Building a Shop Table

[Tom Clark FL]

Did you ever have a project spread out all over your workbench, and then have another job come up where you needed the space right away? Of course! It frequently happens to all of us. Last spring I was working on big project, had parts scattered all over several shop carts, and decided that what I really needed was a BIG shop cart/assembly table, so the shop would have more working room. A quick look at the shop carts I was using gave me the design for the new table, and I had enough material in the wood rack to build it, so it was fun time!

When it comes to projects, my design philosophy says to don't spend your time making pretty drawings as that takes too much time away from the really fun part, - sawing wood and building. I use a pad of graph paper, a quick hand-drawn sketch to get the construction down in your mind and to determine a few dimensions, then head over to the stock rack to get going. This table was one of the easiest projects I ever made, and has turned out to be one of the most useful too.

I needed a big table, but it had to be on wheels so it could be rolled out of the way when the assembly area was needed for other large projects. I made my table 40" wide because I can't reach over a full sheet of plywood, and 80" long to keep the size from taking too much shop space. Don't let the large size hold you back though. You could build this table in any size you need or have space for in your shop.

Other than the top and shelf, the frame took just over 1/2 sheet of plywood. The legs were sketched out to be 4" wide, but half of the verticals were reduced to 3.5" wide to made the most efficient use of the plywood. In my shop I already have an abundance of drawers, (see my shop tour thread from a couple of weeks ago) or this table would have been filled with a dozen drawers. What I really needed on this project was a large shelf to hold parts for the project being assembled. Anyway, the bottom shelf is cheap 1/2" cd plywood and the rest of the frame was 3/4 oak plywood. The only fasteners used are lots of glue and my 16 gage nail gun, using 1.25 - 2" finishing nails. I have to confess, I did add one drawer after finding a single set of left over drawer slides while I was looking for something else in another cabinet. The drawer parts were sized and built from scraps in the stock rack.

[Tom Clark FL]

Construction notes: The wooden legs use the "angle iron" principal for stiffness. They are so strong that I think the table would hold a car. Of course I can't lift one up there to test the theory, so I guess it's safe thinking that. The large glue joint surface area makes the assembly super strong and self-aligning. Start with the bottom stringers, remember to add the shelf before you get too far along, and then add the top stringers.

Once the assembly is finished minus the top, go ahead and round over all the edges and sand away the sharp edges. I painted the frame with a coat of polyurethane before the top was added to make that part easier. Once the top is added there was no way I could roll the table over to work on it.

Five inch diameter casters were used for maneuverability. I would urge you to not use any smaller size wheels on a large table as smaller wheels are much harder to roll around. The two swivel casters have locks on them. The other two are just straight casters.

The first layer of MDF was glued and nailed directly to the frame with 2" nails. The second layer was then laminated in place. The edges were trimmed with a straight edge after the glue dried. The finished top overhangs the base three inches all the way around. A replaceable top layer of 1/4 masonite was used for a work surface. On the sides and back of the top an edge of 1/2" oak plywood was nailed so that if formed an edge to keep small parts from rolling off. You may or may not want this feature, depending on what kind of work you do the most.

This super simple table has become one of the most used shop projects I have built so far. So far I can't think of anything I would change if I were to make it over. Some fellow woodworkers have asked to visit my shop, and we are having a get-together on Oct 20. Come on over if you don't live too far away from north Florida. Details and directions will be announced a couple of weeks ahead of time.

[Mike Pierson]

nice table - I have actually been toying around in my head with building a combo outfeed/work table. Thanks for the pics.

[Jim Becker]

Nice table and pictorial, Tom! And you're correct...having some extra surface around can be quite handy. (And I build like you do, too, BTW)

[Ken Stevens]

Thanks for sharing. Nice pix. Please state the working height to the table top as well as the outer dimensions. Just to calibrate my eye. Also, did you worry about any sag in the middle (non flat working surface)?

[Greg Funk]

Tom,

Nice table. I like the design, I only wish I had room for a table like that!

