Assembly tables

[Bill Ryall]

My old kluged together assembly table that was thrown together years ago out of shop scrap for a single project has finally given up and developed a bow in the center. The time has come for a new table.

I'm looking at approximately 3'x5', around 26-27" in height (I'm short), probably on locking castors since my shop is small. Primary use is assembly and finishing of casework and furniture. Perfectly flat (and staying that way) is an absolute requirement.

Any thoughts, pointers, suggestions, ideas, etc. are welcomed and greatly appreciated. Bonus points awarded for pictures.

Thanks

[Jim Dwight]

My shop is small too so my assembly table is also my table saw outfeed support and my track saw cutting station as well as my assembly table. It is based upon a Ron Paulk total station design. It is 3x7 feet and rolls on 6 totally locking casters. It has two tops of 3/4 plywood spaced 8 inches apart. The idea is you place tools on the lower top to keep the upper surface clean. The top of the workstation has 20mm holes on 4 inch centers about like a Festool MFT. They facilitate clamping including with a right angle jig and some use dogs in the as cutting guides. I also have a crosscut jig for the workbench based upon the Paulk design that allows accurate crosscuts up to 3 feet. It has stops for repetitive cuts. I'm quite happy with it. I bored the holes with pegboard and a special router baseplate I got from Woodrave. I used a Freud 20mm bit.

[Jim Andrew]

I used a harbor freight motorcycle work table as the base for my assembly table, as I wanted variable height. It has a pedal to raise and lower the table, and a bar to lock the height. They go on sale for about 299. Put a double thickness of 3/4 plywood as the top,and used 3/4" thick T track along one side and one edge to use Kreg clamps, for building face frames. I like being able to build a box, then lower the box to install a face frame.

[Larry Frank]

The Paulk assembly table looks good.

[Jim Becker]

Ideally, an assemble table should be variable in height unless you make the same thing over and over and over and over and... ;) So consider building a very flat surface ( torsion table is a great way to do that ) and then provide a way to have it at alternate heights off the floor. That can be accomplished with rectangular boxes to get three heights, half-lapped "X" supports that break down easily for storage or other ways if you want to get "fancy".

[jack duren]

You've been on the forum long enough to have seen enough ideals to construct a table. If your making cabinets build low and furniture build high. You don't need a torsion box for flatness. I use a 8/4 hickory top. Everyone has an opinion and none will build or use their table like you. Do a google search for ideals that suit your needs and build away...jack

[Jim Dwight]

Ron Paulk's designs have a double layer top supported by plywood folding sawhorses. It would be easy to have different height sawhorses to have different workbench heights. I didn't do that because I wanted the storage of the base of my workbench. I also do not need a low bench real often. I assemble either on the workbench or the shop floor. My second Paulk inspired surface (not shown in the pictures above) is 2 feet by about 6 feet and is normally the side support with flip stops for my CMS/RAS. I can pull it off the cabinet it sits on and put it on the floor or other supports. If I really need a lower workbench I can set one up pretty easily. I made it removable mainly to have a surface I could use with the CMS away from the shop. It is also built of 1/2 plywood to make it more portable. It is surprisingly sturdy. The Paulk design is not a traditional torsion box but it works like one with the ribs tying the two horizontal surfaces together and stiffening them and keeping them flat.

[Robert Engel]

341712 4x8. The top is actually upside down at this point. The top is 3/4 MDF with several coats of BLO.

The bottom bays have one drawer in each one.

[Arnold Maguire]

Just wondering how the dog holes hold up after repeated use in 3/4” MDF assembly bench top? Trying to decide between MDF and plywood for the top of my Paulk style bench.

[Bill McNiel]

This is my version;
Approx 34" x 50"
Adjustable height wheels that lock, Festool systainers and drawers on both sides below, torsion box MDF top with Incra Miter Tracks, MFT gets lifted out of the way to ceiling with a pulley system.
With the MFT in place it serves as runoff for table saw and router table at approx 35". With the MFT removed it is a very nice assemble table.
It has served me well in all configurations.

Hope this helps a bit- Bill

[Osvaldo Cristo]

My workshop is 104 square foot. Good enough for most the things I needed but an assembly table.

Small stuff is mounted on my workbench and bigger ones at the place they will be like kitchen, dorm, ... If it is not possible I will use the garage. Always directly over the floor. So far I have no need for a dedicated table.

[andy bessette]

My assembly table, which also serves as an outfeed table for 2 of my table saws on a single mobile base, consists of 3/4" plywood + 1" MDF + 1/4" tempered Masonite top over a 2x4 frame with 4x4 legs. Under one side are 2 rollaway cabinets without casters. Under the other side is a full length shelf whose 2x4 supports allow just enough space to slide plastic milk crates underneath the shelf.

https://s26.postimg.org/c6vswm56x/shop-6.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://s26.postimg.org/4lo6neksp/shop-2.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[dennis thompson]

My assembly table, in my small shop, is simply a piece of 3/4" plywood on two horses, easy to put up and take down.

[glenn bradley]

I have an outfeed / assembly / drawer unit combo at a fixed height.

371829

For variable height I use some modified adjustable saw horses and torsion-beams.

371830 . 371831

371833 . 371832

I also have a couple sets of slotted panels that go together in a tall and in a short configuration for use as a base for the beams.

371834

[Chris Fournier]

I've built a few. Torsion tops and welded metal lowers that contain drawers and cubbies. I've got a 4' X 8" monster in my shop now. It gets a lot of use. On casters as you suggest.

[Jerome Stanek]

Not exactly an assembly table but saw this on another forum

https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/community/show-us-your-shop/six-function-transforming-shop-cart-stroke-genius?utm_source=Real_Magnet&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=srwtlc@gmail.com&utm_content=DAILY%20BRIEF&utm_campaign=Woodturning%20an%20eyeball

[william walton]

371904371905

I built this table originally for a runout for the table saw but have since bought a Grizzly that's too tall. It's got drawers on both sides and Kreg clamping tracks. My garage is small of course and everything is on locking casters.