Ultimate Workbench - CNC

[ericbuggeln]

This has been a long time coming. Before I go taking credit for anything, this is Ron Paulk's design, machined on my friends CNC machine. I merely put it together and came up with the idea. I have had it for a very short time and with the economy havent had any built ins to do. I put two coats LenMars Moisture cured Urethane on the top, same as i did on all my MFTs. The HD MDF took the finish differently and will probably need another two coats. Since the pics I have found that the "regular" CT22 fits underneath perfectly with the metal holder shooting the hose right onto the table making the boom arm almost unnecessary. I used 3/4 ply on all the endcaps and stretchers and 1/2 on the tops and bottoms. It is very heavy. If you are a wimp, this is not the bench for you. I put edgebanding on all the parts of the sawhorses that stick out for durability, bc the cheap HD veneer is easy to rip.

If you are not rich this bench is not for you. It was very expensive, even by Festool standards. That being said, you could drive a tank over this thing. It will probably last me twenty years. It is the perfect compliment to the Festool track system. I did buy extended jaw screw clamps that fit with the 1" foam i use. I am real excited how it fills out my shop. With the two bolts that draw it together it is dead flat and makes an amazing assembly table. Let me know if you have any questions, Eric 

 

[honeydoman]

Eric. Looks great and with the amount of work you have probably last 35 years !! Lol

You did a great job. Don't forget the foam when you cut on it.
Get out there and market yourself there is work out their. As I am booked till march 1. Already

Rock on crazy dude !!!!

 

[sancho57]

loooookkkiiiinnngggg gggooooddddd buddy,

I was wondering where you been.

Havent seen your name inna post in a long while

 

[Timtool]

Hi Eric, in what way was it expensive? Doesn't look like theres that much material in it, was it the cnc processing?

Do you plan on moving it on site etc? Looks kinda large to use in peoples houses or to get in the trailer!
But anyway nicely done!

 

[builderbob]

Yes, I have seen it...yes it is nice...and yes it is LARGE!  I'm a small dude with my site festools in my pickup truck...trailer when necessary. There's no way I could lug that beast of a table by myself!  That being said, it's nice to have a table like that if you can afford the space! 

Cut right on that top...you can always flip it!  The only way I'd use foam board is if I had a stack of material and slid the foam under the top piece to prevent damage to the lower sheets!

Cut away!

Bob

 

[Alan m]

I am real excited how it fills out my shop.

wow your shop must be big
you are the first person iv ever heard to say they are glad that they have used up all that wasted shop space.
im lucky if i can get into my shop to do some work. i could put an 8x4 in there but it would be a nightmare to do anything to
i would love a shop 3,4 times the size

looking good thow, i have a table i made years ago similar to this. it is only an 8x4 riped down the middle and 3x2"s running around the edges and across it underneeth
it works but isnt pritty like yours

 

[ericbuggeln]

Kreg, just recently lost two built ins bc I was too expensive, but good fortune in life has afforded me to not have to work for unfair wages and at least I built my own, doh!!!

Sancho, like many OG Foggers before me, it was time to go underground for awhile, but the Fantasy Basketball Season is coming to an end and I'm armed with a new Ipad, so you will probably see more of me.

Tim, it was about $700 in material and CNCing. Implementing it was at least $700 if you we're paying yourself. Everything is rabbetted and dadoed and went together like a dream. My helper and I did each section in about twenty minutes. Could be done solo, but a lot harder. I used a ton of clamps. The top is screwed in so it can be replaced, but I will always use the foam.

Bob, you may have chicken legs like me, but you could move this. I have a 14 ft box van so moving it is not an issue. I hang it on the wall when my wife's car is in the garage.

In theory it is so accurate that Qwas Dogs and Rail Dogs could be used, but I haven't tried that yet. It has been freezing here and it's an uninsulated garage. My friend put threaded inserts that draw the two sections together with a star knob and self flattens the top. Works like a charm, Eric

 

[Tinker]

Eric, a great job.  It does look, tho, that you are now approaching asituation where very soon, we will be hearing you coming up with the same complaint as the rest of us.  "I don't have enough space in my shop."  [laughing] [laughing] [laughing]

I have been thinking of doing sort of the same thing in my shop.  In my working section, I have a MFT/3 with a tandem 800 at the end with a couple of the extensions on the end of that.  the far end of the MFT 800 with extensions just becomes a great big collection area as it is difficult to slip past on either side to get to my waste pile (trash cans until the scraps get sorted.)  I can barely squeeze past on either side of the MFT's to work.  I have a plan in my head to use Ron's idea for a narrow, probably 18" or 20" by 7' or 8' section with a couple of removable 12" x 48" add-ons that can be dropped and tightened to one or both sides for the occasional times that i need extra width.

