just now getting back since Monday.  I hope you did not take my last remark about "off limits" seriously.

To everybody else who is following this conversation, Steve gave a very serious reply to my not so serious remark.
And, just in case anybody is wondering about the exchange, he is DEAD ON CORRECT.  If you have looked at his pics above, They do not do full justice to how neat and well organized his shop is. 

If anybody would want to see an exact opposite, mine wood be a 180º opposite.  As Rodney Dangerfield might say, 'It is so bad that last week I went down there to find a router.  I couldn't find the router, but it took me three days to find my way out of there.'

Steve, you do have a great and well thought out shop setup.

BTW:  I was starting work on a cab for under my CMS (in between a couple of other projects with my LS biz) when I remembered the Festool Connect.  Tuned in to a really fine presentation by Mr. Sedgewick.  Wish i could have made it.  Incidently, Peter Halle looked great on camera after the demo.
Tinker

 

[sprior]

I gave a serious answer because there was a point to be made and I couldn't resist poking back a little, but that doesn't mean I took your light hearted post very seriously.  You've got a LOT of money's worth of great tools buried under there and Festool type organization is about your only shot at making a space that size really work well.

 

[JayStPeter]

After some head scratching I've finally gotten my large module dry fit.  Turns out the problem was the way I clamped my router jig on the larger parts.  I used different clamps on all the smaller parts, so they worked great.  On the larger parts, I got lazy and only got down one large clamp.  So, my jig was slightly skewed by the clamp pulling on one side.  Error doubled with the mirror image and some things didn't fit right.  I'm not sure why they seemed to fit on earlier dry fits.  But, technique adjusted.  Dadoes filled and rerouted and here it is dry fit.

I actually used my smaller module to rework a side that was a little off due to the skewed cuts.  Got a chance to play with the height a bit.  Still not sure how high I want this one.  Tall is good for a lot of operations, but slightly lower probably best for using it as a cutting table.  I'm thinking I can put the small module on top of the large one for router work.

 

[sprior]

Looks really nice JayStPeter!

 

[Bob Gerritsen]

Nice!! I'm bookmarking this post for future reference, loving your solutions and organization.

What I love most of all though is the shape of those cubby holes in the worktop, that's beautiful!

 

[JayStPeter]

Nice!! I'm bookmarking this post for future reference, loving your solutions and organization.

What I love most of all though is the shape of those cubby holes in the worktop, that's beautiful!

Google Ron Paulk (or search youtube).  It's his "Ultimate Workbench" design just modded to my overall dimensions.  I will build a base of my own design for his modules though.  Do stay tuned, I'm hopeful some of my ideas will work out to be pretty cool ... or at least I'll get to show a good fail  [tongue].

I haven't had much shop time lately, but have the basis of the base sitting on my bench (2 sides between the front and back).

On a side note, I built several benches using the same construction methods a few year ago.  My outfeed table from the first post is one.  The other two now reside at a friends house.  They ranged in size from 4'x4' of my outfeed table to 2'x8' for his big bench.  I don't have any clamps over 50+" so I have no idea how I clamped up the 8' sides for his bench.  I'm guessing I hooked clamps to other clamps, but when I did that it pulled the whole assembly out of whack and was really difficult to deal with.  Maybe it went better with two people, I just can't remember.
I know I have thought that I would use this design for everything I build for the shop from then on.  But, I'm not sure why.  It was really a time consuming pain in the butt to get where I'm at on it.  I think the quality of the 2x8s being sold is way below what it was back when I built the others.  I also used to keep a stack of 2x8s under the basement stairs next to the shop.  So, maybe they had just been there long enough that they were dry and acclimated.  I wish I knew, but I fought this thing every step.  I was planning on using this construction method to rebuild the 14' long miter saw station into a more modular design.  Not so sure now.

Anyhow, here is how I wound up clamping the long sides of the base up to keep it flat and square.

 

[Kevin Stricker]

I'm interested in hearing more about your frame construction for your base. I've got a bunch of scrap lumber bumming around waiting to find a new use.

Just something to consider with height, it's a lot easier getting a full panel up on 24" lifts than up to standard work height.  I finally have a system worked out where I never have to move a full panel by myself unless it's a spare.  I get the fork to help load in the truck, back the truck up at the shop, and slide them out onto my low cutting table.  I've started using a trick Carroll had mentioned of using two 4x4 1/4" MDF spoil boards.  It is so much easier as you can slide each half under your top sheet than messing with a full sheet of foam. 

