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Thread: Mobile workbench designs or tutorials?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
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    Minneapolis, MN
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    Mobile workbench designs or tutorials?

    Hello. Seeking plans, tutorials or general considerations for making a mobile woodworking workbench. I work almost exclusively outside my garage door when nice out and put all my mobile tools back inside the garage when done (table saw, bandsaw, miter station, etc) More and more I find myself looking for a good space to assemble and such. I'm trying to minimize future regrets - any words of wisdom or must haves? Ideal size?

    Thank you all -
    Kane
    Last edited by Kane Bragg; 03-07-2022 at 2:05 PM.

  2. #2
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    Oct 2014
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    No specific recommendations, but from a general strategy standpoint I will say that I tried the "big, integrated bench" pathway at first and didn't like it. By the time you get everything on it, it's not that mobile. I much prefer multiple smaller carts that can roll independently. The exception to that is a nice sized assembly table, ideally that can double as the outfeed for your table saw.

    The "flip top" concepts seem to be popular, but I've never been sold. First, I always wonder how stable they are.even a bit of play in the top would annoy me. Second, I'd rather have drawers/shelves available in two separate carts than one cart with no additional storage. But that's all personal preference.

    If I were going to do it over again, I'd probably adapt some concepts from the Paulk-style benches.
    Last edited by Patrick Varley; 03-07-2022 at 2:13 PM.

  3. #3
    I have gone STEEL workbench, so long wood workbenches.

    - Dead flat and will stay dead flat with precision CNC machined 5/8 inch thick steel tops.
    - Impervious to glue, epoxy and drips of whatever it's Nitride finished the goop pops right off with a putty knife.
    - There's about 1,000 different clamping and fixturing gadgets for these.
    - Great base for bolting down job specific jigs, my sliding miter saw, anything heavy this one weighs over 300lbs.

    wwtools05.jpg

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2021
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    Quote Originally Posted by Charles Coolidge View Post
    I have gone STEEL workbench, so long wood workbenches.

    - Dead flat and will stay dead flat with precision CNC machined 5/8 inch thick steel tops.
    - Impervious to glue, epoxy and drips of whatever it's Nitride finished the goop pops right off with a putty knife.
    - There's about 1,000 different clamping and fixturing gadgets for these.
    - Great base for bolting down job specific jigs, my sliding miter saw, anything heavy this one weighs over 300lbs.

    wwtools05.jpg
    yeah but my chisels and saws would hate to have occasional contact with that.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NE Ohio
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    6,976
    My wife and I have been house - buying.rehabbing.renting them out since 2002.

    The very first thing I do is find the nastiest inside door in the place - take it off it's hinges - stick it across a couple of saw horses.
    I've made some portable flat surfaces using the torsion box design & cutting holes in the structural members to reduce weight, but, little beats an old hollow core door.

    I also made a cutting table for sheet goods that does duty as a work table also.

    Both can be found in this old thread:
    https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....ables-(please)!
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

  6. #6
    This might be of interest
    Carl Holmgren inspired, just lashed together with what I had lying around.
    I posted a WIP elsewhere called a wheely good workbench solution,
    SAM_4056.jpg

    SAM_4062.jpg
    SAM_4066.jpg
    SAM_4086.jpg

    SAM_4116.JPG
    SAM_4111.jpg
    SAM_4107.JPG

    Here's another clever solution
    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7ZvU2tyiMjM

    Tom
    Last edited by Tom Trees; 03-07-2022 at 6:58 PM.

  7. #7
    Harbour fright lifting trolley might be another solution.
    Been thinking of making something like that, but with another set of arms, ala Marius Hornberger adjustable height table,
    as it seems that you can't lift something with a screw!

    Having that extra travel would double up for ride on lawnmowers and outfeeds for the saws,
    Having no clue of what sort of ram I need, I haven't looked into this just yet, but have the steel to make it look Feldery.

    Just incase that might be a solution also.
    Tom

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Clausen View Post
    yeah but my chisels and saws would hate to have occasional contact with that.
    Throw a wood top on it when needed.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Michigan
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    2,758
    One problem is floor flatness. I have considered making a bench with three feet so it never wobbles. This could mean three legs or four legs with a foot between two legs on one end.

    Also, instead of a 'stub your toes' mobile base a pair of jackable wheels hidden under the center should do it and be more solid.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Location
    Minneapolis, MN
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kane Bragg View Post
    Hello. Seeking plans, tutorials or general considerations for making a mobile woodworking workbench. I work almost exclusively outside my garage door when nice out and put all my mobile tools back inside the garage when done (table saw, bandsaw, miter station, etc) More and more I find myself looking for a good space to assemble and such. I'm trying to minimize future regrets - any words of wisdom or must haves? Ideal size?

    Thank you all -
    Kane
    Belated update. So I bought a couple butcher block counter top pieces from Menards, glued them together, trimmed the edges. Kind of took the ideas from several examples. First real woodworking bench I’ve ever had. Better late than never.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    Look up the Paulk workbench on YouTube or other places. It has a big following.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
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    9,467
    Quote Originally Posted by Kane Bragg View Post
    Hello. Seeking plans, tutorials or general considerations for making a mobile woodworking workbench. I work almost exclusively outside my garage door when nice out and put all my mobile tools back inside the garage when done (table saw, bandsaw, miter station, etc) More and more I find myself looking for a good space to assemble and such. I'm trying to minimize future regrets - any words of wisdom or must haves? Ideal size?

    Thank you all -
    Kane
    Hi Kane

    I built a handtool-orientated mini bench top for demonstrations at wood shows and my woodworking club. This sits on a bench or table top, but you could easily make a simple and solid base for it.



    This has a Moxon vise for sawing dovetails or planing edges, an end stop for planing faces, an end vise (with a shopmade wooden screw), and bench dogs.





    Details of the basic build are here (noting that there have been modifications since): http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMad...nAWeekend.html

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,675
    Personally, I use the Noden Adjust-A-Bench products for my mobile benches. My main bench uses the original kit and my auxiliary bench uses the new Craftsman Hardware kit.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Location
    Minneapolis, MN
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    Quote Originally Posted by Derek Cohen View Post
    Hi Kane

    I built a handtool-orientated mini bench top for demonstrations at wood shows and my woodworking club. This sits on a bench or table top, but you could easily make a simple and solid base for it.

    This has a Moxon vise for sawing dovetails or planing edges, an end stop for planing faces, an end vise (with a shopmade wooden screw), and bench dogs.

    Details of the basic build are here (noting that there have been modifications since): http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMad...nAWeekend.html

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Very nice work.

  15. #15
    I built my bench by using the plastic leg kits from Amazon which was roughly $90 and two layers of 3/4” plywood stretchers ripped at 3.5” glued together so 1.5” thick and a 4” thick torsion box top that has a grid of 2.5” thick 3/4” ply and a 3/4” bottom and a 3/4” top with a 1/2” MDF sacrificial top on top of that. I used 330lb (each) rated casters too. My bench is 49” deep x 97” wide. It’s dead flat and mobile

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