Outfeed/Assembly Table

[Tim M Tuttle]

Evening all,

I am planning on starting an outfeed/assembly table this weekend. My original plan was to make a torsion box top (pretty much Mark Spagnuolo's found here:http://www.finewoodworking.com/2007/05/15/build-a-torsion-box-assembly-table) and put it on a pretty basic 2x4 frame. One thing I'd figured I would add is a small vise and some dog holes. After starting to lay it out in CAD I realized that I am sure to drop all kinds of crap in those dog holes without being able to it them out.

I am a newb and the vast majority of things I am building right now are shop projects. A $20 plane and 3 Kobalt chisels are the extent of my hand tools (I dont even own a hand saw :D, yet). The vise and dogs are mainly wanted for assembly and holding some things I place. I dont plan on putting much stress on them. Being new and with limited skills I know that whatever I build I will probably want to rebuild inside a of a year so I am looking to go fairly cheap and easy to make this first time around.

I guess I should get to my question...that top with dog holes a good idea? Can anyone point me to a design that they feel might be better considering my situation?

Thanks!

[andy bessette]

My outfeed table/workbench is a solid core door with tempered Masonite face. There is a Craftsman woodworking vise mounted. Keep it simple and go to work.

[Tim Janssen]

My outfeed table/workbench is a solid core door with tempered Masonite face. There is a Craftsman woodworking vise mounted. Keep it simple and go to work.

Makes a lot of sense!

Tim

[Harold Balzonia]

If the dog holes go all the way through the top, they won't fill up.... and if they are stopped holes, a blast from the air compressor cleans 'em out quickly. (Don't look in the hole when you blast the air.... don't ask me how I know....)

if you drop a screw or something in there, a cheap extend-o magnet takes care of it. Have fun!

[Dan Hulbert]

My out feed table uses a damaged hollow core door on a 2x4 frame. I added some blocks around the edges to keep the top in place. I did not attach the door to the frame so it would be easier to move. Found the door in the scratch and dent section at Lowes for <$10. I added a coat of shellac to reduce friction. Been working fine for about 8 years. Every now and then I scrape down the surface to remove glue drips and add a coat of shellac. Good way to use it up before it goes bad.

[Jamie Buxton]

My main bench has dog holes that don't go all the way through. When the holes get sawdust in them, I clean them out with the shop vac. Compared to blowing them out with compressed air, there's no flying chips or dust.

[Tim M Tuttle]

My main bench has dog holes that don't go all the way through. When the holes get sawdust in them, I clean them out with the shop vac. Compared to blowing them out with compressed air, there's no flying chips or dust.

Not as much worried about sawdust as I am things like nuts, bolts, screws, etc falling into the torsion cavity.

[Jamie Buxton]

Not as much worried about sawdust as I am things like nuts, bolts, screws, etc falling into the torsion cavity.

If the dog holes are going to be any use, they must be fairly deep -- like 2". The bottom of the dog levers against the side of the hole. You can't get away with just cutting holes through the thin skin of the torsion box. I was thinking you'd have solid lumber where the dog holes are, so there shouldn't be the opportunity for debris getting inside the torsion box.

[Tim M Tuttle]

If the dog holes are going to be any use, they must be fairly deep -- like 2". The bottom of the dog levers against the side of the hole. You can't get away with just cutting holes through the thin skin of the torsion box. I was thinking you'd have solid lumber where the dog holes are, so there shouldn't be the opportunity for debris getting inside the torsion box.

That was another worry I had. I'll have to look into making the top beefier where I want the dogs.

[andy bessette]

Keep it simple.

[Charles Wiggins]

Tim,

Ultimately, you will have to decide what is best for you depending on your available space, budget, and current tools and skill level. In my mind, a woodworking bench is one critter, an assembly table is another critter, and an outfeed table is yet another critter. They can double for one another at times, but when you do that you lose some of the functionality that each may provide.

