What do you use for an assembly table?

[Jeff Wright]

My 2-car garage shop is limited for space, especially when it comes to assembly table area. I have a large workbench (a Noden adjustable bench on wheels that raises and lowers), but I'd like to try to keep that for working area.

What do you use for a flat true assembly area for glue-ups and the like? I am thinking of using one or two hollow-core doors, the kind that are hollow, light and fairly flat. It would be necessary to be a surface that could be broken down and stored. Any ideas that have worked well for you?

[Jamie Buxton]

I have a torsion box which is about 42"x80"x6". It is very flat. It is also light enough that I can easily swing it over my head to hang it on the wall. The skins are 1/4" ply, and the spacer grid is 1/8" ply. When it is being a table, it just sits on sawhorses. (The sawhorses fold up, so they store easily.)

[JayStPeter]

I used folding banquet table legs on mine. Works well enough.

Jay

[alex grams]

When it comes down to it, i usually just lay some 2x4's down height wise across my saw horses, then screw about 3 of those on the underside of a 4x8. Not exactly the prettiest solution, but it gives a pretty flat surface and can be stacked against the wall when not being used.

Sometime I am going to build a solid mobile table to work on, but until then, its sawhorses and 2x4's and 4x8's!

[J. Z. Guest]

I'm currently using 1/2 of my one car garage. I've been using the workbench for smaller projects.

I haven't tackled anything big yet. Next project is a king size bed and will probably use the floor.

[David DeCristoforo]

Hollow core doors are pretty flat and easy to store when not in use. But they are also very "thin skinned" so it would not be a bad idea to also have a piece of 3/4" ply to place on top when you are using the "bench". One thing I can tell you is that most people build assembly tables too high. I have found that a 24-28" high surface is much better to do this kind of work on.

YM

[Jeff Wright]

I have a torsion box which is about 42"x80"x6". It is very flat. It is also light enough that I can easily swing it over my head to hang it on the wall. The skins are 1/4" ply, and the spacer grid is 1/8" ply. When it is being a table, it just sits on sawhorses. (The sawhorses fold up, so they store easily.)

Jamie, did you use a set of plans to build the box? If so, might you have a link to the instructions?

[Mark Carlson]

Jeff,

I use a Festool MFT as an assembly table and a tablesaw outfeed table. Where the MFT shines is with glue ups. All those holes really help getting flat and square glueups.

~mark

[Joe Chritz]

I have a 3x5 rolling assembly table torsion box and a 4x5 1/2 torsion box outfeed table under construction.

I am curious how the thin wall torsion box was assembled. It would be plenty strong but I could see the glue up being tedious.

If you have to have one to move out of the way a torsion box is the way to go. With the 1/8 grids and 1/4 skins it would be easy to move around.

Joe

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

David,
Google "David Marks Torsion Box". This is a DIY site that will show you step by step method to build a torsion box surface. You do not have to build it a thick as the one shown. I have build them a thin as 2 1/2" and they work well. The box will be as flat as the surface you build it on. Once you have one you will wonder how you ever did without one. It is wonderful to know you are working on a truly flat surface.


Faust Ruggiero

[Jeff Wright]

Jeff,

I use a Festool MFT as an assembly table and a tablesaw outfeed table. Where the MFT shines is with glue ups. All those holes really help getting flat and square glueups.

~mark

Mark, I've been resisting adding a Festool table to my Festool collection. May go the route. Is it something that you can put up and take down easily, or is it best set up semi-permanently?

[john bateman]

Be wary of the hollow core doors currently sold at the big-box stores. I picked the flattest looking one of the bunch, but when I got home I found a 1/8" bulge in it at one spot.

[Jeff Wright]

David,
Google "David Marks Torsion Box". This is a DIY site that will show you step by step method to build a torsion box surface. You do not have to build it a thick as the one shown. I have build them a thin as 2 1/2" and they work well. The box will be as flat as the surface you build it on. Once you have one you will wonder how you ever did without one. It is wonderful to know you are working on a truly flat surface.


Faust Ruggiero

Thanks! Now that you reminded me, I think I recorded that show some time back.

[Scott Vigder]

I built a torsion box table specifically for assembly. It's about 4x5 but there are times I wish it was 5x8!