So anyways I don't know your workflow or space, but ever sense I stopped bucking sheets up on my workbench I have been much happier.  I can stack 10 or more sheets on my table and just work my way through them only taking ripped boards to the workbench.  Just make sure you have your sheets stacked right!  It is also much easier to make 600mm rips on a low table than at a standard work table height.

 

[JayStPeter]

Using "whitewood" from Lowes was painful.  This base fought me to go together.  It took a lot of effort to get all the warping wood to align and go together.  Then square it all up and brace it in a reasonable way.

Thought I'd show the mobility mechanism I put on this.  I think it is an improvement on Norm Abraham's mechanism.  Here is the base in the down position.  It sits on rubber leveling feet (beefy elevator bolts with rubber stuck to them).

Like Norm's, you lift up to engage the wheels.  In the case of mine you push the pipe with your foot to engage the locking mechanism.  There is a detent at either end of the slot so the pipe stays in the on or off position.

And here it is up and locked in place.  There is a screw up from the bottom in the cross brace that acts as a pivot point through the pipe.  I was planning on reinforcing the plywood panel that holds the wheels, but I don't think that will be necessary.  I was able to ride around on it.

 

[Bob Gerritsen]

That's pretty clever. Is it strong enough like that when the bench is loaded or would it help to put those bars on all four corners?

I was aware of Ron Paulk's bench, how can you not be, it's a classic right? Seeing the way you did the holes though made me go: "Yesss!". In practice I don't always allow myself the time to take care of my shop from an aesthetic point of view but seeing the way you cut out those holes with the subtle curve is prove that aesthetics do matter on the shop floor. It looks a lot better than going half round in my opinion. 

 

[JayStPeter]

That's pretty clever. Is it strong enough like that when the bench is loaded or would it help to put those bars on all four corners?

I think it'll be strong enough for what I'm going to do with it.  I was able to stand on the lower frame with the wheels down and it was OK.  I have a design in mind for some organization in the base and every inch counts.  So I used pretty small casters and tried to keep it low profile.  I was concerned, but think it'll work just fine.  There was some flex in the ply to the opposite wheel.  If it gets to be a problem I can always reinforce the plywood with a "frame" of sorts underneath ... or metal.  For my plan of making the base expandable, four corners is not an option.  My goal was to simplify the act of raising and lowering the bench as well as making it as low profile as possible.  I started off designing a cam mechanism that would raise the thing with a foot lever, but it took way too much space.  I need to improve my metal working skillz to get that working.

I was aware of Ron Paulk's bench, how can you not be, it's a classic right? Seeing the way you did the holes though made me go: "Yesss!". In practice I don't always allow myself the time to take care of my shop from an aesthetic point of view but seeing the way you cut out those holes with the subtle curve is prove that aesthetics do matter on the shop floor. It looks a lot better than going half round in my opinion.  

I have to admit, that was a practical change, but did work out aesthetically.  Since I made my bench only 6' long, the space between the cross members became shorter.  His half-round holes just took up too much space.  Using 5" rounded ends in 12-14" openings just wasn't going to work.  They would've been almost round, not very usable.

 

[DrD]

Fantastic shop!  Fantastic work!  I've got the plans from Ron P, and am planning my build.  Question is what did you do for drilling the holes?  Looks like you've got the Festool Clamping Elements on the bench in one of the pics, so I would assume those are 20mm holes.  I can only find 3/4" up spiral bits, no 20mm.

DrD

 

[JayStPeter]

Fantastic shop!  Fantastic work!  I've got the plans from Ron P, and am planning my build.  Question is what did you do for drilling the holes?  Looks like you've got the Festool Clamping Elements on the bench in one of the pics, so I would assume those are 20mm holes.  I can only find 3/4" up spiral bits, no 20mm.

DrD

I used a 20mm Forstner bit.  Used an MFT top as a template and a cheap drill guide.  That worked pretty well.  The only router bit I could find in 20mm is the Festool one.

 

[Rocky]

What about this:http://www.amazon.com/CMT-195-200-11-Upcut-Spiral-Router/dp/B000UJZ9QG

 

[JayStPeter]

What about this:http://www.amazon.com/CMT-195-200-11-Upcut-Spiral-Router/dp/B000UJZ9QG

What a bargain