A workbench is really just a really advanced clamping system. It should be designed to hold work-pieces in any of the three dimensions so that you can cut, carve, chisel, drill, pare, etc., thus the various vises, dog holes, holdfasts, dead men, etc. It should be reasonably flat, as long as possible, but not too wide, preferably under 24" so you don't lose tools to the back and you can lay a cabinet carcass over the end so you can work on it. Most of all, it should be HEAVY so it does not move while you are trying to cut, carve, chisel, drill, pare, etc.

An assembly table should provide a large, very flat work surface for the assembly of pieces. When you get to the assembly stage it is more common to need to clamp you work-pieces to each other than the work surface, although you may need to clamp things down to get an assembly started. If you start attaching vises and drilling dog holes it can mess with the whole flatness thing - and you're faced with figuring out how to beef up the torsion box and suddenly its not so flat anymore.

An outfeed table is just to catch work-pieces and waste as they come off the machine so they don't become difficult to control or fall off the end while you are cutting. You see these most often on table saws. Because of that, you usually have grooves cut in the surface directly behind the saw to allow for your crosscut guide to move. Well, there goes part of your flat surface. in general, outfeed tables don't have to be particularly flat as long as they are reasonably so and don't interfere with the cut at the blade.

All that said, again, you have to decide what your priorities are base don where you are now. Some folks will build an oversized outfeed table that will double as an assembly table. Some build their bench at a good height and position it to function as an outfeed table. I think trying to get all three out of one table is going to create more problems than it solves, but that's just one guys opinion.

Currently, I have no bench, no outfeed table and no assembly table, so if you get something built you'll have one up on me. I use adjustable height stands that I can move around where needed. They were one of the first things I built for the shop back when I was in a one-car garage that I had to share with my wife's car. Got the plans from and old ShopNotes magazine and modified them a bit. Been using them for about 15 years.

Good luck!
Charles

[Rick Potter]

Just a thought, going with the KISS theme.....

I was in the Habitat ReStore the other day, and they had some commercial office desks for $20 to $50, depending on condition. These were made of 1" thick particle board with formica tops.

They would make a great, solid top, for workshop cabinets, and outfeed tables. Get a cheap one, dinged on the corners, and cut it down to needed size, using hardwood edges.

Got several in my shop, and glue pops off the formica.

[Brian Henderson]

My outfeed table/workbench is a solid core door with tempered Masonite face. There is a Craftsman woodworking vise mounted. Keep it simple and go to work.

The first workbench I ever made was the same thing. It stands on 4x4 legs with a solid 2x6 apron. I've had it in my shop for over 20 years now and it's still going strong. In fact, when I moved last year, it took 3 people to move it into the truck, the thing weighs a ton. I think it cost me less than $80 to build.

[Brian Henderson]

If the dog holes are going to be any use, they must be fairly deep -- like 2". The bottom of the dog levers against the side of the hole. You can't get away with just cutting holes through the thin skin of the torsion box. I was thinking you'd have solid lumber where the dog holes are, so there shouldn't be the opportunity for debris getting inside the torsion box.

That doesn't mean you can't plan where your dog holes are going to be and insert solid blocks at those locations.

[andy bessette]

Dog holes in the outfeed table are simply places on which ripped offcuts can catch.

[Robert Engel]

I would not recommend trying to use your outfeed table as an assembly table.

You will find during a project it is a major hassle having to clear it off.

[Tim M Tuttle]

Tim,

Ultimately, you will have to decide what is best for you depending on your available space, budget, and current tools and skill level. In my mind, a woodworking bench is one critter, an assembly table is another critter, and an outfeed table is yet another critter. They can double for one another at times, but when you do that you lose some of the functionality that each may provide.

