New assembly bench - build

[Dale Murray]

I started this last week and finished it up today.

Readers of Family Handyman may recognize the design though mine is slightly taller and deeper that the original plan. It gets parked under another bench I have mounted against the wall in the garage. When unfolded it provides 21sq ft work surface. I am leaving the base open for now, not sure if I will add drawers or shelves, or doors.

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[Ken Fitzgerald]

Nice looking assembly bench Dale!

[Jim Matthews]

If you fill it with tools, will it droop in the center?

Perhaps another caster in the middle could be installed,
to handle any future load.

Some dump trucks have an entire axle that idles,
until the full capacity is reached, at which point it carries some weight.

[Dale Murray]

I dont have a great deal of concern about drooping. The top is double layer 3/4 ply, the back is 3/4 ply, everything is glued and screwed together. If an issue were to arise I can deal with it then but as of now I think it is a non-issue.

[Prashun Patel]

Looks great. But too clean ;) Let's see how long it looks so purty!

[Dale Murray]

I fully understand it is going to get messed up, already has a few scratches from putting stuff in it. You should see the carving bench I made when I lived in an apartment; 3/4" birch ply with poplar edging that was mounted to a workmate stand. That thing is a mess! I am sure a quick sanding and coat of finish will have it looking nice again.

[Chris Padilla]

Agree...looks too purty. Needs some glue residue, finish overspray, and gouges to look right. LOL!

[Bill McDermott]

Dale, The drop leaf design with the swing out legs is a great adaptation - done heavy duty. I really like that idea. You have helped me with my evolving out-feed table design by posting this. Thanks. When closed, it appears that the casters on the swing legs yield a tripod like stance, rather than four corners. Is that right? Bill

[Dale Murray]

The base cabinet is 60" wide and the wings are about 16" each. When the wings are swung into the storage position the wheel foot print is a trapezoid with roughly 26" separating the rear wheels.

Initially I was going to add two more wheels under the base cabinet but decided to give the folks at Family Handyman the benefit of the doubt. If their design called for just four wheels I will try it that way knowing I can add more if needed.

The wings are fully supported with a piano hinge running the full height, the 64" wide top uses a 60" piano hinge.

I am not wildly concerned about the strength or stability of the trapezoid foot print as I intend to use this mostly as an assembly bench or will lay foam core over it when processing plywood, in both cases it would be fully deployed. I doubt I will do any real banging on it.

As for out feed table, that was on my mind too. I may install a few t-nuts in the top to hold various jigs such as an elevated platform that lines up with my yet to be purchased table saw, miter saw deal, or something else.