[jason lambert]

Festool MFT, it has changed the way I work I do not know how I got along with out it. I have two the nice thing is like you I am in a gurage and I can fold them up and put htem away if not needed or if I only need one etc...

[Doug Shepard]

... I am thinking of using one or two hollow-core doors, the kind that are hollow, light and fairly flat....

That works pretty good and it's cheap. The only downside (and probably the same problem with any torsion box) it that if you clamp something down onto the door, you have to make sure the clamps are lined up with the internal grid or you can punch through the skin (even with parallel jaw clamps).

[Al Willits]

I built the David Marks table also, mines is 5x6 foot and I used the 3/4" MDF, I think I might have gone 1/2" if I was to do it again, it is heavy when your trying to move it by yourself, I also attached D handles on the side so it was easier to drag around.

I'd think the 1/2" version would be strong enough, and possibly light enough you could hang on a wall when not in use.

Al

[Mark Carlson]

Mark, I've been resisting adding a Festool table to my Festool collection. May go the route. Is it something that you can put up and take down easily, or is it best set up semi-permanently?

I don't move mine but it does have folding legs so you can store it away or take it with you. I created a shelf across the legs where I store my planer. This added weight makes the table more solid. I run the planer from there. The MFT is being replaced by a new model called the MF3. I think it becomes available next month. The Festool table is pricey. A cheaper option is just to buy the top and make your own table or buy a sheet of MDF and drill the holes yourself. What I'm thinking about is a torsion box with a Festool style top.

~mark

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

The woodwhisperer has a video on his site similar to David Marks (but with some improvements) you might find helpful:
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/episode-18-assembly-table-torsion-box/

[Chris Mann]

One thing with the Festool MFT is that it will sag over time. You can run some bracing underneath the mft top to correct/prevent this. This of course gets in the way of certain clamping situations and prevents you from flipping over the top when the current side gets too banged up.

I suppose you could also flip the top every few weeks to prevent this from happening. The table isn't exactly light though, I'd think a thin skinned torsion box would be better for something you need to put up out of the way frequently.

[Matt Meiser]

I use my welding table which has a 3/8" steel top. I put a piece of 1/4" hardboard over that. It works out nice because the thin, but stiff top is good for clamping too.

[Dave Falkenstein]

One thing with the Festool MFT is that it will sag over time....

I have two Festool MFT's, connected to make one large work surface. I have had these tables for several years. I just checked the flatness using a long straight edge. There is no sag - none, zip, zilch - both tables are as flat as the day I bought them.

For a small workspace, the MFT legs fold away and it can be stored.

The clamping possibilities make the MFT a great assembly table.

[Jim Kirkpatrick]

I agree with Dave, that's the first I've ever heard of an MFT sagging.

[Mark Carlson]

No sag yet on a 3yr old MFT.

[JayStPeter]

The only problem I have with the MFT as an assembly table is size and other functionality. The size problem can be fixed somewhat expensively with Daves suggestion. But, I tend to use my assembly table as a staging area for the entire project and it's helpful to have the MFT available for other uses. That's not to say I don't use the MFT as a clamping table for subassemblies. But, the larger table is home base and really doesn't need much more than a flat surface. Every time I consider getting rid of the cheapo table and making a bigger MFT I consider this issue. It'll probably happen eventually, but I wish I had the space for both. For now, the assembly table is only taken down if I need to setup my temporary spray booth. The MFT comes and goes as needed.

[Greg Hines, MD]

You can also look on www.newyankee.com and check out Norms assembly table. It does not fold, but is on casters to move it around, and shows how to make a relatively simple table that is light and strong. It is not quite as stiff as Marks torsion box, but not bad either.

I only have a workbench right now, but when I build the shop on the back part of the lot, in maybe 10 years, I will be making a hybrid of a torsion box like Marks makes, along with the leg and caster assembly from Abram.

Doc

[Greg Sznajdruk]

I was involved in renovating a bank into a flower shop. The ATM booth was constructed from 3/4 particleboard with 3/16 sheet steel bonded to both sides. This is a heavy 4 by 8, which I use for assembly table top, the steel is painted so glue pops right off. It is flat enough to use as a reference surface. Have no idea where to get this product, unless there is a bank branch closing.