A workbench is really just a really advanced clamping system. It should be designed to hold work-pieces in any of the three dimensions so that you can cut, carve, chisel, drill, pare, etc., thus the various vises, dog holes, holdfasts, dead men, etc. It should be reasonably flat, as long as possible, but not too wide, preferably under 24" so you don't lose tools to the back and you can lay a cabinet carcass over the end so you can work on it. Most of all, it should be HEAVY so it does not move while you are trying to cut, carve, chisel, drill, pare, etc.

An assembly table should provide a large, very flat work surface for the assembly of pieces. When you get to the assembly stage it is more common to need to clamp you work-pieces to each other than the work surface, although you may need to clamp things down to get an assembly started. If you start attaching vises and drilling dog holes it can mess with the whole flatness thing - and you're faced with figuring out how to beef up the torsion box and suddenly its not so flat anymore.

An outfeed table is just to catch work-pieces and waste as they come off the machine so they don't become difficult to control or fall off the end while you are cutting. You see these most often on table saws. Because of that, you usually have grooves cut in the surface directly behind the saw to allow for your crosscut guide to move. Well, there goes part of your flat surface. in general, outfeed tables don't have to be particularly flat as long as they are reasonably so and don't interfere with the cut at the blade.

All that said, again, you have to decide what your priorities are base don where you are now. Some folks will build an oversized outfeed table that will double as an assembly table. Some build their bench at a good height and position it to function as an outfeed table. I think trying to get all three out of one table is going to create more problems than it solves, but that's just one guys opinion.

Currently, I have no bench, no outfeed table and no assembly table, so if you get something built you'll have one up on me. I use adjustable height stands that I can move around where needed. They were one of the first things I built for the shop back when I was in a one-car garage that I had to share with my wife's car. Got the plans from and old ShopNotes magazine and modified them a bit. Been using them for about 15 years.

Good luck!
Charles

One thing I've learned so far is that anything I make I tend to find a deficiency with it fairly quickly. Right now, more than anything, I just need a big flat surface to put things together on. Currently I am using sawhorses with a sheet of plywood. It's fine but I constantly have to set it up and break it down to make room for my car (it's outside most of the time but when a storm's a comin I like to get it inside). The table I am planning on building will be large, mobile and multi function. I am not trying to make it perfect and I am not trying to make it a workbench (that's on the list for a later date). I dont know if dog holes are really needed at this time but I've run across a few situations where they seem like they would come in handy. So too with a vise.

Thanks for your viewpoint.

[Tim M Tuttle]

I would not recommend trying to use your outfeed table as an assembly table.

You will find during a project it is a major hassle having to clear it off.

Good point. Hadn't thought of that.

[andy bessette]

I would not recommend trying to use your outfeed table as an assembly table.

You will find during a project it is a major hassle having to clear it off.

Sorry but this is nonsense. For years I had a single car garage for a shop and had no room for anything but using my outfeed table as my sole workbench. Though my shop is now large enough for my 4' x 8' assembly bench I still often use the original. Come on fellas! This is not that tough to figure out.

[Mike Wilkins]

Don't see the need for a torsion box out feed table; it will not be seeing a lot of weight. Why not make a table from 2 layers of MDF with some cross brace support below. You can then drill your dog holes straight through and not worry about losing a small part down one of the holes. Unless there is a large pile of shavings below.

[Charles Wiggins]

One thing I've learned so far is that anything I make I tend to find a deficiency with it fairly quickly. Right now, more than anything, I just need a big flat surface to put things together on. Currently I am using sawhorses with a sheet of plywood. It's fine but I constantly have to set it up and break it down to make room for my car (it's outside most of the time but when a storm's a comin I like to get it inside). The table I am planning on building will be large, mobile and multi function. I am not trying to make it perfect and I am not trying to make it a workbench (that's on the list for a later date). I dont know if dog holes are really needed at this time but I've run across a few situations where they seem like they would come in handy. So too with a vise.

Thanks for your viewpoint.

Given what you're saying, something to consider:


https://youtu.be/8BXHB3xOZVo