Lift table for woodworking?

[Steve Mathews]

A friend of mine offered me a Southworth lift table. I was thinking it might be good to have as a woodworking bench base or other adjustable height working surface. It's an absolute beast capable of lifting 4000 lbs. with twin hydraulic cylinders operated by an electric motor driven hydraulic pump. Does this have any merits in a wood/metal working shop? Space is becoming a premium in my shop after acquiring more stationary tools so I don't want to consume more of it with something that just sits around.

[Phillip Mitchell]

Yes, very valuable and versatile to have around especially if you build big or long stuff or do cabinetry. I wish I had the space to dedicate to a full sized lift table or two with a 3x7 top.

[Cliff Polubinsky]

Steve,

I first bought a Harbor Freight hydraulic lift table when building my bench. It was really helpful for moving and lifting 100 lbs + slabs of ash. It's been so useful since that when the hydraulics started going out I bought another table, Northern Tool this time. Besides being handy for heavy items I also use it for holding parts during milling and assembly. Recently fitted it with a Veritas work surface and risers which gives me another work table with dog holes which is very handy.

If you can spare the space it should earn its keep.

Cliff

[Phillip Mitchell]

Cliff,

Which model do you have now and does it bleed down over time? What size top do you have on it?

[Jim Becker]

I'm a big fan of adjustable height work surfaces, so if you can accommodate it reasonably in your space, "that would be a yes for me".

[Steve Mathews]

As much as I can see its benefits I'm however getting cold feet on the idea. As stated earlier this thing is a beast weighing over 600 lbs.

[Ira Matheny]

YES< YES< YES. One of the best tools in my shop. Low for cabinets/large projects. High for smalls, carving, special hand tools.
10 years ago, I purchased a motor-cycle/snowmobile lift. Mine was pneumatic over hydraulic. Fitted it with a 6" thick top, 42" w x 12' l. Definitely the best shop tool in my line-up. So absolutely superb for many, many projects. Mine was listed for 2,000lb capacity. The top weighed about 600 lbs, if memory serves me. Thus the added load capacity was well over 1,000lbs.

[David Zaret]

steve - i have a southworth lift table in my shop, a smaller one (1100 lb capacity). love it. it lives behind the planer and wide belt as a dual outfeed table, it's wheeled out to use for certain cabinet assemblies, and it's used to shuttle plywood stacks back to the CNC and easily load the machine. worth every dime. they are built like tanks.

[Howard Pollack]

I use a "Harbor Fright" version. It has a supposed capacity of 300lbs, but I wouldn't want to test that. It is incredibly useful at particular moments. -Howard

[Cliff Polubinsky]

Cliff,

Which model do you have now and does it bleed down over time? What size top do you have on it?

Phillip,

I've got the Ironton 500 lbs model from Northern Tools. 27 3/4in.L x 17 3/4in.W platform. Put the large Veritas work surface with risers.
Had it for a few months and there's been no bleed down so far. The Harbor Freight table I had before this one bled a lot. Wouldn't hold height overnight.

Cliff

[Brian W Evans]

Steve,

I have a mobile lift table but I would LOVE to have an electric powered hydraulic table. Check out these two videos to see why:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlM0aQ-VpUM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBX-AtmSFJA

Each of these guys has other videos where they use the lift tables in builds.

Good luck with your decision.

-Brian

[Steve Mathews]

steve - i have a southworth lift table in my shop, a smaller one (1100 lb capacity). love it. it lives behind the planer and wide belt as a dual outfeed table, it's wheeled out to use for certain cabinet assemblies, and it's used to shuttle plywood stacks back to the CNC and easily load the machine. worth every dime. they are built like tanks.

Did your Southworth come with wheels or did you add them.

I'm beginning to warm up to the idea of using the lift table. I was thinking of positioning it behind my table saw for use as an outfeed table and also as an assembly table.

[Robert L Stewart]

I agree that my lift table (Southworth) is the most valuable tool in the shop. After twenty years of use I never take for granted it's versatility, not to mention a back saving device. The Torsion box is 5" thick, top is 1 1/4 thick, white oak edged then laminated with standard grade laminate to finish at 48 x 102. The 6' overhang for clamping was a good call.


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[Dan Chouinard]

Buy it.
Your welcome

[Phillip Mitchell]

Phillip,

I've got the Ironton 500 lbs model from Northern Tools. 27 3/4in.L x 17 3/4in.W platform. Put the large Veritas work surface with risers.
Had it for a few months and there's been no bleed down so far. The Harbor Freight table I had before this one bled a lot. Wouldn't hold height overnight.

Cliff

Looking at the Northern Tool site I see this one - https://m.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200696307_200696307

Is that what you have that’s more like a cart style lift table? I could stand to have one or two of those around when I’m running stuff through the jointer and planer and maybe could put them side by side and put a larger top over both to make a much bigger table top. Though it looks like the height of the 500# model is only 28” and the 1000# is more like 35”.

I’d love a big electric lift but I don’t know that I have the budget or space for one in my current shop unfortunately.

[Keith Outten]

I recently purchased a motorcycle lift table based on a recommendation from someone here and it has been one of the best additions to my shop. Mine is an air lift, its fast and there will never be any oil leaks to deal with. The primary table is 2 foot by 7 foot and it has extensions to make the table size 4 foot by 7 foot. I recently finished two 4 by 8 foot signs and it would have been more difficult without the new air lift table.

I have four of the smaller Harbor Freight hydraulic tables and they have been worth their weight using them for large sign projects where I have to move hundreds of sign plaques around from machine to machine.

[Cliff Polubinsky]

Phillip,

Yes, that's the one.

Cliff

[Steve Mathews]

Well, I've taken the advice here and have committed to the lift table. I'll pick it up later in the month. It needs some work on the hydraulics but the price was right. I'm not looking forward to moving the 600+ lb. beast though.

[Brian W Evans]

FWIW, I used to have a Harbor Freight mobile lift cart I bought for $250 +/-. It was fine but would bleed down after a short time, the wheels weren't great, etc.

I now have a Vestil double scissor cart that lifts 1,000 pounds up to almost 6 feet. It is a VAST improvement. I think I paid about $1,100 for it. It is similar to this model:

https://www.amazon.com/Vestil-CART-1500-D-TS-Foot-Actuated-Hydraulic-Capacity/dp/B0027Y35UO

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I got mine at Home Depot but they don't seem to carry many Vestil carts any more.

I like the double scissor lift because it allows me to use the cart as an outfeed table for any machine or bench, even tall ones. It lowers down to a very low profile as well - probably about 12".

Another thing I like about it is that the pressure release is a pedal instead of a bicycle brake-type handle. This allowed me to remove the push bars and just keep the table. Without the handles I can push it under a bench and out of the way when I don't need it.

As others have said, this is one of the most used tools in my shop.

[Thomas Wilson]

Does anyone know how to rebuild a Harbor Freight hydraulic cart to fix the bleed down? When new, mine was fine. After I used it to lift the top of my workbench into place, it began to bleed down. I have tried adjusting the control valve cable with no improvement. I sort of suspect the valve.