Paulk Work Top

[txrpls]

I purchased Ron's plans for the work bench and I am thinking about using MDF for the top bad drilling the top like an MFT. Anyone have any suggestions on how to mount the top so it can easily be replaced later?

 

[JeromeM]

Screw it down.

 

[txrpls]

Man, I never would of thought of that  [huh]

 

[waho6o9]

Domino  [eek]

 

[fritter63]

If you use MDF, you won't be able to move it very easily. That stuff is heavy (mostly glue!).

As for replacement, I'd do dominoes (as suggested earlier) to make sure everything is held solid and then screw it down.

The trick here is that you have a torsion box and you need to make sure that nothing can move, or you might get sagging.

You might also consider using threaded inserts and then countersink some flat head bolts to go into those. That should hold it nice and solid.

 

[Guy Ashley]

I have made a Ron Paulk Workbench with a 12mm MDF top drilled out with 20mm holes as per the MFT.

My use of this is as an assembly table in my joinery workshop so the issue of weight is of little concern as I will take an MFT to site. It is sufficiently light enough to be able to lift off workstands and prop up against the workshop wall if I need workshop space for larger projects.

As for replacing the top I have followed Ron's advice and used 25mm staples and as and when the top is so rough as to warrant replacing just split the MDF by the staple, snip the staple head with wire snips and lever it off.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Screw it down.

Good advise!  Just don't screw it up.

 

[Deansocial]

just dont hit the screw heads when cutting

 

[Alan m]

when  i put a mft top onto my dewalt miter saw stands i doweled the top onto some 3x2 (plained to coresponding dimention to level up the top with saw)  , i used wedges into the ends of the dowel to really secure it.
i hav epicked up the top and the stand from the mft top and it has held perfectly

 

[txrpls]

when  i put a mft top onto my dewalt miter saw stands i doweled the top onto some 3x2 (plained to coresponding dimention to level up the top with saw)  , i used wedges into the ends of the dowel to really secure it.
i hav epicked up the top and the stand from the mft top and it has held perfectly

Could you possibly post an image? I'm not visualizing the setup.

 

[Alan m]

when  i put a mft top onto my dewalt miter saw stands i doweled the top onto some 3x2 (plained to coresponding dimention to level up the top with saw)  , i used wedges into the ends of the dowel to really secure it.
i hav epicked up the top and the stand from the mft top and it has held perfectly

Could you possibly post an image? I'm not visualizing the setup.

if you search  under my name and cheap mft you will find the thread.  it is also my avitar pic
i got the mft top and doweled it to some 3x2 and screwed some 1/2 "ply as a shelf
then screwed on the dewalt brackets

 

[peter halle]

Here is the link to Alan M's setup:  Cheap MFT

 

[txrpls]

i used wedges into the ends of the dowel to really secure it.

Thanks for the info, but the above is what I am not understanding. Did you drive the wedges into the dowels from the top like the wedge in a hammer handle?

@Peter – Thanks for the link.

 

[Alan m]

i used wedges into the ends of the dowel to really secure it.

Thanks for the info, but the above is what I am not understanding. Did you drive the wedges into the dowels from the top like the wedge in a hammer handle?

@Peter – Thanks for the link.

yes cut a slot in th eend of the dowel and hammer it into the top and 3x2 underneeth, then drive in the wedge.
i glued the dowel into the 3x2 but not into the top. hopefully anyway.
and glued the wedge into the dowel.
it works great and i dont need to worry about hitting any metal ect

 

[txrpls]

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Kevin Stricker]

How about pinning dominoes with screws driven from the sides?  Glue the dominoes to the MDF top, clamp it to the sides, then countersink and drive screws from the sides.  I have used similar techniques using pins when a full glue up was not possible.  Should work in your application.

Driving staples into the edge of 1/2" plywood is a royal pain.