I have RMW's Rip Guides (with Incra 18" T-Trac Plus) that i have found to work well for narrow widths on both sheet goods and narrow ripping.  For most of my cross cutting needs, i don't need any wider.  With Quas Rip Dogs, i don't need the flip up attachment for cross cutting or ripping. The Festool parallel guides have longer extensions that I can use for wider rips if necessary. I think the narrower bench wood work much better for me and the whole thing could be supported with cabinets/sliding shelves to hold most of my Systainers.

i am also experimenting with removal of my boom arm and putting clips on T-trac up under my ceiling jiosts. (For Brice:  You won't believe this, but my ceiling is actually low enough that even I can reach it >>>>> without standing on a stool.  [dead horse] ;D) I just need to figure the best location for the T-tracs.  Just eliminating the boom has made the shop somewhat more compatible.
Tinker
 

 

[ericbuggeln]

Wayne, the one thing that I realized is that I can't fit a Jointer, Planer, and Large DC for them. My mill does a very good job at all that. I have them run FF stock at 1 3/4 and door stock at 2 1/2 through their really expensive molder. I do use the portable TS for sizing Raised panels and drawer fronts to width, but it mostly stays in the truck. This has already freed up room for built cabs to be stored.

Are you going to Festool Connect/JLC? Roman has a double bed and is lonely [scared]Eric

 

[Tinker]

Wayne, the one thing that I realized is that I can't fit a Jointer, Planer, and Large DC for them. My mill does a very good job at all that. I have them run FF stock at 1 3/4 and door stock at 2 1/2 through their really expensive molder. I do use the portable TS for sizing Raised panels and drawer fronts to width, but it mostly stays in the truck. This has already freed up room for built cabs to be stored.

Are you going to Festool Connect/JLC? Roman has a double bed and is lonely [scared]Eric

I feel soooo much better now. [thumbs up]
Tinker

 

[ericbuggeln]

Wayne was dying to see how im using the UWB, so here is how i used the LR 32 with it and then the new way i am doing dominoing of FFs and carcasses. Im pretty spacey, so I took the math out completely.

Here is how im attaching the LR 32 to the UWB. Can also be done similar on MFT.

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I use tape where i want to drill. It shows up in the window on the sled that the router rides on. If its green drop a hole, if not keep going. Once again, we want someone whos barely paying attention to do this and no one likes re cutting parts.

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I use the cutouts in the UWB to attach the carcass parts to it. At this point its all about the Domiplate by Seneca Woodworking. If you dont own one yet, it is the best $50 you will ever spend and makes this entire process possible.

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[ericbuggeln]

Here is the real beauty of this system, the FFS. I will do the two sides of the FFs and then with the domino on the same setting i will do the two sides of the carcass. i will then change the spacers to fit the top and bottom. Same thing, domino top and bottom of FFs and then do the carcass. Only concern is not hitting the pocket screws.

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Here is the carcass secured to the UWB with Festool clamping elements, which are sick in my opinion.

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[ericbuggeln]

I reset the scales and do the tops and bottoms.

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Assembly was flawless first try.

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let me know what you guys think or if you have any questions about the UWB, Eric

 

[frodo]

Eric,

Are you cutting the domino slots to size or wide? It's impressive to get all those to line up exactly if they are cut to size!

 

[ericbuggeln]

I cut the FF wide, but I'm considering going for a dead fit next time. If its too tight I can always just widen a bit and no one would be the wiser.  Everything is referenced from left to right, so in theory it should work, Eric

 

[duburban]

just trying to process the choice of heavier construction. you used thicker material to increase its stability in anticipation of using it mostly in your shop?

what benefit do you think the 3/4 side material will have? i'm having a hard time seeing where 1/2 won't be strong enough. i do see your hoping to get 20 years out of it though.

for me this bench is exciting because its portable. i'm going to build one (cnc also) to fit in the back of my truck bed with the gate closed.

you could also drill the holes in the bottom as well to loose some weight, and screws..

 

[ericbuggeln]

Duburban, my used to be small farm town is rife with urban sprawl.  I shall soon join you in Vermont.

The 3/4 material was pennies more and I thought that I would beef it up more for strength purposes. I have already stood on it and I'm near obese. It is just heavy enough that its the max I would want to carry in and out of the truck, but definitely doable. I can't explain to you how happy you will be with this bench. Eric

 

[Tinker]

Eric, It looks to me the advantages you have with the UWB is work area.  I can see you working on the cabinet at one end while gluing up a project at other end with space to spare.  That is fine as long as there is plenty of floor space to set up a 4x8 table.  

The advantage I do see over the MFT is the clamping.  For vertical clamping those side rails look to be far superior to the single channel tracs on the MFT's.  As Ron has shown with his You tube demos, there is plenty of storage space for tools to stay close at hand, but out of the way.  

How long does it take you to dis-assemble the two sections and load/unload to your truck?

I wood think it to be quicker to breakdown the components that to fold up the legs of the MFT's.  
I am thinking of a copy of the UWB in smaller sizes and to make in 4 sections instead of two.  A 4x8 is definitely not compatible with my shop (9x17 approximately).

So many lot of ideas/so little time/so little space
Tinker  

 

[ericbuggeln]

Wayne, you could take your time breaking it down and do it in seven minutes. At first I was gonna use a drill chucked with a 1/2" socket to turn the two bolts that keep it together, but later opted to go with a 1/4 20 star knob. I just wanted to be able to do it if no drill or 1/2 socket were around. The screwing in of the bolt is the longest part though. The best part of this bench for me is when my wife comes home and we are getting a Nor Easter, the bench can move and she can park there. You know how women get when they don't get there way? Eric

 

[duburban]

how did you get from pualk's plans to a vector file for cutting?

i've had his plans but i've yet to convert them over on cad. did you redraw everything?