Mobile Bench Project

[Stone Message]

Hi Everyone

I have a relatively small workshop and to make life easier with filming and doing normal work I have put most of my machines on heavy duty castors. The one area that I had not addressed before is the work bench and so I came up with a design that would give me some mobility and flexibility. I have created a set of videos showing the majority of the construction.

General design/concept:



Completing the top:



Making simple drawers - Part 1:



Making simple drawers - Part 2:



And for completeness here is the video that I made about the castors which has appeared elsewhere:



Peter

 

[AlexDSL]

Great job !!

Thanks a lot for sharing, Peter !

 

[Stone Message]

Thanks Alex.

Perfectionists would want a better design for the drawers but with an all glued bottom and the brilliant dominos there is no need for anything stronger.

Peter

 

[festoolviking]

Really great design. [smile]

I like the offset hinges on the extensions. Keeps the extensions out of the way. Good idea with making the parf-dogs square with a piece of wood and making the workpiece stay put without the need for clamping when dominoing, that's one I'm going to use. Do you have different sets of blocks depending on the workpiece dimensions to incorporate with the 96mm pattern?

Festoolviking

 

[Stone Message]

Really great design. [smile]

I like the offset hinges on the extensions. Keeps the extensions out of the way. Good idea with making the parf-dogs square with a piece of wood and making the workpiece stay put without the need for clamping when dominoing, that's one I'm going to use. Do you have different sets of blocks depending on the workpiece dimensions to incorporate with the 96mm pattern?

Festoolviking

Thank you.

No, the 'Parf Hats' that I have made are in just one size. I made them by hand and so the hole through the centre is probably not quite in the middle. The beauty of them is that they mean that delicate wood does not get bruised by a round dog and they swivel to accommodate a flat face. Perhaps someone will want to make them for sale, maybe out of plastic.

Peter

 

[Sparktrician]

Well done set of videos, Peter.  I like your methodology. 

[smile]

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Everyone

On another thread I recommended that a FOG member look at this project. I am happy that people have my plans free of charge - all I ask is that people consider buying a copy of my e-book, Stone Message, a mystery thriller on Amazon at 99 cents - but there is no obligation at all.

Just let me have an email address and I will do my best to get the plans to you as soon as I can.

Peter

 

[grbmds]

Peter,

The offer of the plans is great, but I'm really don't have the time right now to build a mobile bench like yours. I would prefer, at this point, to merely get another MFT and equip it with casters that allow the MFT legs to sit firmly on the floor when retracted. I have had others refer me to other threads, but I don't believe those others really accomplish what I want. Ever heard of a caster set that would mount to the legs of the MFT. I want to be able to move the second MFT around easily since I would not always use in the same orientation to the first MFT.

 

[Stone Message]

Peter,

The offer of the plans is great, but I'm really don't have the time right now to build a mobile bench like yours. I would prefer, at this point, to merely get another MFT and equip it with casters that allow the MFT legs to sit firmly on the floor when retracted. I have had others refer me to other threads, but I don't believe those others really accomplish what I want. Ever heard of a caster set that would mount to the legs of the MFT. I want to be able to move the second MFT around easily since I would not always use in the same orientation to the first MFT.

I get my castors from a UK company that sell (almost) nothing else - Coldene. They sell inserts for square section tubular legs and also round ones - here is a link:

http://www.firstcastors.co.uk/Plastic_Inserts_Lightweight_Round_Nylon_Threaded_Inserts.asp

But...if you fit castors to your MFT3 you will have to cut a bit off the legs to maintain the 900mm height. I think that it may be less stable.

Good luck with you decision.

Peter

 

[grbmds]

Peter,

The offer of the plans is great, but I'm really don't have the time right now to build a mobile bench like yours. I would prefer, at this point, to merely get another MFT and equip it with casters that allow the MFT legs to sit firmly on the floor when retracted. I have had others refer me to other threads, but I don't believe those others really accomplish what I want. Ever heard of a caster set that would mount to the legs of the MFT. I want to be able to move the second MFT around easily since I would not always use in the same orientation to the first MFT.

I get my castors from a UK company that sell (almost) nothing else - Coldene. They sell inserts for square section tubular legs and also round ones - here is a link:

http://www.firstcastors.co.uk/Plastic_Inserts_Lightweight_Round_Nylon_Threaded_Inserts.asp

But...if you fit castors to your MFT3 you will have to cut a bit off the legs to maintain the 900mm height. I think that it may be less stable.

Good luck with you decision.

Peter

That was the reason I wanted casters that are completely retractable so that the MFT legs sit directly on the floor. I have a set from Rockler installed on my workbench, but that has square wooden legs. I have not found a method for attaching them to MFT round steel legs. I clearly can't change the height and, to be sure, both tables match up exactly, not do any cutting on the legs. Eventually I suppose I will need to build a mobile bench of my own, but, since I work everyday at a regular job, there is no time for that right now.

Randy

 

[SittingElf]

Hi Everyone

On another thread I recommended that a FOG member look at this project. I am happy that people have my plans free of charge - all I ask is that people consider buying a copy of my e-book, Stone Message, a mystery thriller on Amazon at 99 cents - but there is no obligation at all.

Just let me have an email address and I will do my best to get the plans to you as soon as I can.

Peter

Peter,

You need to take some time out from the workshop and write another book!  I read your book last year, and enjoyed it very much. Been waiting for another. Going to happen??

Cheers,

Frank

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Everyone

On another thread I recommended that a FOG member look at this project. I am happy that people have my plans free of charge - all I ask is that people consider buying a copy of my e-book, Stone Message, a mystery thriller on Amazon at 99 cents - but there is no obligation at all.

Just let me have an email address and I will do my best to get the plans to you as soon as I can.

Peter

Peter,

You need to take some time out from the workshop and write another book!  I read your book last year, and enjoyed it very much. Been waiting for another. Going to happen??

Cheers,

Frank

Hi Frank

Thank you for reading the book. It was great fun to write but took a lot of time doing research to get the background facts right. I would love to write another but would have to stop my woodworking. I have several plots in mind but these may have to wait until I get banned from the FOG or ordered to give up woodwork.

How about putting a review on Amazon for me? If the sales picked up then I might be persuaded to write another one sooner!

Thanks.

Peter