Greg

[Tom Clark FL]

Thanks for sharing. Nice pix. Please state the working height to the table top as well as the outer dimensions. Just to calibrate my eye. Also, did you worry about any sag in the middle (non flat working surface)?

Ken, as I said in the article, I made my table 40" wide because I can't reach over a full sheet of plywood, and 80" long to keep the size from taking too much shop space. Don't let the large size hold you back though. You could build this table in any size you need or have space for in your shop. I did not state the height. Mine is standard counter/bench height of 36". Every one should modify sizes to suit their own tastes or shop space.

Yes, I did consider sag. At first I was not going to put the vertical center support in, but added it as an afterthought. The horizontal stringers are 4" wide, and at only 3' between supports they seem to be very stiff. So far the top has remained quite flat.

Gary, Bet you do have room for a reduced size version.

[Mike Jones NM]

Nice looking bench. A question for you and the others on the casters. When you only have 2 that lock do you put them both on the same end, same side, or opposite corners?
Thanks

[Tom Clark FL]

Nice looking bench. A question for you and the others on the casters. When you only have 2 that lock do you put them both on the same end, same side, or opposite corners?
Thanks

Mike, Look at the photo and you can see that both of the swivel casters are on one end, and the fixed casters without locks are on the other end. For me the table sits very stable when locked, but some may prefer locking casters on all wheels. (I use the table on a carpet in the shop.) Since I bought the 5" casters on sale for $3 each I have no complaints and a big grin on my face after that sale. ( I bought all they had - 2 sets.)

[patrick anderson]

very nice table mate.....seems like just the right thing to build for my shop

[Grant Vanbokklen]

Thanks for posting this. I posted looking for something like this made from chipboard. I've seen pictures in Wooden Boat over the years where boat shops build this style but more recently using chipboard. I've seen the legs cut at more of a triangle shape. I'll be doing something like this real soon. I need a 12' table surface, I've got a 12' x 3' peice of MDF that I'll be using for the top.

EDIT: Opps, maybe I should have been calling the wood I was thinking of using "Oriented Strand Board" and not Chipboard. What would be the cheapest/best wood for such a design?

[John Seiffer]

What a great way to do the legs! Thanks so much for posting this.

[Jeff Stubbert]

Nice work Tom. The tutorial has been a great motivator for me. I have started work on my own version. And like you, I am trying to build as much as possible from existing stock. Regarding the top, with the stringers and vertical supports do you think you could have gotten away with a single sheet of ¾ MDF on the top ad still avoid sag and flex? I also like the idea of the replaceable hardboard work surface. What is a good way to secure it but still make it removable without destroying the underlying table top?


Thanks again for the effort in posting this thread.

[Tom Clark FL]

Nice work Tom. The tutorial has been a great motivator for me. I have started work on my own version. And like you, I am trying to build as much as possible from existing stock. Regarding the top, with the stringers and vertical supports do you think you could have gotten away with a single sheet of ¾ MDF on the top ad still avoid sag and flex? I also like the idea of the replaceable hardboard work surface. What is a good way to secure it but still make it removable without destroying the underlying table top?

Jeff,

I think the single layer would be a bit flexible and not very solid, so it depends on what your plans are for the table. Mine is very solid and you can hammer on it all you want with out feeling something is about to break. I have built a couple of other workbenches using the double tops and am quite satisified with the results. (See my post of 9/13 Building vs Buying for details and construction photos of one of the other benches.)

Much to my dismay, after a few months the Masonite started to turn up at the corners, so I took some one inch long small nails and nailed it down. It will still be easy to replace, and I glad the extra replaceable top is there because I have already spilt glue on it multiple times. Well, actually I didn't do it, but them darn shop gremlins are always making a mess…

Tom

[Greg Sznajdruk]

Tom:

Norm built one a number of years ago and came up with a simple system to flip the casters out of the way so that the legs sat on the floor. If movement becomes an issue you could use his idea.

Greg