Greg

[allan cripe]

I also use the white plastic banquet table.....It's the only thing I "let" my wife keep in my side of the garage(shop). She uses it for scrapbooking. I also built a copy of Norm's big table with the casters that flip up and down, that sucker is big, but I sometimes like to use the smaller table.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

I have a solid core door as a bench top. Works well.

[Brandon Shew]

I have a small shop and I use a 4' x 5' fold down torsion box type table that doubles duty as an outfeed table as well as an assembly table. It's mounted on the wall side on a long piano hinge and the other side has folding adjustable legs. I simply fold it down when needed and fold it up when not in use.

[Doug Mason]

I had the MFT and had problems w/sagging. No longer use it; Instead, a large table with many cross-supports underneath (adjustable) and an MDF top. Works well for me.

[Jim Becker]

Right now, I use my Adjust-a-bench for assembly. I am, however, considering purchase of a solid core door and making some rectangular boxes to provide a secondary multi-height assembly setup for larger projects...and it will be easy to store away, too.

[Jeff Wright]

Right now, I use my Adjust-a-bench for assembly. I am, however, considering purchase of a solid core door and making some rectangular boxes to provide a secondary multi-height assembly setup for larger projects...and it will be easy to store away, too.

Jim, I have a hard time keeping miscellaneous junk off my Noden bench. Do you have the same bad habits? :)

[Don Bullock]

I use our old dining table that I made back in the early '70s. It's a trestle table made of solid 6/4 ash.

[Matt Ocel]

3' x 6' - 2x4 construction table with 2 layers of 3/4" particle board toped with 1/4" masonite, edges trimmed with maple, beveled edge, 4 coats poly, finished it in January. Allready put a bunch of scratches in it, not to count all the glue drips even after promising myself I'd be careful. I put a shelf in and you can access it on one side, gonna put some doors on it one of these days to try and keep dust out.
P.S. it "always" has a bunch of something on top of it.

[Terry Achey]

I recently finished building Norm's assembly table w/drop down casters. Very strong and flat. Stiff enough that it will wobble if you place it somewhere that has an uneven floor finish. It is big (49" x 66") but you can customize the size to whatever works. I find the size to be nice because you can assemble your work with plenty of room to layout tools, too. Also serves as an outfeed table for my TS. Being mobile is a great feature, too.

[Jim Becker]

Jim, I have a hard time keeping miscellaneous junk off my Noden bench. Do you have the same bad habits?

Only in the past two weeks...but normally, my bench is actually pretty clear. 'Can't say the same for the miter station, however...:o

[Karl Brogger]

I use saw horses about 16" tall for assembling boxes. The outfeed table for the table saw gets used for drawers/door typically. If the saw needs to be used at the same time as the table we through a sheat of whatever on top of the saw horses stacked up to have another surface to work off of.

[David Giles]

I've built a small rolling cart soon to be topped with 3/4" thick granite which should be flat enough for anything that I do. The top will overhang the sides 4" for light clamping. At 30" x 36", it's small enough roll around my small shop and out back for finish. I'm trying to never lift another cabinet! The 2x4 base is heavily polyurethaned to resist some moisture. It's stored outside (under awning) to free up shop space. Which is the other reason for the granite top.

[Mark Grotenhuis]

I just finished my assembly table. I took the design from the wood whisperer.com and in my opinion made it better. I added a backbone down the middle of it so that I could put it on wheels and not worry about it sagging in the middle. Also I changed the shelves from fixed to adjustable. Instead of a torsion box I just used 2 sheets of MDF and put a laminate on top. Its perfectly flat any very sturdy. When you lock the wheels you can push as hard as you want and it wont go anywhere. What do you think?

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn105/Hozerhuis/IMG_2004.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn105/Hozerhuis/IMG_1998.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn105/Hozerhuis/IMG_1997.jpg

[Jim O'Dell]

I have a temproary outfeed table that is a short welding table left in the shop by the previous owner. It's about 30 X 60. I've added some 2X6 sleepers on edge to the top, and several layers of scrap OSB to get close to the height of the TS surface. I use this for non critical assemblies. If I need something flat, I'm using my TS for now. I will eventually build an outfeed table, or use the contractor saw and a modified added table if I get to get a cab saw. Then I will rebuild the current temporary outfeed table to move to the finishing room for assembly. Most likely build a torsion box for the top of it. Jim.

ps. Mark, your assembly table looks very nice!!