Ideas: Adjustabench - Casters & Cabinet

[Jim Neeley]

A number of you have the Adjustabench... Is there a way to mount the angle iron for the casters on the outside of the vertical supports rather than on the inside?

That way the cabinet could be deep and go (at least nearly) to the floor without the bolt heads or angle getting in the way.

Space is mighty tight in my shop so I'm looking for every drawer I can get!!

[Gary Hodgin]

Jim,
I have mine mounted on the inside and I'm not sure about the possibility of mounting on the outside. You might give Geoffrey a call or email. I don't know if you've seen the gallery at Geoffrey's website. It shows examples of what users have done with their benches.
Gary
http://www.adjustabench.com/gallery.asp

[Jim Neeley]

Thanks, Gary..

I've dropped Geoffrey an email and I'll post my findings for all.

Jim

[Gary Hodgin]

Great. I got my bench from Geoffrey several years ago and a show. I recall calling him with an assembly question and he was very helpful. My bench is just the standard build with a Sjoberg top. I move mine around quite a bit. I really like the bench, but I wish I had space for a real big, heavy bench.

[James Carmichael]

I don't want to hijack Jim's thread, but I've been wornding about the adjustabench too. How does it hold up against racking while hand-planing figured wood? How about chopping mortises?

[Matt Bickford]

I took a look at my bench legs. I do not see an easy way to move the casters. Getting a longer castor beam might solve your specific issue. The wider castors may often trip you, so be careful.

James,
I use an Adjust-a-bench every single day. It changed the way I work inside of a week. I adjust it 3-5 times every day. It's solid and rigid. I use the bench extended all the way up 80% of the time. I have never had an issue.

[Gary Hodgin]

James,
I've had my bench for several years and had it rack two times as I recall. I believe both occurred after I had adjusted the bench height. I suspect the problem was that I didn't get the adjusting mechanism seated correctly. In other words, racking has not been a problem.

You do need the think about the size and thickness of the top and the placement of vises. I got a Sjborgs top at the local Woodcraft. It's 20" x 60" and has a standard wood vise in the front and end. It's has 3" aprons and 1" everywhere else. I wish the bench were heavier. I don't have space for a bigger bench.
Gary

[Chuck Nickerson]

I built my AdjustABench with casters and a cabinet underneath. I don't recall giving up much of anything in terms of storage.

I'll go look at it tonight with this in mind.

[Glen J. Peterson]

Hi Folks,
I've used an adjust-a-bench for a couple of years. I think mounting the casters on the outside would interfere with the lift mechanism. I haven't built drawers beneath the bench, but Geoff Noden's site has a gallery and I remember several owners sitting the drawer case right on the angle iron that holds the casters.
In response to James, I'm in the process of hand cutting some half blind dovetails in QS white oak and the bench did move a bit when I was planing the oak endgrain while in the process of fitting the drawers faces. I had the bench set rather high. It typically isn't an issue.
Glen